A Parallel Processor Operating System Comparison

Three different operating system strategies for a parallel processor computer system are compared, and the most effective strategy for given job loads is determined. The three strategies compare uniprogramming versus multiprogramming and distributed operating systems versus dedicated processor operating systems. The level of evaluation includes I/O operations, resource allocation, and interprocess communication. The results apply to architectures where jobs may be scheduled to processors on the basis of processor availability, memory availability, and the availability of one other resource used by all jobs.