Introduction to Parallel Computing

The constantly increasing demand for more computing power can seem impossible to keep up with. However, multicore processors capable of performing computations in parallel allow computers to tackle ever larger problems in a wide variety of applications. This book provides a comprehensive introduction to parallel computing, discussing theoretical issues such as the fundamentals of concurrent processes, models of parallel and distributed computing, and metrics for evaluating and comparing parallel algorithms, as well as practical issues, including methods of designing and implementing shared- and distributed-memory programs, and standards for parallel program implementation, in particular MPI and OpenMP interfaces. Each chapter presents the basics in one place followed by advanced topics, allowing novices and experienced practitioners to quickly find what they need. A glossary and more than 80 exercises with selected solutions aid comprehension. The book is recommended as a text for advanced undergraduate or graduate students and as a reference for practitioners.

Zbigniew J. Czech is Professor of Computer Science at Politechnika Slaska, Poland. His research interests include computer programing, design and analysis of algorithms, and parallel computing, on which he has over 45 years of experience lecturing and conducting research. He has served as a research fellow at the University of York and the University of Canterbury, and has lectured at numerous universities in Poland and elsewhere, including the University of California, Santa Barbara, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis and the University of Queensland.