Simulated performance of a data-driven database machine

• Published in: Journal of parallel and distributed computing Vol. 3; no. 1; pp. 1 - 22
• Main Authors: Bic, Lubomir, Hartmann, Robert L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 01.03.1986
• ISSN: 0743-7315; 1096-0848
• DOI: 10.1016/0743-7315(86)90025-0

One of the main limitations to high parallelism in database processing is the available 1/O bandwidth of the storage devices comprising the machine. One way to increase this bandwidth is to use multiple parallel disk units. The main problem with this approach is the lack of a computational model capable of utilizing any significant number of such devices. In this paper we present a different model, referred to as the Active Graph Model, which is based on the principles of asynchronous data-driven computation. To demonstrate the viability of this approach, we have implemented the model on a simulated multiprocessor architecture. By varying the speed of processors, memory units, communication links, and the types of queries processed, we demonstrate that the resulting database machine is capable of exploiting the I/O bandwidth of a large number of disk units as well as the computational power of the associated processors.