GPU621/History of Parallel Computing

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History of Parallel Computing and the Advantage of Multi-core Systems

We will be looking into the history and evolution in parallel computing by focusing on three distinct timelines:

1) The earliest developments of multi-core systems and how it gave rise to the realization of parallel programming

2) How chip makers marketed this new frontier in computing, specifically towards enterprise businesses being the primary target audience

3) How quickly it gained traction and when the two semiconductor giants Intel and AMD decided to introduce multi-core processors to domestic users, thus making parallel computing more widely available

From each of these timelines, we will be inspecting certain key events and how they impacted other events in their progression. This will help us understand how parallel computing came into fruition, its role and impact in many industries today, and what the future may hold going forward.

Group Members

Omri Golan

Patrick Keating

Yuka Sadaoka

Progress

Update 1 (11/12/2020):

-> Basic definition of parallel computing

-> Research on limitation of single-core systems and subsequent advent of multi-core with respect to parallel computing capabilities

-> Earliest development and usage of parallel computing

-> History and development of supercomputers and their parallel computing nature (incl. modern supercomputers -> world's fastest supercomputer)