PVM Application-Level Tuning over ATM

The use of software packages that allow for distributed application computing is becoming more and more attractive due to the advent of high speed computer networks as well as of high performance general purpose workstations. Nevertheless it is well known that the success of cluster-based parallel computing depends on the performance of communication among processors, which in turn depends on the physical network architecture, protocols, and interface software. In this paper we present the results of our investigation into an efficient use of PVM software package in real distributed application settings over ATM networks. In particular we will show that the tuning of PVM network parameters, done at application-level, improves communication performances on ATM networks without using a native ATM PVM implementation that directly adopts the ATM Adaptation Layer instead of TCP/IP