Newsgroups: comp.parallel
From: rmuise@dragon.acadiau.ca (Comp Parallel)
Subject: Parallel Matrix Decompositions: Have we been doing it all wrong?
Organization: CS Dept, University of Texas at Austin
Date: Wed, 12 Jul 1995 18:08:50 GMT
Message-ID: <3u133i$tqa@daffy.cs.utexas.edu>

We would like to announce the following paper that may be of
interest to the comp.parallel community

Carter Edwards, Po Geng, Abani Patra, and Robert van de Geijn,
"Parallel Matrix Decompositions: Have we been doing it all wrong?"
Texas Institute fo Computational And Applied Mathematics, TICAM Report
95-??, July 1995.

Abstract 

The basic premise of this essay is that traditional matrix
decompositions for distributing matrices on distributed memory
parallel architectures are in practice too restrictive.  The primary
problem lies with the fact that such decompositions start with the
matrix, not with the underlying physical problem.  Through a series of
examples, we show how this hampers convenient interfaces between
applications and libraries.  In some instances, we show how it hampers
performance in general.  We propose a new data decomposition, {\em
Physically Based Matrix Decompositions}, which appear to show promise
for solving the encountered problems.  Some traditionally used
distributions are shown to be a special, but often unnatural, case of
this more general class of decompositions.  

For further information, see 

    http://www.cs.utexas.edu/users/rvdg/reports.html

  Robert A. van de Geijn                  rvdg@cs.utexas.edu  
  Associate Professor                     http://www.cs.utexas.edu/users/rvdg
  Department of Computer Sciences         (Work)  (512) 471-9720
  The University of Texas                 (Home)  (512) 251-8301 
  Austin, TX 78712                        (FAX)   (512) 471-8885 


