Machine type: RISC-based distributed-memory multi-processor.
Models: KSR2.
Operating system: KSR OS (OSF/1).
Connection structure: Hierarchical ring.
Compilers: Fortran 77, ANSI C with extensions.
System parameters:
Performance:
The KSR2 is the second generation of systems from Kendall Square research. It succeeds the KSR1 from it conceptually does not differ. The system employs proprietary 64-bit processors with a peak speed of 80 Mflop/s per processor.
Another difference is the maximum amount of processors which is 5,000 instead of the former 1,088 in the KSR1. As mentioned, the KSR2 is for the user in all respects similar to its predecessor, the KSR1: The principle of hardware supported virtual shared memory is also valid on the KSR2 (see above).
Communication bandwidths (by the user only experienced as a delay in accessing data) have scaled with the processor clock cycle, so the balance of computation vs. communcation speed has remained the same.