Parallel Programming with OpenMP

High Speed

© timbec, photcase.com

© timbec, photcase.com

Article from Issue 94/2008
Author(s):

OpenMP brings the power of multiprocessing to your C, C++, and Fortran programs.

If you bought a new computer recently, or if you are wading through advertising material because you plan to buy a computer soon, you will be familiar with terms such as "Dual Core" and "Quad Core." A whole new crop of consumer computers includes two- or even four-core CPUs, taking the humble PC into what used to be the domain of high-end servers and workstations. But just because you have a multi-processor system doesn't mean all the processors are working hard.

In reality, often only one processor is busy. Figure 1 shows the top program output for Xaos, a fractal calculation program. The program seems to be using 100 percent of the CPU. But appearances can be deceptive: The computer's actual load is just 60 percent.

Figure 1: By default, top shows the total load for all CPUs …

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