Communication between MPI Applications

• Applications:
  • client/server, one or both parallel
  • visualisation
  • debugging
• Establishing contact is asymmetric:
  • some tasks look for partner ("client")
  • other tasks accept connections ("server")
• Result of established contact:
  • intercommunicator between server and client
• Basic problem:
  • how does the client find the server?
  there must be a third party to mediate!
  two possibilities in MPI-2

  • port name (system dependent)
  • servicename (application dependent)