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Benchmarks

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Encyclopedia of Parallel Computing
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Definition

Computer benchmarks are computer programs that form standard tests of the performance of a computer and the software through which it is used. They are written to a particular programming model and implemented by specific software, which is the final arbiter as to what the programming model is. A benchmark is therefore testing a software interface to a computer, and not a particular type of computer architecture.

Discussion

The basic goal of performance modeling is to measure, predict, and understand the performance of a computer program or set of programs on a computer system. In other words, it transcends the measurement of basic architectural and system parameters and is meant to enhance the understanding of the performance behavior of full complex applications. However, the programs and codes used in different areas of science differ in a large number of features. Therefore the performance of full application codes cannot be characterized in a general way independent of...

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Bibliography

  1. Hockney RW (1992) A framework for benchmark analysis. Supercomputer 48(IX-2):9–22

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  2. Addison C, Allwright J, Binsted N, Bishop N, Carpenter B, Dalloz P, Gee D, Getov V, Hey A, Hockney R, Lemke M, Merlin J, Pinches M, Scott C, Wolton I (1993) The genesis distributed-memory benchmarks. Part 1: methodology and general relativity benchmark with results for the SUPRENUM computer. Concurrency: Practice and Experience 5(1):1–22

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© 2011 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

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Dongarra, J., Luszczek, P. (2011). Benchmarks. In: Padua, D. (eds) Encyclopedia of Parallel Computing. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-09766-4_154

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