New challenges in dynamic load balancing

Data partitioning and load balancing are important components of parallel computations. Many different partitioning strategies have been developed, with great effectiveness in parallel applications. But the load-balancing problem is not yet solved completely; new applications and architectures require new partitioning features. Existing algorithms must be enhanced to support more complex applications. New models are needed for non-square, non-symmetric, and highly connected systems arising from applications in biology, circuits, and materials simulations. Increased use of heterogeneous computing architectures requires partitioners that account for non-uniform computing, network, and memory resources. And, for greatest impact, these new capabilities must be delivered in toolkits that are robust, easy-to-use, and applicable to a wide range of applications. In this paper, we discuss our approaches to addressing these issues within the Zoltan Parallel Data Services toolkit.