Multiprocessor system and a method of load balancing thereof

Abstract

A multiprocessor system has a plurality of processors and a network system linking said processors to thereby process a given computational load written in a logic programming language. According to an initial load balancing algorithm, each processor independently and dynamically selects an initial load segment thereof from the given load by use of system information representative of characteristics of the multiprocessor system without transferring information between the processors, whereby an initial load balancing is obtained in the multiprocessor system. According to a load balancing algorithm for reproducing working environments, which algorithm is performed after performing the initial load balancing algorithm, a partial load segment of a first processor is shared with a second processor. In this case, the first processor generates history information representative of the working environment thereof, but the amount of the history information is smaller than that of the whole working environment of the first processor. This history information is supplied to the second processor wherein the working environment of the first processor is reproduced by use of the history information. Thereafter, the second processor processes the partial load segment of the first processor by use of the reproduced working environment of the first processor, while the first processor processes the load segment thereof. Thus, the present multiprocessor system can greatly reduce the amount of the information over that of a conventional multiprocessor system, whereby the load balancing can be performed at high speed.