The GUS Multicomputer System

A great deal of attention is currently being focused on the organization and utilization of parallel and multicomputer networks. The GUS computer designed and built at the Argonne National Laboratory is currently being used to explore the problems of multicomputer systems. Many features of the GUS design are of particular applicability to the problems of the Laboratory; however, there are problems of utilization of interest to the whole industry. The system described here is being used to study man-machine interaction problems as well as the machine-machine interrelation. Although the GUS computer was designed as an exploratory tool and is being used in that fashion, it does carry an appreciable portion of the service load of the Laboratory. Its input-output units are, therefore, compatible with the Laboratory´s IBM 704 and CDC 3600 systems.