' 7 '/ - 0/ THE DESIGN OF LARGE MULTI-MICROPROCESSOR NEIVORKS Kjell G. Fnutsen1 Computer Science Department Stanford University August, 1977

The low cost of microprocessors today, and the future trend in both cost and performence, makes large microprocessor-networks very interesting. A net of a thousend processors or more can be built using present techniques. However, there are several problems in utilizing such a horee of processors in a rcesonebly efficient way. There also seem to be restrictions to the kinds of opplications that can be mapped on to such a system. One control mechanism that seems to be very useful, at least for some Artificial Intelligence type problems, is the CONTRACT NET, ISmith77]. In this paper we will first look at some of the desirable characteristics of a lerge multi-microprocessor net. Than we will describe several different organizations together with their advantages and problems. We are also discussing broadcasting in lattices using circuit switched minimum spanning trees.