Locating hardware faults in a parallel computer

1. A method of locating hardware faults in a parallel computer,

the parallel computer comprising a plurality of compute nodes and a data communications network that includes data communications links connected to the compute nodes so as to organize the compute nodes as a tree, the tree characterized by a root compute node and a plurality of tiers of compute nodes, the method comprising:

defining within the tree two or more sets of non-overlapping test levels of compute nodes of the network that together include all the data communications links of the network, each non-overlapping test level comprising two or more adjacent tiers of the tree;

defining test cells within each non-overlapping test level, each test cell comprising a subtree of the tree including a subtree root compute node and all descendant compute nodes of the subtree root compute node within a non-overlapping test level;

performing, separately on each set of non-overlapping test levels, an uplink test on all test cells in a set of non-overlapping test levels; and

performing, separately from the uplink tests and separately on each set of non-overlapping test levels, a downlink test on all test cells in a set of non-overlapping test levels.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein:

performing an uplink test on test cells further comprises testing data communications links that transmit communications data in a direction from descendant compute nodes of a subtree root compute node toward the subtree root compute node; and

performing a downlink test on test cells further comprises testing data communications links that transmit communications data in a direction from a subtree root compute node toward descendant compute nodes of the subtree root compute node.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein:

performing an uplink test further comprises testing an arithmetic logic unit (‘ALU’) of each subtree root compute node in all test cells in a set of non-overlapping test levels; and

performing a downlink test further comprises testing ALUs of the descendant compute nodes of each subtree root compute node in all test cells in a set of non-overlapping test levels.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein:

performing an uplink test further comprises performing an uplink test simultaneously on all test cells in a set of non-overlapping test levels; and

performing a downlink test further comprises performing a downlink test simultaneously on all test cells in a set of non-overlapping test levels.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the tiers of compute nodes further comprise even-numbered tiers of compute nodes and odd-numbered tiers of compute nodes;

defining within the tree two or more sets of non-overlapping test levels of compute nodes of the network further comprises defining a set of non-overlapping test levels in which each non-overlapping test level comprises test cells having subtree root compute nodes in an even-numbered tier of compute nodes;

performing an uplink test on all test cells in a set of non-overlapping test levels further comprises performing an uplink test on all test cells in the set of non-overlapping test levels in which each non-overlapping test level comprises test cells having subtree root compute nodes in an even-numbered tier of compute nodes; and

performing a downlink test on all test cells in a set of non-overlapping test levels further comprises performing a downlink test on all test cells in the set of non-overlapping test levels in which each non-overlapping test level comprises test cells having subtree root compute nodes in an even-numbered tier of compute nodes.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the tiers of compute nodes further comprise even-numbered tiers of compute nodes and odd-numbered tiers of compute nodes;

defining within the tree two or more sets of non-overlapping test levels of compute nodes of the network further comprises defining a set of non-overlapping test levels in which each non-overlapping test level comprises test cells having subtree root compute nodes in an odd-numbered tier of compute nodes;

performing an uplink test on nil test cells in a set of non-overlapping test levels further comprises performing an uplink test on all test cells in the set of non-overlapping test levels in which each non-overlapping test level comprises test cells having subtree root compute nodes in an odd-numbered tier of compute nodes; and

performing a downlink test on all test cells in a set of non-overlapping test levels further comprises performing a downlink test on all test cells in the set of non-overlapping test levels in which each non-overlapping test level comprises test cells having subtree root compute nodes in an odd-numbered tier of compute nodes.

7. A parallel computer comprising a plurality of compute nodes and a data communications network that includes data communications links connected to the compute nodes so as to organize the compute nodes as a tree, the tree characterized by a root compute node and a plurality of tiers of compute nodes, the parallel computer further comprising a computer processor, a computer memory operatively coupled to the computer processor, the computer memory having disposed within it computer program instructions capable of:

defining within the tree two or more sets of non-overlapping test levels of compute nodes of the network that together include all the data communications links of the network, each non-overlapping test level comprising two or more adjacent tiers of the tree;

defining test cells within each non-overlapping test level, each test cell comprising a subtree of the tree including a subtree root compute node and all descendant compute nodes of the subtree root compute node within a non-overlapping test level;

performing, separately on each set of non-overlapping test levels, an uplink test on all test cells in a set of non-overlapping test levels; and

performing, separately from the uplink tests and separately on each set of non-overlapping test levels, a downlink test on all test cells in a set of non-overlapping test levels.

8. The parallel computer of claim 7 wherein:

performing an uplink test on test cells further comprises testing data communications links that transmit communications data in a direction from descendant compute nodes of a subtree root compute node toward the subtree root compute node; and

performing a downlink test on test cells further comprises testing data communications links that transmit communications data in a direction from a subtree root compute node toward descendant compute nodes of the subtree root compute node.

9. The parallel computer of claim 7 wherein:

performing an uplink test further comprises testing an arithmetic logic unit (‘ALU’) of each subtree root compute node in all test cells in a set of non-overlapping test levels; and

performing a downlink test further comprises testing ALUs of the descendant compute nodes of each subtree root compute node in all test cells in a set of non-overlapping test levels.

10. The parallel computer of claim 7 wherein:

performing an uplink test further comprises performing an uplink test simultaneously on all test cells in a set of non-overlapping test levels; and

performing a downlink test further comprises performing a downlink test simultaneously on all test cells in a set of non-overlapping test levels.

11. The parallel computer of claim 7 wherein:

the tiers of compute nodes further comprise even-numbered tiers of compute nodes and odd-numbered tiers of compute nodes;

defining within the tree two or more sets of non-overlapping test levels of compute nodes of the network further comprises defining a set of non-overlapping test levels in which each non-overlapping test level comprises test cells having subtree root compute nodes in an even-numbered tier of compute nodes;

performing an uplink test on all test cells in a set of non-overlapping test levels further comprises performing an uplink test on all test cells in the set of non-overlapping test levels in which each non-overlapping test level comprises test cells having subtree root compute nodes in an even-numbered tier of compute nodes; and

performing a downlink test on all test cells in a set of non-overlapping test levels further comprises performing a downlink test on all test cells in the set of non-overlapping test levels in which each non-overlapping test level comprises test cells having subtree root compute nodes in an even-numbered tier of compute nodes.

12. The parallel computer of claim 7 wherein:

the tiers of compute nodes further comprise even-numbered tiers of compute nodes and odd-numbered tiers of compute nodes;

defining within the tree two or more sets of non-overlapping test levels of compute nodes of the network further comprises defining a set of non-overlapping test levels in which each non-overlapping test level comprises test cells having subtree root compute nodes in an odd-numbered tier of compute nodes;

performing an uplink test on all test cells in a set of non-overlapping test levels further comprises performing an uplink test on all test cells in the set of non-overlapping test levels in which each non-overlapping test level comprises test cells having subtree root compute nodes in an odd-numbered tier of compute nodes; and

performing a downlink test on all test cells in a set of non-overlapping test levels further comprises performing a downlink test on all test cells in the set of non-overlapping test levels in which each non-overlapping test level comprises test cells having subtree root compute nodes in an odd-numbered tier of compute nodes.

13. A computer program product for locating hardware faults in a parallel computer, the parallel computer comprising a plurality of compute nodes and a data communications network that includes data communications links connected to the compute nodes so as to organize the compute nodes as a tree, the tree characterized by a root compute node and a plurality of tiers of compute nodes, the computer program product disposed upon a computer-readable recordable medium, the computer program product comprising computer program instructions which, when executed by a computer, are capable of causing the computer to perform the steps of:

defining within the tree two or more sets of non-overlapping test levels of compute nodes of the network that together include all the data communications links of the network, each non-overlapping test level comprising two or more adjacent tiers of the tree;

defining test cells within each non-overlapping test level, each test cell comprising a subtree of the tree including a subtree root compute node and all descendant compute nodes of the subtree root compute node within a non-overlapping test level;

performing, separately on each set of non-overlapping test levels, an uplink test on all test cells in a set of non-overlapping test levels; and

performing, separately from the uplink tests and separately on each set of non-overlapping test levels, a downlink test on all test cells in a set of non-overlapping test levels.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein:

performing an uplink test on test cells further comprises testing data communications links that transmit communications data in a direction from descendant compute nodes of a subtree root compute node toward the subtree root compute node; and

performing a downlink test on test cells further comprises testing data communications links that transmit communications data in a direction from a subtree root compute node toward descendant compute nodes of the subtree root compute node.

15. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein:

performing an uplink test further comprises testing an arithmetic logic unit (‘ALU’) of each subtree root compute node in all test cells in a set of non-overlapping test levels; and

performing a downlink test further comprises testing ALUs of the descendant compute nodes of each subtree root compute node in all test cells in a set of non-overlapping test levels.

16. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein:

performing an uplink test further comprises performing an uplink test simultaneously on all test cells in a set of non-overlapping test levels; and

performing a downlink test further comprises performing a downlink test simultaneously on all test cells in a set of non-overlapping test levels.

17. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein:

the tiers of compute nodes further comprise even-numbered tiers of compute nodes and odd-numbered tiers of compute nodes;

defining within the tree two or more sets of non-overlapping test levels of compute nodes of the network further comprises defining a set of non-overlapping test levels in which each non-overlapping test level comprises test cells having subtree root compute nodes in an even-numbered tier of compute nodes;

performing an uplink test on all test cells in a set of non-overlapping test levels further comprises performing an uplink test on all test cells in the set of non-overlapping test levels in which each non-overlapping test level comprises test cells having subtree root compute nodes in an even-numbered tier of compute nodes; and

performing a downlink test on all test cells in a set of non-overlapping test levels further comprises performing a downlink test on all test cells in the set of non-overlapping test levels in which each non-overlapping test level comprises test cells having subtree root compute nodes in an even-numbered tier of compute nodes.

18. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein:

the tiers of compute nodes further comprise even-numbered tiers of compute nodes and odd-numbered tiers of compute nodes;

defining within the tree two or more sets of non-overlapping test levels of compute nodes of the network further comprises defining a set of non-overlapping test levels in which each non-overlapping test level comprises test cells having subtree root compute nodes in an odd-numbered tier of compute nodes;

performing an uplink test on all test cells in a set of non-overlapping test levels further comprises performing an uplink test on all test cells in the set of non-overlapping test levels in which each non-overlapping test level comprises test cells having subtree root compute nodes in an odd-numbered tier of compute nodes; and

performing a downlink test on all test cells in a set of non-overlapping test levels further comprises performing a downlink test on all test cells in the set of non-overlapping test levels in which each non-overlapping test level comprises test cells having subtree root compute nodes in an odd-numbered tier of compute nodes.