Comparing: Blocking and non-blocking communications
Blocking means that routines only return once communication completes,
or when the user buffer can be used or re-used.
Non-blocking sends. As communication is a relatively slow process
blocking is an inefficient way to send messages. In non-blocking
communication the routine returns before communication is complete.
Communication continues in the background whilst other work is
Non-blocking communication in MPI
Non-blocking calls have the same argument list as blocking routines
apart from an additional argument. This argument - REQUEST - provides a
handle which may be used to check when communication completes.
Waiting for communication to complete in MPI
When using non-blocking routines it is essential to ensure that
communication has completed before using the results or re-using the
This routine blocks until the communication specified by the handle
REQUEST has completed.
Testing for communication completion in MPI
This routine enquires if the communication specified by REQUEST has
completed. The result (TRUE or FALSE) is returned in FLAG.
Non-blocking receive in PVM
pvmfnrecv(tid, msgtag, bufid) is non-blocking in
the sense that it returns immediately either with the message or with
information that the message has not yet arrived.
If the requested message has not arrived, then
Submitted by Mark Johnston,
last updated on 10 December 1994.