Methods and systems for parallel computation of an algorithm using a
plurality of nodes configured as a Howard Cascade. A home node of a
Howard Cascade receives a request from a host system to compute an
algorithm identified in the request. The request is distributed to
processing nodes of the Howard Cascade in a time sequence order in a
manner to minimize the time to so expand the Howard Cascade. The
participating nodes then perform the designated portion of the algorithm
in parallel. Partial results from each node are agglomerated upstream to
higher nodes of the structure and then returned to the host system. The
nodes each include a library of stored algorithms accompanied by data
template information defining partitioning of the data used in the
algorithm among the number of participating nodes.