[Starpu-devel] starpu_malloc() when StarPU is not initialized yet (or has been shut down)

[Benoît Lizé <benoit.lize@gmail.com>]

Hello,

I have an application that can run in several contexts.

The application can be linked to StarPU but run without StarPU, and can partially run using StarPU, and enter the same C function called by a StarPU task, but before starpu_init() and/or after starpu_shutdown().

I would like to use starpu_malloc() instead of malloc(). However, reading the code in src/datawizard/malloc.c, it is not clear to me whether it is safe to call starpu_malloc() outside of starpu_init()/shutdown(), and the overhead of starpu_malloc() compared to malloc() is not clear either.

So,

• Is it OK to call starpu_malloc() all the time ? (as long as the application is linked to StarPU, of course)
• If not, should I maintain a variable is_starpu_initialized ?
• Is the overhead of starpu_malloc() low enough to replace malloc(), even with one or more CUDA worker(s) ?

Thank you,

-- 

Benoit