NOTE: This will involve a change to the MPI-RTE interface WHAT: Modify modex_recv to add a callback function that will return the requested data when it is available
WHY: Enable faster startup on large scale systems by eliminating the current mandatory modex barrier during MPI_Init HOW: The ompi_modex_recv functions will have callback function and (void*)cbdata arguments added to them. An ompi_modex_recv_t struct will be defined that includes a pointer to the returned data plus a "bool active" that can be used to detect when the data has been returned if blocking is required. When a modex_recv is issued, ORTE will check for the presence of the requested data and immediately issue a callback if the data is available. If the data is not available, then ORTE will request the data from the remote process, and execute the callback when the remote process returns it. The current behavior of a blocking modex barrier will remain the default - the new behavior will only take affect if specifically requested by the user via MCA param. With this new behavior, the current call to "modex" in MPI_Init will become a "no-op" when the processes are launched via mpirun - this will be executed in ORTE so that other RTEs that do not wish to support async modex behavior are not impacted. WHEN: No hurry on this as it is intended for 1.9, so let's say mid Feb. Info on a branch will be made available in the near future.