Dynamic load distribution for parallel applications is one of the most important topics of research
in the area of parallel and distributed systems. The German Science Foundation has been support￾ing research in this area by funding SFB 342 "Methods and Tools for the efficient Use of Parallel
Systems" and GK "Cooperation and Resource-Management in Distributed Systems" since 1990
and 1995 respectively. This manuscript is the result of research in both projects done jointly in the
department for informatics and electrical engineering of Technische Universitlit Munchen as well
as by the industrial partner Corporate Research of Siemens AG, Munich.