Computer-aided parallelizing of computation graphs

A method for processing data that is sorted according to a sort order in a computation graph, including:

• partitioning sorted data among a plurality of flows in the computation graph, the sorted data including work elements, each work element including a value, wherein the sorted data is sorted based on the values;
• and
• passing a sort value indicator on each of the plurality of flows, the sort value indicator including a value that was included in a work element passed on at least one of the plurality of flows;
• wherein the sort value indicator identifies a place in the sort order for the data such that subsequent data partitioned among the flows occurs no earlier than the identified place in the sort order.

A computer program, stored on a computer-readable medium, for processing data that is sorted according to a sort order in a computation graph, the computer program including instructions for causing a computer system to:

• partition sorted data among a plurality of flows in the computation graph, the sorted data including work elements, each work element including a value, wherein the sorted data is sorted based on the values;
• and
• pass a sort value indicator on each of the plurality of flows, the sort value indicator including a value that was included in a work element passed on at least one of the plurality of flows;
• wherein the sort value indicator identifies a place in the sort order for the data such that subsequent data partitioned among the flows occurs no earlier than the identified place in the sort order.