A Study of Dynamic Optimization Techniques: Lessons and Directions in Kernel Design

The Synthesis kernel [21,22,23,27,28] showed that dynamic code generation, software feedback, and fine-grain modular kernel organization are useful implementation techniques for improving the performance of operating system kernels. In addition, and perhaps more importantly, we discovered that there are strong interactions between the techniques. Hence, a careful and systematic combination of the techniques can be very powerful even though each one by itself may have serious limitations. By identifying these interactions we illustrate the problems of applying each technique in isolation to existing kernels. We also highlight the important common under-pinnings of the Synthesis experience and present our ideas on future operating system design and implementation. Finally, we outline a more uniform approach to dynamic optimizations called incremental partial evaluation

Dynamic optimization through the use of automatic runtime specialization

Thesis (S.B. and M.Eng.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 1999.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 99-115).by John Whaley.S.B.and M.Eng

Reimplementing the Synthesis Kernel on the Sony NeWS Workstation

This paper reports on the experience of porting and re-implementing the Synthesis kernel. In addition, we also discuss some issues in the impact of multiprocessor management and virtual memory management on the new Synthesis kernel. 2 The Environmen