Empirical performance assessment using soft-core processors on reconfigurable hardware

Simulation has been the de facto standard method for per-formance evaluation of newly proposed ideas in computer architecture for many years. While simulation allows for theoretically arbitrary delity (at least to the level of cycle accuracy) as well as the ability to monitor the architecture without perturbing the execution itself, it suers from low eective delity and long execution times. We (and others) have advocated the use of empirical ex-perimentation on recongurable hardware for computer ar-chitecture performance assessment. In this paper, we de-scribe an empirical performance assessment subsystem im-plemented in recongurable hardware and illustrate its use. Results are presented that demonstrate the need for the types of performance assessment that recongurable hard-ware can provide

Vision for liquid architecture

In the liquid architecture project, we are exploring ways in which architectural flexibility can be exploited to improve the execution properties of individual applications. Here, we report on successes we have had to date in this area, and present our vision of where this research should proceed into the future. 1