CNS: CSR: Small: Runtime System, Architecture, and Technology Codesign Approach for Heterogeneous Many-Core Processors and Clusters

University Of Illinois At Urbana-Champaign, Urbana IL

Investigators

Abstract

The performance of computers has improved tremendously in the past four decades, which has enabled innumerable applications that have major roles in our daily lives. However, without dramatic innovations in improving performance and power efficiency of computing, the continued semiconductor device scaling alone will fail to provide computing capabilities needed for future applications. One of the main performance bottlenecks of traditional computing systems has been the high cost of communications between central processing unit (CPU) and graphics processing unit (GPU). The on-chip integration of CPU and GPU dramatically reduces the cost of communications, but it also worsens power, thermal, and bandwidth issues for chip design. Nonetheless, it also allows new approaches to be explored that previously were not practical. Given the potential and challenges of on-chip integrated CPU+GPU processors, this project undertakes a multidisciplinary effort to improve performance and power efficiency of computers. Specifically, the project aims to (i) develop runtime algorithms for scheduling workload and memory accesses under power, thermal, bandwidth constraints; (ii) explore micoarchitectures for improving memory system performance under bandwidth constraints; and (iii) optimize heterogeneous technology choices for integrated CPU+GPU processors. This project is expected to have significant impact on the technology, circuit, architecture, and runtime system communities, and it is leading to state-of-the-art research infrastructure. The project also contributes state-of-the art workforce training. The outcomes of this project benefit economic growth through technology advances that will provide increased computing capability at a lower cost.