Author
Kourosh Gharachorloo
Bio: Kourosh Gharachorloo is an academic researcher from Stanford University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Shared memory & Cache coherence. The author has an hindex of 32, co-authored 44 publications receiving 9018 citations.
Papers
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TL;DR: This work describes an alternative, programmer-centric view of relaxed consistency models that describes them in terms of program behavior, not system optimizations, and most of these models emphasize the system optimizations they support.
Abstract: The memory consistency model of a system affects performance, programmability, and portability. We aim to describe memory consistency models in a way that most computer professionals would understand. This is important if the performance-enhancing features being incorporated by system designers are to be correctly and widely used by programmers. Our focus is consistency models proposed for hardware-based shared memory systems. Most of these models emphasize the system optimizations they support, and we retain this system-centric emphasis. We also describe an alternative, programmer-centric view of relaxed consistency models that describes them in terms of program behavior, not system optimizations.
1,213 citations
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01 May 1990TL;DR: A new model of memory consistency, called release consistency, that allows for more buffering and pipelining than previously proposed models is introduced and is shown to be equivalent to the sequential consistency model for parallel programs with sufficient synchronization.
Abstract: Scalable shared-memory multiprocessors distribute memory among the processors and use scalable interconnection networks to provide high bandwidth and low latency communication. In addition, memory accesses are cached, buffered, and pipelined to bridge the gap between the slow shared memory and the fast processors. Unless carefully controlled, such architectural optimizations can cause memory accesses to be executed in an order different from what the programmer expects. The set of allowable memory access orderings forms the memory consistency model or event ordering model for an architecture.This paper introduces a new model of memory consistency, called release consistency, that allows for more buffering and pipelining than previously proposed models. A framework for classifying shared accesses and reasoning about event ordering is developed. The release consistency model is shown to be equivalent to the sequential consistency model for parallel programs with sufficient synchronization. Possible performance gains from the less strict constraints of the release consistency model are explored. Finally, practical implementation issues are discussed, concentrating on issues relevant to scalable architectures.
1,169 citations
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TL;DR: The directory architecture for shared memory (Dash) as discussed by the authors allows shared data to be cached, significantly reducing the latency of memory accesses and yielding higher processor utilization and higher overall performance, and a distributed directory-based protocol that provides cache coherence without compromising scalability.
Abstract: The overall goals and major features of the directory architecture for shared memory (Dash) are presented. The fundamental premise behind the architecture is that it is possible to build a scalable high-performance machine with a single address space and coherent caches. The Dash architecture is scalable in that it achieves linear or near-linear performance growth as the number of processors increases from a few to a few thousand. This performance results from distributing the memory among processing nodes and using a network with scalable bandwidth to connect the nodes. The architecture allows shared data to be cached, significantly reducing the latency of memory accesses and yielding higher processor utilization and higher overall performance. A distributed directory-based protocol that provides cache coherence without compromising scalability is discussed in detail. The Dash prototype machine and the corresponding software support are described. >
961 citations
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01 Apr 1994TL;DR: The architecture of FLASH and MAGIC is presented, and the base cache-coherence and message-passing protocols are discussed, and Latency and occupancy numbers, which are derived from the system-level simulator and the Verilog code, are given.
Abstract: The FLASH multiprocessor efficiently integrates support for cache-coherent shared memory and high-performance message passing, while minimizing both hardware and software overhead. Each node in FLASH contains a microprocessor, a portion of the machine's global memory, a port to the interconnection network, an I/O interface, and a custom node controller called MAGIC. The MAGIC chip handles all communication both within the node and among nodes, using hardwired data paths for efficient data movement and a programmable processor optimized for executing protocol operations. The use of the protocol processor makes FLASH very flexible --- it can support a variety of different communication mechanisms --- and simplifies the design and implementation.This paper presents the architecture of FLASH and MAGIC, and discusses the base cache-coherence and message-passing protocols. Latency and occupancy numbers, which are derived from our system-level simulator and our Verilog code, are given for several common protocol operations. The paper also describes our software strategy and FLASH's current status.
660 citations
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01 May 1990TL;DR: The design of the DASH coherence protocol is presented and how it addresses the issues of correctness, performance and protocol complexity are discussed and compared to the IEEE Scalable Coherent Interface protocol.
Abstract: DASH is a scalable shared-memory multiprocessor currently being developed at Stanford's Computer Systems Laboratory. The architecture consists of powerful processing nodes, each with a portion of the shared-memory, connected to a scalable interconnection network. A key feature of DASH is its distributed directory-based cache coherence protocol. Unlike traditional snoopy coherence protocols, the DASH protocol does not rely on broadcast; instead it uses point-to-point messages sent between the processors and memories to keep caches consistent. Furthermore, the DASH system does not contain any single serialization or control point. While these features provide the basis for scalability, they also force a reevaluation of many fundamental issues involved in the design of a protocol. These include the issues of correctness, performance and protocol complexity. In this paper, we present the design of the DASH coherence protocol and discuss how it addresses the above issues. We also discuss our strategy for verifying the correctness of the protocol and briefly compare our protocol to the IEEE Scalable Coherent Interface protocol.
617 citations
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25 Oct 2008TL;DR: This paper presents and characterizes the Princeton Application Repository for Shared-Memory Computers (PARSEC), a benchmark suite for studies of Chip-Multiprocessors (CMPs), and shows that the benchmark suite covers a wide spectrum of working sets, locality, data sharing, synchronization and off-chip traffic.
Abstract: This paper presents and characterizes the Princeton Application Repository for Shared-Memory Computers (PARSEC), a benchmark suite for studies of Chip-Multiprocessors (CMPs). Previous available benchmarks for multiprocessors have focused on high-performance computing applications and used a limited number of synchronization methods. PARSEC includes emerging applications in recognition, mining and synthesis (RMS) as well as systems applications which mimic large-scale multithreaded commercial programs. Our characterization shows that the benchmark suite covers a wide spectrum of working sets, locality, data sharing, synchronization and off-chip traffic. The benchmark suite has been made available to the public.
3,514 citations
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01 Jan 2004
TL;DR: This book offers a detailed and comprehensive presentation of the basic principles of interconnection network design, clearly illustrating them with numerous examples, chapter exercises, and case studies, allowing a designer to see all the steps of the process from abstract design to concrete implementation.
Abstract: One of the greatest challenges faced by designers of digital systems is optimizing the communication and interconnection between system components. Interconnection networks offer an attractive and economical solution to this communication crisis and are fast becoming pervasive in digital systems. Current trends suggest that this communication bottleneck will be even more problematic when designing future generations of machines. Consequently, the anatomy of an interconnection network router and science of interconnection network design will only grow in importance in the coming years.
This book offers a detailed and comprehensive presentation of the basic principles of interconnection network design, clearly illustrating them with numerous examples, chapter exercises, and case studies. It incorporates hardware-level descriptions of concepts, allowing a designer to see all the steps of the process from abstract design to concrete implementation.
·Case studies throughout the book draw on extensive author experience in designing interconnection networks over a period of more than twenty years, providing real world examples of what works, and what doesn't.
·Tightly couples concepts with implementation costs to facilitate a deeper understanding of the tradeoffs in the design of a practical network.
·A set of examples and exercises in every chapter help the reader to fully understand all the implications of every design decision.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1 Introduction to Interconnection Networks
1.1 Three Questions About Interconnection Networks
1.2 Uses of Interconnection Networks
1.3 Network Basics
1.4 History
1.5 Organization of this Book
Chapter 2 A Simple Interconnection Network
2.1 Network Specifications and Constraints
2.2 Topology
2.3 Routing
2.4 Flow Control
2.5 Router Design
2.6 Performance Analysis
2.7 Exercises
Chapter 3 Topology Basics
3.1 Nomenclature
3.2 Traffic Patterns
3.3 Performance
3.4 Packaging Cost
3.5 Case Study: The SGI Origin 2000
3.6 Bibliographic Notes
3.7 Exercises
Chapter 4 Butterfly Networks
4.1 The Structure of Butterfly Networks
4.2 Isomorphic Butterflies
4.3 Performance and Packaging Cost
4.4 Path Diversity and Extra Stages
4.5 Case Study: The BBN Butterfly
4.6 Bibliographic Notes
4.7 Exercises
Chapter 5 Torus Networks
5.1 The Structure of Torus Networks
5.2 Performance
5.3 Building Mesh and Torus Networks
5.4 Express Cubes
5.5 Case Study: The MIT J-Machine
5.6 Bibliographic Notes
5.7 Exercises
Chapter 6 Non-Blocking Networks
6.1 Non-Blocking vs. Non-Interfering Networks
6.2 Crossbar Networks
6.3 Clos Networks
6.4 Benes Networks
6.5 Sorting Networks
6.6 Case Study: The Velio VC2002 (Zeus) Grooming Switch
6.7 Bibliographic Notes
6.8 Exercises
Chapter 7 Slicing and Dicing
7.1 Concentrators and Distributors
7.2 Slicing and Dicing
7.3 Slicing Multistage Networks
7.4 Case Study: Bit Slicing in the Tiny Tera
7.5 Bibliographic Notes
7.6 Exercises
Chapter 8 Routing Basics
8.1 A Routing Example
8.2 Taxonomy of Routing Algorithms
8.3 The Routing Relation
8.4 Deterministic Routing
8.5 Case Study: Dimension-Order Routing in the Cray T3D
8.6 Bibliographic Notes
8.7 Exercises
Chapter 9 Oblivious Routing
9.1 Valiant's Randomized Routing Algorithm
9.2 Minimal Oblivious Routing
9.3 Load-Balanced Oblivious Routing
9.4 Analysis of Oblivious Routing
9.5 Case Study: Oblivious Routing in the
Avici Terabit Switch Router(TSR)
9.6 Bibliographic Notes
9.7 Exercises
Chapter 10 Adaptive Routing
10.1 Adaptive Routing Basics
10.2 Minimal Adaptive Routing
10.3 Fully Adaptive Routing
10.4 Load-Balanced Adaptive Routing
10.5 Search-Based Routing
10.6 Case Study: Adaptive Routing in the
Thinking Machines CM-5
10.7 Bibliographic Notes
10.8 Exercises
Chapter 11 Routing Mechanics
11.1 Table-Based Routing
11.2 Algorithmic Routing
11.3 Case Study: Oblivious Source Routing in the
IBM Vulcan Network
11.4 Bibliographic Notes
11.5 Exercises
Chapter 12 Flow Control Basics
12.1 Resources and Allocation Units
12.2 Bufferless Flow Control
12.3 Circuit Switching
12.4 Bibliographic Notes
12.5 Exercises
Chapter 13 Buffered Flow Control
13.1 Packet-Buffer Flow Control
13.2 Flit-Buffer Flow Control
13.3 Buffer Management and Backpressure
13.4 Flit-Reservation Flow Control
13.5 Bibliographic Notes
13.6 Exercises
Chapter 14 Deadlock and Livelock
14.1 Deadlock
14.2 Deadlock Avoidance
14.3 Adaptive Routing
14.4 Deadlock Recovery
14.5 Livelock
14.6 Case Study: Deadlock Avoidance in the Cray T3E
14.7 Bibliographic Notes
14.8 Exercises
Chapter 15 Quality of Service
15.1 Service Classes and Service Contracts
15.2 Burstiness and Network Delays
15.3 Implementation of Guaranteed Services
15.4 Implementation of Best-Effort Services
15.5 Separation of Resources
15.6 Case Study: ATM Service Classes
15.7 Case Study: Virtual Networks in the Avici TSR
15.8 Bibliographic Notes
15.9 Exercises
Chapter 16 Router Architecture
16.1 Basic Router Architecture
16.2 Stalls
16.3 Closing the Loop with Credits
16.4 Reallocating a Channel
16.5 Speculation and Lookahead
16.6 Flit and Credit Encoding
16.7 Case Study: The Alpha 21364 Router
16.8 Bibliographic Notes
16.9 Exercises
Chapter 17 Router Datapath Components
17.1 Input Buffer Organization
17.2 Switches
17.3 Output Organization
17.4 Case Study: The Datapath of the IBM Colony
Router
17.5 Bibliographic Notes
17.6 Exercises
Chapter 18 Arbitration
18.1 Arbitration Timing
18.2 Fairness
18.3 Fixed Priority Arbiter
18.4 Variable Priority Iterative Arbiters
18.5 Matrix Arbiter
18.6 Queuing Arbiter
18.7 Exercises
Chapter 19 Allocation
19.1 Representations
19.2 Exact Algorithms
19.3 Separable Allocators
19.4 Wavefront Allocator
19.5 Incremental vs. Batch Allocation
19.6 Multistage Allocation
19.7 Performance of Allocators
19.8 Case Study: The Tiny Tera Allocator
19.9 Bibliographic Notes
19.10 Exercises
Chapter 20 Network Interfaces
20.1 Processor-Network Interface
20.2 Shared-Memory Interface
20.3 Line-Fabric Interface
20.4 Case Study: The MIT M-Machine Network Interface
20.5 Bibliographic Notes
20.6 Exercises
Chapter 21 Error Control 411
21.1 Know Thy Enemy: Failure Modes and Fault Models
21.2 The Error Control Process: Detection, Containment,
and Recovery
21.3 Link Level Error Control
21.4 Router Error Control
21.5 Network-Level Error Control
21.6 End-to-end Error Control
21.7 Bibliographic Notes
21.8 Exercises
Chapter 22 Buses
22.1 Bus Basics
22.2 Bus Arbitration
22.3 High Performance Bus Protocol
22.4 From Buses to Networks
22.5 Case Study: The PCI Bus
22.6 Bibliographic Notes
22.7 Exercises
Chapter 23 Performance Analysis
23.1 Measures of Interconnection Network Performance
23.2 Analysis
23.3 Validation
23.4 Case Study: Efficiency and Loss in the
BBN Monarch Network
23.5 Bibliographic Notes
23.6 Exercises
Chapter 24 Simulation
24.1 Levels of Detail
24.2 Network Workloads
24.3 Simulation Measurements
24.4 Simulator Design
24.5 Bibliographic Notes
24.6 Exercises
Chapter 25 Simulation Examples 495
25.1 Routing
25.2 Flow Control Performance
25.3 Fault Tolerance
Appendix A Nomenclature
Appendix B Glossary
Appendix C Network Simulator
3,233 citations
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TL;DR: A survey of the different security risks that pose a threat to the cloud is presented and a new model targeting at improving features of an existing model must not risk or threaten other important features of the current model.
2,511 citations
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01 May 1993TL;DR: Simulation results show that transactional memory matches or outperforms the best known locking techniques for simple benchmarks, even in the absence of priority inversion, convoying, and deadlock.
Abstract: A shared data structure is lock-free if its operations do not require mutual exclusion. If one process is interrupted in the middle of an operation, other processes will not be prevented from operating on that object. In highly concurrent systems, lock-free data structures avoid common problems associated with conventional locking techniques, including priority inversion, convoying, and difficulty of avoiding deadlock. This paper introduces transactional memory, a new multiprocessor architecture intended to make lock-free synchronization as efficient (and easy to use) as conventional techniques based on mutual exclusion. Transactional memory allows programmers to define customized read-modify-write operations that apply to multiple, independently-chosen words of memory. It is implemented by straightforward extensions to any multiprocessor cache-coherence protocol. Simulation results show that transactional memory matches or outperforms the best known locking techniques for simple benchmarks, even in the absence of priority inversion, convoying, and deadlock.
2,406 citations
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01 Jan 2008TL;DR: The architecture of WSCs is described, the main factors influencing their design, operation, and cost structure, and the characteristics of their software base are described.
Abstract: As computation continues to move into the cloud, the computing platform of interest no longer resembles a pizza box or a refrigerator, but a warehouse full of computers. These new large datacenters are quite different from traditional hosting facilities of earlier times and cannot be viewed simply as a collection of co-located servers. Large portions of the hardware and software resources in these facilities must work in concert to efficiently deliver good levels of Internet service performance, something that can only be achieved by a holistic approach to their design and deployment. In other words, we must treat the datacenter itself as one massive warehouse-scale computer (WSC). We describe the architecture of WSCs, the main factors influencing their design, operation, and cost structure, and the characteristics of their software base. We hope it will be useful to architects and programmers of today's WSCs, as well as those of future many-core platforms which may one day implement the equivalent of today's WSCs on a single board. Table of Contents: Introduction / Workloads and Software Infrastructure / Hardware Building Blocks / Datacenter Basics / Energy and Power Efficiency / Modeling Costs / Dealing with Failures and Repairs / Closing Remarks
1,938 citations