A distributed I/O architecture for HARTS

  • Authors:
  • Kang G. Shin;Greg Dykema

  • Affiliations:
  • Real-Time Computing Laboratory, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan;Real-Time Computing Laboratory, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan

  • Venue:
  • ISCA '90 Proceedings of the 17th annual international symposium on Computer Architecture
  • Year:
  • 1990

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Abstract

The issue of I/O device access in HARTS — a distributed real-time computer system under construction at the Real-Time Computing Laboratory (RTCL), The University of Michigan — is explicitly addressed. Several candidate solutions are introduced, explored, and evaluated according to cost and complexity, reliability, and performance: (1) “node-direct” distribution with the intra-node bus and a local I/O bus, (2) use of dedicated I/O nodes which are placed in the hexagonal mesh as regular applications nodes but which provide I/O services rather than computing services, and (3) use of a separate I/O network which has led to the proposal of an “interlaced” I/O network. The interlaced I/O network is intended to provide both high performance without burdening node processors with I/O overhead as well as a high degree of reliability. Both static and dynamic multi-ownership protocols are developed for managing I/O device access in this I/O network. The relative merits of the two protocols are explored and the performance and accessibility which each provide are simulated.