A Hybrid Simulation Approach Enabling Performance Characterization of Large Software Systems

Authors:
Bengt Werner;Peter Magnusson
Affiliations:
-;-
Venue:
MASCOTS '97 Proceedings of the 5th International Workshop on Modeling, Analysis, and Simulation of Computer and Telecommunications Systems
Year:
1997

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Abstract

We describe a method for performance analysis of large software systems that combines a fast instruction-set simulator with off-line detailed analysis of segments of the execution. The combination is faster than straight cycle- accurate simulation, simpler and more flexible than techniques relying on hardware monitoring, and accurate. Specifically, the instruction-set simulator, running at a slowdown of around 50, maintains enough target state throughout the execution that an arbitrarily collected segment of the instruction trace is sufficient input for a post- processing, cycle-accurate model of the processor and memory hierarchy. We present a case study to support our contention that a reduced state is sufficient as input to a cycle-accurate simulator. We use a commercial M88110-based prototype system as a reference point, and show that for three trace segments, the cycle-accurate post-processing gives reliable data to do system optimization.