How Flexible is Your Computing System?

• DOI: 10.1145/3524861
• Publication Date: 2022-03-30T11:35:16Z
• Authors: Shihua Huang; Luc Waeijen; Henk Corporaal
• Keywords: FOS: Computer and information sciences; metric; Hardware Architecture (cs.AR); 0202 electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering; SDG 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy; 02 engineering and technology; Flexibility; versatility; Computer Science - Hardware Architecture; SDG 7 – Betaalbare en schone energie

In literature, computer architectures are frequently claimed to be highly flexible , typically implying the existence of trade-offs between flexibility and performance or energy efficiency. Processor flexibility, however, is not very sharply defined, consequently these claims cannot validated, nor can such hypothetical relations fully understood exploited in design computing systems. This paper an attempt introduce scientific rigour notion A survey conducted provide overview references both architecture domain, as well related fields. classification introduced categorize different views on which ultimately form foundation for a qualitative definition flexibility. Departing from generic quantifiable metric proposed, enabling valid quantitative comparison various architectures. To validate proposed method, evaluate relation general measured 25 systems, including CPUs, GPUs, DSPs, FPGAs, 40 ASIPs taken literature. The obtained results insights into some speculative properties efficiency area Overall shows commensurate with generally accepted notions collected survey, although surprising discrepancies also observed. placed context state art compute extensive reflection provides only complete field, but discusses possible alternative approaches open issues. Note that this work does aim final answer rather framework initiate broader discussion society defining, understanding, taking advantage