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2014-09-03arch, cpu: Factor out the ExecContext into a proper base classAndreas Sandberg
We currently generate and compile one version of the ISA code per CPU model. This is obviously wasting a lot of resources at compile time. This changeset factors out the interface into a separate ExecContext class, which also serves as documentation for the interface between CPUs and the ISA code. While doing so, this changeset also fixes up interface inconsistencies between the different CPU models. The main argument for using one set of ISA code per CPU model has always been performance as this avoid indirect branches in the generated code. However, this argument does not hold water. Booting Linux on a simulated ARM system running in atomic mode (opt/10.linux-boot/realview-simple-atomic) is actually 2% faster (compiled using clang 3.4) after applying this patch. Additionally, compilation time is decreased by 35%.
2014-07-23cpu: `Minor' in-order CPU modelAndrew Bardsley
This patch contains a new CPU model named `Minor'. Minor models a four stage in-order execution pipeline (fetch lines, decompose into macroops, decompose macroops into microops, execute). The model was developed to support the ARM ISA but should be fixable to support all the remaining gem5 ISAs. It currently also works for Alpha, and regressions are included for ARM and Alpha (including Linux boot). Documentation for the model can be found in src/doc/inside-minor.doxygen and its internal operations can be visualised using the Minorview tool utils/minorview.py. Minor was designed to be fairly simple and not to engage in a lot of instruction annotation. As such, it currently has very few gathered stats and may lack other gem5 features. Minor is faster than the o3 model. Sample results: Benchmark | Stat host_seconds (s) ---------------+--------v--------v-------- (on ARM, opt) | simple | o3 | minor | timing | timing | timing ---------------+--------+--------+-------- 10.linux-boot | 169 | 1883 | 1075 10.mcf | 117 | 967 | 491 20.parser | 668 | 6315 | 3146 30.eon | 542 | 3413 | 2414 40.perlbmk | 2339 | 20905 | 11532 50.vortex | 122 | 1094 | 588 60.bzip2 | 2045 | 18061 | 9662 70.twolf | 207 | 2736 | 1036