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gem5 news – Oct 2023
gem5 has recently moved it’s main development infrastructure from googlesource.com to github. Additionally, the gem5 developers abandoned the gerrit code review framework, in favor of the github “pull requests”. Very recently, a slack space has been created for the users of gem5. Last but not least, gem5 devs have recently posted results from benchmarking linkers.…
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Why is gem5 still single threaded?
gem5 simulator is not inherently multithreaded for several reasons: It’s important to note that while the core Gem5 simulator is primarily single-threaded, researchers and developers can leverage distributed computing techniques and parallel execution to run multiple Gem5 instances in parallel, simulating multiple cores or systems concurrently. This approach can achieve some level of parallelism while…
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NUMA and why it matters
Non-Uniform Memory Access (NUMA) is a computer architecture design that can significantly impact the performance and scalability of multi-processor systems. Here are five reasons why NUMA matters: In summary, NUMA matters because it addresses memory access latency, improves system scalability, allows for workload optimization, ensures cache coherency, and contributes to energy efficiency in multi-processor systems,…
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About memory compression
Memory compression is a technique used to reduce the amount of memory that is being used by a computer system. It works by compressing the data that is stored in memory, which allows more data to be stored in the same amount of physical memory. The basic idea behind memory compression is to identify areas…
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Canon nano-imprint lithography innovation
Canon has recently revealed its nanoimprint semiconductor manufacturing tool that can be used to make advanced chips. The device uses nanoimprint lithography (NIL) technology as an alternative to photolithography, and can theoretically challenge extreme ultraviolet (EUV) and deep ultraviolet (DUV) lithography tools when it comes to resolution. Read more
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The problem with CPU frequencies
The phenomenon of relatively stagnant CPU (Central Processing Unit) frequencies over the last decade is a result of several technological and physical limitations: Instead of focusing on increasing clock speeds, CPU manufacturers have adopted a more holistic approach to improving performance. They have been investing in: While the gigahertz race that characterized CPU development in…
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What drives today’s HPC
High-Performance Computing (HPC) is a field that continually evolves to meet the growing demands of scientific research, industrial applications, and various other computational challenges. Several factors are driving the current development of HPC: These factors, among others, are propelling HPC development, leading to innovations in hardware, software, and algorithms to meet the ever-increasing demands for…
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How Ubuntu came to life
Ubuntu is a popular Linux distribution that is based on Debian, and it was created with the goal of providing a more user-friendly and accessible version of Debian. The story of how Ubuntu came about is as follows: While Ubuntu is based on Debian, it has evolved into its own distinct distribution with its own…
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Sparse matrix applications for HPC
Sparse matrix applications are prevalent in High-Performance Computing (HPC) for various scientific and engineering simulations. These applications deal with matrices in which most of the elements are zero. Here are ten examples of sparse matrix applications commonly used in HPC: These applications are integral to many scientific and engineering fields, and optimizing algorithms and solvers…
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Key elements in HPC today
Most significant elements in today’s HPC are the following: