Scalable On-Chip Network in Power Constrained Manycore Processors

Abstract

While much research has been done using 2D mesh network as a baseline on-chip network topology, recent multi-core chips from vendors leverage a ring topology. In this work, we re-visit the topology comparison in on-chip networks and model the impact of on-chip network on overall performance while holding the entire chip power constant. We vary the amount of power allocated to the on-chip network and evaluate its impact on overall performance to determine a balanced system design. We show how the ring topology is efficient in current technology at 45nm but the scalability is limited as technology continues to scale and show how a simple hierarchical ring approach can provide a scalable solution.