Dynamic Rescheduling: A Technique for Object Code Compatibility in VLIW Architectures
Thomas M. Conte, Sumedh W. Sathaye · 1995
Lack of object code compatibility in VLIW architectures is a severe limit to their adoption as a generalpurpose computing paradigm. Previous approaches include hardware and software techniques, both of which have drawbacks. Hardware techniques add to the complexity of the architecture, whereas software techniques require multiple executables. This paper presents a technique called Dynamic Rescheduling that applies software techniques dynamically, using intervention by the operating system. Results are presented to demonstrate the viability of the technique using the Illinois IMPACT compiler and the TINKER architectural framework. 1 Introduction Lack of object-code compatibility across generations of a VLIW architecture is an often raised objection to its use as a general-purpose computing paradigm [1]. A program binary compiled for VLIW generation x cannot be guaranteed to execute correctly on generations x + n or x \\Gamma n, for a reasonable value of n. This means that an installe...