Power.org Technical Vision
by Kaveh Massoudian
Chief Technology Officer, Power.org
Introduction
In 1965, Gordon Moore predicted that integrated circuits would double in density roughly every 18 months. In what is one of the most remarkable outcomes for such a prediction, this estimation proved to be essentially correct across four decades in time, and six decades of increasing semiconductor content on a chip of fixed size. However, this classical semiconductor technology scaling is no longer giving us the performance gains on par with past levels as we move from generation to generation. Specifically, we hit a frequency wall due to current leakage and thermal ramifications. Instead we started to use the density for adding multiple coresand integrating peripherals and accelerator offload engines into the same die, resulting in the System on Chip wave of offerings.
This combination of vast hardware integration capability, diminished performance scaling, and growing market diversity creates significant challenges and opportunities. The industry is at a turning point regarding the optimal approach to technology development to move forward faster and better. Leveraging open standards and a diverse collaborative community formed from a range of independent product-oriented businesses with applicable and complementary intellectual property is the only practical approach to address these challenges and opportunities.
Vision
Our vision is to overcome the challenges created by the technology and market trends and accelerate the progress in the design and deployment of future systems enabling member companies to rapidly respond to market opportunities. We will accomplish this through the
creation of a strong and open technology ecosystem around Power Architecture™ technology. At the core of that ecosystem is Power Instruction Set Architecture that is managed as a stable and durable foundation for software compatibility and customer investment protection. Power ISA is the ONLY architecture in the market that has proven implementations from the smallest devices to the largest supercomputers. We cover the most diverse set of markets including consumer electronics, industrial control, telecommunications and networking, high performance computing, IT and commercial systems, aerospace and defense, high end printers and imaging solutions. This is testament to Power Architecture's time tested felxibility and customization while preserving the binary compatibility of software.
Power.org technical strategy: Focus on Reference Solution per market segment
Power.org member companies are collaborating on several technical initiatives of mutual interest that will enable members to provide complementary hardware and software components and tools with broad appeal for product development. Members collaborate on business enabling specifications for hardware, firmware, operating systems, software, and tools. These initiatives, in conjunction with other industry standard’s work, form the foundation for rapid and lower cost SoC and system development with core hardware and software interface compatibility to Linux and other operating systems. Current initiatives are briefly described.
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Power Architecture Advisory Council
The Power Architecture technology is the foundational technology behind the Power.org initiative. The architecture, through standardization of features, enables a range of microprocessor implementations. Licensees develop cores or processors optimized for divergent applications. The Power Architecture Advisory Council (PAAC) provides Power.org members, who are general Power Architecture technology licensees, the opportunity to participate in a structured forum for collaboration on instruction set architecture change and evolution. Solutions to meet functional requirements are expected to be more innovative, comprehensive, and timely through the use of a collaborative process.
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Virtual Platforms and Simulation (aka SoC Design Hierarchy)
The SoC Design Hierarchy Technical Subcommittee attacks the complexity and enablement challenges by focusing on the creation of a world-class SoC design eco-system. The objective is to achieve a position at the forefront for simplified SoC implementation with Power Architecture technology cores and complimentary IP. In particular, the group seeks to improve the availability of portable models and tool kits, enable easier integration of intellectual property cores (IP) from which to design complete SOC products, and facilitate IP reuse and portability across designs, design environments, and member’s semiconductor technology and manufacturing operations. Contributions from this group are expected to result in lower development costs, reduced time to market, and increased IP licensing opportunities for member companies.
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Platform Architecture
Platform architecture standards can play an important role in creating a strong technical and business ecosystem. They promote lower hardware and software costs through standardized functional requirements and hardware/software interface definitions. They can also be structured to provide a base around which member companies can differentiate while retaining many of the cost benefits of a standard platform. The vision of the Platform Architecture Technical Subcommittee is to provide scalable and extensible platform architectures from a stable set of core requirements and defined levels of abstractions that enable a true shrink wrap OS ecosystem typical of successful general purpose computer ecosystems. The team intends to endorse key industry directions, extending and adapting them for Power Architecture technology as necessary. Initial domains of interest include platform architectures for High Volume Server and Storage Platforms.
Power.org technical initiatives: Future
Power.org initiatives will evolve and extend significantly beyond those described so far. Members are already engaged in exploring several other potential areas for collaboration. These areas include accelerator frameworks, networking/switching, and media platform architecture. As membership expands and new thinking and ideas are brought forward, the areas of collaboration will grow.
Summary
In a world of exponentially increasing combinatorial complexity and diminished performance scaling from classic semiconductor technology scaling, the ODM and OEM are faced with increasing design challenges. Power.org strives to overcome these challenges by providing an environment in which diverse member companies can work closely to first understand and then resolve these challenges. Centered on Power Architecture technology computing capabilities and open standards, the consortium will enable the creation of a wide variety of products that are better integrated, more cost effective, more scalable, and more competitive within their target markets than could otherwise be envisioned. The result will be increased business opportunity for member companies.
Mr. Massoudian is currently IBM's Chief Technology Officer for the Power.org initiative. Prior to this position, he was the Program Director of Systems Architecture and Design for Power Systems with responsibility for managing the platform architecture and definition for POWER5 and POWER6 systems. His experience spans chip and board development, microcode, device drivers, and diagnostics development, chip simulation, emulation, and verification, program management, plan management, development process transformation and consulting, system architecture and development, business development, and alliance development for computer systems for commercial and defense related applications.
Published June, 2009