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Architectural Simulators Considered Harmful.

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Title: Architectural Simulators Considered Harmful.
Authors: Nowatzki, Tony1, Menon, Jaikrishnan1, Ho, Chen-Han1, Sankaralingam, Karthikeyan1
Source: IEEE Micro. Nov2015, Vol. 35 Issue 6, p4-12. 9p.
Subjects: Mathematical models, Computer architecture, Dijkstra, Edgar, Footprints, Computer simulation
Abstract: Much as Edgar Dijkstra in 1968 observed the dangers of relying on the "go to" statement, the authors of this article observe the detrimental effect of overreliance on quantitative simulators. Over time, simulator tools have become more complex and sophisticated. While this seems beneficial, new generations of simulators are built with easily abused modeling abstractions, some with poorly modeled first-order phenomenon. Users treat simulators as black boxes, ignoring their potential errors and relying on validation to irrelevant design points. The lack of documentation and specification makes finding or even being aware of errors challenging. Simultaneously, reviewers demand that researchers use simulation in domains where better approaches exist. The authors elucidate the problems by describing three broad pitfalls of simulators and simulator use, considering examples from modern tools, and they discuss how to avoid each problem. Finally, they propose one consideration for recalibrating evaluation standards: the footprint, which is the breadth of architectural layers that a technique affects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of IEEE Micro is the property of IEEE and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Engineering Source
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PubType: Academic Journal
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  Data: Much as Edgar Dijkstra in 1968 observed the dangers of relying on the "go to" statement, the authors of this article observe the detrimental effect of overreliance on quantitative simulators. Over time, simulator tools have become more complex and sophisticated. While this seems beneficial, new generations of simulators are built with easily abused modeling abstractions, some with poorly modeled first-order phenomenon. Users treat simulators as black boxes, ignoring their potential errors and relying on validation to irrelevant design points. The lack of documentation and specification makes finding or even being aware of errors challenging. Simultaneously, reviewers demand that researchers use simulation in domains where better approaches exist. The authors elucidate the problems by describing three broad pitfalls of simulators and simulator use, considering examples from modern tools, and they discuss how to avoid each problem. Finally, they propose one consideration for recalibrating evaluation standards: the footprint, which is the breadth of architectural layers that a technique affects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: <i>Copyright of IEEE Micro is the property of IEEE and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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