Using Dynamic Runtime Testing for Rapid Development of Architectural Simulators.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Using Dynamic Runtime Testing for Rapid Development of Architectural Simulators.
Authors: Tomić, Saša sasa.tomic@bsc.es, Cristal, Adrián, Unsal, Osman1, Valero, Mateo
Source: International Journal of Parallel Programming. Feb2014, Vol. 42 Issue 1, p119-139. 21p.
Subjects: Computers testing, Computer architecture, Computer simulation, Run time systems (Computer science), Error analysis in mathematics, Computer input-output equipment
Abstract: Architectural simulator platforms are particularly complex and error-prone programs that aim to simulate all hardware details of a given target architecture. Development of a stable cycle-accurate architectural simulator can easily take several man-years. Discovering and fixing all visible errors in a simulator often requires significant effort, much higher than for writing the simulator code in the first place. In addition, there are no guarantees that all programming errors will be eliminated, no matter how much effort is put into testing and debugging. This paper presents dynamic runtime testing, a methodology for rapid development and accurate detection of functional bugs in architectural cycle-accurate simulators. Dynamic runtime testing consists of comparing an execution of a cycle-accurate simulator with an execution of a simple and functionally equivalent emulator. Dynamic runtime testing detects a possible functional error if there is a mismatch between the execution in the simulator and the emulator. Dynamic runtime testing provides a reliable and accurate verification of a simulator, during its entire development cycle, with very acceptable performance impact, and without requiring complex setup for the simulator execution. Based on our experience, dynamic testing reduced the simulator modification time from 12-18 person-months to only 3-4 person-months, while it only modestly reduced the simulator performance (in our case under 20 %). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of International Journal of Parallel Programming is the property of Springer Nature 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
FullText Links:
  – Type: pdflink
Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: egs
DbLabel: Engineering Source
An: 93463981
AccessLevel: 6
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Using Dynamic Runtime Testing for Rapid Development of Architectural Simulators.
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Tomić%2C+Saša%22">Tomić, Saša</searchLink><i> sasa.tomic@bsc.es</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Cristal%2C+Adrián%22">Cristal, Adrián</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Unsal%2C+Osman%22">Unsal, Osman</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Valero%2C+Mateo%22">Valero, Mateo</searchLink>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22International+Journal+of+Parallel+Programming%22">International Journal of Parallel Programming</searchLink>. Feb2014, Vol. 42 Issue 1, p119-139. 21p.
– Name: Subject
  Label: Subjects
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Computers+testing%22">Computers testing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Computer+architecture%22">Computer architecture</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Computer+simulation%22">Computer simulation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Run+time+systems+%28Computer+science%29%22">Run time systems (Computer science)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Error+analysis+in+mathematics%22">Error analysis in mathematics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Computer+input-output+equipment%22">Computer input-output equipment</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Architectural simulator platforms are particularly complex and error-prone programs that aim to simulate all hardware details of a given target architecture. Development of a stable cycle-accurate architectural simulator can easily take several man-years. Discovering and fixing all visible errors in a simulator often requires significant effort, much higher than for writing the simulator code in the first place. In addition, there are no guarantees that all programming errors will be eliminated, no matter how much effort is put into testing and debugging. This paper presents dynamic runtime testing, a methodology for rapid development and accurate detection of functional bugs in architectural cycle-accurate simulators. Dynamic runtime testing consists of comparing an execution of a cycle-accurate simulator with an execution of a simple and functionally equivalent emulator. Dynamic runtime testing detects a possible functional error if there is a mismatch between the execution in the simulator and the emulator. Dynamic runtime testing provides a reliable and accurate verification of a simulator, during its entire development cycle, with very acceptable performance impact, and without requiring complex setup for the simulator execution. Based on our experience, dynamic testing reduced the simulator modification time from 12-18 person-months to only 3-4 person-months, while it only modestly reduced the simulator performance (in our case under 20 %). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of International Journal of Parallel Programming is the property of Springer Nature 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.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=egs&AN=93463981
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1007/s10766-012-0208-7
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 21
        StartPage: 119
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Computers testing
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Computer architecture
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Computer simulation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Run time systems (Computer science)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Error analysis in mathematics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Computer input-output equipment
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Using Dynamic Runtime Testing for Rapid Development of Architectural Simulators.
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Tomić, Saša
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Cristal, Adrián
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Unsal, Osman
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Valero, Mateo
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 02
              Text: Feb2014
              Type: published
              Y: 2014
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 08857458
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 42
            – Type: issue
              Value: 1
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: International Journal of Parallel Programming
              Type: main
ResultId 1