Overview

Our exploratory system architecture research comprises a set of interrelated efforts in processor architecture, processor microarchitecture, memory systems, compiler optimization, and system performance. The work is primarily, but by no means exclusively, directed toward large servers. The aim is to improve performance and cost/performance.

Our group is descended from the 801 group which did the 801 processor, one of the earliest RISC architectures, and the p1.8 compiler, one of the earliest heavily-optimizing compilers. We have been working in architecture and compiler optimization for several decades.

We investigate instruction-set architectures and propose changes where appropriate. We invent, model, and study processor microarchitectures and memory system structures. In the course of these studies, we explore and prototype compiler optimizations, simulate processors, and memory subsystems, and analyze performance. We are exploring the emulation of one architecture on another, using dynamic translation and optimization.