The Octoplier:
A New Software
Device Affecting Hardware
Group 4
Austin Beam, Brittany Deardien, Warren Irwin, Amanda Medlin, Rob Westerman
Key Words: Octoplier, Central Processing Core, Special-Purpose Engines (SPE), Cell-Based Servers, Power Processor Element (PPE), Compiler, Synergistic Processing Elements (SPE), Cell Broadband Engine.
This month, IBM introduced its plan to decrease the difficulty of writing the code for Cell. The code for Cell is currently not easy to write. Through the new software to hardware device, the Octoplier, IBM claims it will be much easier to write code for Cell. The Octoplier is defined as a software development tool that will convert a single, human-written program into several different programs that run simultaneously on Cell’s virtuous cores. Defined as software, the Octoplier actually directly affects hardware. It allows the programs to be divided into parts by the compiler through software and dedicates them to the different cores which are the hardware. The Octoplier chip will run at speeds of 4GHz as well as run 9 processing cores exceeding the previous 8 when it comes out. The idea of IBM is that the Octoplier will allocate for wider use of cell-based servers by making the manual aspects of programming easier.
The Cell Broadband Engine is the formal name for the Octoplier and was developed by IBM, Sony, and Toshiba. It originated simply for Sony’s Playstation 3 game and Toshiba’s high definition televisions. However, the multi-core design of the Octoplier that makes Cell well-adapted to simulating physics of videogames can also be good for technical computing. In return, IBM and Mercury are developing Cell-based systems such as 3D medical imaging and radar signal processing for certain tasks.
Every Cell chip contains a Power Processor Element, or a straight-forward Power PC970 processing core that is able to run Linux and other forms of readily available software. The thing that makes Cell hard to program includes the 8 SPEs, or Synergistic Processing Elements. Each of these SPEs run certain programs and each has a separate connection to memory as well as to the other cores on the Cell chip. This is where the Octoplier comes into play.
Compilers are very important when it comes to maximizing the complexity of programmers and gaining maximum performance from hardware. Several IBM researchers including Alexandre Eichenberger say, “Growth in processor complexity is driving a parallel need for sophisticated compiler technology.” The Octoplier, which is a compiler, is a development tool used to translate a programmer’s source code into a “machine language” the chip can understand. The name, Octoplier, is referring to its ability to regulate the way in which software uses Cell’s 8, or most recent 9, Synergistic Processing Elements. Because of its design, the Octoplier has to do more than most
compilers. It has to develop instructions in a high-level language for the SPEs as opposed to the Power PC core. Also, the Octoplier has to decide which software to give to each core and delegate how the programs communicate and share memory. Finally, it has to size up source code for the specific tasks that SPEs can perform. These tasks simplify chip operations because the same operation is performed on multiple data elements.
In layman’s terms, the Octoplier simplifies programming. It does this by taking the manual aspect of programming out of the picture. It allows the Octoplier to designate all the tasks to the different cores within Cell through a language designed specifically within the chip. It makes a very meticulous task more manageable for companies that use programming.
The idea is that the Octoplier will create a wider use of Cell-based servers. There will most likely be a wider use due to the easier way of programming Cell. Programming Cell has proven to be difficult and will ultimately be easier, hence, making the Cell-based servers better. Consumer electronics manufacturers and network gear makers are drawn to ideas such as the Octoplier because they eliminate demand for independent engineering. IBM plans to charge their services as a cost of “doing business” to companies. Doc Pham, one of the designers of Cell, says, “We believe a 10-times performance over the PC, at the same power envelope, can be achieved. It will usher in a new era of media-centered computing.” If the Octoplier is developed to the potential IBM believes it to, it could help businesses gain a competitive advantage. It is designed to reduce hardware complexity, produce faster clock cycles, and increase predictability, which is important when considering multimedia applications. All of these, if achieved, could reduce development time in many ways. Development time is referring to the time it would take to process information, how it is processed, and the format it is processed in. It is extremely possible in the future to see the Octoplier put in hardware such as registers, cell phones, and cameras. Although not predicted as cost efficient, the Octoplier could provide users a considerable advantage over others. If it turns out the way it is predicted, it could revolutionize the way in which we think of technology and create a passageway for new technological boundaries.
Still in its early stages of development, the Octoplier is a novel technological idea. Through this idea, IBM hopes to enhance programmability while continuing to provide high performance. The goals set forth by IBM are looked at by outsiders as nearly vital for technological advancement. These goals include creating the new software of writing code for Cell by dividing the programs into parts and distributing the programs to the different cores, considered hardware. This “parallel processing” has not yet been performed by anyone else, making this idea unique. Eventually, IBM hopes to create a wider use of Cell-based servers as a result of the Octoplier. The Sony Playstation 3, set to be released this year, could give us a hint as to what the Octoplier will be able to do on a smaller scale.
REFERENCES
Shankland, Stephen. (2006). “IBM Aims to Tame its Cell Chip.”
<http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/hardware/0,
39042972, 39314661, 00.htm.> (
Eichenberger, Alexandre. (2006). “Using Advanced Compiler Technology to Exploit
the
Performance of the Cell Broadband Engine Architecture.” http://www.research.ibm.com/journal/sj/451/eichenberger.html. (
http://www.arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060225-6265.html. (
The Octoplier: A New
Software
Group 4
1. What
company is developing the Octoplier to write code for
Cell?
A.
Dell
B.
IBM
C.
Microsoft
D.
Apple
2. Although
the Octoplier is defined as a software, it directly affects :
A.
Hardware
B.
Interfaces
C.
Modules
D.
Nodes
1. 3.3. 2.3. Another name for the Octoplier is :
A.
Cellular development
B.
Cell analyzer
C.
Cell definer
D.
Cell broadband engine
4. What
was the Octoplier originally developed to write code
for?
A.
Sony Playstation
3
B.
Toshiba high definition
televisions
C.
Both a and b
D.
None of the above
5. The
Octoplier will create a wider use of
A.
Cell base servers
B.
Video games
C.
Internet
D.
None of the above
6. The
Octoplier helps achieve all of the following except:
A.
Reduction in hardware
complexity
B.
Producing faster clock
cycles
C.
Increased predictability
D.
More costly development
7. The
Octoplier is a vital development in:
A.
Telecommunications
B.
Hardware
C.
Software
D. Both b and c