AVF-driven parity optimization for MBU protection of in-core memory arrays

Michail Maniatakos, Maria K. Michael, Yiorgos Makris

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

We propose an AVF-driven parity selection method for protecting modern microprocessor in-core memory arrays against MBUs. As MBUs constitute more than 50% of the upsets in latest technologies, error correcting codes or physical interleaving are typically employed to effectively protect out-of-core memory structures, such as caches. However, such methods are not applicable to high-performance in-core arrays, due to computational complexity, high delay and area overhead. To this end, we revisit parity as an effective mechanism to detect errors and we resort to pipeline flushing and checkpointing for correction. We demonstrate that optimal parity tree construction for MBU detection is a computationally complex problem, which we then formulate as an integer-linear-program (ILP). Experimental results on Alpha 21264 and Intel P6 in-core memory arrays demonstrate that optimal parity tree selection can achieve great vulnerability reduction, even when a small number of bits are added to the parity trees, compared to simple heuristics. Furthermore, the ILP formulation allows us to find better solutions by effectively exploring the solution space in the presence of multiple parity trees; results show that the presence of 2 parity trees offers a vulnerability reduction of more than 50% over a single parity tree.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationProceedings - Design, Automation and Test in Europe, DATE 2013
PublisherInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
Pages1480-1485
Number of pages6
ISBN (Print)9783981537000
DOIs
StatePublished - 2013
Event16th Design, Automation and Test in Europe Conference and Exhibition, DATE 2013 - Grenoble, France
Duration: Mar 18 2013Mar 22 2013

Publication series

NameProceedings -Design, Automation and Test in Europe, DATE
ISSN (Print)1530-1591

Other

Other16th Design, Automation and Test in Europe Conference and Exhibition, DATE 2013
Country/TerritoryFrance
CityGrenoble
Period3/18/133/22/13

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Engineering

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