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Articles |
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11 Jan 2005 |
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Maximizing the power of the Cell Broadband Engine processor: 25 tips to optimal application performance
Unlike on conventional processors, you can achieve near
theoretical-maximum performance for real applications on the Cell Broadband
Engine (Cell/B.E.) processor. For this, you must be aware of the Cell/B.E. processor's architectural characteristics: get to know them better with these 25 tips to optimal application
performance.
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Articles |
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27 Jun 2006 |
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An introduction to compiling for the Cell Broadband Engine architecture, Part 1: A bird's-eye view
This five-part tutorial series helps you understand the Cell Broadband Engine (Cell BE) architecture and gives you a basic intuition for programming issues on it, insight into the compiler challenges presented by it, and an understanding of the techniques and solutions proposed by the IBM compiler. In Part 1, meet the Cell BE processor from a compiler-writer's perspective, and get a bird's-eye view of a number of the unique challenges it poses. Part 1 provides useful background information relevant to the other tutorials in the series.
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Tutorials |
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07 Feb 2006 |
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A brief introduction to IBM XL compilers
The IBM XL compilers are the result of years of research, and can compile C/C++ and Fortran code on a variety of Power Architecture technology-based systems and operating systems. The broad scope of these compilers illustrates the strength and breadth of Power Architecture technology.
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Articles |
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15 Dec 2005 |
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A developer's guide to the POWER architecture
POWER processors are found in everything from supercomputers to game consoles and from servers to cell phones -- and they all share a common architecture. This introduction to the PowerPC application-level programming model will give you an overview of the instruction set, important registers, and other details necessary for developing reliable, high-performing POWER applications and maintaining code compatibility among processors.
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Articles |
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30 Mar 2004 |
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Standards and specs: A house divided
What happens when two coalitions within a standards committee come into conflict, and the dispute doesn't get resolved quickly? The ultrawideband technology standardization issue shows you.
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Articles |
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25 Jan 2005 |
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A moment of Xen: Virtualize Linux to test your apps
Xen is a virtualization technology available for the Linux kernel that lets you enclose and test new upgrades as if running them in the existing environment but without the worries of disturbing the original system. The author shows you how to install Xen using Fedora Core, but once installed, everything works the same in Xen on any distribution. Take a look at virtualization on Linux and see the benefits of having a sandbox for testing new software, as well as a playground for running multiple virtual machines on the same Linux box.
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Articles |
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15 Mar 2005 |
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Massively multiplayer online games, Part 1: A performance-based approach to sizing infrastructure
Massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs) are some of the most complicated software systems under development today, often requiring dozens of developers, hundreds of artists, and truly massive infrastructures. This article is the first in a series of articles that will shine a light on the systems, storage, and networks needed to run an MMOG. It provides an introduction to MMOGs and demonstrates one approach to sizing a game's infrastructure. Learn how to figure out how much infrastructure you might need, as well as how to operate an MMOG.
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Articles |
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10 Apr 2007 |
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Don't let these disasters happen to you: A pox on modern engineering, Part 1
Between IP litigation and ever greater demands for "baseline" functionality that requires licensing, developing new products has become a treacherous minefield for engineers to navigate. In this article, Lewin Edwards outlines some of the dangers which are making it harder for engineers to just get out there and build something.
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Articles |
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17 Oct 2006 |
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Don't let these disasters happen to you: A pox on modern engineering, Part 2
While per-transistor failure rates may be down, overall reliability hasn't declined as much as people sometimes assume, and modern systems are often much harder to repair than older ones. Following up on a previous article, Lewin Edwards reviews more of the problems modern engineers face.
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Articles |
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14 Nov 2006 |
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AMCC and Power Architecture technology
When AMCC needed a processor architecture for its embedded products, it purchased the intellectual property behind the PowerPC 400 series of chips. Find out how these chips fit into AMCC's plans.
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Articles |
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16 Sep 2005 |
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About: Power.org
This interview focuses on the structure and aims of Power.org, a major new standards consortium in the marketplace. Discover what this new body has to do with open standards, customizable processors, consumer devices -- and doughnuts.
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Articles |
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02 Dec 2004 |
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Migrating from x86 to PowerPC, Part 8: Add stepper motors to the vehicle control module
Lewin Edwards reviews the I/O expansion possibilities for the slave microcontroller on the robot submarine. The Inter-IC Communication (I2C) bus provides a simple and compatible way to expand the submarine's I/O options and connect it to a number of stepper motors.
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Articles |
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11 Oct 2005 |
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Multifunction multimedia machine, Part 2: Add still images to your media player
The Mac mini offers a viable platform for embedded multimedia development. In this article, Lewin Edwards shows how to make efficient, direct use of the framebuffer to display JPEG files and discusses the issues involved in deciding between direct framebuffer access and using the X server as a graphics driver.
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Articles |
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09 Aug 2005 |
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Migrating from x86 to PowerPC, Part 6: Add vision to your robot submarine
In this episode of the ongoing Kuro Box project, learn how to add a USB camera to the machine. This article includes example Linux code to initialize and read from a USB camera through Video4Linux. Also find a brief introduction to edge detection techniques in captured images.
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Articles |
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21 Jul 2005 |
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Fun with ALF, Part 1: Adding large matrices together
In this Cell Broadband Engine(TM) (Cell/B.E.) series, learn how to use the
Accelerated Library Framework (ALF) in the IBM SDK for Multicore Acceleration 3.0 to
add two large matrices together. There is one example for host data
partitioning and one for accelerator data partitioning. The "ALF for Cell/B.E.
Programmer's Guide and API Reference, Version 3.0" (see Resources) is the source for the content.
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Articles |
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18 Mar 2008 |
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Meet the experts: Alex Chow on Cell Broadband Engine programming models
A critical component of programming for the Cell Broadband Engine (Cell BE) processor is understanding the workload in order to choose the right programming model. Alex Chow of IBM recently proposed several programming models ranging in complexity from a small single SPU to a large interconnected multi-SPU program. developerWorks talks with Alex about some of the programming models he proposed.
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Articles |
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22 Nov 2005 |
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An architect's view of design challenges and directions
What goes into chip design? Will Power Architecture technology-based chips become an industry standard? Chip-making veteran Jim Kahle says his piece.
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Articles |
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07 Sep 2005 |
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Meet the experts: An interview with the compiler
Got questions about optimizing code for the Cell Broadband Engine (Cell BE) processor? Questions like, when to inline? When to insert an ifetch--and when to inline an ifetch (and what IS an ifetch?) And where do no-ops go? These questions and many others will be addressed in this exclusive Q and A session.
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Articles |
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14 Feb 2006 |
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Programming high-performance applications on the Cell BE processor, Part 1: An introduction to Linux on the PLAYSTATION 3
The Sony PLAYSTATION 3 (PS3) is the easiest and cheapest way for programmers to get their hands on the new Cell Broadband Engine (Cell BE) processor and take it for a drive. Discover what the fuss is all about, how to install Linux on the PS3, and how to get started developing for the Cell BE processor on the PS3.
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Articles |
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03 Jan 2007 |
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An introduction to Power Architecture 64-bit computing: PowerPC 970FX
64-bit computing is well established on the IBM zSeries and POWER-based pSeries systems. Nonetheless, with the introduction of the PowerPC 970 processor family, 64-bit computing is now available on the desktop, on value-priced servers, and to the embedded community. This article gives an overview of 64-bit computing and discusses the advantages of a 64-bit operating system environment.
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Articles |
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16 Sep 2005 |
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Testing and measuring the TAMS 3011, Part 2: An introduction to eCos
The eCos embedded operating system offers an alternative to UNIX-style operating systems for development work. This article examines how its architecture influences the development process, building a sample application and exploring the differences in architecture between eCos and UNIX.
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Articles |
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24 Feb 2006 |
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An introduction to the IDE for the Cell Broadband Engine SDK
This introductory walk-through, updated for the Cell Broadband Engine (Cell BE) SDK V2.1, explores the Cell BE processor IDE and offers a click-for-click lesson on how to construct a simple project.
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Tutorials |
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30 Mar 2007 |
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The little broadband engine that could: An introduction to using SPEs for Cell Broadband Engine development
In this first article in a series on Cell Broadband Engine (Cell/B.E.) development, Peter
Seebach introduces the API used to run programs on SPEs, focusing specifically on
loading code on an SPE and sending data to it for processing.
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Articles |
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05 Jun 2007 |
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Standards and specs: An unsung hero: The hardworking ELF
The ELF object module format has had wide-ranging effects on software development for multiple platforms. Peter Seebach looks at the history of the ELF specification and why it's been so useful.
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Articles |
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20 Dec 2005 |
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Migrating from x86 to PowerPC, Part 2: Anatomy of the Linux boot process
This installment of "Migrating from x86 to PowerPC" discusses detailed similarities and differences between booting Linux on an x86-based platform (typically a PC-compatible SBC) and a custom embedded platform based around PowerPC, ARM, and others. It discusses suggested hardware and software designs and highlights the tradeoffs of each. It also describes important design pitfalls and best practices.
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Articles |
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08 Feb 2005 |
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An embedded view of the Mac Mini, Part 1: Apple's new PowerPC BSP
The Mac Mini isn't just competition for Shuttle computers and mini-tower PCs. It's also competition for the much smaller embedded development boards that many users are building custom applications around. Peter Seebach takes a look at the Mac Mini as an embedded development platform.
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Articles |
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15 Mar 2005 |
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Just like being there: Papers from the Fall Processor Forum 2005: Application-customized CPU design
This Fall Processor Forum paper explores the customized IBM PowerPC processor designed for the Microsoft XBox 360, designed and optimized for high-volume production, low cost, and quality -- with an array of testing and debug features to reduce system time-to-market. It boasts three 3.2GHz high-frequency PowerPC processor cores, and it's like no chip you've ever met before. Read why.
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Articles |
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06 Dec 2005 |
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Meet the experts: Arnd Bergmann on the Cell BE processor
This question and answer article features Arnd Bergmann of IBM: a kernel hacker with the IBM Linux Technology Center, the Linux on Cell Broadband Engine (Cell BE) processor kernel maintainer, and author of the spufs file system.
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Articles |
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25 Jun 2005 |
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Automating deployment and activation of virtual appliances for IBM AIX and Power Systems
Server virtualization enables you to rapidly provision new environments by
using libraries of virtual image templates, or virtual appliances. Automated
provisioning requires the management of operating system, network, and
application-specific customization. This article provides a sample framework for
automating virtual image deployment and activation on Power Systems, with a
downloadable example that demonstrates how to provision a virtual appliance made up
of IBM WebSphere Application Server V7.0 running on AIX V5.3.
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Articles |
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29 Apr 2009 |
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Migrating from x86 to PowerPC, Part 7: Basic design of the vehicle control module
Get an overview of some design decisions involved in configuring a secondary
processor to handle maintenance tasks on your robot submarine, and see some of the
setup code allowing the subordinate processor to interact with the main system.
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Articles |
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06 Sep 2005 |
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BladeCenter QS: Maximizing memory performance
This article compares the CBEA processor memory access
model (with a focus on the IBM BladeCenter(R) QS21 and QS22) with that of general
purpose processors, providing programmer guidelines to ensure that
applications can be developed for maximum memory performance. This article also
describes how to use the Cell Performance Counter tool when
monitoring memory access activities for tuning and debugging memory
performance.
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Articles |
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01 Jul 2008 |
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Power Architecture downloads and documentation: Blue Gene tools and residency
Find a wealth of Blue Gene resources, an updated Post-Link Optimization for Linux on POWER, new and updated documentation on Power Architecture boxen, the latest Redbook Residency opportunities -- and much more.
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Articles |
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27 Oct 2005 |
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Testing and measuring the TAMS 3011, Part 6: Booting NetBSD on new hardware, the saga begins
Porting an operating system to new hardware can be a fairly easy process, or a fairly difficult one, depending on the issues you encounter. Peter Seebach walks you through his experience getting NetBSD running on a new board using existing hardware.
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Articles |
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19 Sep 2006 |
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Power Architecture directions: Brand-new brand for Power Architecture technology
Michael E. Sullivan of IBM discusses how Power Architecture technology is being reborn under Power.org as a community-driven architecture and brand inspired by the open-source Linux model. Learn what motivated the changes, what they will mean for customers and partners, and what the new logo symbolizes.
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Articles |
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24 Jul 2006 |
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PS3 fab-to-lab, Part 1: Build Linux lab equipment from a Sony PLAYSTATION 3
How do you take the Cell Broadband Engine (Cell/B.E.) processor from an
off-the-shelf Sony PLAYSTATION 3 (PS3) and use it to construct a piece of
Linux-based laboratory equipment (in essence, taking the Cell/B.E. from fab to hab
to lab)? In this series, Lewin Edwards shows you how to go from game console to
simple audio-bandwidth spectrum analyzer and function generator. First up, uncover
the design intent of the project and then make a close inspection of the details of
the user interface implementation as you start a journey to generate and analyze
signals on the Cell/B.E. processor.
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Articles |
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15 May 2007 |
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Build a GCC-based cross compiler for Linux
Get step-by-step instructions for building a cross-compiler so that you can build and develop applications for an alternative platform. Cross-compilers can be useful in many different situations, such as when you develop applications for embedded platforms.
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Tutorials |
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22 Feb 2005 |
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Migrating from x86 to PowerPC, Part 4: Build a minimal embedded Web interface
This installment shows you how to use small-footprint, highly portable, Free Software tools to Web-enable your unmanned submarine, in anticipation of browsing its onboard photo library from an underground lair in the next episode.
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Articles |
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05 Apr 2005 |
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Core partners, Part 1: Build high-performance apps for multicore processors
The RapidMind Development Platform provides a simple single-source mechanism to develop portable high-performance applications for multicore processors. In particular, you can use it to develop applications that fully exploit the power of the Cell Broadband Engine (Cell/B.E.) processor's unique architecture by writing only one, single-threaded C++ program using an existing C++ compiler. In this article, author Michael McCool takes you on a guided tour of the RapidMind Development Platform.
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Articles |
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01 May 2007 |
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Build standard and application-specific single-board computers with Power Architecture technology
Power Architecture technology's open nature brings you flexibility in your system design: because compatibility is assured, you can outsource the design of the chips themselves to third parties. In this article, learn how Momentum Computer builds systems based on the PowerPC 750GX for a variety of customers.
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Articles |
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16 Sep 2005 |
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Xilinx hijinx, Part 2: Building and loading bitstreams and PowerPC code
Explore both the hardware and software sides of a complete Virtex4 project. In this second and final installment of the Xilinx hijinx series, you add and remove device cores from your project, interconnect project components, build the bitstream, integrate it with C code, and download the entire thing to the FPGA.
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Articles |
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22 Feb 2007 |
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A close-up of SDK 3.1, Part 2: Building examples with make.footer
The Cell/B.E. SDK 3.1 supports a pseudo "build environment" by including
a make.footer file that you can include in a makefile to help you build
examples and demonstrations. In this article, you can read about some of the
features and functions available in the make.footer file and how they are used
to construct the SDK examples.
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Articles |
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25 Nov 2008 |
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Carrier-grade Linux for Power Architecture processors
Power Architecture processors have a reputation for rock-solid reliability. Now MontaVista's carrier-grade Linux distribution is available for Power Architecture chips. The combination brings the strengths of both technologies to the telco world, where continuous uptime is a must.
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Articles |
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16 Sep 2005 |
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Cell Broadband Engine Architecture and its first implementation
Explore the first implementation of the Cell Broadband Engine (Cell BE) Architecture, developed jointly by Sony, Toshiba, and IBM, and get an up-close look at its performance figures and characteristics.
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Articles |
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29 Nov 2005 |
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Cell Broadband Engine Architecture from 20,000 feet
The Cell Broadband Engine Architecture (CBEA, or, informally, "Cell") defines a new processor structure based upon the 64-bit Power Architecture technology, but with unique features directed toward distributed processing and media-rich applications. The Cell architecture defines a single-chip multiprocessor consisting of one or more Power Processor Elements (PPEs) and multiple high-performance SIMD Synergistic Processor Elements (SPEs). While each SPE is an independent processor running its own application programs, a shared, coherent memory and a rich set of DMA commands provide for seamless and efficient communications between all Cell processing elements. This article provides a concise view inside the Cell's architecture.
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Articles |
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24 Aug 2005 |
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Power Architecture community calendar: Cell Broadband Engine Processor debuts in new Blade server
Blades get Cell BE Processors and a cut in price to run Linux; POWER5+ debuts with two POWER5s and cache on one module; and small businesses get 22 new, affordable managed-services products. As well as find information on the Fall Processor Forum 2005, IBM Webcasts, and other events worthy of your attention.
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Articles |
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17 Oct 2005 |
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Power Architecture community calendar: Cell Broadband Engine developer environment arrives
Now available, a complete programming environment for the Cell Broadband Engine (CBE) -- a processor environment simulator, XL C and GCC compilers, an OS kernel, toolchain, library, and samples, as well as a CBE resource center. And, IBM and Sun agree to support Solaris on Blades, and Power.org cranks up technology seminars with three new academic partners. Then plan for such Fall events as Semicon Japan, PowerPC technical briefings in China, and assorted webcasts and Redbook workshops.
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Articles |
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15 Nov 2005 |
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Cell Broadband Engine resource center
The Cell Broadband Engine (Cell/B.E.) is a new
architecture that extends the 64-bit Power Architecture.
Ideal for compute-intensive tasks like gaming, multimedia, and
physics- or life-sciences and related workloads, the Cell/B.E.
is a single-chip multiprocessor no bigger than a
fingernail.
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27 Oct 2008 |
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Power Architecture downloads and documentation: Cell Broadband Engine resources on alphaWorks
Download Cell Broadband Engine (Cell BE) technology and a graphical LPAR monitor. Update your Blue Gene Task Layout Optimizer and your PowerPC 970 full-system simulator. And discover fascinating articles on Advanced POWER Virtualization, Attached Network Storage, MRAM and spintronics, and how to simulate PowerPC hardware for Linux development.
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Articles |
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29 Nov 2005 |
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Cell/B.E.
SDK: Understanding the terminology
A quick-reference glossary of terms you might encounter when installing and
using the Cell Broadband Engine (Cell/B.E.) processor
SDK.
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Articles |
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19 Oct 2007 |
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Cell/B.E. SDK: Code sample directory
In this article, you'll find tables indicating the locations of code
samples that illustrate how to use the IBM SDK for Multicore Acceleration.
This article will be updated with new code samples.
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Articles |
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15 Jul 2008 |
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Changes in libspe: How libspe2 affects Cell Broadband Engine programming
The standard library that Power Processor Element (PPE) programs use to
access and manage Synergistic Processor Elements (SPEs), called
libspe, has undergone a major revision. The Cell Broadband Engine (Cell/B.E.)
SDK 2.1 officially changes the library interface from libspe1 to libspe2. In
this article, Jonathan Bartlett introduces the libspe2 concepts and shows how to do basic SPE process management and communication with libspe2.
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Articles |
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17 Jul 2007 |
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Power Architecture Community Newsletter, 1 July 2005: Chartered and IBM: Building a common platform for manufacturing
Maybe you've read the announcements of the 90- and 65-nanometer platform, but what does it all mean? Chartered's Walter Ng puts it into perspective -- including where Samsung and Infineon fit in (and how Power Architecture fits in).
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Articles |
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01 Jul 2005 |
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Standards and specs: Chip interconnects: When 133 MBps is too slow
New interconnect protocols and standards offer a variety of options in price and performance. Peter Seebach looks at four new protocols and ponders why we have more than one.
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Articles |
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24 Apr 2006 |
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ChipBench System Level Design
Use the ChipBench System Level Design tool to create and simulate a design constructed from SystemC models of IBM PowerPC 4xx processor cores.
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Tutorials |
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27 Sep 2005 |
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Clustering solutions for Linux on IBM System p5 Express servers
Learn how to build a Linux High Availability (HA) cluster and a High Performance Computing (HPC) cluster on IBM POWER processor-based servers.
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Articles |
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02 Nov 2005 |
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Power Architecture Community Newsletter, 1 Apr 2005: Community calendar
Stay up-to-date with the latest headlines, upcoming events, Webcasts, and more. In this issue, Blue Gene/L, Cell, photonics and Blade news; InStat Spring Processor forum and Moscow's eighth ExpoElectronica conference events are profiled.
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Articles |
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01 Apr 2005 |
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Power Architecture Community Newsletter, 01 August 2005: Community calendar
In news: Biggest big iron ever, plus: building Blade.org. IBM expands the Academic Initiative, enters into litho consortium -- and more. In events: The road to multicore starts with the In-Stat Fall Processor Forum 2005, Hot Chips starts (and ends) with PowerPC papers; and Linux, Linux on POWER, and more Power events (including webcasts!)
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Articles |
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01 Aug 2005 |
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Power Architecture Community Newsletter, 1 July 2005: Community calendar
New, super-concentrated format for all the PowerPC news that's fit to print. This issue: Supercomputing, Power.org, Apple, Cell, and more. In events: no-fee Web-based education: WebSeries webcasts and developerWorks tutorials, introducing "Solaris to Linux Migration," and more.
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Articles |
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01 Jul 2005 |
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Power Architecture Community Newsletter, 16 May 2005: Community calendar
In the news, eavesdrop on the beginning of the universe, pick your place on the dual-core software licensing spectrum, and more. In the calendar, Wind River 2005 Worldwide User Conference, Power.org in Barcelona, the 42nd DAC 2005 Design Automation Conference, and much more.
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Articles |
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16 May 2005 |
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Power Architecture Community Newsletter, 14 Jan 2005: Community calendar
Stay up-to-date with breaking news, upcoming events, and webcasts.
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Articles |
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14 Jan 2005 |
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Community calendar
In news: 130nm SiGe processes are here; compile embedded apps for all operating systems; plus more news for the Power community. In events: it's all about design: The IEEE Symposium on High Performance Interconnects, Magma Users Summit on IC, and the EuroConference on Circuit Theory and Design -- and don't miss the webcast series on the PowerPC 970.
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Articles |
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15 Aug 2005 |
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Power Architecture Community Newsletter, 15 July 2005: Community calendar
In news: New dual-core and low-power PowerPC 9xx processors; recent advances in research; PowerPC product watch, and more. In events: System on Chip for Real Time; PowerPC 970 Hardware design webcast; and lots of Linux.
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Articles |
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15 Jul 2005 |
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Power Architecture Community Newsletter, 08 June 2005: Community calendar
In the news: The IBM/Chartered common design platform; game consoles powered by PowerPC; open source Cell; Apple on x86; and a roundup of chip-related headlines. In the calendar: Intro to Linux on POWER workshops, Reconfigurable Systems and Algorithms, MPSoC'05, IBM DAC notebook, free IBM Web broadcasts -- and much more.
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Articles |
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08 Jun 2005 |
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Power Architecture Community Newsletter, 02 May 2005: Community calendar
Stay up-to-date with the latest headlines, upcoming events, Webcasts, and more. In the news, RosettaNet sets standard for Semicon's data exchange, IBM and National Geographic trace humanity's genetic ancestry, where we are going after Moore's Law, and more. In the calendar, FREE OpenPower and JS20 BladeCenter seminars, 64-bit Linux on POWER workshops, the IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems, the E3 Interactive Entertainment Expo, and much more.
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Articles |
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02 May 2005 |
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Power Architecture Community Newsletter, 15 Apr 2005: Community calendar
Stay up-to-date with the latest headlines, upcoming events, Webcasts, and more. In the news, storage virtualization on the move, OpenPower servers tuned specially for Linux, and a vision for Power servers. In the calendar, the Portable Power Developers Conference and the Conference on Lead-Free Components.
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Articles |
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15 Apr 2005 |
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Power Architecture Community Newsletter, 1 Mar 2005: Community calendar
Stay up-to-date with the latest headlines, upcoming events, Webcasts, and more. In this issue, IBM seeks partners for iSeries, meets partners at PartnerWorld, and partners with Zend on Cloudscape.
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Articles |
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01 Mar 2005 |
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Community spotlight
Check out seven manufacturers of PowerPC-enabled RTOS offerings -- DENX, Enea, Green Hills, LynuxWorks, MontaVista, QNX, and Wind River -- and get a peek at their products.
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Articles |
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15 Aug 2005 |
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Power Architecture downloads and documentation: Complete developer environment for the Cell Broadband Engine
Download a complete programming environment for the Cell Broadband Engine (CBE) -- the software development kit, a processor environment simulator, XL C and GCC compilers, an OS kernel, toolchain, library, and samples -- to get you started. Visit the new Cell Broadband resource center, a home for articles, tutorials, forums, and news of the CBE processor. And discover fascinating articles on these technologies, as well as articles on BladeCenter, POWER Virtualization, and System z9.
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Articles |
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11 Nov 2005 |
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Complex networking using Linux on Power blades
Blades are an excellent choice for many applications and services,
especially in the telecommunications service provider industry. But the unique
requirements of these provider networks often require configurations that are
complex and need up-front focus and planning so all the stringent functional
requirements are met. In this article, learn how to plan and set up the
necessary network configurations for a POWER6 JS22 blade deployment.
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Articles |
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05 Aug 2008 |
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Cell/B.E. container virtualization, Part 1: Concepts, architectures, and tools
This three-part series illustrates a
hardware-resource-focused form of software virtualization known as container
virtualization (or operating system virtualization), demonstrated through the open
source project OpenVZ. The series provides a comprehensive overview of all the
components and techniques needed to virtualize the Cell/B.E. processor with software
methods. This first article of the series discusses the basic concepts
involved, illustrates the salient points of the OpenVZ and Cell/B.E. architectures
and how they work together, and describes some of the OpenVZ tools.
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Articles |
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11 Dec 2007 |
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Cell/B.E. SDK 3.0, Part 4: Configure the application launcher
This introductory tutorial, designed for the IBM SDK for Multicore
Acceleration, Version 3.0 (otherwise known as the Cell Broadband Engine SDK),
explores the Cell/B.E. processor IDE and gives developers a click-for-click
walk-through of building a simple project in this environment. This tutorial is broken into six quick-perform parts dealing with creating an SPU
project, creating a PPU project, creating the Cell/B.E. simulator, configuring the application
launcher, debugging and doing performance analysis, using simulator consoles,
using the ALF wizard, and setting IDE preferences.
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Tutorials |
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13 Nov 2007 |
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Fun with ALF, Part 2: Converting I/O data
In this Cell Broadband Engine(TM) (Cell/B.E.) series, learn how to use the
Accelerated Library Framework (ALF) task context buffer as a large lookup table to
convert the 16-bit input data to 8-bit output data. The "ALF for Cell/B.E.
Programmer's Guide and API Reference, Version 3.0" (see Resources) is the source for the content.
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25 Mar 2008 |
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Migrating from x86 to PowerPC, Part 5: Create a Kuro-based Web album
In the fifth article of the Migrating from x86 to PowerPC series, Lewin Edwards shows how to get a photo album running on the Kuro Box. In the process, he covers embedded systems design goals, Web server security, and shows off a few handy tricks for off-loading processing work to the client system.
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17 May 2005 |
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Cell/B.E. SDK 3.0, Part 2: Create a PPU project
This introductory tutorial, designed for the IBM SDK for Multicore
Acceleration, Version 3.0 (otherwise known as the Cell Broadband Engine SDK),
explores the Cell/B.E. processor IDE and gives developers a click-for-click
walk-through of building a simple project in this environment. This tutorial is broken into six quick-perform parts dealing with creating an SPU
project, creating a PPU project, creating the Cell/B.E. simulator, configuring the application
launcher, debugging and doing performance analysis, using simulator consoles,
using the ALF wizard, and setting IDE preferences.
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Tutorials |
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13 Nov 2007 |
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Cell/B.E. SDK 3.0, Part 1: Create an SPU project
This introductory tutorial, designed for the IBM SDK for Multicore
Acceleration, Version 3.0 (otherwise known as the Cell Broadband Engine SDK),
explores the Cell/B.E. processor IDE and gives developers a click-for-click
walk-through of building a simple project in this environment. This tutorial is broken into six quick-perform parts dealing with creating an SPU
project, creating a PPU project, creating the Cell/B.E. simulator, configuring the application
launcher, debugging and doing performance analysis, using simulator consoles,
using the ALF wizard, and setting IDE preferences.
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Tutorials |
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13 Nov 2007 |
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Create blades using Power Architecture technology
The IBM BladeCenter JS20 server brings the 64-bit computational ability of the PowerPC 970 processor to the blade server space. Find out how this new offering could change the face of the server market.
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Articles |
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16 Sep 2005 |
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Cell/B.E. SDK 3.0, Part 3: Create the Cell/B.E. simulator environment
This introductory tutorial, designed for the IBM SDK for Multicore
Acceleration, Version 3.0 (otherwise known as the Cell Broadband Engine SDK),
explores the Cell/B.E. processor IDE and gives developers a click-for-click
walk-through of building a simple project in this environment. This tutorial is broken into six quick-perform parts dealing with creating an SPU
project, creating a PPU project, creating the Cell/B.E. simulator, configuring the application
launcher, debugging and doing performance analysis, using simulator consoles,
using the ALF wizard, and setting IDE preferences.
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Tutorials |
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13 Nov 2007 |
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The little broadband engine that could: DaCS--flexible and complex
In an earlier article in this series, the author introduced a fractal-generation
program built around the IDL interface that showcased the strength of IDL's
straightforward API. Executing the program was almost like calling a function and
getting results. In this article (and using the same basic program), the author
demonstrates the Data Communication and Synchronization library's (DaCS) greater
flexibility and the tradeoff: additional complexity. With DaCS, it's possible to pass the fractal pattern in as an initial argument,
then use buffers to pass data back and forth as they are processed. While this requires
more design work, but it might actually be more efficient. This article also shows that DaCS allows
for much more carefully tuned inputs and outputs.
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Articles |
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22 Apr 2008 |
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Meet the experts: Dan Brokenshire and Sid Manning on the alphaWorks downloads for the Cell Broadband Engine
Meet the downloads: Sid Manning and Dan Brokenshire of IBM tell what's in 'em and answer tough questions like "Why Linux?" and (more importantly) "Why Linux on Intel?"
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16 Nov 2005 |
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Five minutes with: Dan Greenberg on plans for Cell
Power Everywhere systems offerings program director Dan Greenberg talks about where the Cell Broadband Engine Architecture is going, how IBM intends to encourage collaboration with developers in its deployment, and what collaboration services are already available for Cell development. Plus, he introduces five new detailed developer resources -- an overview of the architecture, the instruction set architecture for the SPU, and three language datasheets.
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24 Aug 2005 |
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Data alignment: Straighten up and fly right
Data alignment is an important issue for all programmers who directly use memory. Data alignment affects how well your software performs, and even if your software runs at all. As this article illustrates, understanding the nature of alignment can also explain some of the "weird" behaviors of some processors.
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08 Feb 2005 |
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Meet the experts: David Krolak on the Cell Broadband Engine EIB bus
Understanding the Element Interconnect Bus (EIB) is an essential component to maximizing performance on the Cell Broadband Engine (Cell BE) Architecture. The lead designer and EIB project manager sit down for an hour with developerWorks' Meet The Experts to discuss ring versus interconnect buses, data arbiters, and bus protocols.
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06 Dec 2005 |
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Cell/B.E. SDK 3.0, Part 5: Debug and complete dynamic or static performance
This introductory tutorial, designed for the IBM SDK for Multicore
Acceleration, Version 3.0 (otherwise known as the Cell Broadband Engine SDK),
explores the Cell/B.E. processor IDE and gives developers a click-for-click
walk-through of building a simple project in this environment. This tutorial is broken into six quick-perform parts dealing with creating an SPU
project, creating a PPU project, creating the Cell/B.E. simulator, configuring the application
launcher, debugging and doing performance analysis, using simulator consoles,
using the ALF wizard, and setting IDE preferences.
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Tutorials |
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13 Nov 2007 |
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Debugging Cell Broadband Engine systems
Software development for new architectures can be an intimidating prospect, but the Cell Broadband Engine (Cell BE) SDK 1.1 provides the debugging tools you need to tackle it for the Cell BE architecture. This article describes how to use new versions of the GNU Debugger (GDB) to diagnose problems in both PPU and SPU programs.
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Articles |
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08 Aug 2006 |
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Debugging common DMA errors
To access main storage, Cell Broadband Engine(TM) SPEs use direct memory
access commands (DMA), which transfer data between the main storage and their
private local memory. Although this organization of distributed storage
promotes high performance, it requires the SPE programmer to explicitly handle
the DMA transfers between main and local storage. Errors during these
transfers can be difficult to detect and debug. This article
provides techniques for handling common problems with SPE-initiated DMA
transfers.
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Articles |
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04 Nov 2008 |
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SoC drawer: Detecting and correcting I/O and memory errors
SoCs (systems-on-chips) are often deployed in communications, storage, network processing, and mission-critical embedded data processing systems. A reliable SoC-based system must mitigate and control environmentally induced errors in stored or transported data. It is impossible to fully prevent data loss, but engineering due diligence is required to ensure that systems are as safe as practically possible given current data coding methods for error detection and correction. This article examines methods to minimize potential data corruption and to maximize system safety when uncorrectable errors do occur.
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21 Mar 2006 |
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Fun with ALF, Part 4: Determining the dot product of large vectors
In this Cell Broadband Engine(TM) (Cell/B.E.) series, learn how to use the
Accelerated Library Framework (ALF) bundled work block distribution and
the task context to manage situations in which the work block cannot hold the
partitioned data because of a local memory size limit. The "ALF for Cell/B.E.
Programmer's Guide and API Reference, Version 3.0" (see Resources) is the source for the content.
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Articles |
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09 May 2008 |
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Debugging simulated hardware on Linux, Part 1: Device driver debugging
This two-part series is geared toward easing device driver development. This first part illustrates proven methods you can use to test the complete code flow of a device driver during the design, development, and debugging stages.
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Articles |
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02 Nov 2005 |
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Standards and specs: Digital rights management: When a standard isn't
Whether you're a buyer or a seller of a product, the essential goal of standardization is to make interoperability possible, allowing communication with anyone else using the same protocol and media. In some cases though, vendors have specific reasons for not being compatible -- and those vendors have developed a standard for incompatibility, digital rights management (DRM). The goal of DRM is to limit compatibility because things which are compatible can be copied and distributed freely. In this installment, Peter Seebach looks at a potential oxymoron -- standards designed to subvert and prevent interoperability.
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01 Nov 2005 |
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TechReview, Part 1: Discover the LAPACK library
For application programmers using the IBM Software Development
Kit for Multicore Acceleration (SDK), this article explains the basic
structure of the IBM Linear Algebra Package (LAPACK) library. The LAPACK is based on a
published standard interface for commonly used linear algebra operations in
high performance computing and other scientific domains.
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02 Sep 2008 |
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Unrolling AltiVec, Part 3: Down and dirty loop optimization
This series has looked at how the AltiVec instruction set can improve performance on G4 and G5 PowerPC chips. With the theoretical discussion covered in Parts 1 and 2, Part 3 tries to actually get some code optimized. This installment of the Unrolling AltiVec series looks at some real-world code that processors might spend a serious amount of time running, and shows how to tweak it to get extra performance.
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01 Apr 2005 |
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Power Architecture downloads and documentation: Download a Linux embedded development suite and an on-chip debugger and simulator
Find the demos for TimeSys' Linux embedded development suite and for Lauterbach's on-chip debugger and simulator, a new approach to organizing and implementing the register-renaming mapper for out-of-order POWER4 processors. Also find 12 updated Redbooks, including how to implement partitions for IBM eServer p5 servers, a metascheduler proof of concept using the Tivoli Workload Scheduler, and a virtual partition manager guide.
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16 May 2005 |
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Power Architecture downloads and documentation: Download bootware-building Slimline Open Firmware, an updated PIBS, and more
Find TimeSys customizable solutions, bootware-building SLOF, an updated PIBS, plus plenty of Power papers to absorb and IBM residencies to fill.
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15 Jul 2005 |
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Power Architecture downloads and documentation: Download open source Slimline Open Firmware
Find two new downloads, two updated tools, a gathering of technology-related resources, new data on cooling and power management, eight new Redbooks, and much more.
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Articles |
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08 Jun 2005 |
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Power Architecture Community Newsletter, 01 August 2005: Downloads and documentation
Find a bounty of PowerPC 970FX tools, a tool to monitor Linux/AIX performance, a 64-bit programming guide, process models, plus plenty of Power papers to absorb and IBM residencies to fill.
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Articles |
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01 Aug 2005 |
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Downloads and documentation
Download technology resources from IBM sites, plus find plenty of Power papers to absorb and IBM residencies to fill.
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Articles |
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15 Aug 2005 |
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Standards and specs: Early adopters
Whether a standard will succeed and be widely adopted is ambiguous at first, regardless of who endorses it -- a major player or a fringe element. So why would people put all their eggs in a standards basket when that basket might not exist tomorrow? Join Peter Seebach as he shows the potential advantages of adopting a standard before it becomes one. (Of course, he hasn't forgotten the potential disadvantages, too.)
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18 Oct 2005 |
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Power Architecture Community Newsletter: Editorial calendar: Fall 2005
Deadlines, due dates, and themes for the 2005 Power Architecture Community Newsletter.
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Articles |
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07 Jul 2005 |
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Power Architecture downloads and documentation: Editors, compilers, debuggers, databases, and more
Find a wealth of Power Architecture resources in this issue of Downloads and docs: editors, compilers, debuggers, databases, clustering tools, documentation, and information on IBM Redbook Residencies.
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Articles |
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15 Feb 2005 |
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