Challenge: Complexity and Scalability Simple Extension Simple verification to add 1 unit to a N-unit system No downtime (For the 99.999…) Scalable characteristics Linear capacity growth Predictable bottlenecks in extended system Predictable (soft real time) characteristics Cost efficient For systems from <10 to >100 processors Both horisontal and vertical distibution Question Principles for cost efficiency and modularity?
Challenge: Enabling Processor Technologies Potential technologies: Extreme Processors (see example) SMP on a chip Already useful technologies: System on a chip Network Processors Multiprocessors on a board (see example) Questions: Generic SW models (e.g, language, OS, modelling tools) ? Power/performance, cost/performance ? Soft and Hard real time behaviour for Telecom applications ? Level of system compatibility ?