1. Dr. Gheith Abandah, Chair Computer Engineering Department The University of Jordan 20/4/20091

2.  Multicore Trend  Current Performance Improvement  The Parallel Programming Challenge  The Future 20/4/20092

3.  Modern processor chips contain processing cores and levels of memory caches.  A multicore processor is an integrated circuit (IC) that has two or more processors for ◦ enhanced performance, ◦ reduced power consumption, ◦ and more efficient simultaneous processing of multiple tasks. 20/4/20093

4. CompanyProcessorYearCores IBMPower 420012 Power 520032 Power 620082 Cell20069 SunUltraSPARC T220078 IntelCore 2 Duo20062 Itanium 2 Duo20062 Core 2 Quad20074 AMDAthlon20052 Opteron Quad20064 20/4/20094

5. 5 276 million transistors

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7. 7 234 million transistors

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9. 9

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12.  Multicore Trend  Current Performance Improvement  The Parallel Programming Challenge  The Future 20/4/200912

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15.  Multicore Trend  Current Performance Improvement  The Parallel Programming Challenge  The Future 20/4/200915

16.  All modern computers are parallel computers, often with 2 or more processors.  Most user applications are serial applications that use one processor. 20/4/200916

17.  If one core is going to do all your work, why would you buy new processors with more cores?  Processor manufacturing companies are: ◦ Promoting parallel programming by providing tools and training. ◦ Supporting research for innovative ways to utilize the multiple cores. 20/4/200917

18.  Parallel programming is harder than normal programming because it involves: ◦ Additional techniques ◦ Problem partitioning ◦ Synchronization ◦ Access control ◦ …  90% of programmers don’t do parallel programming. 20/4/200918

19.  Multicore Trend  Current Performance Improvement  The Parallel Programming Challenge  The Future 20/4/200919

20.  Research on better semiconductor materials to build smaller, faster, and cooler transistors.  Fine power management.  Keep tweaking the cores for more performance optimizations.  Multiple cores are here to stay.  More and larger caches.  Compilers that generate parallel threads automatically. 20/4/200920