Tutorial: Basics of Many-Core Processors

This tutorial focuses on the design of many-core processors spanning clients to servers to high-performance computing systems in scaled CMOS process. Key circuits and design techniques are highlighted for robust and variation-tolerant logic, embedded memory arrays and on-die interconnect fabrics. Also presented are design principles that enable a wide dynamic voltage-frequency operating range, spanning multi-threaded high-throughput near-threshold voltage to single-threaded burst performance modes. Fine-grain multi-voltage design and power management techniques are covered, along with smart variation-aware workload mapping schemes to achieve maximum performance under stringent thermal and energy constraints. Real chip design examples are used to illustrate basic design principles and practical considerations.