Multilayer Compute Resource Management with Robust Control Theory

Multicores increasingly execute in constrained environments, and are being equipped with controllers for resource management. However, modern multicore systems are structured in multiple complex layers, such as the hardware, OS, and networking layers, each with its own resources. Managing such a system scalably and portably requires that we have a controller in each layer, and that the different controllers coordinate their operation. We present a novel methodology to build coordinated multilevel formal controllers in computing. We consider Robust Control Theory, which focuses on decision making in uncertain environments, and pick the popular Structured Singular Value (SSV) controller. This is the first work to utilize Robust Control Theory for compute resource management. Our contribution are: 1) Novel interdisciplinary application of SSV controllers from robust control theory for coordinating multilayer controllers in computers; and 2) A practical methodology for independent teams to design coordinating multilayer SSV controllers.