AgeSim: A simulation framework for evaluating the lifetime reliability of processor-based SoCs

Aggressive technology scaling has an ever-increasing adverse impact on the lifetime reliability of microprocessors. This paper proposes a novel simulation framework for evaluating the lifetime reliability of processor-based system-on-a-chips (SoCs), namely AgeSim, which facilitates designers to make design decisions that affect SoCs' mean time to failure. Unlike existing work, AgeSim can simulate failure mechanisms with arbitrary lifetime distributions and do not require to trace the system's reliability-related factors over its entire lifetime, and hence is more efficient and accurate. Two case studies are conducted to show the flexibility and effectiveness of the proposed methodology.