Title :
Parallel and distributed VHDL simulation
Author :
Lungeanu, Dragos ; Shi, C. J Richard
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Comput. Sci., Iowa Univ., Iowa City, IA, USA
Abstract :
This paper presents a methodology for parallel and distributed simulation of VHDL using the PDES (parallel discrete-event simulation) paradigm. To achieve better features and performance, some PDES protocols assume that simultaneous events may be processed in arbitrary order. We describe a solution of how to apply these algorithms to have a correct simulation of the distributed VHDL cycle, including the delta cycle. The solution is based on tie-breaking the simultaneous events using Lamport´s logical clocks to causally order them according to the VHDL simulation cycle, and defining the VHDL virtual time as a pair of simulation physical time and cycle/phase logical time. The paper also shows how to use this method with a PDES protocol that relaxes the simulation of simultaneous events to arbitrary order; allowing the LPs to self-adapt to optimistic or conservative mode, without the lookahead requirement. The lookahead is application-dependent and for some systems may be zero or unknown. The parallel simulation of VHDL designs ranging from 5531 to 14704 LPs using these methods obtained a promising, almost linear speedup
Keywords :
VLSI; circuit simulation; discrete event simulation; hardware description languages; parallel processing; Lamport´s logical clocks; PDES; VHDL virtual time; conservative mode; cycle/phase logical time; delta cycle; distributed VHDL simulation; linear speedup; parallel discrete-event simulation; parallel simulation; simulation physical time; simultaneous events; tie-breaking; Computational modeling; Computer science; Computer simulation; Digital systems; Discrete event simulation; Identity-based encryption; Optimization methods; Protocols; Synchronization; Very large scale integration;
Conference_Titel :
Design, Automation and Test in Europe Conference and Exhibition 2000. Proceedings
Conference_Location :
Paris
Print_ISBN :
0-7695-0537-6
DOI :
10.1109/DATE.2000.840856