Future generation processors: using hierarchy and replication

The trend toward ever-faster microprocessors must be continued to meet tomorrow´s computing needs. Faster, denser chip technologies help continue performance growth, but new microarchitectures are needed to push performance further and to use higher transistor counts effectively. We are quickly reaching the point where a fundamental new processor organization, beyond conventional superscalar, is needed. We explore the factors driving toward new organizations and provide an overview of what we believe will be the next major microarchitectural paradigm. We look at two candidate microarchitectures, multiscalar processors and trace processors. And we look at microarchitecture mechanisms that will be key to developing these architectures