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Summary: Abstract
High-end microprocessors are increasing in complex-
ity to push the limits of speed and performance. As a result,
analyzing these complex systems can be an arduous task.
Architectural simulators, acting as software processors,
are able to run programs and give statistics about the per-
formance of the code on the design. While these statistics
are valuable for identifying problems, they often do not
provide the fidelity necessary to diagnose the cause of slug-
gish performance. This paper presents a cross-platform
tool that can be used to visualize the flow of instructions
through an architectural processor pipeline model. The
Graphical Pipeline Viewer, GPV, uses a colorized pipeline
trace display to deliver an efficient diagnostic and analysis
environment. The resource view of the tool, which can dis-
play cycle statistics, aids in distinguishing possible bottle-
necks and architectural trade-offs. As such, the tool is able
to suggest code and architectural modifications to increase
program performance.1 2
1. Introduction
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