The Scalable Coherent Interface and related standards projects
The Scalable Coherent Interface (SCI) project (IEEE P1596) found a way to avoid the limits that are inherent in bus technology. SCI provides bus-like services by transmitting packets on a collection of point-to-point unidirectional links. The SCI protocols support cache coherence in a distributed-shared-memory multiprocessor model, message passing, I/O, and local-area-network-like communication over fiber optic or wire links. VLSI circuits that operate parallel links at 1000 MByte/s and serial links at 1000 Mbit/s will be available early in 1992. Several ongoing SCI-related projects are applying the SCI technology to new areas or extending it to more difficult problems. P1596.1 defines the architecture of a bridge between SCI and VME; P1596.2 compatibly extends the cache coherence mechanism for efficient operation with kiloprocessor systems; P1596.3 defines new low-voltage (about 0.25 V) differential signals suitable for low power interfaces for CMOS or GaAs VLSI implementations of SCI; P1596.4 defines a high performance memory chip interface using these signals; P1596.5 defines data transfer formats for efficient interprocessor communication in heterogeneous multiprocessor systems. This paper reports the current status of SCI, related standards, and new projects. 16 refs.
- Research Organization:
- Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, Menlo Park, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC03-76SF00515
- OSTI ID:
- 5094466
- Report Number(s):
- SLAC-PUB-5656; CONF-9111103-1; ON: DE92000937
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Open Bus Systems 91, Paris (France), 26-27 Nov 1991
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Overview of the Scalable Coherent Interface, IEEE STD 1596 (SCI)
IEEE P1596, a scalable coherent interface for GigaByte/sec multiprocessor applications