HotGauge
a methodology for characterizing advanced hotspots in modern and next generation processors
HotGauge is a novel hotspot characterization methodology for modern and next generation processors. HotGauge includes new methods and metrics to enable architects to build hotspot mitigation techniques of the future. It provides rapid, flexible simulation and characterization of hotspot behavior in modern and next-generation processors. HotGauge takes, as input, the system models and workloads to be evaluated for hotspots. The first major task is perf-power-therm co-simulation which integrates performance, power, and thermal models to perform rapid end-to-end thermal simulation. These models should be highly flexible and extensible to model different architectures, floorplans and system designs. The next major task is hotspot characterization. This novel methodology includes a rigorous definition of a hotspot, an automated method for detecting them, and a quantitative way to classify hotspot severity which enables comparisons between floorplans.