Popcorn Hardware

Heterogeneous computing is the key enabling technology to meet the performance requirements of emerging machine learning and big data applications. In this project, RASEC Technologies will develop a multi-Instruction Set Architecture (ISA) hardware module for an x86 server that is compatible with Popcorn Linux. Popcorn Linux is an active research project at VirginiaTech that aims to enable heterogeneous computing in data center environments. The key innovations of this project include enhancements for Popcorn Linux’s Distributed Shared Memory (DSM) infrastructure along with a heterogeneous compiler toolchain. The proposed DSM enhancements include higher memory throughput with lower memory access latency when sharing data from processors with different ISAs. Likewise, the proposed heterogeneous compiler will provide greater compatibility and enhanced performance in existing software code bases without requiring modifications to the software source code.The proposed hardware module will provide in excess of 10% power consumption reduction over existing solutions, in addition to consolidating multiple computer systems into a single server chassis. Furthermore, this multi-ISA solution will provide the Navy with enhanced cybersecurity protection against Return Oriented Programming (ROP)-based threat vectors. Lastly, both the proposed hardware and compiler toolchain will expose new research opportunities for the researchers at VirginiaTech.