Exploiting streams in instruction and data address trace compression

Abstract

Novel research ideas in computer architecture are frequently evaluated using trace-driven simulation. The large size of traces incited different techniques for trace reduction. These techniques often combine standard compression algorithms with trace-specific solutions, taking into account the tradeoff between reduction in the trace size and simulation slowdown due to compression. This paper introduces SBC, a new algorithm for instruction and data address trace compression based on instruction streams. The proposed technique significantly reduces trace size and simulation time, and can be successfully combined with general compression algorithms. The SBC technique combined with gzip reduces the size of SPEC CPU2000 traces 59-97930 times, and combined with Sequitur 65-185599 times.