SiliconDB: rethinking DBMSs for modern heterogeneous co-processor environments

In the last decade, the work centered around specialized co-processors for DBMSs has largely focused on efficient query processing algorithms for individual operators. However, a major limitation of existing co-processor systems is the PCI bottleneck, which severely limits the efficient use of this type of hardware in current systems. In recent years, we have seen the emergence of a new class of co-processor systems that include specialized accelerators, implemented as ASICs or FPGAs, which co-reside with the CPU on the same socket. Here we revisit DBMS architectures in this context, and take an initial step towards the design of a new database system called SiliconDB that targets these new densely integrated heterogeneous co-processor environments.