Optimal vs. heuristic integrated code generation for clustered VLIW architectures

In this paper we present two algorithms for integrated code generation for clustered VLIW architectures. One algorithm is a heuristic based on genetic algorithms, the other algorithm is based on integer linear programming. The performance of the algorithms are compared on a portion of the Mediabench [10] benchmark suite. We found the results of the genetic algorithm to be within one or two clock cycles from optimal for the cases where the optimum is known. In addition the heuristic algorithm produces results in predictable time also when the optimal integer linear program fails.