A simulation framework for efficient resource management on hybrid systems

Abstract

In this paper we present the results obtained designing and implementing a simulator for a hybrid system (named H-system), to investigate the effects on the system load and throughput of a heterogeneous system compared toa conventional one. In fact, the recent advances on Graphical Processing Units (GPUs) and the introduction of a standard language such as OpenCL, which allows to write applications to be executed both on the multicore (CPU) and on the manycore (GPU) architectures, made it possible to use such devices in cooperation with the CPU to execute jobs both on GPUs and CPUs, increasing the global H-system performances. In the present scenario, however the scheduling in a H-system is not well addressed and such type of investigations are very important. In fact, the efficient scheduling of OpenCl jobs in conjunction with ordinary job may dramatically change the future scenario of computing. Our work shows clearly that adopting a proper hardware and software configuration of the H-system (in particular the GPUs/CPUs ratio), increases the computing performances, in terms of mean response time and of the workload balance of the system.