Performance evaluation of the SGI Origin2000

Abstract

In this paper the authors compare single processor performance of the SGI Origin and PowerChallenge and utilize a previously reported performance model for hierarchical memory systems to explain the results. Both the Origin and PowerChallenge use the same microprocessor (MIPS R10000) but have significant differences in their memory subsystems. Their memory model includes the effect of overlap between CPU and memory operations and allows them to infer the individual contributions of all three improvements in the Origin`s memory architecture and relate the effectiveness of each improvement to application characteristics.