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cpu: disallow speculative update of branch predictor tables (o3)

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The Minor and o3 cpu models share the branch prediction
code. Minor relies on the BPredUnit::squash() function
to update the branch predictor tables on a branch mispre-
diction. This is fine because Minor executes in-order, so
the update is on the correct path. However, this causes the
branch predictor to be updated on out-of-order branch
mispredictions when using the o3 model, which should not
be the case.

This patch guards against speculative update of the branch
prediction tables. On a branch misprediction, BPredUnit::squash()
calls BpredUnit::update(..., squashed = true). The underlying
branch predictor tests against the value of squashed. If it is
true, it restores any speculatively updated internal state
it might have (e.g., global/local branch history), then returns.
If false, it updates its prediction tables. Previously, exist-
ing predictors did not test against the "squashed" parameter.

To accomodate for this change, the Minor model must now call
BPredUnit::squash() then BPredUnit::update(..., squashed = false)
on branch mispredictions. Before, calling BpredUnit::squash()
performed the prediction tables update.

The effect is a slight MPKI improvement when using the o3
model. A further patch should perform the same modifications
for the indirect target predictor and BTB (less critical).

Signed-off-by: Jason Lowe-Power <jason@lowepower.com>
This commit is contained in:
Arthur Perais 2016-12-21 15:07:16 -06:00
parent 34065f8d5f
commit 497cc2d373
9 changed files with 142 additions and 170 deletions
Show stats Download patch file Download diff file Expand all files Collapse all files

8
src/cpu/minor/fetch2.cc
View file

@ -152,6 +152,10 @@ Fetch2::updateBranchPrediction(const BranchData &branch)
DPRINTF(Branch, "Unpredicted branch seen inst: %s\n", *inst);
branchPredictor.squash(inst->id.fetchSeqNum,
branch.target, true, inst->id.threadId);
// Update after squashing to accomodate O3CPU
// using the branch prediction code.
branchPredictor.update(inst->id.fetchSeqNum,
inst->id.threadId);
break;
case BranchData::CorrectlyPredictedBranch:
/* Predicted taken, was taken */
@ -164,6 +168,10 @@ Fetch2::updateBranchPrediction(const BranchData &branch)
DPRINTF(Branch, "Branch mis-predicted inst: %s\n", *inst);
branchPredictor.squash(inst->id.fetchSeqNum,
branch.target /* Not used */, false, inst->id.threadId);
// Update after squashing to accomodate O3CPU
// using the branch prediction code.
branchPredictor.update(inst->id.fetchSeqNum,
inst->id.threadId);
break;
case BranchData::BadlyPredictedBranchTarget:
/* Predicted taken, was taken but to a different target */

6
src/cpu/pred/2bit_local.cc
View file

@ -123,6 +123,12 @@ LocalBP::update(ThreadID tid, Addr branch_addr, bool taken, void *bp_history,
assert(bp_history == NULL);
unsigned local_predictor_idx;
// No state to restore, and we do not update on the wrong
// path.
if (squashed) {
return;
}
// Update the local predictor.
local_predictor_idx = getLocalIndex(branch_addr);

3
src/cpu/pred/2bit_local.hh
View file

@ -94,9 +94,6 @@ class LocalBP : public BPredUnit
void update(ThreadID tid, Addr branch_addr, bool taken, void *bp_history,
bool squashed);
void retireSquashed(ThreadID tid, void *bp_history)
{ assert(bp_history == NULL); }
void squash(ThreadID tid, void *bp_history)
{ assert(bp_history == NULL); }

27
src/cpu/pred/bi_mode.cc
View file

@ -162,9 +162,17 @@ void
BiModeBP::update(ThreadID tid, Addr branchAddr, bool taken, void *bpHistory,
bool squashed)
{
if (bpHistory) {
assert(bpHistory);
BPHistory *history = static_cast<BPHistory*>(bpHistory);
// We do not update the counters speculatively on a squash.
// We just restore the global history register.
if (squashed) {
globalHistoryReg[tid] = (history->globalHistoryReg << 1) | taken;
return;
}
unsigned choiceHistoryIdx = ((branchAddr >> instShiftAmt)
& choiceHistoryMask);
unsigned globalHistoryIdx = (((branchAddr >> instShiftAmt)
@ -217,23 +225,6 @@ BiModeBP::update(ThreadID tid, Addr branchAddr, bool taken, void *bpHistory,
}
}
if (squashed) {
if (taken) {
globalHistoryReg[tid] = (history->globalHistoryReg << 1) | 1;
} else {
globalHistoryReg[tid] = (history->globalHistoryReg << 1);
}
globalHistoryReg[tid] &= historyRegisterMask;
} else {
delete history;
}
}
}
void
BiModeBP::retireSquashed(ThreadID tid, void *bp_history)
{
BPHistory *history = static_cast<BPHistory*>(bp_history);
delete history;
}

1
src/cpu/pred/bi_mode.hh
View file

@ -63,7 +63,6 @@ class BiModeBP : public BPredUnit
void btbUpdate(ThreadID tid, Addr branch_addr, void * &bp_history);
void update(ThreadID tid, Addr branch_addr, bool taken, void *bp_history,
bool squashed);
void retireSquashed(ThreadID tid, void *bp_history);
unsigned getGHR(ThreadID tid, void *bp_history) const;
private:

19
src/cpu/pred/bpred_unit.cc
View file

@ -330,13 +330,9 @@ BPredUnit::update(const InstSeqNum &done_sn, ThreadID tid)
while (!predHist[tid].empty() &&
predHist[tid].back().seqNum <= done_sn) {
// Update the branch predictor with the correct results.
if (!predHist[tid].back().wasSquashed) {
update(tid, predHist[tid].back().pc,
predHist[tid].back().predTaken,
predHist[tid].back().bpHistory, false);
} else {
retireSquashed(tid, predHist[tid].back().bpHistory);
}
predHist[tid].pop_back();
}
@ -430,12 +426,23 @@ BPredUnit::squash(const InstSeqNum &squashed_sn,
tid, hist_it->seqNum);
}
// Have to get GHR here because the update deletes bpHistory
// Get the underlying Global History Register
unsigned ghr = getGHR(tid, hist_it->bpHistory);
// There are separate functions for in-order and out-of-order
// branch prediction, but not for update. Therefore, this
// call should take into account that the mispredicted branch may
// be on the wrong path (i.e., OoO execution), and that the counter
// counter table(s) should not be updated. Thus, this call should
// restore the state of the underlying predictor, for instance the
// local/global histories. The counter tables will be updated when
// the branch actually commits.
// Remember the correct direction for the update at commit.
pred_hist.front().predTaken = actually_taken;
update(tid, (*hist_it).pc, actually_taken,
pred_hist.front().bpHistory, true);
hist_it->wasSquashed = true;
if (actually_taken) {
if (hist_it->wasReturn && !hist_it->usedRAS) {

13
src/cpu/pred/bpred_unit.hh
View file

@ -179,14 +179,6 @@ class BPredUnit : public SimObject
*/
virtual void update(ThreadID tid, Addr instPC, bool taken,
void *bp_history, bool squashed) = 0;
/**
* Deletes the associated history with a branch, performs no predictor
* updates. Used for branches that mispredict and update tables but
* are still speculative and later retire.
* @param bp_history History to delete associated with this predictor
*/
virtual void retireSquashed(ThreadID tid, void *bp_history) = 0;
/**
* Updates the BTB with the target of a branch.
* @param inst_PC The branch's PC that will be updated.
@ -211,7 +203,7 @@ class BPredUnit : public SimObject
ThreadID _tid)
: seqNum(seq_num), pc(instPC), bpHistory(bp_history), RASTarget(0),
RASIndex(0), tid(_tid), predTaken(pred_taken), usedRAS(0), pushedRAS(0),
wasCall(0), wasReturn(0), wasSquashed(0), wasIndirect(0)
wasCall(0), wasReturn(0), wasIndirect(0)
{}
bool operator==(const PredictorHistory &entry) const {
@ -254,9 +246,6 @@ class BPredUnit : public SimObject
/** Whether or not the instruction was a return. */
bool wasReturn;
/** Whether this instruction has already mispredicted/updated bp */
bool wasSquashed;
/** Wether this instruction was an indirect branch */
bool wasIndirect;
};

93
src/cpu/pred/tournament.cc
View file

@ -267,39 +267,47 @@ void
TournamentBP::update(ThreadID tid, Addr branch_addr, bool taken,
void *bp_history, bool squashed)
{
unsigned local_history_idx;
unsigned local_predictor_idx M5_VAR_USED;
unsigned local_predictor_hist;
assert(bp_history);
// Get the local predictor's current prediction
local_history_idx = calcLocHistIdx(branch_addr);
local_predictor_hist = localHistoryTable[local_history_idx];
local_predictor_idx = local_predictor_hist & localPredictorMask;
if (bp_history) {
BPHistory *history = static_cast<BPHistory *>(bp_history);
// Update may also be called if the Branch target is incorrect even if
// the prediction is correct. In that case do not update the counters.
bool historyPred = false;
unsigned old_local_pred_index = history->localHistory &
localPredictorMask;
unsigned local_history_idx = calcLocHistIdx(branch_addr);
assert(local_history_idx < localHistoryTableSize);
// Unconditional branches do not use local history.
bool old_local_pred_valid = history->localHistory !=
invalidPredictorIndex;
// If this is a misprediction, restore the speculatively
// updated state (global history register and local history)
// and update again.
if (squashed) {
// Global history restore and update
globalHistory[tid] = (history->globalHistory << 1) | taken;
globalHistory[tid] &= historyRegisterMask;
// Local history restore and update.
if (old_local_pred_valid) {
localHistoryTable[local_history_idx] =
(history->localHistory << 1) | taken;
}
return;
}
unsigned old_local_pred_index = history->localHistory &
localPredictorMask;
assert(old_local_pred_index < localPredictorSize);
if (history->globalUsed) {
historyPred = history->globalPredTaken;
} else {
historyPred = history->localPredTaken;
}
if (historyPred != taken || !squashed) {
// Update the choice predictor to tell it which one was correct if
// there was a prediction.
if (history->localPredTaken != history->globalPredTaken) {
if (history->localPredTaken != history->globalPredTaken &&
old_local_pred_valid)
{
// If the local prediction matches the actual outcome,
// decerement the counter. Otherwise increment the
// decrement the counter. Otherwise increment the
// counter.
unsigned choice_predictor_idx =
history->globalHistory & choiceHistoryMask;
@ -308,13 +316,13 @@ TournamentBP::update(ThreadID tid, Addr branch_addr, bool taken,
} else if (history->globalPredTaken == taken) {
choiceCtrs[choice_predictor_idx].increment();
}
}
// Update the counters and local history with the proper
// resolution of the branch. Global history is updated
// speculatively and restored upon squash() calls, so it does not
// need to be updated.
// Update the counters with the proper
// resolution of the branch. Histories are updated
// speculatively, restored upon squash() calls, and
// recomputed upon update(squash = true) calls,
// so they do not need to be updated.
unsigned global_predictor_idx =
history->globalHistory & globalHistoryMask;
if (taken) {
@ -328,41 +336,10 @@ TournamentBP::update(ThreadID tid, Addr branch_addr, bool taken,
localCtrs[old_local_pred_index].decrement();
}
}
}
if (squashed) {
if (taken) {
globalHistory[tid] = (history->globalHistory << 1) | 1;
globalHistory[tid] = globalHistory[tid] & historyRegisterMask;
if (old_local_pred_valid) {
localHistoryTable[local_history_idx] =
(history->localHistory << 1) | 1;
}
} else {
globalHistory[tid] = (history->globalHistory << 1);
globalHistory[tid] = globalHistory[tid] & historyRegisterMask;
if (old_local_pred_valid) {
localHistoryTable[local_history_idx] =
history->localHistory << 1;
}
}
} else {
// We're done with this history, now delete it.
delete history;
}
}
assert(local_history_idx < localHistoryTableSize);
}
void
TournamentBP::retireSquashed(ThreadID tid, void *bp_history)
{
BPHistory *history = static_cast<BPHistory *>(bp_history);
delete history;
}
void
TournamentBP::squash(ThreadID tid, void *bp_history)

2
src/cpu/pred/tournament.hh
View file

@ -105,8 +105,6 @@ class TournamentBP : public BPredUnit
void update(ThreadID tid, Addr branch_addr, bool taken, void *bp_history,
bool squashed);
void retireSquashed(ThreadID tid, void *bp_history);
/**
* Restores the global branch history on a squash.
* @param bp_history Pointer to the BPHistory object that has the