Sitar: A Cycle-based Discrete-Event Simulation Framework for Architecture Exploration

Neha Karanjkar, Madhav Desai

2022

Abstract

Sitar is an open-source framework for modeling discrete-event, discrete-time systems. It consists of a modeling language and a lightweight simulation kernel. Sitar is specifically targeted for architecture-level modeling and fast simulation of computer systems, though it can be used for other kinds of discrete-time systems as-well. The modeling language allows the description of a system’s structure as an interconnection of hierarchical, concurrent entities. The behavior of each entity can be described in an imperative manner using constructs such as time-delays, conditional wait statements, fork-join concurrency and loops. C++ code can be embedded directly into the description in a well-defined manner, allowing the modeler to use the flexibility and object-oriented features of C++. A model written in this language gets translated to C++ code, which can in-turn be compiled with the simulation kernel to obtain a single simulation executable, or can be linked with external libraries for co-simulation. The simulation kernel uses a two-phase, cycle-based execution algorithm, and has been parallelized using OpenMP for fast and scalable simulation on modern multi-core systems. The framework provides several features to ease the modeling effort, such as in-built logging, syntax highlighting and systematic error reporting for the Sitar language. In this paper, we describe the design and architecture of Sitar, and briefly discuss our experience with its use for multi-core design exploration studies.

Paper Citation

in Harvard Style

Karanjkar N. and Desai M. (2022). Sitar: A Cycle-based Discrete-Event Simulation Framework for Architecture Exploration. In Proceedings of the 12th International Conference on Simulation and Modeling Methodologies, Technologies and Applications - Volume 1: SIMULTECH, ISBN 978-989-758-578-4, pages 142-150. DOI: 10.5220/0011320000003274

in Bibtex Style

@conference{simultech22,
author={Neha Karanjkar and Madhav Desai},
title={Sitar: A Cycle-based Discrete-Event Simulation Framework for Architecture Exploration},
booktitle={Proceedings of the 12th International Conference on Simulation and Modeling Methodologies, Technologies and Applications - Volume 1: SIMULTECH,},
year={2022},
pages={142-150},
publisher={SciTePress},
organization={INSTICC},
doi={10.5220/0011320000003274},
isbn={978-989-758-578-4},
}

in EndNote Style

TY - CONF

JO - Proceedings of the 12th International Conference on Simulation and Modeling Methodologies, Technologies and Applications - Volume 1: SIMULTECH,
TI - Sitar: A Cycle-based Discrete-Event Simulation Framework for Architecture Exploration
SN - 978-989-758-578-4
AU - Karanjkar N.
AU - Desai M.
PY - 2022
SP - 142
EP - 150
DO - 10.5220/0011320000003274