Correct Communication in Multi-core Processors.

Abstract

Computer chips, the most complex artifacts ever made by man, are susceptible to problems with correct functionality due to their intricacy. Incorrect operation of silicon chips has lasting, and sometimes devastating, effects on computer systems and their manufacturers: from incorrect computation results, to security vulnerabilities affecting end users, to financial impact on the vendors. Furthermore, new chips are increasingly fragile, liable to break as the transistors that comprise them become small enough to be measured in atoms.

A typical modern computer usually includes a single chip where many processors are connected by a communication medium. This communication medium, a new feature in modern chips, provides many opportunities for catastrophic errors, as it is a complex, unpredictable, unique component.

The goal of this dissertation is to provide a new solution to ensure the correct operation of the communication medium in multicore processors, from the early stages of design to the end user. It addresses failures in several modes, and operates across the different phases of the verification process, integrating them into a cohesive framework. A key finding of this work is the synergy among verification phases, connected by a novel abstraction technique and multipurpose hardware and software. Simply put, it ensures that the design operates as intended. This approach to the development cycle accelerates, automates and extends the reach of the verification process, providing decreased occurrence of -- and increased resilience to -- failures. With this solution, the communication system of multi-core chips can operate free from errors.