Multi-threaded Processors

This lecture covers the basics of multi-threaded processors, including the reasons for using multiple threads, how to design them, and their performance impact. It discusses the concepts of scalar and superscalar pipelines, structural hazards, and the effects of superscalar design on IPC. The lecture also explores examples of structural hazards, pipeline bubbles, and the impact of branch control flow and data dependences on pipeline performance. It delves into the implementation and performance of blocked (coarse grain) multithreading, fine-grained multithreading, simultaneous multithreading, and massively threaded vector processors. The lecture concludes with insights into GPUs, their resource allocation, and the importance of keeping pipeline utilization high.