Highlights from last week

• Branch prediction

  • Modern processors use dynamic branch prediction
    • Becomes increasingly important because of deep pipes and multiple issue of instructions
  • BPT (Branch prediction table)
    • Prediction occurs during ID cycle
    • BPT either indexed by some bits on the PC or organized cache-like
    • BPT: either separate table or part of the “metadada” of the I-cache
    • Use of 2-bit saturating counters for the prediction per se

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