Simulation Model Generator

The premadona tool allows to generate simulation models from XML specifications of NoC-based MPSoC systems. These XML specifications include a number of applications (in the form of SDF, CSDF or SADF graphs), a description of the MPSoC platform and a mapping of the applications on this platform. In addition, certain settings can be specified to indicate what aspects of the system should be monitored for performance analysis or traced. The sources of the premadona tool that you can download here compile and run on Linux and assumes NoC-based MPSoC platforms without resource management. The simulator required for executing models generated by the premadona tool can be downloaded from this webpage.

Command-Line Interface

The command-line syntax for the premadona tool is as follows:

premadona -n <number> -a <applist> -p <mpsocfile> -m <mapfile> [-s <settings>] [-o <modelfile>] [-l <logfile>]

The mandatory -n argument indicates the <number> of applications that will be mapped on the platform. The mandatory argument -a should refer to a space-saparated list <applist> of XML files. The number of files in this list must not be less than <number>. Each file in the <applist> describes one application. Aplications can be specified as an SDF, CSDF or SADF graph using similar XML formats as used by the sdf3 tool, see below. The mandatory -p argument denotes the XML file <mpsocfile> describing the NoC-based MPSoC platform. The final mandatory argument is -m, which specifies the XML file <mapfile> that describes how the tasks of each application are mapped onto the nodes of the NoC-based MPSoC platform.

There are three optional arguments for the premadona tool. Argument -s can be used to specify an XML file <settings> with settings for performance monitoring and tracing certain parts of the system. The -o option allows to specify the file to which the generated model is written. The default <modelfile> is model.p4r. Argument -l enables specifying the file in which the performance results obatained during the simulation are written. The default <logfile> is results.log.

XML Formats

The premadona uses several different XML formats to specify applications, a platform and mapping as well as monitoring and tracing settings. Click on any of the links below to obtained detailed information of the different XML formats.

• XML formats for specifying applications
• Describing NoC-based MPSoC platforms
• Specifying a mapping
• Optional specification of monitoring, tracing and other simulation settings (including an explanation of the monitored performance metrics)

Example

An example set of XML files that specify a NoC-based MPSoC platform on which one fictitious application (in the form of an SADF graph) is mapped can be downloaded here. The example origimates from a master course on multiprocessor design. The example can be run by executing: premadona -n 1 -a application.xml -p platform.xml -m mapping.xml -s settings.xml followed by the command: rotalumis model.p4r.

Contact

For more information about the premadona tool, you can write an email to B.D.Theelen @ tue.nl