Realising the Full Potential of Multi-core Designs

By Mark Lippett, Ignios

Multi-core chips offer performance, scalability, low-power and flexibility, but are they useable by software engineers?


SIC, ASSP, FPGA and other System on Chip (SoC) designs containing multiple processor cores are becoming the preferred hardware platforms for many applications. Compared with uni-processor architectures, multi-core chips have the potential to provide a far higher level of price-performance. These chips combine specialist engines within a single design, which may include any configuration of multiple CPUs, DSPs and co-processors. With multi-core, a new class of flexible software-programmable designs are permeating the SoC and merchant semiconductor market. According to analysts, the multi-processor SoC segment is forecast to grow at a compound annual rate of around 30 percent.

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