Evaluation of Performance Enhancement by Splitting ALU

Abstract

Microprocessors usually have a single module that performs arithmetic operations on integer values. The reason is that because many of the different arithmetic and logical operations can be performed using similar hardware. The component that performs these operations is known as the Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU). Performance enhancement has been a primary design goal for designers for a long time. Modern automation technology demands for reliable low-cost controllers, required for specific applications. The restricted resources limit the number of functional units out there on a processor which ends up into reduced performance. The enhanced performance can be attained with splitting present functional unit into smaller independent units. This outcomes into lesser execution time. The simulator SimpleScalar has been used with slight modifications to simulate split ALU followed by benchmarking in order to collect performance statistics. The results reflect the enhanced performance with split ALU.