Bernd Leppla

S/390 parallel enterprise server generation 3: a balanced system and cache structure

Since initiating the information technology industry-wide transition from bipolar to CMOS technology with the first generation of S/390® processors in 1994, IBM reached another major milestone with the introduction of the third generation in September 1996. The balanced system and cache structure and the modularity of the components of Generation 3 support a wide performance range from a uniprocessor to a high-performance multiprocessing system. Because of this modularity, Generation 4 is also based on this structure.

Hierarchical random simulation approach for the verification of S/390 CMOS multiprocessors

In this paper an approach is presented for thehierarchical verification of the memory control units, I/O adaptersand processor interconnect units as found in multiprocessorcomputer systems. It is shown how such units could be verifiedbetter and faster by the introduction of random executable timingdiagrams and associated CAD tool support. Furthermore, itis shown how the timing diagrams for the unit network verificationare easily derived from the timing diagrams specified for theunits. The multiprocessor hardware test showed the effectivenessof the proposed verification approach.