Compiler-Assisted Multiple Instruction Rollback Recovery Using a Read Buffer

Multiple instruction rollback (MIR) is a technique that has been implemented in mainframe computers to provide rapid recovery from transient processor failures. Hardware-based MIR designs eliminate rollback data hazards by providing data redundancy implemented in hardware. Compilerbased MIR designshave also been developed which remove rollbackdata hazards directlywith data-flowtransformations. This paper focuseson compiler-assisted techniquesto achievemultipleinstructionrollbackrecovery. We observe that some data hazards resultingfrom instructionrollbackcan be resolved efficiently b providingan operand read bufferwhile othersare resolvedmore efficiently with compilertransformations.A compiler-assisted multipleinstructionrollbackscheme isdeveloped which combines hardware-implemented data redundancy with compiler-drivenhazard removal transformations.Experimental performance evaluationsindicateimproved efficiency over previous hardware based and compiler-basedschemes. /ndez terr_: fault-tolerance, error recovery, instruction retry, compilers, hardware assisted retry. aInternationM Business Mschines Corporation, Boca ]Lston, FI. This research wu supported in part by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) under grant NASA NAG 1-613, in cooperation with the Illinois Computer Laboratory for Aerospace Systems and Software (ICLASS), and in part by the Department of the Navy and managed by the Office of the Chief of Naval Research under Contract N00014-91-J-1283.