OCP-IP Transaction Generator Tool
Open Core Protocol International Partnership (OCP-IP) introduced the Transaction Generator (TG). The tool is a transaction level (TL) SystemC simulator for benchmarking network-on-chips (NoCs) used in multiprocessor system-on-chip (SoC) applications. The Transaction Generator speeds the simulation of large systems. The results obtained at this higher level can be accurately used as an initial estimate in selecting and fine-tuning NoCs. The tool is freely available to both OCP-IP members and non-members alike through GNU LGPL.
The Transaction Generator is useful for system-level designers evaluating various interconnection solutions in a simulation model of a real, complex system. The tool can also be used to simulate IP blocks before real implementations are available which enables the design of interconnect and implementation of IP blocks and SW for processors to advance in parallel, saving time, resources, and ensuring a faster time-to-market.
The Transaction Generator generates traffic for network-on-chip according to abstract software and hardware models. During simulation the TG measures performance metrics from the application and platform models, and from the traffic routed through network-on-chip. Because this freely available, highly-versatile tool, works on the transaction level, simulation of larger systems is substantially faster than those done at the clock-cycle accurate level.
OCP-IP’s Network on Chip Benchmarking Working Group is considering the feasibility of releasing an enhanced toolset surrounding the TG, including a hardware TG, (a tool similar to the Transaction Generator, but designed for use in FPGA prototypes) and various monitoring solutions that can assist in NoC evaluation.
More information: OCP-IP
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