Understanding Simulated Architecture via gem5 Call-Stack Profiling
In 2026 IEEE International Symposium on Performance Analysis of Systems and Software (ISPASS), 2026
Full-system architectural simulators such as gem5 are powerful but opaque: it is hard to attribute simulated micro-architectural events back to the software that caused them. This work introduces lightweight call-stack profiling for gem5, attributing simulated architectural behavior to source-level call stacks.
By making complex simulator behavior observable and explainable, the technique supports trustworthy architecture simulation—a core requirement for building and validating new modeling frameworks.
Recommended citation: J. Söderström, R. Aligholipour and Yuan Yao, "Understanding Simulated Architecture via gem5 Call-Stack Profiling," 2026 IEEE International Symposium on Performance Analysis of Systems and Software (ISPASS), Seoul, South Korea, 2026.
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