4. Branches and Limits to Pipelining
Branching is a critical aspect of pipelined architectures that impacts performance due to the challenges posed by control hazards. Techniques such as branch prediction, delay slots, and out-of-order execution help mitigate these issues. However, inherent limits to pipelining exist due to structural hazards, data hazards, and increased complexity in deeper pipelines.
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What we have learnt
- Branch instructions change the flow of control in programs and create performance challenges in pipelining.
- Control hazards occur when a pipeline must wait for the outcome of a branch to fetch the next instruction.
- Advanced techniques like branch prediction and out-of-order execution help to address the limits of pipelining.
Key Concepts
- -- Branch Instructions
- Instructions that alter the control flow in a program, such as if statements and loops.
- -- Control Hazards
- Delays in the instruction pipeline due to uncertainty in the outcome of a branch instruction.
- -- Branch Prediction
- Techniques used to predict the outcome of a branch instruction to reduce control hazards.
- -- Pipeline Flush
- The process of discarding instructions in the pipeline after a branch misprediction, leading to performance penalties.
- -- Delay Slot
- A slot in the instruction pipeline where an instruction can be executed while waiting for a branch decision.
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