NVSim - A performance, energy and area estimation tool
for non-volatile memory (NVM)
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Sections
1. Overview
2. Compiling NVSim
3. Running NVSim
4. Configuring NVSim
5. Hacking NVSim
6. README Changelog
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1. Overview
NVSim models the area, timing, dynamic energy and
leakage power of Phase-Change Memory (PCM), Spin-
Torque-Transfer RAM (STT-RAM), Resistive RAM
(ReRAM) or memristor, Floating Body Dynamic RAM
(FBDRAM) and Single-Level Cell NAND Flash.
NVSim uses the same modeling principles as the
well-known CACTI, but it starts from scratch on
the basis of a brand-new frame work with more
flexibility in terms of bank/mat/subarray
organization and periphral circuitry design. Such
flexibility is necessary for emerging non-volatile
memory technologies as the current status of most
emerging NVMs is unknown. Thanks for trying NVSim!
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2. Compiling NVSim
NVSim is programmed under GNU C++, and it can be
compiled on both Unix-like OSes and Microsoft
Windows
2a. Under Linux
The tool can be built using make:
$ make
Running through make will automatically set
the compile flags needed.
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3. Running NVSim
If no .cfg file is specified, NVSim will load the
default configuration file (nvsim.cfg)
$ ./nvsim
Actually, users can specify their own configurations
by passing the ".cfg" argument.
$ ./nvsim <custom>.cfg
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4. Configuring NVSim
NVSim can be configured using the configuration files.
Several example configuration files can be found in
the root directory of the source code. Note that most
of the configuration files are specified with small
capacity (< 128MB) as the current version of NVSim
only models a single-bank. Multi-bank cache/memory is
in the to-do list of NVSim 2.0.
For example,
sample_STTRAM_cache.cfg - A 8MB STT-RAM cache (both
data and array) configured for design space exploration
sample_PCRAM.cfg - A 16MB PCM macro with fixed bank
organization (H-tree, internal sensing)
sample_NVM_macro.cfg - A generic NVM macro
A more detailed listing of configuration parameter
names and potential values are on the NVSim wiki page.
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5. Hacking NVSim
As mentioned in the overview, NVSim is meant to
be flexible. Another level of flexibility is
enabled when experts in NVM design Write their own
sense amplifier, voltage plane, charge pump
circuiitry etc. This can be done by creating a new
C++ file with a new class and instantiate the new
class in corresponding component.
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Please refer to the following paper for a general
introduction of the tool,
"NVSim: A Circuit-Level Performance, Energy and Area
Model for Emerging Nonvolatile Memory", IEEE TCAD 2012
If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions please
either create an issue on github or contact us via email.
Cong Xu <xucongpsu@gmail.com>
Xiangyu Dong <rioshering@gmail.com>
Shuangchen Li <lschen.26@gmail.com>