Shifting the Network-on-Chip Paradigm towards a Software Defined Network Architecture

In the Many-Core era, parallel processing performance is generally limited by the communications infrastructure´s adaptability to the applications data dependencies. By means of a management framework, Software Defined Network (SDN) architectures offer such adaptability for conventional computer networks. However, Networks-on-Chip (NoC) management subsystems have been implemented as specific solutions unable to be reused in further designs. In this paper we applied SDN principles to propose a Software Defined NoC (SDNoC) architecture. This architecture is focused in abstraction layers and interfaces that permit its deployment in a modular fashion. Our proposal will orchestrate the complex multi-objective optimization to adjust on-chip networking to the applications requirements and data dependencies. This architecture allows the addition of other optimization engines without changing the software or hardware contained in underlying planes, then, Non-Recurring Engineering costs can be diminished.