Prior-Boosted GRL: Microarchitecture Design Space Exploration via Graph Representation Learning

The design space exploration (DSE) of contemporary microprocessors faces a significant challenge of high-computational cost. In this context, we introduce Prior-boosted graph representation learning (GRL), a novel framework for the DSE of the microarchitectures the microprocessors underpinned by graph embeddings. Using GRL, Prior-boosted GRL constructs a compact and continuous vector space for design representation. This framework is further boosted by an efficient sampling algorithm informed by prior knowledge, which is instrumental in generating a superior set of initial designs to accelerate the exploration process. A well-designed ensemble surrogate model is combined with the multiobjective Bayesian optimization to explore the design space holistically within this graph-embedding domain. Rigorous experimental evaluations conducted on the RISC-V Berkeley-Out-of-Order Machine (BOOM) platform demonstrate that Prior-boosted GRL substantially surpasses preceding methods, achieving a 107.79% enhancement in Pareto front quality compared to the state-of-the-art DSE algorithm. It also outstrips manual designs on performance, power, and area metrics. As of this writing, Prior-boosted GRL holds the first place in the ICCAD 2022 CAD Contest evaluation platform.