Heterogeneous Computing in the Edge
doesn ’ t offer product differentiation . Some examples of where ASSPs are valuable include video systems , wireless interfaces , routers , automotive , military , and industrial automation .
SoCs are a type of ASSP that integrates many different functions that are traditionally provided by a collection of chips onto a single die . These functions can include one or more cores of CISC / RISC CPUs , memory , I / O interfaces , and processor accelerators like GPUs , TPUs , or FPGAs . Their high levels of integration can greatly improve the size and weight of solutions , and that is why they are common in smartphones . SoCs are becoming an important implementation technology for edge nodes , especially smaller ones closest to the IoT devices .
HETEROGENOUS EDGE NODE HARDWARE ARCHITECTURES
The previous section described the various heterogenous processor types that can be combined into an edge node . But , how do we configure them in a way that enables the construction of edge nodes that are optimized for a specific set of workloads ? Modularity is the key – different modules including the various types of CPUs , GPUs , TPUs , FPGAs , etc ., are plugged into a modular infrastructure enabling an exact match between the needs of the computational workloads and the heterogeneous processors that support it .
Modular edge nodes have a logical architecture that partitions different components onto modules that can be individually configured , expanded , upgraded , and replaced . This typically involves some sort of board-and-backplane or stacking configuration . Figure 2 shows the important components of one type of modular edge node based upon a backplane and a collection of different types of boards implementing the heterogenous computing functions .
- 54 - June 2021