VM Media Power Telemetry Using Filtered Event Counters
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for power and thermal management in processor-based devices with virtual machines (VMs) are inefficient as they do not accurately account for varying media power consumption by VMs, requiring separate counters for each VM and leading to suboptimal power management operations that impact performance.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a power telemetry circuit that indirectly measures media power consumption of VMs using a controller circuit, which tracks power consumption through event selection filters and relative power values, allowing for efficient tracking and management of power consumption across multiple VMs using a single aggregate counter.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional power management operations (e.g., clock throttling) are performed to avoid exceeding power and thermal limits, then power and thermal constraints are maintained, but workload performance is negatively impacted
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring media power consumption through the power telemetry circuit and using this information to dynamically adjust power management operations. The power management processor receives real-time power consumption data and adjusts clock frequencies and power allocation accordingly, creating a closed-loop control system that balances power constraints with performance requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from static power management to dynamic power management by continuously adjusting power allocation based on real-time media power consumption measurements. The power management processor dynamically modifies operational parameters such as clock frequencies and power states according to current workload conditions, enabling adaptive power management that responds to changing demands
2Measurement precision
If separate counters are used for each VM to track media power consumption, then individual VM power tracking is achieved, but processor area efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the power tracking functionality for multiple VMs into a single power telemetry circuit that uses shared counters and event selection filters. Instead of allocating separate counter resources to each VM, the system combines these resources and uses software-based filtering and attribution to track individual VM power consumption, significantly reducing the hardware footprint while maintaining measurement precision
Solution Approach 2:
The power telemetry circuit implements universal counters and event selection filters that can serve multiple VMs simultaneously. The same counter resources are reused across different VMs by selectively enabling and configuring the event selection filters, allowing a single set of hardware resources to perform what would traditionally require multiple dedicated counter sets
3Ease of manufacture
If discrete operation counts are tracked and mathematically combined to generate power consumption values, then power consumption can be estimated, but accuracy is reduced because the approach does not account for varying power consumption based on controller circuit workload
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the parameters used for power consumption estimation by transitioning from fixed mathematical combinations of discrete operation counts to dynamic measurements based on actual media power consumption. The power telemetry circuit monitors real-time power parameters and adjusts measurements according to varying controller circuit workload conditions, thereby improving accuracy while maintaining implementation simplicity
Data Source
AI summary
Providing media power telemetry for virtual machines (VMs) in processor-based devices is disclosed herein. In one exemplary embodiment, a processor-based device provides a controller circuit comprising a power telemetry circuit, and a power management processor. The power telemetry circuit is configured to determine whether a media access request corresponding to a power telemetry event and directed to a media device is detected, and determine whether the media access request matches an event selection filter specified by an event selection control and status register (CSR) corresponding to the power telemetry event. If so, the power telemetry circuit increments a power telemetry counter corresponding to the power telemetry event by a relative power value associated with a media access request type of the media access request. The power management processor determines a power management operation based on the power telemetry counter corresponding to the power telemetry event, and applies the power management operation.