X86_64 vs Aarch64 Performance Validation with COTSon

In this study, we provide a set of architectural parameters for the HPLabs COTSon simulator that can be used to model existing processors, such as the Intel i7700 (X86_64 architecture) and the ARM A53 (Aarch64 architecture). We carry out an initial validation, by comparing the execution time while performing the weak scaling of the architecture, in the case of two common benchmarks. We use the Recursive Fibonacci and Matrix Multiplication benchmarks for simplicity. By using the simulator, we can then further study the sensitivity of the architecture and derive which features may matter most to evaluate the performance. Our goal here is to verify that the COTSon simulator can be used to model both the X86_64 and Aarch64 architectures. Based on this validation study, we have the possibility to analyze the bottlenecks and desirable microarchitectural features of modern architectures.