HPVM Language Reference

Table of Contents

• HPVM Language Reference

  • HPVM Abstraction

    • Dataflow Node

    • Dataflow Edge

    • Input and Output Bind

    • Host Code

  • HPVM Implementation

    • Intrinsics for Describing Graphs

    • Intrinsics for Querying Graphs

    • Intrinsics for Memory Allocation and Synchronization

    • Intrinsics for Graph Interaction

    • Implementation Limitations

HPVM Abstraction

An HPVM program is a combination of host code plus a set of one or more distinct dataflow graphs. Each dataflow graph (DFG) is a hierarchical graph with side effects. The DFG must be acyclic. Nodes represent units of execution, and edges between nodes describe the explicit data transfer requirements. A node can begin execution once a data item becomes available on every one of its input edges. Repeated transfer of data items between nodes (if more inputs are provided) yields a pipelined execution of different nodes in the graph. The execution of a DFG is initiated and terminated by host code that launches the graph. Nodes may access globally shared memory through load and store instructions (side-effects).

Dataflow Node

A dataflow node represents unit of computation in the DFG. A node can begin execution once a data item becomes available on every one of its input edges.

A single static dataflow node represents multiple dynamic instances of the node, each executing the same computation with different index values used to uniquely identify each dynamic instance w.r.t. the others. The dynamic instances of a node may be executed concurrently, and any required synchronization must imposed using HPVM synchronization operations.

Each dataflow node in a DFG can either be a leaf node or an internal node. An internal node contains a complete DFG, called a child graph, and the child graph itself can have internal nodes and/or leaf nodes.

Internal nodes only create the structure of the child graph, and cannot include actual computation.

Leaf nodes contain code expressing actual computations. Leaf nodes may contain instructions to query the structure of the underlying DFG, and any non host side HPVM operation for synchronization and memory allocation.

Note that the graph is fully interpreted at compile-time and cannot be modified at runtime except for the number of dynamic instances, which can be data dependent.

Dataflow Edge

A dataflow edge from the output out of a source dataflow node Src to the input in of a sink dataflow node Dst describes the explicit data transfer requirements. Src and Dst node must belong to the same child graph, i.e. must be children of the same internal node.

An edge from source to sink has the semantics of copying the specified data from the source to the sink after the source node has completed execution. The pairs (Src, out) and (Dst, in), representing source and sink respectively, must be unique w.r.t. every other edge in the same child graph, i.e. two dataflow edges in the same child graph cannot have the same source or destination.

A static edge also represents multiple dynamic instances of that edge between the dynamic instances of the source and the sink nodes.

An edge can be instantiated at runtime using one of two replication mechanisms:

• All-to-all, where all dynamic instances of the source node are connected to all dynamic instances of the sink node, thus expressing a synchronization barrier between the two groups of nodes, or

• One-to-one, where each dynamic instance of the source node is connected to a single corresponding instance of the sink node. One-to-one replication requires that the grid structure (number of dimensions and the extents in each dimension) of the source and sink nodes be identical.

Input and Output Bind

An internal node is responsible for mapping its inputs, provided by incoming dataflow edges, to the inputs to one or more nodes of the child graph.

An internal node binds its input ip to input ic of its child node Dst using an input bind. The pair (Dst, ic) must be unique, i.e. no two input binds in the same graph can have the same destination, as that would create a conflict. Semantically, these represent name bindings of input values and not data movement.

Conversely, an internal node binds output oc of its child node Src to its output op using an output bind. The pair (Src, oc) and destination op must be unique, i.e. no two output binds in the same graph can have the same source destination, as that would create a conflict.

A bind is always all-to-all.

Host Code

In an HPVM program, the host code is responsible for setting up, initiating the execution and blocking for completion of a DFG. The host can interact with the DFG to sustain a streaming computation by sending all data required for, and receiving all data produced by, one execution of the DFG. The list of actions that can be performed by the host is described below:

• Initialization and Cleanup: All HPVM operations must be enclosed by the HPVM initialization and cleanup. These operations perform initialization and cleanup of runtime constructs that provide the runtime support for HPVM.

• Track Memory: Memory objects that are passed to dataflow graphs need to be managed by the HPVM runtime. Our memory model assumes two separate address spaces for host and device memory. The HPVM runtime includes a memory tracker for tracking the location of HPVM-managed memory objects between these address spaces. Track memory inserts the specified memory object in the memory tracker and starts tracking it.

• Untrack Memory: Stop tracking specified memory object and remove it from memory tracker.

• Request Memory: If the specified memory object is not present in host memory, copy it to host memory.

• Launch: The host code initiates execution of specified DFG, either streaming or non streaming.

  • Non streaming DFG: The host provides all data items required for execution of the DFG at the time of the launch.

  • Streaming DFG: No data is provided by the launch operation. Streaming execution is sustained by push and pop operations, described below.

• Push: Push a set of data items required for one graph execution to the specified DFG. The DFG must have been launched using a streaming launch operation. This is a blocking operation.

• Pop: Read data produced from one execution of the specified DFG. The DFG must have been launched using a streaming launch operation. This is a blocking operation.

• Wait: The host code blocks for completion of specified DFG.

  • For a non-streaming DFG, the data produced by the DFG are ready to be read by the host.

  • For a streaming DFG, no more data may be provided for processing by the DFG.

HPVM Implementation

This section describes the implementation of HPVM on top of LLVM IR.

iN is the N-bit integer type in LLVM.

We use intrinsic functions to implement the HPVM IR.

The code for each dataflow node is given as a separate LLVM function, called the node function. The node function may call additional, auxiliary functions. However, the auxiliary functions are not allowed to include any HPVM intrinsics, as they are not considered to be part of the HPVM node hierarchy.

The incoming dataflow edges and their data types are denoted by the parameters to the node function. The outgoing dataflow edges are represented by the return type of the node function, which must be an LLVM struct type with zero or more fields (one per outgoing edge).

Each top-level DFG in an HPVM program is defined by its own root node function which creates the underlying DFG structure. The DFG is the (internal) root node’s child graph. Unlike regular internal nodes, the root node only has one dynamic instance because it instantiates the top-level DFG. The DFG is launched by the host code using the root node function, as described below.

We represent nodes with opaque handles (pointers of LLVM type i8*). We represent input edges of a node as integer indices into the list of function arguments, and output edges of a node as integer indices into the return struct type.

Pointer arguments of node functions are required to be annotated with attributes in, and/or out, depending on their expected use (read only, write only, read write).

Intrinsics for Describing Graphs

The intrinsics for describing graphs can only be used by internal nodes. Also, internal nodes are only allowed to have these intrinsics as part of their node function, with the exception of a return statement of the appropriate type, in order to return the result of the outgoing dataflow edges.

i8* llvm.hpvm.createNode(i8* F)
Create a static dataflow node with one dynamic instance executing node function F. Return a handle to the created node.

i8* llvm.hpvm.createNode1D(i8* F, i64 n1)
Create a static dataflow node replicated in one dimension, namely x, with n1 dynamic instances executing node function F. Return a handle to the created node.

i8* llvm.hpvm.createNode2D(i8* F, i64 n1, i64 n2)
Create a static dataflow node replicated in two dimensions, namely x and y, with n1 and n2 dynamic instances in each dimension respectively, executing node function F. Return a handle to the created node.

i8* llvm.hpvm.createNode3D(i8* F, i64 n1, i64 n2, i64 n3)
Create a static dataflow node replicated in three dimensions, namely x, y and z, with n1, n2 and n3 dynamic instances in each dimension respectively, executing node function F. Return a handle to the created node.

i8* llvm.hpvm.createEdge(i8* Src, i8* Dst, i1 ReplType, i32 sp, i32 dp, i1 isStream)
Create edge from output sp of node Src to input dp of node Dst. Argument dp of Dst’s node function and field sp of the return struct in Src’s node function must have matching types. ReplType chooses between a one-to-one (0) or all-to-all (1) edge. isStream chooses a streaming (1) or non streaming (0) edge. Return a handle to the created edge.

void llvm.hpvm.bind.input(i8* N, i32 ip, i32 ic, i1 isStream)
Bind input ip of current node to input ic of child node N. Argument ic of N’s node function and argument ip of the current node function must have matching types. isStream chooses a streaming (1) or non streaming (0) bind.

void llvm.hpvm.bind.output(i8* N, i32 oc, i32 op, i1 isStream)
Bind output oc of child node N to output op of current node. Field oc of the return struct in N’s node function and field op of the return struct in the current node function must have matching types. isStream chooses a streaming (1) or non streaming (0) bind.

Intrinsics for Querying Graphs

The following intrinsics are used to query the structure of the DFG. They can only be used by leaf nodes.

i8* llvm.hpvm.getNode()
Return a handle to the current leaf node.

i8* llvm.hpvm.getParentNode(i8* N)
Return a handle to the parent in the hierarchy of node N.

i32 llvm.hpvm.getNumDims(i8* N)
Get the number of dimensions of node N.

i64 llvm.hpvm.getNodeInstanceID.{x,y,z}(i8* N)
Get index of current dynamic node instance of node N in dimension x, y or z respectively. The dimension must be one of the dimensions in which the node is replicated.

i64 llvm.hpvm.getNumNodeInstances.{x,y,z}(i8* N)
Get number of dynamic instances of node N in dimension x, y or z respectively. The dimension must be one of the dimensions in which the node is replicated.

Intrinsics for Memory Allocation and Synchronization

The following intrinsics are used for memory allocation and synchronization. They can only be used by leaf nodes.

i8* llvm.hpvm.malloc(i64 nBytes)
Allocate a block of memory of size nBytes and return pointer to it. The allocated object can be shared by all nodes.
Note that the returned pointer must somehow be communicated explicitly for use by other nodes.

i32 llvm.hpvm.atomic.add(i8* m, i32 v)
Atomically computes the bitwise ADD of v and the value stored at memory location [m] w.r.t. the dynamic instances of the current leaf node and stores the result back into [m]. Returns the value previously stored at [m].

i32 llvm.hpvm.atomic.sub(i8* m, i32 v)
Atomically computes the bitwise SUB of v and the value stored at memory location [m] w.r.t. the dynamic instances of the current leaf node and stores the result back into [m]. Returns the value previously stored at [m].

i32 llvm.hpvm.atomic.min(i8* m, i32 v)
Atomically computes the bitwise MIN of v and the value stored at memory location [m] w.r.t. the dynamic instances of the current leaf node and stores the result back into [m]. Returns the value previously stored at [m].

i32 llvm.hpvm.atomic.max(i8* m, i32 v)
Atomically computes the bitwise MAX of v and the value stored at memory location [m] w.r.t. the dynamic instances of the current leaf node and stores the result back into [m]. Returns the value previously stored at [m].

i32 llvm.hpvm.atomic.xchg(i8* m, i32 v)
Atomically computes the bitwise XCHG of v and the value stored at memory location [m] w.r.t. the dynamic instances of the current leaf node and stores the result back into [m]. Returns the value previously stored at [m].

i32 llvm.hpvm.atomic.and(i8* m, i32 v)
Atomically computes the bitwise AND of v and the value stored at memory location [m] w.r.t. the dynamic instances of the current leaf node and stores the result back into [m]. Returns the value previously stored at [m].

i32 llvm.hpvm.atomic.or(i8* m, i32 v)
Atomically computes the bitwise OR of v and the value stored at memory location [m] w.r.t. the dynamic instances of the current leaf node and stores the result back into [m]. Returns the value previously stored at [m].

i32 llvm.hpvm.atomic.xor(i8* m, i32 v)
Atomically computes the bitwise XOR of v and the value stored at memory location [m] w.r.t. the dynamic instances of the current leaf node and stores the result back into [m]. Returns the value previously stored at [m].

void llvm.hpvm.barrier()
Local synchronization barrier across dynamic instances of current leaf node.

Intrinsics for Graph Interaction

The following intrinsics are for graph initialization/termination and interaction with the host code, and can be used only by the host code.

void llvm.hpvm.init()
Initialization of HPVM runtime.

void llvm.hpvm.cleanup()
Cleanup of HPVM runtime created objects.

void llvm.hpvm.trackMemory(i8* ptr, i64 sz)
Insert memory starting at ptr of size sz in the memory tracker. ptr becomes the key for identifying this memory object. As soon as a memory object is inserted in the memory tracker it starts being tracked, and can be passed as a data item to a DFG.

void llvm.hpvm.untrackMemory(i8* ptr)
Stop tracking memory object with key ptr, and remove it from memory tracker.

void llvm.hpvm.requestMemory(i8* ptr, i64 sz)
If memory object with key ptr is not located in host memory, copy it to host memory.

i8* llvm.hpvm.launch(i8* RootGraph, i8* Args, i1 isStream)
Launch the execution of a top-level DFG with root node function RootGraph. Args is a pointer to a packed struct, containing one field per argument of the RootGraph function, consecutively. For non-streaming DFGs with a non empty result type, Args must contain an additional field of the type RootGraph.returnTy, where the result of the graph will be returned. isStream chooses between a non streaming (0) or streaming (1) graph execution. Return a handle to the invoked DFG.

void llvm.hpvm.wait(i8* GraphID)
Wait for completion of execution of DFG with handle GraphID.

void llvm.hpvm.push(i8* GraphID, i8* args)
Push set of input data args (same as type included in launch) to streaming DFG with handle GraphID.

i8* llvm.hpvm.pop(i8* GraphID)
Pop and return data from streaming DFG with handle GraphID. The return type is a struct containing a field for every output of DFG.

Implementation Limitations

Due to limitations of our current prototype implementation, the following restrictions are imposed:

• In HPVM, a memory object is represented as a (pointer, size) pair that includes the address of memory object, and the size (in bytes) of the pointed-to object. Therefore, when an edge/bind carries a pointer, it must be followed by an i64 size value.

• Pointers cannot be transferred between nodes using dataflow edges. Instead, they should be passed using the bind operation from the (common) parent of the source and sink nodes.

• Instantiation of dataflow nodes is supported in up to three dimensions.