@conference {126.MaPaZaBrJoSi11,
	title = {A Correlation-based Design Space Exploration Methodology for Multi-Processor Systems-on-Chip},
	booktitle = {Proceedings of DAC 2010: Design Automation Conference},
	year = {2010},
	month = {June},
	pages = {120{\textendash}125},
	address = {Anheim, CA, USA},
	abstract = {Given the increasing complexity of multi-processor systems-on-chip, a wide range of parameters must be tuned to find the best trade-offs in terms of the selected system figures of merit (such as energy, delay and area). This optimization phase is called Design Space Exploration (DSE) consisting of a Multi-Objective Optimization (MOO) problem. In this paper, we propose an iterative design space exploration methodology exploiting the statistical properties of known system configurations to infer, by means of a correlation-based analysis, the next design points to be analyzed with low-level simulations. In fact, the knowledge of few design points is used to predict the expected improvement of unknown configurations. We show that the correlation of the configurations within the multi-processor design space can be modeled successfully with analytical functions and, thus, speed up the overall exploration phase. This makes the proposed methodology a model-assisted heuristic that, for the first time, exploits the correlation about architectural configurations to converge to the solution of the multi-objective problem.},
	keywords = {design space exploration, kriging, multiprocessor system-on-chip (MPSoC), response surface},
	author = {Mariani, Giovanni and Palermo, Gianluca and Zaccaria, Vittorio and Brankovic, Aleksandar and Jovic, Jovana and Silvano, Cristina}
}
@conference {132.LuNi10,
	title = {Hierarchical Multi-Agent Protection System for NoC based MPSoCs},
	booktitle = {Proceedings of the International Workshop on Security and Dependability for Resource Constrained Embedded Systems (SD4RCES 2010)},
	year = {2010},
	month = {September 14},
	address = {Vienna, Austria},
	abstract = {Network-on-Chip (NoC) has emerged as a promising solution for scalable communication among steadily growing number of cores integrated in MultiProcessor System-on-Chips (MPSoCs). The increasing system heterogeneity together with the possibility of reconfiguration makes the overall system security one of the major concerns in MPSoC design. On the other hand, modular and scalable design of NoCs enables their enhancements in various directions for supporting services other than simple data routing. In this work we propose a conceptual solution to secure NoC based MPSoCs at different levels of design. The basic idea is to integrate various kinds of security approaches from attack specific protection strategies up to system level security. The concept aims at securing single cores but also, at the same time, prevents potential propagation of the attack through the NoC towards. We prove feasibility via prototype realization in FPGA technology.},
	keywords = {multiprocessor system-on-chip (MPSoC), network-on-chip (NoC), security},
	doi = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1145/1868433.1868441},
	author = {Lukovi{\'c}, Slobodan and Christianos, Nikolaos}
}
@conference {98.MaPaSiZa309,
	title = {A Design Space Exploration Methodology Supporting Run-Time Resource Management for Multi-Processors System on-Chip},
	booktitle = {Proceedings IEEE SASP{\textquoteright}09 - Symposium on Application Specific Processors},
	year = {2009},
	month = {July},
	address = {San Francisco, CA, USA},
	abstract = {Application Specific multi-processor Systems-on-chip are currently designed by using platform-based synthesis techniques. In this approach, a wide range of platform parameters are tuned either at design-time or at run-time, to provide the best trade-offs in terms of the selected system figures of merit (such as power and throughput) for a dynamic application-specific workload. Among the design-time (hardware) configurable parameters we can find the memory sub-system configuration (e.g. cache size and associativity) and other architectural parameters such as the instruction-level parallelism of the system processors. Among the run-time (software) configurable parameters we can find the overall degree of task-level parallelism associated with each application running on the chip. Typically, while the design-time exploration is performed in the early development stages for a set of static parameters, the tuning of the run-time parameters is performed dynamically by a run-time management software module after the system has been deployed. In this paper, we introduce a methodology for identifying a hardware configuration which is robust with respect to the variable workload scenario introduced by the run-time management. Moreover, the proposed methodology is aimed at providing useful information about the optimal software operating points of the applications in terms of task-level parallelism. The proposed methodology is based on the NSGA-II evolutionary heuristic algorithm assisted by an Artificial Neural Network (ANN). We then introduce a run-time management policy which is able to exploit the above information to maximize the performance of the system under power budget constraints. Experimental results show that the proposed technique is able to reduce the overall design space exploration time yet providing a near-optimal solution, in terms of hardware parameters, to enable an innovative and efficient run-time anagement policy.},
	keywords = {artificial neural network, design space exploration, meta-model assisted optimization, multi-objective optimization, multiprocessor system-on-chip (MPSoC), run-time resource management},
	doi = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/SASP.2009.5226331},
	author = {Mariani, Giovanni and Palermo, Gianluca and Silvano, Cristina and Zaccaria, Vittorio}
}
@conference {101.MaPaSiZa209,
	title = {Meta-model Assisted Optimization for Design Space Exploration of Multi-Processor Systems-on-Chip},
	booktitle = {Euromicro Proceedings of DSD{\textquoteright}09 - Conference on Digital System Design},
	year = {2009},
	month = {August},
	address = {Patras, Greece},
	abstract = {Multi-processor Systems-on-chip are currently designed by using platform-based synthesis techniques. In this approach, a wide range of platform parameters are tuned to find the best trade-offs in terms of the selected system figures of merit (such as energy, delay and area). This optimization phase is called Design Space Exploration (DSE) and it generally consists of a Multi-Objective Optimization (MOO) problem. The design space of a Multi-processor architecture is too large to e evaluated comprehensively. So far, several heuristic techniques have been proposed to address the MOO problem, but they are haracterized by low efficiency to identify the Pareto front. In this paper, we address the MPSoC DSE problem by using an NSGA-II modified to be assisted by an Artificial Neural Network (ANN). In particular we exploit statistical methods to compute the prediction confidence intervals for the ANN approximations. These information are adopted in the evolution control strategy in order to carefully select which individuals should be simulated. Experimental results show that the proposed techniques is able to reduce the simulations needed for the optimization without decreasing the quality of the obtained Pareto Front. Results are compared with state of the art techniques to demonstrate that optimization time due to simulation can be speed up by adopting statistical methods during evolution control.},
	keywords = {artificial neural network, meta-model assisted optimization, multi-objective optimization, multiprocessor system-on-chip (MPSoC)},
	doi = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/DSD.2009.154},
	author = {Mariani, Giovanni and Palermo, Gianluca and Silvano, Cristina and Zaccaria, Vittorio}
}
@conference {99.MaPaSiZa09,
	title = {Multiprocessor System-on-Chip Design Space Exploration based on Multi-level Modeling Techniques},
	booktitle = {Proceedings of IEEE IC-SAMOS{\textquoteright}09 - International Conference on Embedded Computer Systems: Architectures, MOdeling, and Simulation},
	year = {2009},
	month = {July},
	address = {Samos, Greece},
	abstract = {Multi-processor Systems-on-chip are currently designed by using platform-based synthesis techniques. In this approach, a wide range of platform parameters are tuned to find the best trade-offs in terms of the selected system figures of erit (such as energy, delay and area). This optimization phase is called Design Space Exploration (DSE) and it generally consists of a Multi-Objective Optimization (MOO) problem. The design space of a Multi-processor architecture is too large to be evaluated comprehensively. So far, several heuristic techniques have been proposed to address the MOO problem, but they are haracterized by low efficiency to identify the Pareto set. In this paper we propose a methodology for heuristic platform based design based on evolutionary algorithms and multi-level simulation techniques. In particular, we extend the NSGA-II with an approximate neural network meta-model for multi-processor architectures in order to replace expensive platform simulations with fast meta-model evaluation. The model accuracy and efficiency is improved by exploiting high-level platform simulation techniques. High-level simulation allows us to reduce the overall complexity of the neural network and improving its prediction power. Experimental results show that the proposed techniques is able to reduce the number of simulations needed for the optimization without decreasing the quality of the obtained Pareto set. Results are compared with state of the art echniques to demonstrate that optimization time due to simulation can be sped up by adopting multi-level simulation techniques.},
	keywords = {artificial neural network, design space exploration, genetic algorithm, multi level modelling, multiprocessor system-on-chip (MPSoC), platform-based design},
	doi = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/ICSAMOS.2009.5289222},
	author = {Mariani, Giovanni and Palermo, Gianluca and Silvano, Cristina and Zaccaria, Vittorio}
}
@conference {80.LuFi08,
	title = {An Automated Design Flow for NoC-based MPSoCs on FPGA},
	booktitle = {RSP 2008, The 19th IEEE/IFIP International Symposium on Rapid System Prototyping},
	year = {2008},
	month = {June 2-5},
	address = {Monterey, USA/CA},
	abstract = {Increased dynamics of the embedded devices market makes reduced time-to-market emerge as one of most challenging tasks in modern embedded system design. The complexity of Multiprocessor Systems-on-Chip (MPSoCs) rapidly increases and Networks-on-Chips (NoCs) have emerged as design strategy to cope with it. In order to allow fast generation of these platforms in the development phase, a full design flow is required. On the other hand, modern FPGAs provide the possibility for fast and low-cost prototyping, representing an efficient response to these needs. In this paper we present a framework, based on the Xilinx Embedded Development Kit (EDK) design flow, for the generation of MPSoCs based on NoCs. The tool provides system designers with the possibility to easily and quickly generate desired architectures that can be helpful for testing, debugging and verifying purposes. Our integrated design flow takes as input a textual description of the system and produces as final result a configuration bitstream file. The framework has been tested and verified on a Xilinx Virtex-II Pro board.},
	keywords = {FPGA, multiprocessor system-on-chip (MPSoC), network-on-chip (NoC), reconfigurable systems, security},
	doi = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/RSP.2008.31},
	author = {Lukovi{\'c}, Slobodan and Fiorin, Leandro}
}
@conference {76.FiLuPa08,
	title = {Implementation of a Reconfigurable Data Protection Module for NoC-based MPSoCs},
	booktitle = {Proceedings of the 21st IPDPS 2007 Reconfigurable Architecture Workshop (RAW), 21th IEEE International Parallel and Distributed Processing Symposium},
	year = {2008},
	month = {April},
	address = {Miami, USA/FL},
	abstract = {Security issues are emerging to be a basic concern in modern SoC development. Since in the field of on-chip interconnections the security problem continues to remain mostly an unexplored topic, this paper proposes a novel technique for data protection that uses the communication subsystem as basis. The proposed architecture works as a firewall managing the memory accesses on the basis of a lookup table containing the access rights. This module, called Data Protection Unit (DPU), has been designed for MPSoC architectures and integrated in the Network Interfaces near the shared memory. We implement the DPU inside an MPSoC architecture on FPGA and we add features to the module to be aware of dynamic reconfiguration of the system software. Starting from a general overview of our design down to components structure, we introduce the place and the role of the DPU module inside the system for a reconfigurable secure implementation of a MPSoC on FPGA. The description of the DPU concept, its implementation, and integration into the system are described in detail. Finally, the architecture is fully implemented on FPGA and tested on a Xilinx Virtex-II Pro board.},
	keywords = {data protection, FPGA, multiprocessor system-on-chip (MPSoC), network-on-chip (NoC), reconfigurable systems, security},
	doi = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/IPDPS.2008.4536514},
	author = {Fiorin, Leandro and Lukovi{\'c}, Slobodan and Palermo, Gianluca}
}
@article {84.AlGaSte2008,
	title = {Secure Memory Accesses on Networks-on-Chip},
	journal = {IEEE Transactions on Computers},
	volume = {57},
	number = {9},
	year = {2008},
	month = {September},
	pages = {1216-1229},
	abstract = {Security is gaining relevance in the development of embedded devices. Towards a secure system at each level of design, this paper addresses security aspects related to Network on Chip (NoC) architectures, foreseen as the communication infrastructure of next-generation embedded devices. In the context of NoC-based multiprocessor systems, we focus on the topic, not yet thoroughly faced, of data protection. In this paper, we present a secure NoC architecture composed of a set of Data Protection Units (DPUs) implemented within the Network Interfaces (NIs)1. The run-time configuration of the programmable part of the DPUs is managed by a central unit, the Network Security Manager (NSM). The DPU, similar to a firewall, can check and limit the access rights (none, read, write, or both) of processors accessing data and instructions in a shared memory. In particular, the DPU can distinguish between the operating roles (supervisor/user and secure/non secure) of the processing elements.We explore alternative implementations of the DPU and demonstrate how this unit does not affect the network latency if the memory request has the appropriate rights. We also focus on the dynamic updating of the DPUs to support their utilization in dynamic environments, and on the utilization of authentication techniques to increase the level of security.},
	keywords = {data protection, embedded systems, multiprocessor system-on-chip (MPSoC), network-on-chip (NoC), security},
	doi = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/TC.2008.69},
	author = {Fiorin, Leandro and Palermo, Gianluca and Lukovi{\'c}, Slobodan and Catalano, Valerio and Silvano, Cristina}
}
@conference {88.FiPaSi08,
	title = {A Security Monitoring Service for NoCs},
	booktitle = {Sixth IEEE/ACM/IFIP International Conference on Hardware/Software Codesign and System Synthesis (CODES+ISSS{\textquoteright}08)},
	year = {2008},
	month = {10/2008},
	address = {Atlanta, Georgia, USA.},
	abstract = {As computing and communications increasingly pervade our lives, security and protection of sensitive data and systems are emerging as extremely important issues. Networks-on- Chip (NoCs) have appeared as design strategy to cope with the rapid increase in complexity of Multiprocessor Systems- on-Chip (MPSoCs), but only recently research community have addressed security on NoC-based architectures. In this paper, we present a monitoring system for NoC based architectures, whose goal is to help detect security violations carried out against the system.Information col- lected are sent to a central unit for efficiently counteracting actions performed by attackers.We detail the design of the basic blocks and analyse overhead associated with the ASIC implementation of the monitoring system, discussing type of security threats that it can help detect and counteract.},
	keywords = {embedded systems, multiprocessor system-on-chip (MPSoC), network-on-chip (NoC), security},
	doi = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1145/1450135.1450180},
	author = {Fiorin, Leandro and Palermo, Gianluca and Silvano, Cristina}
}
@conference {68.FiPaLuSi07,
	title = {A Data protection Unit for NoC-based Architecture},
	booktitle = {CODES+ISSS 2007, in proceedings of the Fifth IEEE/ACM/FIP International Conference of Hardware/Software Codesign and System Synthesis (CODES+ISSS 2007)},
	year = {2007},
	month = {September 30},
	address = {Salzburg, Austria},
	abstract = {Security is gaining increasing relevance in the development of embedded devices. Towards a secure system at each level of design, this paper addresses the security aspects related to Network-on-Chip (NoC) architectures, foreseen as the communication infrastructure of next generation embedded devices. In the context of NoC-based Multiprocessor systems, we focus on the topic, not thoroughly faced yet, of data protection. We present the architecture of a Data Protection Unit (DPU) designed for implementation within the Network Interface (NI). The DPU supports the capability to check and limit the access rights(none, read, write or both) of processors requesting access to data locations in a shared memory - in particular distinguishing between the operating roles (supervisor or user) of processing elements. We explore different alternative implementations and demonstrate how the DPU unit does not affect the network latency if the memory request has the appropriate rights. In the experimental section we show synthesis results for different ASIC implementations of the Data Protection Unit.},
	keywords = {data protection, embedded systems, multiprocessor system-on-chip (MPSoC), network-on-chip (NoC), security},
	doi = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1145/1289816.1289858},
	author = {Fiorin, Leandro and Palermo, Gianluca and Lukovi{\'c}, Slobodan and Silvano, Cristina}
}
@conference {53.CoReLa07,
	title = {HardwareScheduling Support in SMP Architecture},
	booktitle = {Design, Automation and Test in Europe(DATE)},
	year = {2007},
	month = {April 16-20},
	address = {Nice, France},
	abstract = {In this paper the authors propose a hardware real time operating system (HW-RTOS) that implements the OS layer in a dual-processor SMP architecture. Intertask communication is specified by means of dedicated APIs and the HW-RTOS takes care of the communication requirements of the application and also implements the task scheduling algorithm. The HW-RTOS allows to have smaller footprints, since it avoids the need to link to the final executables traditional software RTOS libraries. Moreover, the HW-RTOS is able to exploit the easy task migration feature provided by an SMP architecture much more efficiently than a traditional software RTOS, due to its faster execution and the authors show how this significantly overcomes the performance achievable with optimal static task partitioning among two processors. Preliminary results show that the hardware overhead in a dual processor architecture is less than 20K gates.},
	keywords = {HW/SW co-design, multiprocessor system-on-chip (MPSoC), real time operating systems},
	doi = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/DATE.2007.364666},
	author = {Nacul, Andre Costi and Regazzoni, Francesco and Lajolo, Marcello}
}
@conference {60.FiSiSa07,
	title = {Security Aspects in Networks-on-Chips: Overview and Proposals for Secure Implementations},
	booktitle = {DSD07, in proceedings of 10th EUROMICRO Conference on Digital System Design Architectures, Methods and Tools (DSD 07)},
	year = {2007},
	month = {August 29-31},
	address = {L{\"u}beck, Germany},
	abstract = {Security has gained increasing relevance in the development of embedded devices. Towards the aim of a secure system at each level of the design, in this paper we address security aspects related to Networks-on-Chips (NoCs) architectures. After presenting the attacks most likely to address NoCs, we survey existing academic and industrial secure architectures relevant to our case, focusing in particular on their communication infrastructure. We outline and propose possible solutions to contrast some of the attacks described and suggest the use of the NoC as a mean to monitor and detect unexpected system behaviors.},
	keywords = {embedded systems, multiprocessor system-on-chip (MPSoC), network-on-chip (NoC), security},
	doi = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/DSD.2007.4341520},
	author = {Fiorin, Leandro and Silvano, Cristina and Sami, Mariagiovanna}
}
