Differential voltage and frequency scaling (DVFS) switch reduction

A differential voltage frequency scaling system, comprising:

• a first tile that includes one or more first processor cores;
• and
• a second tile that includes one or more second processor cores,
• wherein a particular processor core of the first tile includes a virtual machine manager,
• wherein the virtual machine manager is effective to:
• receive a first set of differential voltage frequency scaling (DVFS) values associated with corresponding virtual machines, wherein the first set of DVFS values includes at least a first DVFS value and a second DVFS value different from the first DVFS value;
• receive a second set of DVFS values associated with corresponding virtual machines, wherein the second set of DVFS values includes at least a third DVFS value and a fourth DVFS value different from the third DVFS value;
• generate a first dispatch cycle to execute first virtual machines by the one or more first processor cores, wherein the first dispatch cycle includes a first group of virtual machines that are associated with the first DVFS value and includes a second group of virtual machines that are associated with the second DVFS value, and wherein to generate the first dispatch cycle to execute the first virtual machines by the one or more first processor cores, the virtual machine manager is effective to determine that the first DVFS value is a highest DVFS value from among the first set of DVFS values;
• generate a second dispatch cycle to execute second virtual machines by the one or more second processor cores, wherein the second dispatch cycle includes a third group of virtual machines that are associated with the third DVFS value and includes a fourth group of virtual machines that are associated with the fourth DVFS value;
• configure the one or more first processor cores to operate at the first DVFS value;
• and
• configure the one or more second processor cores to operate at the third DVFS value,
• wherein the one or more first processor cores are effective to execute virtual machines from the first group of virtual machines at the first DVFS value based on the first dispatch cycle, and
• wherein the one or more second processor cores are effective to execute virtual machines from the third group of virtual machines at the third DVFS value based on the second dispatch cycle.

A differential voltage frequency scaling system, comprising:

• a first tile that includes one or more first processor cores;
• and
• a second tile that includes one or more second processor cores,
• wherein a particular processor core of the first tile includes a virtual machine manager,
• wherein the virtual machine manager is effective to:
• receive a first set of differential voltage frequency scaling (DVFS) values associated with corresponding virtual machines, wherein the first set of DVFS values includes at least a first DVFS value and a second DVFS value different from the first DVFS value;
• receive a second set of DVFS values associated with corresponding virtual machines, wherein the second set of DVFS values includes at least a third DVFS value and a fourth DVFS value different from the third DVFS value;
• generate a first dispatch cycle to execute first virtual machines by the one or more first processor cores, wherein the first dispatch cycle includes a first group of virtual machines that are associated with the first DVFS value and includes a second group of virtual machines that are associated with the second DVFS value, and wherein the first dispatch cycle includes blocks of access time allotted to the one or more first processor cores;
• generate a second dispatch cycle to execute second virtual machines by the one or more second processor cores, wherein the second dispatch cycle includes a third group of virtual machines that are associated with the third DVFS value and includes a fourth group of virtual machines that are associated with the fourth DVFS value;
• configure the one or more first processor cores to operate at the first DVFS value;
• and
• configure the one or more second processor cores to operate at the third DVFS value,
• wherein the one or more first processor cores are effective to execute virtual machines from the first group of virtual machines at the first DVFS value based on the first dispatch cycle,
• wherein the one or more first processor cores are effective to:
• execute respective first virtual machines, wherein the respective first virtual machines are in the first group of virtual machines, and wherein the respective first virtual machines are executed during first blocks of the first dispatch cycle;
• and
• execute respective second virtual machines during second blocks of the first dispatch cycle, wherein the second blocks of the first dispatch cycle follow the first blocks of the first dispatch cycle, and wherein the respective second virtual machines are in the first group of virtual machines;
• wherein the one or more second processor cores are effective to execute virtual machines from the third group of virtual machines at the third DVFS value based on the second dispatch cycle, and
• wherein the virtual machine manager is further effective to:
• determine that a fifth DVFS value, different from the first DVFS value, is associated with the respective second virtual machines;
• and
• in response to receipt of the fifth DVFS value, update the first dispatch cycle to reorder execution of the respective first virtual machines.

A device, comprising:

• a hardware processor that includes a virtual machine manager;
• and
• a memory configured to be in communication with the hardware processor,
• wherein the virtual machine manager is effective to:
• receive at least a first differential voltage frequency scaling (DVFS) value and a second DVFS value different from the first DVFS value, wherein the first DVFS value and the second DVFS value are associated with corresponding virtual machines;
• store at least the first DVFS value and the second DVFS value in the memory;
• generate a dispatch cycle to execute the corresponding virtual machines, wherein the dispatch cycle includes a first group of virtual machines that are associated with the first DVFS value and includes a second group of virtual machines that are associated with the second DVFS value, and wherein the dispatch cycle includes blocks of access time allotted to the hardware processor;
• and
• configure the hardware processor to operate at the first DVFS value,
• wherein the hardware processor is effective to execute, based on the generated dispatch cycle, one or more virtual machines from the first group of virtual machines while the hardware processor is configured to operate at the first DVFS value, and
• wherein to execute the one or more virtual machines from the first group of virtual machines while the hardware processor is configured to operate at the first DVFS value, the hardware processor is effective to:
• execute a first virtual machine, wherein the first virtual machine is in the first group of virtual machines, and wherein the first virtual machine is executed during a first block of the dispatch cycle;
• execute the virtual machine manager in a second block of the dispatch cycle, wherein the second block of the dispatch cycle follows the first block of the dispatch cycle;
• and
• execute a second virtual machine in a third block of the dispatch cycle, wherein the third block of the dispatch cycle is a next consecutive block in the dispatch cycle that follows the second block of the dispatch cycle, and wherein the second virtual machine is in the first group of virtual machines.