SPEC CPU2006 Documentation

To check for possible updates to the SPEC CPU2006 documentation, see www.spec.org/cpu2006/Docs.

Suggested reading order:

If you are just getting started with SPEC CPU2006, here is a suggested reading order:

1. Start with readme1st.html to get an overview of the suite and the process.

2. Use system-requirements.html to help you choose which computer to use as your first test system.

3. Once you've chosen the test system, install the suite, using install-guide-unix.html or install-guide-windows.html.

4. Read at least the first part of runspec.html, because runspec is the primary tool in the suite. It is used to build the benchmarks, run them, and report on their results. You should read at least section 1 through section 3.1 of that document.

5. After that, you can pick and choose which documents to read based on where your needs may take you. The list in the next section can help you decide. Note that the run rules will need to be studied carefully if you plan to quote results in public.

List of documents

The following documents are included on the SPEC CPU2006 DVD. New features for CPU2006 are highlighted.

config.html

SPEC CPU2006 provides benchmarks in source code form, which are compiled under control of SPEC's toolset. A config file controls how they are compiled, and also controls various settings for your tests. If you are new to the suite, you will probably start with an existing config file, such as one downloaded from www.spec.org/cpu2006. Eventually, you will either want to understand the details of what is inside that config file, or you will want to write your own. This document tells you how.

New features for CPU2006 include a preprocessor, section specifiers that apply to multiple benchmarks or which inherit from other benchmarks, and a host of other convenience features. In addition, the document has a new tutorial chapter on using feedback directed optimization.

credits.html

Information about the contributors to SPEC CPU2006.

errata.html

Debugging and errata information.

flag-description.html

When the benchmarks are compiled, compilation flags (such as -O5 or -unroll) are detected and automatically reported by the tools. A flag description file helps the tools recognize such flags and describe them in reports. The tester is responsible for providing a flag description file to go with his or her config file. This document tells you how to write a flag description file.

Note that if you are just getting started with CPU2006, you may find that your starter config file already points to a valid flags description, via the config file flagsurl field.

Automated flag reporting is new with CPU2006.

install-guide-unix.html

How to install SPEC CPU2006 on Unix, Linx, and Mac OS X systems. Includes an example installation and an example of running the first benchmark.

install-guide-windows.html

How to install SPEC CPU2006 on Microsoft Windows systems. Includes an example installation and an example of running the first benchmark.

legal.html

Copyright notice and other legal information.

makevars.html

Advanced users of the suite who want to understand exactly how the benchmarks are built can use this file to help decipher the process.

readme1st.html

Written in the form of questions and answers, this document provides useful background information to the SPEC CPU benchmarks, explains which system components are measured, gives a high-level overview of the benchmarking steps, summarizes the contents of the CPU2006 package, and details types of metrics available with the suite.

runrules.html

The SPEC CPU2006 Run and reporting rules. These must be followed for generating publicly disclosed results. If you plan to quote results in public, you will need to study these rules carefully.

Changes for CPU2006 include clarifications regarding CPU counting; clarification on requirements for estimates; unlimited, but consistent flags for base; no feedback in base; a detailed discussion of run time dynamic optimization; clarifications in the safety rule regarding C++ exceptions and and regarding accuracy; and a re-written philosophy statement.

runspec.html

Information on the "runspec" command, which is the primary user interface for running SPEC CPU2006 benchmarks and reporting results.

New features for CPU2006 include new methods for sharing an installation among multiple users; optional version checking against www.spec.org; CSV output for spreadsheets; emailing of reports; the ability to specify min and max for the graphs; and a feature to preview what a report will look like prior to running the test.

runspec-avoidance.html

Some users prefer to avoid using the SPEC-supplied toolset, because they have specialized tasks that require more direct access to the benchmarks. Such tasks might include instrumenting the code, doing performance traces, or debugging an experimental compiler. This document describes how you can use SPEC's tools for the minimal purpose of just generating work directories, for use as a private sandbox.

This document is retitled for CPU2006 (it used to be called "execution_without_SPEC_tools") and it uses new techniques, notably --fake

sample-sysinfo-program.pl

A SPEC result includes a system description. If your system allows it, you may be able to automate part of the process of gathering a system description. This perl script provides an example of how that might be done. Note: some web browsers may refuse to open a file of type ".pl". If clicking on the link doesn't work, try saving the file and opening it with your favorite text editor.

Automated system descriptions are new with CPU2006.

system-requirements.html

A list of the hardware and software needed in order to run the SPEC CPU2006 suite.

The system requirements for CPU2006 are significantly different from the requirements for CPU2000.

techsupport.html

Information on SPEC technical support.

tools-build.html

How to build (or re-build) the tools such as runspec

utility.html

How to use various utilities, such as specinvoke, specdiff, and specmake.

Several new utilities are added for CPU2006, including the ability to extract a flags file, and to easily move around in run directory trees.

Benchmark Documentation

Integer Benchmarks

Floating Point Benchmarks

Some individual benchmark in the suite have additional documents, found in the benchmark "Docs" subdirectory on your installed benchmark tree, or on the CPU2006 distribution media. For example, additional information about 465.tonto may be found in:

$SPEC/benchspec/CPU2006/401.bzip2/Docs/465.tonto.html (Unix)
or
%SPEC%\benchspec\CPU2006\401.bzip2\Docs\465.tonto.html (Windows)

Original Sources

On the SPEC distribution media (DVD), you will find:

original.src/README Information about freely-available sources
                    that have been incorporated in SPEC CPU2006

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