Cache-efficient memory layout of aggregate data structures

Abstract

We describe an important memory optimization that arises in the presence of aggregate data structures such as arrays and structs in a C/C++ based system design methodology. We present an algorithm for determining an optimized memory layout of such data. Our implementation consists of a pointer analysis and resolution phase, followed by memory layout optimization. Experiments on typical applications from the DSP domain result in up to 44% improvement in memory performance.