With Modern CPU Architectures Come Modern OS Challenges - A Few Systems Challenges and Observations

Title of the Talk: With Modern CPU Architectures Come Modern OS Challenges - A Few Systems Challenges and Observations
Speakers: Nitesh Narayana
Host Faculty: Dr.SAbhijit Das
Date: Jan 13, 2026
Time: 10:00am
Venue: LHC-8, Lecture Hall Complex

Abstract: The rise of hybrid CPU architectures - combining high-performance and energy-efficient cores - has redefined how modern operating systems and applications interact with hardware. While these designs promise improved performance per watt, they also expose significant complexities in scheduling, thread placement, and performance predictability. This talk explores the behavior of operating systems under heterogeneous core configurations, the challenges of workload mapping and fairness, and the nuanced interplay between hardware intent and software reality. Drawing from empirical observations of real application traces, we will discuss how everyday workloads, ranging from video calls to creative tools, exhibit diverse utilization and power patterns that challenge current OS policies. Finally, the session will highlight how these observations motivate deeper architectural and systems research, rethinking ideas and innovation to real product valuation.

Bio: Nitesh is a Senior Research Engineer at the Barcelona Supercomputing Centre and a PhD candidate at UPC Barcelona. With a background in Innovation and Design with his bachelor’s degree, he currently works extensively on topics involving architecture, power, and performance of modern computing systems, keeping ideation to end product in mind. Previously, he has had brief R&D stints at AMD and INRIA. He generally likes talking about wild ideas over ice cream, but on his home soil fancies biryani more .