SPEC releases new Chauffeur Worklet Development Kit

Major new version of WDK simplifies workload development for researchers analyzing server performance in relation to power consumption

GAINESVILLE, Va., April 18, 2017 – The Standard Performance Evaluation Corp. (SPEC) has released a new version of its Chauffeur Worklet Development Kit (WDK), the industry-standard software that simplifies workload development for measuring server performance in relation to energy efficiency.

Chauffeur WDK software provides built-in functions that are commonly required by most workloads (called "worklets" in Chauffeur), including hardware and software configuration, run-time, data collection, result validation, and reporting. This speeds development time by enabling researchers to concentrate on specific areas of performance and power consumption within a targeted application or hardware platform.

Chauffeur WDK 2.0 is included in SERT 2.0 software, the recently released SPEC suite that rates energy efficiency of single- and multi-node servers across a broad span of configurations.

New and improved features in Chauffeur WDK 2.0 include:

Ease-of-use and functionality enhancements, including better hardware detection, customization options for HTML reports, reduced memory requirements, and improved developer documentation.
Up to 10X faster results processing for large systems and clusters.
Updated operating system support, including Ubuntu (14.04 LTS and 16.04 LTS) as well as current versions of Windows Server, RHEL, SLES, AIX, and Solaris.
automatic tuning for the latest generation of platforms
Integration of the latest PTDaemon software for managing power measurement devices.

"In conjunction with SERT 2.0, the new Chauffeur WDK is evidence of the continued work by SPEC to support research and development efforts that are yielding massive improvements in computer performance and energy efficiency," says Klaus-Dieter Lange, SPECpower chair.

Cooperative development

The SPECpower committee that develops the Chauffeur WDK includes representatives from AMD, Dell, HPE, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, and the University of Wuerzburg. Veteran SPEC benchmark developers Hansfried Block, Greg Darnell, and Karin Wulf are supporting contributors.

Available immediately

The new Chauffeur WDK 2.0.0 is available for download on the SPEC website for $50. Current Chauffeur WDK licensees are eligible to receive a free upgrade until October 31.

About SPEC

SPEC is a non-profit organization that establishes, maintains, and endorses standardized benchmarks and tools to evaluate performance and power consumption for the newest generation of computing systems. Its membership comprises more than 120 leading computer hardware and software vendors, educational institutions, research organizations, and government agencies worldwide.

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