Multi-core leads to legacy code questions

Accenture works on tools for code modification

Companies will have to rewrite some of their legacy code if they want to take full advantage of the move to multi-core computing.

Software code designed to run on single-core systems will have to be modified to make the most of future multi-core systems, according to consultancy Accenture, which is developing tools to make this process easier.

Martin Illsley, director of research at Accenture Technology Labs, told silicon.com: "You can't run your old code and expect it to run faster. There's a lot of very old code out there so there will be quite a disruption to legacy code to take advantage of multi-core architecture."

Mike Redding, director of development at the labs, added: "What we are working on is a diagnostic to say [whether] there is a concern for this piece of code and how important is it. We are researching how to identify the code, to put a price on the cost-benefit of switching."

Redding said that as their legacy code ages, companies will have to chose between the cost of more hardware and the cost of modifying the code.

"We are trying to identify which code has the business case," he said.

But he added: "It's not a looming crisis like Y2K - it's not going to be a Y2K bonanza. There's going to be good steady work."