The PPE and the SPEs

This section describes the relationship between the PowerPC Processor Element (PPE) and the Synergistic Processor Elements (SPEs).

1. Storage Domains
   Three types of storage domains are defined in the Cell Broadband Engine: one main-storage domain , eight SPE local store domains , and eight SPE channel domains.
2. Issuing DMA commands from the PPE
   To enqueue a DMA command from the PPE, access the MFC Command-Parameter Registers in this sequence:
3. Creating threads for the SPEs
   Programs to be run on an SPE are most often written in C or C++ (or assembly language) and can use the SPE data types and intrinsics defined in the SPU C/C++ Language Extensions.
4. Communication between the PPE and SPEs
   The PPE communicates with the SPEs through privileged-state and problem-state MMIO registers supported by the MFC of each SPE.