Measuring and comparing performance, cost, and other features of advanced communication architectures for complex multi core/multiprocessor systems on chip is a significant challenge which has hardly been addressed so far. This document outlines the top-level view on a system of benchmarks for Networks on Chip (NoC), which intends to cover a wide spectrum of NoC design aspects, from application modeling to performance evaluation and post-manufacturing test and reliability.

For performance benchmarking it describes requirements and features for application programs, synthetic micro-benchmarks, and abstract benchmark applications. Then, it proposes ways to measure and benchmark reliability, fault tolerance and testability of the on-chip communication fabric.