1. COMPUTER
ARCHITECTURE
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2. WHAT IS COMPUTER
ARCHITECTURE
The internal design operational structure of
a computer system
The science and art of selecting and interconnecting
hardware components to create computers that meet
functional, performance and cost goals.
A set of disciplines that describes a computer system by
specifying its parts and their relations.
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3. WHAT IS COMPUTER
ARCHITECTURE
• The conceptual design and fundamental operational
structure of a computer system.
Computer Architecture =
Instruction Set Architecture +
Machine Organization + …..
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4. TECHNICAL DEFINITION
• A series of abstraction layers that consists of
:hardware, firmware, assembler, kernel, operating
system and application.
• abstraction layer: is a software that translates a
high-level request into the low-level commands
required to perform the operation
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5. FORCES ACTING ON CA
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6. SUB-CATEGORIES OF CA
• Instruction set architecture
• Microarchitecture
• System Design
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7. SUB-COMPONENTS OF CA
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CPU
Main Memory
I/O
Bus Interconnections
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8. Why is architecture exciting?
• Fast-paced: Technology trends
• Important: Prevalence of computers:
They’re everywhere!
Desktops, laptops, cars, airplanes, ???
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9. Why is architecture challenging?
• Difficult to evaluate solutions
• Inter-related with other fields
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10. Ways to Evaluate New Architectures
• Tradeoff between three desired features
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11. Inter-related with other fields
• Architecture is considered both computer engineering and
computer science
• Architects interact with other areas
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Circuit design (Electrical Engineering)
Transmission lines (EE)
Power (EE, Mechanical Engineering)
Compilers (Comp Sci)
Operating systems (CS)
Networking (EE, CS)
Databases (CS)
Queuing theory (CS, EE, Industrial Engineering)
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12. How Architecture Relates to Other
Areas
Application Software
Operating Systems, Compilers, Networking Software
Computer Architecture
Circuits, Wires, Network Hardware
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13. How Architecture Relates to
Hardware (EE)
Application Software
Operating Systems, Compilers, Networking Software
Computer Architecture
Circuits, Wires, Network Hardware
• Architecture should enable efficient hardware
design
– Avoid huge hardware structures
– Avoid cross-chip wires
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14. How Architecture Relates to System
Software
Application Software
Operating Systems, Compilers, Networking Software
Computer Architecture
Circuits, Wires, Network Hardware
• Architecture should support system software
– Provide good target for compiler (unlike IA-64?)
– Support important OS features (such as
synchronization)
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15. How Architecture Relates to User
Software
Application Software
Operating Systems, Compilers, Networking Software
Computer Architecture
Circuits, Wires, Network Hardware
• Architecture should efficiently run important
apps
• Intel added MMX hardware to support media apps
• Sun & IBM design multiprocessors for commercial
apps
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16. WHY WE STUDY COMPUTER
ARCHITECTURE
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Understand what computer really is
What is inside a computer
Why a computer is designed
Optimize programs written in high level languages
Take advantage of the speed offered by the latest
advances in supercomputers
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17. WHY WE STUDY COMPUTER
ARCHITECTURE
• The understanding of the components that make up
the computer and the way they are interconnected
• Be aware of the advancements in computer
architecture
• You need to understand infrastructure, design and
possibly make your programs multi-platform. Then
you leave little reason why a client cannot use your
program.
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18. THANK YOU
•??????
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