Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
Introduction
Topic 1 Objectives
Know the difference between computer organization and computer architecture.
1.1 Overview
Why study computer organization and architecture?
Design better programs, including system software such as compilers, operating systems, and device drivers.
1.1 Overview
Computer organization
Encompasses all physical aspects of computer systems. E.g., circuit design, control signals, memory types. How does a computer work?
Computer architecture
Logical aspects of system implementation as seen by the programmer. E.g., instruction sets, instruction formats, data types, addressing modes. How do I design a computer?
System Bus
The heart of any motherboard are the various buses that carry signals between the components.
I/O Interfaces
PS/2
USB
Serial Ports
Cache
Cache chips on XEON Processor A cache is a small area of very fast memory to store some of the current working set of code and data that the CPU expects to call for in the immediate future. Cache can be located in RAM, on a disk, or in dedicated chips. When the cache is in a separate, dedicated chip, the speeds of the cache memory can be disassociated from the motherboards clock speed, therefore this allows cache memory chips to process instructions faster than main memory. .
L1 Cache
All modern processors include an L1 Cache built into Processor integrated L1 cache and controller. Because L1 cache is built into the processor die, it runs at full-core speed of the processor Using cache memory reduces a traditional system bottleneck because system RAM often is much slower than the CPU
This prevents the processor from having to wait for code and data from much slower main memory. Without L1 cache, a processor frequently would be forced to wait until system memory caught up. This eliminates wait states .
L2 Cache
L2 cache was placed originally To mitigate the dramatic slowdown every time an L1 cache on the Motherboard miss occurs, a secondary L2 cache can be used Typically L2 cache is 512k of SRAM for data that is predictable but cant fit into L1 cache. L2 cache allows the CPU to continue processing without waiting for transfers from very slow system RAM.
With the redesign of the Pentium II, Intel improved a computers performance by moving the L2 cache from the motherboard directly into the processor and running it at the same speed as the main processor.
L3 Cache
As more and more processors begin to include L2 cache into their architectures, Level 3 cache is now the name for the extra cache built into motherboards between the microprocessor and the main memory. Level 3 or L3 cache is specialized memory that works hand-in-hand with L1 and L2 cache to improve computer performance.
Whether a metric refers to a power of ten or a power of two typically depends upon what is being measured.
16
17
18
19
20
The microprocessor is the brain of the system. It executes program instructions. This one is a Pentium (Intel) running at 3.06GHz.
21
Integrated Circuits Why isnt the system unit filled with a lot of wires? Most electronic components inside a computer are integrated circuits - thin slices of silicon crystal packed with microscopic circuit elements
wires transistors capacitors resistors
The Motherboard How do the chips fit together to make a computer? Chips are housed on a circuit board called a motherboard.
contains processor chip computer memory chips chips that handle basic input/output contains expansion slots for peripheral devices
Some chips are soldered (permanent), some are removable (can be upgraded)
24
and two levels of cache memory, the level 1 (L1) cache is smaller and (probably) faster than the L2 cache. Note that these cache sizes are measured in KB and MB.
25
This one can store 500GB. 7200 RPM is the rotational speed of the disk. Generally, the faster a disk rotates, the faster it can deliver data to RAM. (There are many other factors involved.)
26
27
29
System buses can be augmented by dedicated I/O buses. PCI, peripheral component interface, is one such bus.
This system has two PCI devices: a video card and a sound card.
30
The video card contains memory and programs that support the monitor.
31
Memory Sockets
North Bridge
Processor Socket/Sl ot
BIO S
South Bridge
Processor Sockets/Slots
The CPU is installed in either a socket or a slot, depending on the type of chip.
Socket
Slot 1
Chipsets
The Chipset is the Motherboard; therefore, any two boards with the same chipsets are identical
I/O Controller
The processor cannot talk to the memory, adapter boards, devices, and so on, without going through the chipset All circuits are contained within the chipset
Memory controller (North bridge) Bus Controller (South Bridge) The chipset is the framework in which the CPU rests and its connection to the outside world. The chipset acts as a bridge between each system bus
North Bridge
The North Bridge is the connection between the high-speed Processor bus and the slower AGP and PCI buses The North Bridge is often referred to as the PAC (PCI/AGP controller)
It is essentially the main component of the motherboard and is the only circuit that runs at full Processor Bus speed
440 LX Chipset
440 ZX Chipset
430 FX Chipset
South Bridge
The South Bridge is the lower-speed component in the chipset South Bridge contains all components that make up the ISA Bus, including the Interrupt and DMA controllers 82371 EB South Bridge South Bridge connects to the 33MHz PCI bus and contains the interface to the 8 MHZ ISA bus
Contains the Primary and Secondary IDE controller, Floppy Controller, two Serial Ports, and a Parallel Port In newer Motherboards, the Super I/O has been placed into the South Bridge
The Super I/O allows you to plug in devices and have them work just like any other device that is plugged into an Expansion Slot
In modern times computer evolution is usually classified into four generations according to the salient technology of the era.
We note that many of the following dates are approximate.
39
40
Atanasoff Berry Computer (1937 1938) solved systems of linear equations. John Atanasoff and Clifford Berry of Iowa State University.
41
42
Other major computer manufacturers of this period include UNIVAC, Engineering Research Associates (ERA), and Computer Research Corporation (CRC).
UNIVAC and ERA were bought by Remington Rand, the ancestor of the Unisys Corporation. CRC was bought by the Underwood (typewriter) Corporation, which left the computer business.
43
45
46
Contemporary version:
The density of silicon chips doubles every 18 months.
47
48
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
Conclusion
This chapter has given you an overview of the subject of computer architecture.
You should now be sufficiently familiar with general system structure to guide your studies throughout the remainder of this course. Subsequent chapters will explore many of these topics in great detail.
66
End of Topic 1
67