Introduction

What is Computer Architecture?

COMP375
Computer Architecture
and Organization
Introduction

Hardware Architecture and Organization

• Architecture is the design of the system
• This is a course about what’s inside the
visible to the assembly level programmer.
box.
– What instructions
• How does the hardware run the software?
– How many registers
• How do hardware design features impact – Memory addressing scheme
software execution?
• Organization is how the architecture is
• How does the software interface with the implemented.
hardware? – How much cache memory
– Microcode or direct hardware
– Implementation technology

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Introduction

Same Architecture Same Architecture

Different Organization
• Almost every
e er program that can rrunn on an
original Pentium (or 8086) can run on a
Pentium 4.
• All computers in the Intel Pentium series
have the same architecture.
• Each version of the Pentium has a different
organization or implementation.
Different Organization
• Th
The IBM 360 computer was released
l d iin
several different models.
• All had the same architecture. A program
compiled on one IBM 360 would run on all
models.
models
• The different models had different
implementations, speed and price.

Basic Computer Components Central Processing Unit

• Contains the control logic that initiates
CPU I/O Device mostt activities
ti iti ini th
the computer.
t
• The Arithmetic Logic Units perform the
Cache I/O Controller math and logic calculations.
• Registers contain temporary data values.
• Program Counter contains the address of
Bus the next instruction to execute.
Memory

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Introduction

Registers Bus
• The CPU has registers to temporarily hold
data being acted upon. • The bus is a set of parallel wires that
• Different architectures have different connectt the
th CPU,
CPU memory and d I/O
number of registers. controllers.
• Some registers are available for the user • It has logic (the chipset) to determine who
programs to use directly. can use the bus at any given instant.
• Some registers are used indirectly (such • The width of the bus determines the
as the program counter). maximum memory configuration.
• Some registers are used only by the
operating system (i.e. program status reg)

I/O Controllers Memory

• Direct the flow of data to and from I/O • The internal memory is Random Access
d i
devices. M
Memory (RAM)
(RAM).
• CPU sends a request to the I/O controller • Both data and program instructions are
to initiate I/O. kept in RAM.
• I/O controllers run independently and in • Instructions must be in RAM to be
parallel with the CPU
CPU. executed.
executed
• I/O controllers may interrupt the CPU upon
completion of request or error.

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Introduction

Memory Hierarchy Instruction Cycle

• Fetch the instruction from memory
• Execute the instruction

Instruction Cycle (more detail) Simple Model of Execution

• Fetch the instruction from the memory • Instruction sequence is determined by a
address
dd iin th
the P
Program C
Counter
t register
i t simple
i l conceptualt l control
t l point.
i t
• Increment the Program Counter • Each instruction is completed before the
• Decode the type of instruction next instruction starts.
• Fetch the operands • One instruction is executed at a time.
• Execute the instruction
• Store the results

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Introduction

Layers First Assignment

You can consider computer operation at
many different levels. • Complete the online quiz on metric prefixes
• Applications b 9
by 9:30am
30 on FFriday,
id A
Augustt 20
• Middleware
• Available on the class website assignments
• High level languages
page
• Machine Language
• Solutions available on the class website
• Microcode
• Logic circuits
• Gates
• Transistors
• Silicon structures

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