Computer Architecture

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Computer Architecture

• By
• Chris Van Horn

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CPU Basics

• Brains of the Computer
• Fetch Execute Cycle
• Instruction Branching

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(No Transcript)
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Control Unit

• Manager
• Sends signals to other devices telling them what
  to do

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System Clock

• Signals when it is ok to perform work
• Cannot base CPU performance strictly by system
  clock
• Computer A 12 cycles/instruction 1 Ghz
• Computer B 3 cycles/instruction 250 MHz

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Registers

• User Registers
• Control Registers
• Program Counter
• Instruction Register
• Status Flag
• Stack Pointer

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ALU

• Where the real work happens
• Adder
• Multiplier
• Shifter
• Etc.

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The Bus

• Provides Transportation
• Data
• Control Signals
• 3 Parts of the Bus
• Other Bus Types
• Master/Slave relationship

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Interrupts

• Interrupts processor when something needs its
  attention
• Threading

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Pipelining

• Works like an assembly line
• Potential for large speed increase
• Long vs. Short Pipelines
• Drawbacks

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Memory

• Hierarchy
• Registers
• Cache
• Level 1
• Level 2
• Main Memory
• Magnetic Disks

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Multi Core Fun

• Why multi core?
• Why not just jack up the clock speed?

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Intel
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Intel Multi-core Technology

• Hyper-Threading
• Dual Core
• Core Duo

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Hyper-Threading

• Dual core for the poor
• Processor runs two threads at once

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Intel Dual Core

• Two Complete Cores running at same frequency
• Intel Pentium D
• 2.8 3.4 GHz
• FSB 800 MHz
• Cache (per core)
• 900 Series 2MB
• 800 Series 1MB

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Intel Core Duo

• Replacement for Pentium M
• Specs
• 2MB L2 cache shared
• 1.5 2.16 GHz
• FSB 667 MHz

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AMD
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AMD Dual Core Technology

• Design Started Early
• Direct Connect Architecture
• Operton Dual
• Athlon Dual-Core X2

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Opteron

• Specs
• 1.8 2.4 GHz
• L1 cache 64 KB per core
• L2 cache 1 MB per core
• FSB 1GHz

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Athlon Dual-Core X2

• Specs
• 2.0 2.4 GHz
• L1 Cache
• 128 KB instruction
• 128 KB data
• L2 Cache
• 1-2MB per core
• 1 GHz FSB

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Dual-Core Duel

• AMD challenges Intel to a Duel (Opteron Vs. Xeon)
• Intel Refuses
• Tests Run by SPEC (Standards Standard Performance
  Evaluation Corporation )

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Test Results

• AMD declared itself the winner
• Lack of Results
• Reporting may be skewed

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CNET X2 vs. Pentium D

• CNET independent test
• AMD won every round of tests
• Why?

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Tests Run

• Everyday Computing
• Office Productivity (SysMark Scores)
• Internet Content Creation (SysMark Scores)
• Gaming
• Halflife 2(fps)
• Multitasking
• Encoding Video while Virus Scanner running (time
  to complete both)
• Photo Editing
• Photoshop (resizing large photos)
• MP3 Encoding
• iTunes (time to encode album)
• Video Encoding
• Sorenson Squeeze 4 (time to encode video)

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Price Vs. Performance