COA PRELIMS
EXAM (145
QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS)
Architecture
Architecture is fundamental to the meaning and value of the system
Organization
is one of many combinations of components and linkages that meet the
requirements of the architecture.
Computer System
Functioning combination of hardware and software that takes inputs
processes them, and provides output. It must also be able to store
information.
Hardware
Any element of the computer that is physical. All the chips, buses, wires,
etc.
Software
Tells the CPU what to do and how to do it. A program consists of computer
instructions written in machine language.
Computer Architecture
Set of rules and methods that describe the functionality and
implementation of computer systems,
Instruction Set Architecture (ISA)
,The computer architecture is often called an ISA: representing an
abstraction provided to software that should remain consistent.
Computer Organization
Referred to as microarchitecture. It is the way a given ISA is implemented
in a particular processor. Organizational decisions affect cost / speed /
power consumption
Harvard Architecture
Named after IBM's Harvard MK1, a computer that helped to develop the
atomic bomb during World War 2.
Harvard MK1
Instructions were stored on a punched paper tape, and data was stored in
electromechanical counters within the CPU. The principle of storing
instructions and data in different places became known as Harvard
architecture.
Von Neumann Architecture
Traditional single-core computers, in which programs the data are both
stored in the main memory (the RAM)
Von Neuman bottleneck
Instructions and data are fetched from the same memory. This means
retrieving data requires two cycles: The instruction tells the CPU what
data to get another for the data itself.
Digital Signal Processors (DSP)
Most often found in Harvard Architecture. Specialized chips designed for
efficiently handling digital signals. It is most commonly used in
applications that involve converting analog information like Audio,
images, or sensor data into digital format, processing digital data like
filtering nose or compressing data, and potentially converting it back into
analog form.
Arithmetic and Logic Unit (ALU)
CPUs contain several cores (multiple cores), each acting as an
independent processor with its own ALU.
Cache Memory
CPUs have multiple levels (cache hierarchy) of cache memory for faster
data access.
L1 Cache
, Each core has its own L1 cache, the smallest but fastest cache for
frequently used data
L2 Cache
Each core also has an L2 cache, larger than L1 but slower
L3 Cache
All cores share a larger L3 cache, the slowest but most spacious cache.
Data bus
Cache memory offers significantly faster access than main memory due to
its proximity to the CPU cores, eliminating the data bus bottleneck.
Modified Harvard Architecture
Each core's L1 cache is further divided into separate sections for
instructions and data, simultaneously improving performance.
Level 0: Digital Logic
This logic based on manipulating ones and zeros, representing on/off
states to perform calculations. Basic functions like AND, OR, and NOT are
used to build more complex operations within the computer.
Level 1: Mirco Architectural Level
They define the basic control signals that tell the hardware what to do.
The process of designing these microinstructions to implement the
machine's instructions. In essence, its like writing a program to control
the hardware using low-level language.
Level 2: Instruction Set Architecture
Acts as a translation enabling low-level software to interact with the
underlying hardware. It provides instructions, I/O operations and
functionalities for programmers to write machine code. ISA is independent
of the hardware, allowing programs to run on different ISA-compliant
platforms.
Level 3: Operating System Machine
Provides an interface between assembly language and the abstractiuon of
the hardware architecture's instruction set. It generally contains many
libraries which help a software developer connect to lower-level system
functions (I/O, memory allocation, etc.) in an organized way
Level 4: Assembly Language
Offers fine grained control over computer hardware, allowing
programmers to optimize performance. This detailed language is often
used to create compilers, the programs that translate higher- lever code
EXAM (145
QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS)
Architecture
Architecture is fundamental to the meaning and value of the system
Organization
is one of many combinations of components and linkages that meet the
requirements of the architecture.
Computer System
Functioning combination of hardware and software that takes inputs
processes them, and provides output. It must also be able to store
information.
Hardware
Any element of the computer that is physical. All the chips, buses, wires,
etc.
Software
Tells the CPU what to do and how to do it. A program consists of computer
instructions written in machine language.
Computer Architecture
Set of rules and methods that describe the functionality and
implementation of computer systems,
Instruction Set Architecture (ISA)
,The computer architecture is often called an ISA: representing an
abstraction provided to software that should remain consistent.
Computer Organization
Referred to as microarchitecture. It is the way a given ISA is implemented
in a particular processor. Organizational decisions affect cost / speed /
power consumption
Harvard Architecture
Named after IBM's Harvard MK1, a computer that helped to develop the
atomic bomb during World War 2.
Harvard MK1
Instructions were stored on a punched paper tape, and data was stored in
electromechanical counters within the CPU. The principle of storing
instructions and data in different places became known as Harvard
architecture.
Von Neumann Architecture
Traditional single-core computers, in which programs the data are both
stored in the main memory (the RAM)
Von Neuman bottleneck
Instructions and data are fetched from the same memory. This means
retrieving data requires two cycles: The instruction tells the CPU what
data to get another for the data itself.
Digital Signal Processors (DSP)
Most often found in Harvard Architecture. Specialized chips designed for
efficiently handling digital signals. It is most commonly used in
applications that involve converting analog information like Audio,
images, or sensor data into digital format, processing digital data like
filtering nose or compressing data, and potentially converting it back into
analog form.
Arithmetic and Logic Unit (ALU)
CPUs contain several cores (multiple cores), each acting as an
independent processor with its own ALU.
Cache Memory
CPUs have multiple levels (cache hierarchy) of cache memory for faster
data access.
L1 Cache
, Each core has its own L1 cache, the smallest but fastest cache for
frequently used data
L2 Cache
Each core also has an L2 cache, larger than L1 but slower
L3 Cache
All cores share a larger L3 cache, the slowest but most spacious cache.
Data bus
Cache memory offers significantly faster access than main memory due to
its proximity to the CPU cores, eliminating the data bus bottleneck.
Modified Harvard Architecture
Each core's L1 cache is further divided into separate sections for
instructions and data, simultaneously improving performance.
Level 0: Digital Logic
This logic based on manipulating ones and zeros, representing on/off
states to perform calculations. Basic functions like AND, OR, and NOT are
used to build more complex operations within the computer.
Level 1: Mirco Architectural Level
They define the basic control signals that tell the hardware what to do.
The process of designing these microinstructions to implement the
machine's instructions. In essence, its like writing a program to control
the hardware using low-level language.
Level 2: Instruction Set Architecture
Acts as a translation enabling low-level software to interact with the
underlying hardware. It provides instructions, I/O operations and
functionalities for programmers to write machine code. ISA is independent
of the hardware, allowing programs to run on different ISA-compliant
platforms.
Level 3: Operating System Machine
Provides an interface between assembly language and the abstractiuon of
the hardware architecture's instruction set. It generally contains many
libraries which help a software developer connect to lower-level system
functions (I/O, memory allocation, etc.) in an organized way
Level 4: Assembly Language
Offers fine grained control over computer hardware, allowing
programmers to optimize performance. This detailed language is often
used to create compilers, the programs that translate higher- lever code
