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Computer Architecture And Design

Instructions:

Answer 38 questions in 15 minutes.
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Match each statement with the correct term.
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This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.

1. An example of something typically associated with RISC architecture that is not typical in CISC architecture.
Points to the address of an instruction that caused an exception
Points to the current top of the stack
Using fixed or variable length encoding.
Dedicated argument registers to reduce stack usage during procedure calls - consistently sized opcodes - separate instructions for store and load - improved linkage (jal and jr save $ra without using stack)

2. Moore's Law
Storage that retains data even in the absence of a power source.
Instructions/unit time (e.g. - instructions/sec) - equal to 1/execution time
A faster processor to complete task sooner - a better algorithm to complete the program/task sooner.
Computer speeds double every 18-24 months

3. How can you encode an ISA?
Memory used to hold program while they are executing.
When it is possible to occasionally miss the time constraint on an event - as long as not too many are missed.
DRAM - RAM - Cache are examples of this type of memory.
Using fixed or variable length encoding.

4. Stored Program Concept
Instructions and data are stored in memory as numbers
Points to the next instruction to be executed.
Points to the current top of the stack
When it is possible to occasionally miss the time constraint on an event - as long as not too many are missed.

5. What is non - volatile memory?
1- response time 2- throughput - response time and throughput are directly proportional or only interrelated - Interrelated only.
Storage that retains data even in the absence of a power source.
10^9 cycles per sec
Also called ILP. This is the potential overlap among instructions. There are two approaches: (1) hardware - and (2) software.

6. What is the $pc register used for?
There does not exist the case of negative zero. - Can perform a- b as a+ (- b) without adjustments inside the CPU.
Points to the next instruction to be executed.
Computers that are lodged in other devices where their presence is not immediately obvious.
Desktop computer / laptop computer - server - super computer - embedded computer - mobile computing

7. What is instruction - level parallelism?
Desktop computer / laptop computer - server - super computer - embedded computer - mobile computing
(1) pipelining (2) multiple instruction issue
Also called ILP. This is the potential overlap among instructions. There are two approaches: (1) hardware - and (2) software.
Instructions/unit time (e.g. - instructions/sec) - equal to 1/execution time

8. What is soft real- time?
Add memory - additional processors to handle more tasks in a given time.
When it is possible to occasionally miss the time constraint on an event - as long as not too many are missed.
When a segment of the application has an absolute maximum execution time.
The specifics of a computer - including the detailed logic design and the packaging technology of the computer

9. What are the base units of GHz?
Non - volatile memory used to store programs and data between executions.
The most expensive computers - costing tens of millions of dollars. They emphasize floating- point performance.
Magnetic disk - flash memory are examples of this type of memory.
10^9 cycles per sec

10. What is the $epc register used for?
A faster processor to complete task sooner - a better algorithm to complete the program/task sooner.
10^9 cycles per sec
Points to the address of an instruction that caused an exception
Instructions and data are stored in memory as numbers

11. What is thread- level parallelism?
There does not exist the case of negative zero. - Can perform a- b as a+ (- b) without adjustments inside the CPU.
The number of tasks completed per unit of time.
Storage that retains data even in the absence of a power source.
Also called TLP. A form of parallelization of computer code across multiple processors in parallel computing environments - which focuses on distributing execution processes (threads) across different parallel computing nodes.

12. What is secondary memory?
A faster processor to complete task sooner - a better algorithm to complete the program/task sooner.
Non - volatile memory used to store programs and data between executions.
Instructions/unit time (e.g. - instructions/sec) - equal to 1/execution time
Dedicated argument registers to reduce stack usage during procedure calls - consistently sized opcodes - separate instructions for store and load - improved linkage (jal and jr save $ra without using stack)

13. What is a real- time performance requirement?
High- level aspects of a computer's design - such as the memory system - the memory interconnect - and the design of the internal processor or CPU (central processing unit
When a segment of the application has an absolute maximum execution time.
The most expensive computers - costing tens of millions of dollars. They emphasize floating- point performance.
Computer speeds double every 18-24 months

14. What is main/primary memory?
Also called DLP. A form of parallelization of computing across multiple processors in parallel computing environments - which focuses on distributing the data across different parallel computing nodes.
Memory used to hold program while they are executing.
The most expensive computers - costing tens of millions of dollars. They emphasize floating- point performance.
The specifics of a computer - including the detailed logic design and the packaging technology of the computer

15. What are the five classic components of a computer?
(1) pipelining (2) multiple instruction issue
Points to the next instruction to be executed.
The number of tasks completed per unit of time.
Input - output - memory - datapath - control

16. What is throughput?
An abstract interface between the hardware and the lowest level software that encompasses all the information necessary to write a machine language program that will run correctly - including instructions - registers - memory access - I/O - etc.
The specifics of a computer - including the detailed logic design and the packaging technology of the computer
There does not exist the case of negative zero. - Can perform a- b as a+ (- b) without adjustments inside the CPU.
The number of tasks completed per unit of time.

17. What is the $sp register used for?
An abstract interface between the hardware and the lowest level software that encompasses all the information necessary to write a machine language program that will run correctly - including instructions - registers - memory access - I/O - etc.
Points to the current top of the stack
1- response time 2- throughput - response time and throughput are directly proportional or only interrelated - Interrelated only.
Instructions/unit time (e.g. - instructions/sec) - equal to 1/execution time

18. What are the hardware/software components affecting program performance?
Also called ILP. This is the potential overlap among instructions. There are two approaches: (1) hardware - and (2) software.
Procedure call. Copies PC to $ra - # push $t0 - Subu $sp - $sp - 4 - sw $t0 - ($sp) - # pop $t0 - Lw $t0 - ($sp) - addu $sp - $sp - 4
Algorithm - programming language - compiler - instruction set architecture
Magnetic disk - flash memory are examples of this type of memory.

19. What are embedded computers?
10^9 cycles per sec
Computers that are lodged in other devices where their presence is not immediately obvious.
The most expensive computers - costing tens of millions of dollars. They emphasize floating- point performance.
Also called TLP. A form of parallelization of computer code across multiple processors in parallel computing environments - which focuses on distributing execution processes (threads) across different parallel computing nodes.

20. How is CPU performance measured?
The number of tasks completed per unit of time.
The specifics of a computer - including the detailed logic design and the packaging technology of the computer
Instructions/unit time (e.g. - instructions/sec) - equal to 1/execution time
A faster processor to complete task sooner - a better algorithm to complete the program/task sooner.

21. What are the industry standard benchmarks to measure performance (e.g. - with different vendor chips)?
A faster processor to complete task sooner - a better algorithm to complete the program/task sooner.
The performance enhancement possible with a given improvement is limited by the amount that the improvement feature is used.
Desktop computer / laptop computer - server - super computer - embedded computer - mobile computing
1- response time 2- throughput - response time and throughput are directly proportional or only interrelated - Interrelated only.

22. An example of volatile memory
Magnetic disk - flash memory are examples of this type of memory.
Dedicated argument registers to reduce stack usage during procedure calls - consistently sized opcodes - separate instructions for store and load - improved linkage (jal and jr save $ra without using stack)
DRAM - RAM - Cache are examples of this type of memory.
The number of tasks completed per unit of time.

23. What are two examples of instruction - level parallelism?
(1) pipelining (2) multiple instruction issue
Algorithm - programming language - compiler - instruction set architecture
Using fixed or variable length encoding.
Input - output - memory - datapath - control

24. What does hardware refer to?
The specifics of a computer - including the detailed logic design and the packaging technology of the computer
Instructions and data are stored in memory as numbers
Points to the address of an instruction that caused an exception
High- level aspects of a computer's design - such as the memory system - the memory interconnect - and the design of the internal processor or CPU (central processing unit

25. What is response time?
Computers that are lodged in other devices where their presence is not immediately obvious.
(1) pipelining (2) multiple instruction issue
The total time required for the computer to to complete a task. (Includes disk accesses - memory accesses - I/O activities - OS overhead - and CPU execution time.)
The number of tasks completed per unit of time.

26. Amdahl's Law
The most expensive computers - costing tens of millions of dollars. They emphasize floating- point performance.
Non - volatile memory used to store programs and data between executions.
Points to the current top of the stack
The performance enhancement possible with a given improvement is limited by the amount that the improvement feature is used.

27. One reason why two's compliment is used as opposed to signed magnitude or one's compliment?
There does not exist the case of negative zero. - Can perform a- b as a+ (- b) without adjustments inside the CPU.
The specifics of a computer - including the detailed logic design and the packaging technology of the computer
1- response time 2- throughput - response time and throughput are directly proportional or only interrelated - Interrelated only.
Points to the current top of the stack

28. What is included in the term organization?

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29. What is a supercomputer?
Computers that are lodged in other devices where their presence is not immediately obvious.
The most expensive computers - costing tens of millions of dollars. They emphasize floating- point performance.
The total time required for the computer to to complete a task. (Includes disk accesses - memory accesses - I/O activities - OS overhead - and CPU execution time.)
Points to the next instruction to be executed.

30. An example of non - volatile memory
Points to the current top of the stack
An abstract interface between the hardware and the lowest level software that encompasses all the information necessary to write a machine language program that will run correctly - including instructions - registers - memory access - I/O - etc.
10^9 cycles per sec
Magnetic disk - flash memory are examples of this type of memory.

31. What is price performance?
The performance enhancement possible with a given improvement is limited by the amount that the improvement feature is used.
Algorithm - programming language - compiler - instruction set architecture
The combination of performance (measured primarily in therms of compute performance and graphics performance) and the price of a system.
Instructions and data are stored in memory as numbers

32. What does jal <proc> do?
Procedure call. Copies PC to $ra - # push $t0 - Subu $sp - $sp - 4 - sw $t0 - ($sp) - # pop $t0 - Lw $t0 - ($sp) - addu $sp - $sp - 4
An abstract interface between the hardware and the lowest level software that encompasses all the information necessary to write a machine language program that will run correctly - including instructions - registers - memory access - I/O - etc.
Input - output - memory - datapath - control
Add memory - additional processors to handle more tasks in a given time.

33. What is data- level parallelism?
An abstract interface between the hardware and the lowest level software that encompasses all the information necessary to write a machine language program that will run correctly - including instructions - registers - memory access - I/O - etc.
There does not exist the case of negative zero. - Can perform a- b as a+ (- b) without adjustments inside the CPU.
The total time required for the computer to to complete a task. (Includes disk accesses - memory accesses - I/O activities - OS overhead - and CPU execution time.)
Also called DLP. A form of parallelization of computing across multiple processors in parallel computing environments - which focuses on distributing the data across different parallel computing nodes.

34. What are the classes of computing applications (five)?
Memory used to hold program while they are executing.
Desktop computer / laptop computer - server - super computer - embedded computer - mobile computing
The specifics of a computer - including the detailed logic design and the packaging technology of the computer
Computer speeds double every 18-24 months

35. What is volatile memory?
10^9 cycles per sec
Add memory - additional processors to handle more tasks in a given time.
Storage that retains data only if it is receiving power
The number of tasks completed per unit of time.

36. An example of an improvement that would impact throughput (but not response time).
The performance enhancement possible with a given improvement is limited by the amount that the improvement feature is used.
Algorithm - programming language - compiler - instruction set architecture
Add memory - additional processors to handle more tasks in a given time.
An abstract interface between the hardware and the lowest level software that encompasses all the information necessary to write a machine language program that will run correctly - including instructions - registers - memory access - I/O - etc.

37. What is an Instruction Set Architecture (ISA)?
Dedicated argument registers to reduce stack usage during procedure calls - consistently sized opcodes - separate instructions for store and load - improved linkage (jal and jr save $ra without using stack)
An abstract interface between the hardware and the lowest level software that encompasses all the information necessary to write a machine language program that will run correctly - including instructions - registers - memory access - I/O - etc.
Instructions/unit time (e.g. - instructions/sec) - equal to 1/execution time
Storage that retains data even in the absence of a power source.

38. An example of an improvement that would impact response time (but not throughput).
A faster processor to complete task sooner - a better algorithm to complete the program/task sooner.
(1) pipelining (2) multiple instruction issue
Dedicated argument registers to reduce stack usage during procedure calls - consistently sized opcodes - separate instructions for store and load - improved linkage (jal and jr save $ra without using stack)
The number of tasks completed per unit of time.