Chapter 1
Computer Abstractions
and Technology
Progress in computer technology
Underpinned by Moores Law
Makes novel applications feasible
1.1 Introduction
The Computer Revolution
Computers in automobiles
Cell phones
Human genome project
World Wide Web
Search Engines
Computers are pervasive
Chapter 1 Computer Abstractions and Technology 2
Classes of Computers
Desktop computers
Server computers
General purpose, variety of software
Subject to cost/performance tradeoff
Network based
High capacity, performance, reliability
Range from small servers to building sized
Embedded computers
Hidden as components of systems
Stringent power/performance/cost constraints
Chapter 1 Computer Abstractions and Technology 3
The Processor Market
Chapter 1 Computer Abstractions and Technology 4
What You Will Learn
How programs are translated into the
machine language
The hardware/software interface
What determines program performance
And how the hardware executes them
And how it can be improved
How hardware designers improve
performance
What is parallel processing
Chapter 1 Computer Abstractions and Technology 5
Understanding Performance
Algorithm
Programming language, compiler, architecture
Determine number of machine instructions executed
per operation
Processor and memory system
Determines number of operations executed
Determine how fast instructions are executed
I/O system (including OS)
Determines how fast I/O operations are executed
Chapter 1 Computer Abstractions and Technology 6
Application software
Written in high-level language
System software
Compiler: translates HLL code to
machine code
Operating System: service code
1.2 Below Your Program
Below Your Program
Handling input/output
Managing memory and storage
Scheduling tasks & sharing resources
Hardware
Processor, memory, I/O controllers
Chapter 1 Computer Abstractions and Technology 7
Levels of Program Code
High-level language
Assembly language
Level of abstraction closer
to problem domain
Provides for productivity
and portability
Textual representation of
instructions
Hardware representation
Binary digits (bits)
Encoded instructions and
data
Chapter 1 Computer Abstractions and Technology 8
The BIG Picture
Same components for
all kinds of computer
Desktop, server,
embedded
1.3 Under the Covers
Components of a Computer
Input/output includes
User-interface devices
Storage devices
Display, keyboard, mouse
Hard disk, CD/DVD, flash
Network adapters
For communicating with
other computers
Chapter 1 Computer Abstractions and Technology 9
Anatomy of a Computer
Output
device
Network
cable
Input
device
Input
device
Chapter 1 Computer Abstractions and Technology 10
Anatomy of a Mouse
Optical mouse
LED illuminates
desktop
Small low-res camera
Basic image processor
Looks for x, y
movement
Buttons & wheel
Supersedes roller-ball
mechanical mouse
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Through the Looking Glass
LCD screen: picture elements (pixels)
Mirrors content of frame buffer memory
Chapter 1 Computer Abstractions and Technology 12
Opening the Box
Chapter 1 Computer Abstractions and Technology 13
Inside the Processor (CPU)
Datapath: performs operations on data
Control: sequences datapath, memory, ...
Cache memory
Small fast SRAM memory for immediate
access to data
Chapter 1 Computer Abstractions and Technology 14
Inside the Processor
AMD Barcelona: 4 processor cores
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Abstractions
The BIG Picture
Abstraction helps us deal with complexity
Instruction set architecture (ISA)
The hardware/software interface
Application binary interface
Hide lower-level detail
The ISA plus system software interface
Implementation
The details underlying and interface
Chapter 1 Computer Abstractions and Technology 16
A Safe Place for Data
Volatile main memory
Loses instructions and data when power off
Non-volatile secondary memory
Magnetic disk
Flash memory
Optical disk (CDROM, DVD)
Chapter 1 Computer Abstractions and Technology 17
Networks
Communication and resource sharing
Local area network (LAN): Ethernet
Within a building
Wide area network (WAN: the Internet
Wireless network: WiFi, Bluetooth
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Technology Trends
Electronics
technology
continues to evolve
Increased capacity
and performance
Reduced cost
Year
Technology
1951
Vacuum tube
1965
Transistor
1975
Integrated circuit (IC)
1995
Very large scale IC (VLSI)
2005
Ultra large scale IC
DRAM capacity
Relative performance/cost
1
35
900
2,400,000
6,200,000,000
Chapter 1 Computer Abstractions and Technology 19
Which airplane has the best performance?
Boeing 777
Boeing 777
Boeing 747
Boeing 747
BAC/Sud
Concorde
BAC/Sud
Concorde
Douglas
DC-8-50
Douglas DC8-50
0
100
200
300
400
500
Boeing 777
Boeing 777
Boeing 747
Boeing 747
BAC/Sud
Concorde
BAC/Sud
Concorde
Douglas
DC-8-50
Douglas DC8-50
500
1000
Cruising Speed (mph)
4000
6000
8000 10000
Cruising Range (miles)
Passenger Capacity
2000
1.4 Performance
Defining Performance
1500
100000 200000 300000 400000
Passengers x mph
Chapter 1 Computer Abstractions and Technology 20
Response Time and Throughput
Response time
How long it takes to do a task
Throughput
Total work done per unit time
How are response time and throughput affected
by
e.g., tasks/transactions/ per hour
Replacing the processor with a faster version?
Adding more processors?
Well focus on response time for now
Chapter 1 Computer Abstractions and Technology 21
Relative Performance
Define Performance = 1/Execution Time
X is n time faster than Y
Performanc e X Performanc e Y
= Execution time Y Execution time X = n
Example: time taken to run a program
10s on A, 15s on B
Execution TimeB / Execution TimeA
= 15s / 10s = 1.5
So A is 1.5 times faster than B
Chapter 1 Computer Abstractions and Technology 22
Measuring Execution Time
Elapsed time
Total response time, including all aspects
Processing, I/O, OS overhead, idle time
Determines system performance
CPU time
Time spent processing a given job
Discounts I/O time, other jobs shares
Comprises user CPU time and system CPU
time
Different programs are affected differently by
CPU and system performance
Chapter 1 Computer Abstractions and Technology 23
CPU Clocking
Operation of digital hardware governed by a
constant-rate clock
Clock period
Clock (cycles)
Data transfer
and computation
Update state
Clock period: duration of a clock cycle
e.g., 250ps = 0.25ns = 2501012s
Clock frequency (rate): cycles per second
e.g., 4.0GHz = 4000MHz = 4.0109Hz
Chapter 1 Computer Abstractions and Technology 24
CPU Time
CPU Time = CPU Clock Cycles Clock Cycle Time
CPU Clock Cycles
=
Clock Rate
Performance improved by
Reducing number of clock cycles
Increasing clock rate
Hardware designer must often trade off clock
rate against cycle count
Chapter 1 Computer Abstractions and Technology 25
