1-1 Chapter 1 - Introduction

Computer Architecture and

Organization
Miles Murdocca and Vincent Heuring

Chapter 1 – Introduction

Computer Architecture and Organization by M. Murdocca and V. Heuring © 2007 M. Murdocca and V. Heuring
 1-2 Chapter 1 - Introduction

Chapter Contents
1.1 A Brief History of Computing
1.2 The Von Neumann Model
1.3 The System Bus Model
1.4 Levels of Machines
1.5 A Typical Computer System
1.7 Organization of the Book
1.8 Case Study: What Happened to Supercomputers?

Computer Architecture and Organization by M. Murdocca and V. Heuring © 2007 M. Murdocca and V. Heuring
 1-3 Chapter 1 - Introduction

Some Definitions

• Computer architecture deals with the functional behavior of a

computer system as viewed by a programmer (like the size of
a data type – 32 bits to an integer).
• Computer organization deals with structural relationships that
are not visible to the programmer (like clock frequency or the
size of the physical memory).
• There is a concept of levels in computer architecture. The
basic idea is that there are many levels at which a computer
can be considered, from the highest level, where the user is
running programs, to the lowest level, consisting of
transistors and wires.

Computer Architecture and Organization by M. Murdocca and V. Heuring © 2007 M. Murdocca and V. Heuring
 1-4 Chapter 1 - Introduction

Wolf Radius Bone

• Wolf radius bone ca. 25,000–30,000 B.C. showing 55 cuts in
groups of five, suggesting a rudimentary form of multiplication or
division.

(Source: Illustrated London News, October 2, 1937.)

Computer Architecture and Organization by M. Murdocca and V. Heuring © 2007 M. Murdocca and V. Heuring
 1-5 Chapter 1 - Introduction

Tally Sticks
• Original wooden tally
sticks from
Westminster, England,
ca. 1250–1275 A.D.

(© SSPL/The
ImageWorks.)

Computer Architecture and Organization by M. Murdocca and V. Heuring © 2007 M. Murdocca and V. Heuring
 1-6 Chapter 1 - Introduction

Chinese Abacus
• Representation of 39,017 on a Chinese abacus.

Computer Architecture and Organization by M. Murdocca and V. Heuring © 2007 M. Murdocca and V. Heuring
 1-7 Chapter 1 - Introduction

Cylinder Music Box

• Victorian Swiss cylinder music box, dated 1862.

(Source: http://www.liveauctioneers.com/auctions/ebay/497199.html.)
Computer Architecture and Organization by M. Murdocca and V. Heuring © 2007 M. Murdocca and V. Heuring
 1-8 Chapter 1 - Introduction

Pascal’s Calculating Machine

• Performs basic arithmetic operations (early to mid 1600’s). Does
not have what may be considered the basic parts of a computer.

(Source: IBM
Archives
photograph.)

Computer Architecture and Organization by M. Murdocca and V. Heuring © 2007 M. Murdocca and V. Heuring
 1-9 Chapter 1 - Introduction

Babbage’s Difference Engine #1

• Working portion of Babbage’s Difference Engine No. 1, which is
the first known automatic calculator.

(© SSPL/The ImageWorks.)
Computer Architecture and Organization by M. Murdocca and V. Heuring © 2007 M. Murdocca and V. Heuring
 1-10 Chapter 1 - Introduction

The Jacquard Pattern Weaving Loom

• The Jacquard pattern

weaving loom (ca.
1804).

(Source: The Deutsches

Museum.)

Computer Architecture and Organization by M. Murdocca and V. Heuring © 2007 M. Murdocca and V. Heuring
 1-11 Chapter 1 - Introduction

Enigma
• Siemens Halkse T-52 Sturgeon (Enigma) cipher machine.

(Photo and copy courtesy John Alexander, G7GCK Leicester, England.)

Computer Architecture and Organization by M. Murdocca and V. Heuring © 2007 M. Murdocca and V. Heuring
 1-12 Chapter 1 - Introduction

Colossus
• The Colossus (ca. 1944).

(Source: http://www.turing.org.uk/turing/scrapbook/electronic.html.)
Computer Architecture and Organization by M. Murdocca and V. Heuring © 2007 M. Murdocca and V. Heuring
 1-13 Chapter 1 - Introduction

The ENIAC

(Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images.)

Computer Architecture and Organization by M. Murdocca and V. Heuring © 2007 M. Murdocca and V. Heuring
 1-14 Chapter 1 - Introduction

Moore’s Law
• Computing power doubles every 18 months, for the same price.

Computer Architecture and Organization by M. Murdocca and V. Heuring © 2007 M. Murdocca and V. Heuring
 1-15 Chapter 1 - Introduction

UltraSPARC IV+ Layout

• Die photo of UltraSPARC IV+, 295 million transistors, 19.7 mm × 17.0 mm.

(Source: “Best Servers of 2004”, Kevin Krewell, 1/18/05, Microprocessor,

www.MPRonline.com, Reed Electronics Group, ref: h10018.www1.hp.com/.)
Computer Architecture and Organization by M. Murdocca and V. Heuring © 2007 M. Murdocca and V. Heuring
 1-16 Chapter 1 - Introduction

The von Neumann Model

• The von Neumann model consists of five major components:
(1) input unit; (2) output unit; (3) arithmetic logic unit; (4) memory unit;
(5) control unit.

Computer Architecture and Organization by M. Murdocca and V. Heuring © 2007 M. Murdocca and V. Heuring
 1-17 Chapter 1 - Introduction

The System Bus Model

• A refinement of the von Neumann model, the system bus model has a CPU
(ALU and control), memory, and an input/output unit.

• Communication among components is handled by a shared pathway called

the system bus, which is made up of the data bus, the address bus, and the
control bus. There is also a power bus, and some architectures may also
have a separate I/O bus.

Computer Architecture and Organization by M. Murdocca and V. Heuring © 2007 M. Murdocca and V. Heuring
 1-18 Chapter 1 - Introduction

Levels of Machines
• There are a number of levels in a computer, from the user level down to
the transistor level.

• Progressing from the top level downward, the levels become less abstract
as more of the internal structure of the computer becomes visible.

Computer Architecture and Organization by M. Murdocca and V. Heuring © 2007 M. Murdocca and V. Heuring
 1-19 Chapter 1 - Introduction

A Typical
Computer
System

(Computer case source http://www.baber.com/cases/mpe_md14_silver.htm.

Motherboard source ftp://ftp.tyan.com/img_mobo/i_s2895.tif)
Computer Architecture and Organization by M. Murdocca and V. Heuring © 2007 M. Murdocca and V. Heuring
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The Motherboard
• An AMD Opteron 200 based motherboard.

Source: Courtesy Tyan Computer Corp. (USA).

Computer Architecture and Organization by M. Murdocca and V. Heuring © 2007 M. Murdocca and V. Heuring
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End-to-End Network
• End-to-end communication over a network. Highlighted architectural components include computers, hubs, switches, routers, firewalls,
multiplexers, and
phone switches.

Source: MSG
Scott Bramwell.

Computer Architecture and Organization by M. Murdocca and V. Heuring © 2007 M. Murdocca and V. Heuring
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Manchester University Mark 1 / Baby

• The Manchester University Mark 1, showing the Manchester Baby
portion which was made operational on 21 June 1948.

(Source: The University of Manchester, www.computer50.org/mark1/ip-

mm1.mark1.html)
Computer Architecture and Organization by M. Murdocca and V. Heuring © 2007 M. Murdocca and V. Heuring
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Moore’s Law Restated

• Computing power doubles every 18 months for the same price.
• Project planning needs to take this observation seriously: an
architectural innovation that is being developed for a projected benefit
that quadruples performance in three years may no longer be relevant:
the architectures that exist by then may already offer quadrupled
performance and may look entirely different from what the innovation
needs to be effective.

Computer Architecture and Organization by M. Murdocca and V. Heuring © 2007 M. Murdocca and V. Heuring