Unit 10 Listen and Read:
Computer Architecture
Computer architecture represents the programming model of the computer, including the instruction set and the definition of register file, memory, and so on. Over time, the concept of computer architecture has evolved to include both the functional specification and the hardware implementation. At the system level, it defines the processor-level building blocks, such as processors and memories, and the interconnection among the building blocks. At the microprocessor level, computer architecture determines the processor's programming model and its detailed implementation. The implementation of a microprocessor is also known as micro architecture. The task of a computer architect is to understand the state-of-the-art technologies at each design level and the changing design tradeoffs for their specific applications. The tradeoff of cost, performance, and power consumption is fundamental to a computer system design. For high-performance server applications, chip and system costs are less important than performance. Computer speedup can be accomplished by constructing more capable processor units or by integrating many processors units on a die.