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Computer Architecture > Chapter 1 > Flashcards

Chapter 1 Flashcards

1
Q

Desktop computer

A

A computer designed for use by an individual, usually incorporating a graphics display, a keyboard, and a mouse

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2
Q

Server

A

A computer used for running larger programs for multiple users, often simultaneously, and typically accessed only via a network

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3
Q

Supercomputer

A

A class of computers with the highest performance and cost; they are configured as servers and typically cost millions of dollars

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4
Q

Terabyte

A

Originally 2^40 bytes, although some communications and secondary storage systems have redefined it to mean 10^12 bytes

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5
Q

Petabyte

A

Depending on the situation, either 1000 or 1024 terabytes

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6
Q

Datacenter

A

A room or building designed to handle the power, cooling, and networking needs of a large number of servers

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7
Q

Embedded computer

A

A computer inside another device used for running one predetermined application or collection of software

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8
Q

Multicore microprocessor

A

A microprocessor containing multiple processors (“cores”) in a single integrated circuit

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9
Q

Acronym

A

A word constructed by taking the initial letters or a string of words. For example: RAM is an acronym for Random Access Memory, and CPU is an acronym for Central Processing Unit

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10
Q

Systems software

A

Software that provides services that are commonly useful, including operating systems, compilers, loaders, and assemblers.

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11
Q

Operating system

A

Supervising program that manages the resources of a computer for the benefit of the programs that run on that computer

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12
Q

Compiler

A

A program that translates high-level language statements into assembly language statements

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13
Q

Binary digit

A

Also called a bit. One of the two numbers in base 2 (0 or 1) that are the components of information

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14
Q

Instruction

A

A command that computer hardware understands and obeys

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15
Q

Assembler

A

A program that translates a symbolic version of instructions into the binary version

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16
Q

Assembly language

A

A symbolic representation of machine instructions

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17
Q

Machine language

A

A binary representation of machine instructions

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18
Q

High-level programming language

A

A portable language such as C, C++, Java, or Visual Basic that is composed of words and algebraic notation that can be translated by a compiler into assembly language

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19
Q

Input device

A

A mechanism through which the computer is fed information, such as the keyboard or mouse

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20
Q

Output device

A

A mechanism that conveys the result of a computation to a user or another computer

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21
Q

Liquid crystal display

A

A display technology using a thin layer of liquid polymers that can be used to transmit or block light according to whether a charge is applied

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22
Q

Active matrix display

A

A liquid crystal display using a transistor to control the transmission of light at each individual pixel

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23
Q

Pixel

A

The smallest individual picture element. Screens are composed of hundreds of thousands to millions of pixels, organized in a matrix

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24
Q

Motherboard

A

A plastic board containing packages of integrated circuits or chips, including processor, cache, memory, and connectors for I/O devices such as networks and disks

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25
Q

Integrated circuit

A

Also called a chip. A device combining dozens to millions of transistors

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26
Q

Memory

A

The storage area in which programs are kept when they are running and that contains the data needed by the running programs

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27
Q

Dynamic random access memory (DRAM)

A

Memory built as an integrated circuit; it provides random access to any location

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28
Q

Dual inline memory module (DIMM)

A

A small board that contains DRAM chips on both sides. (SIMMs have DRAMs on only one side)

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29
Q

Central processor unit (CPU)

A

Also called processor. The active part of the computer, which contains the datapath and control and which adds numbers, tests numbers, signals I/O devices to activate, and so on

30
Q

Datapath

A

The component of the processor that performs arithmetic operations

31
Q

Control

A

The component of the processor that commands the datapath, memory, and I/O devices according to the instructions of the program

32
Q

Cache memory

A

A small, fast memory that acts as a buffer for a slower, larger memory

33
Q

Static random access memory (SRAM)

A

Also memory built as an integrated circuit, but faster and less dense that DRAM

34
Q

Abstraction

A

A model that renders lower-level details of computer systems temporarily invisible to facilitate design of sophisticated systems

35
Q

Instruction set architecture

A

Also called architecture. 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, …

36
Q

Application binary interface (ABI)

A

The user portion of the instruction set plus the operating system interfaces used by application programmers. Defines a standard for binary portability across computers

37
Q

Implementation

A

Hardware that obeys the architecture abstraction

38
Q

Volatile memory

A

Storage, such as DRAM, that reains data only if it is receiving power

39
Q

Nonvolatile memory

A

A form of memory that retains data even in the absence of a power source and that is used to store programs between runs. Magnetic disk is nonvolatile.

40
Q

Main memory

A

Also called primary memory. Memory used to hold programs while they are running; typically consists of DRAM in today’s computers

41
Q

Secondary memory

A

Nonvolatile memory used to store programs and data between runs; typically consists of magnetic disks in today’s computers

42
Q

Magnetic disk

A

Also called hard disk. A form of nonvolatile secondary memory composed of rotating platters coated with a magnetic recording material

43
Q

Flash memory

A

A nonvolatile semiconductor memory. It is cheaper and slower than DRAM but more expensive and faster than magnetic disks

44
Q

Gigabyte

A

Traditionally 2^30 bytes, although some communicaions and secondary storage systems have redefined it to mean 10^9 bytes. Similarly, depending on the context, megabyte is either 2^20 or 10^6

45
Q

Local area network (LAN)

A

A network designed to carry data within a geographically confined area, typically within a single building

46
Q

Wide area network (WAN)

A

A network extended over hundreds of kilometers that can span a continent

47
Q

Vacuum tube

A

An electronic component, predecessor of the transistor, that consists of a hollow glass tube about 5 to 10 cm long from which as much air has been removed as possible and that uses an electron beam to transfer data

48
Q

Transistor

A

An on/off switch controlled by an electric signal

49
Q

Very large-scale integrated (VLSI) circuit

A

A device containing hundreds of thousands to millions of transistors

50
Q

Response time

A

Also called execution time. The total time required for the computer to complete a task, including disk accesses, memory accesses, I/O activities, operating system overhead, CPU execution time, and so on

51
Q

Throughput

A

Also called bandwidth. Another measure of performance it is the number of tasks completed per unit time

52
Q

CPU execution time

A

Also called CPU time. The actual time the CPU spends computing for a specific task

53
Q

User CPU time

A

The CPU time spent in a program itself

54
Q

System CPU time

A

The CPU time spent in the operating system performing tasks on behalf of the program

55
Q

Clock cycle

A

Also called tick, clock tick, clock period, clock, cycle. The time for one clock period, usually of the processor clock, which runs at a constant rate

56
Q

Clock period

A

The length of each clock cycle

57
Q

Clock cycles per instruction (CPI)

A

Average number of clock cycles per instruction for a program or program fragment

58
Q

Instruction count

A

The number of instructions executed by the program

59
Q

Instruction mix

A

A measure of the dynamic frequency of instructions across one or many programs

60
Q

Silicon

A

A natural element that is a semiconductor

61
Q

Semiconductor

A

A substance that does not conduct electricity well

62
Q

Silicon crystal ingot

A

A rod composed of a silicon crystal that is between 8 and 12 inches in diameter and about 12 to 24 inches long

63
Q

Wafer

A

A slice from a silicon ingot no more that 0.1 inch thick, used to create chips

64
Q

Defect

A

A microscopic flaw in a wafer or in patterning steps that can result in the failure of the die containing that defect

65
Q

Die

A

The individual rectangular sections that are cut from a wafer, more informally known as chips

66
Q

Yield

A

The percentage of good dies from the total number of dies on the wafer

67
Q

Workload

A

a set of programs run on a computer that is either the actual collection of applications run by a user or constructed from real programs to approximate such a mix. A typical workload specifies both the programs and the relative frequencies

68
Q

Benchmark

A

A program selected for use in comparing computer performance

69
Q

Amdahl’s law

A

A rule stating that the performance enhancement possible with a given improvement is limited by the amount that the improved feature is used. It is a quantitative version of the law of diminishing returns

70
Q

Million instructions per second (MIPS)

A

A measurement of program execution speed based on the number of millions of instructions. MIPS is computed as the instruction count divided by the product of execution time and 10^6

Computer Architecture (1 decks)

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