Chapter 1 (Computer System Overview) Flashcards

1
Q

Fetches instructions from memory and executes them

A

CPU

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2
Q

Volatile storage for programs and data

A

Main memory

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3
Q

Allow data to be moved to and from the computer and I/O devices

A

I/O modules

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4
Q

The pathway for data and instructions to move between the processor, memory, and I/O modules

A

System bus

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5
Q

What connects the CPU, I/O Modules, and Main Memory?

A

System bus

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6
Q

A ____ is a processor contained on a single chip

A

Microprocessor

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7
Q

How can each core support two logical processors?

A

Sharing an execution unit

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8
Q

What is a DSP?

A

Digital Signal Processor

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9
Q

What can a DSP process?

A

Audio or video streams

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10
Q

A ____ is a set of instructions to be executed in memory

A

Program

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11
Q

A simplified view of the processor consists of two phases, ____ and ____

A

Fetch, execute

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12
Q

What does a fetch do?

A

Retrieves an instruction from memory

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13
Q

What does the execute step do?

A

Carries out the instruction

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14
Q

An “____” is the processing of a single instruction, involving the fetch cycle and execute cycle

A

Instruction cycle

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15
Q

What is Processor-memory

A

Transfer data between processor and memory

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16
Q

What is Processor-I/O

A

Data transferred to or from a peripheral device

17
Q

Data processing

A

Arithmetic or logic operation on data

18
Q

What is control?

A

Alter sequence of execution (branch instruction)

19
Q

Register commonly used for loading and storing values to memory and doing arithmetic

A

Accumulator register

20
Q

A mechanism for interrupting the processor’s execution in order to do something else

21
Q

What are some common types of interrupts?

A

Program
Timer
I/O
Hardware failure

22
Q

____ improve processor utilization by notifying the processor of an event versus making the processor wait

A

Interrupts

23
Q

What if we didn’t have interrupts?

A

The processor would have to keep checking to see if an event has occurred

24
Q

What must the processor do before executing the interrupt handler?

A

Save the system state (the registers) on the stack

25
T/F It is possible for an interrupt to occur while another interrupt is being processed
T
26
Memory on a computer system is composed of a ____
Hierarchy
27
T/F Program execution of instructions and data occurs in clusters
T
28
The ____ is the fraction of memory accesses that are found in the cache
Hit ratio
29
What are some considerations in cache design?
``` Cache size Block size Mapping function Replacement algorithm Write policy ```
30
What does the mapping function do?
Determines where to put a new block
31
What does the replacement algorithm do?
Determines how to replace a block
32
What is the write policy?
When to write a block back to main memory
33
Processor moves data between I/O module and memory
Programmed I/O
34
Processor issues I/O command and then goes on to other processing
Interrupt-driven I/O
35
Processor delegates the I/O transfer to the DMA module
DMA (Direct Memory Access)
36
What are some SMP advantages?
Performance Availability Incremental growth Scaling
37
What does SMP stand for?
Symmetric Multiprocessors
38
One reason for multicores is the...
Limitations of continuing to improve a single processor