Internal Hardware Components of a Computer

Question 1

What are the two methods of setting up a processors access to main memory?

Answer 1

• Harvard Architecture

* Von Nuemann Architecture

Question 2

How does Harvard architecture treat memory?

Answer 2

• Processor will use two separate main memory locations.
• One for instructions
• Another for data

Question 3

What can Harvard take advantage of?

Answer 3

Thanks to Harvard architecture’s use of separate pieces of main memory, it can take advantage of giving each piece of main memory different characteristics.

Question 4

Where is Harvard architecture used?

Answer 4

It is used in embedded systems such as digital signal processing.

Question 5

How does Von Neumann architecture function?

Answer 5

• Both instructions and data are stored together in the same memory

Question 6

What is a disadvantage of Von Neumann architecture?

Answer 6

They perform worse than those based on Harvard architecture as the same busses have to be shared for fetching both instructions and data.

Question 7

What is Von Neumann architecture used in?

Answer 7

General purpose computer systems.