Computer Architecture

12 flashcards · Other · by Ananthi Muthuswamy

1. Explain what is Computer Architecture?

   Computer architecture is a specification detailing about how a set of software and hardware standards interacts with each other to form a computer system or platform.

2. How Computer Architecture is characterized?

   The computer architecture is characterized into three categories System Design: It includes all the hardware component in the system, including data processor aside from the CPU like direct memory access and graphic processing unit

3. Mention important steps for computer design?

   A CPU architecture is defined by the set of machine language which can be defined as a Set of registers and their functions ( capabilities ) Sequence of micro-operations performed on the data stored in registers Control signals that initiate the sequence

4. Mention what are the basic components of a Microprocessor?

   The basic components of a Microprocessor are Address lines to refer to the address of a block Data lines for data transfer IC chips for processing data

5. Mention what are different types of interrupts in a microprocessor system? Explain?

   There are three types of interrupts that can cause a break. External Interrrupts: From external input/output devices such types of interrupt comes. Internal Interrupts: These types of interrupts are caused due to any exception caused by the program itself. For example, division by zero or an invalid opcode, etc. Software Interrupts: Only during the execution of an instruction such type of interruption can occur. The primary purpose of such interrupts is to switch from user mode to supervisor mo…

6. Mention what are the common components of a microprocessor are?

   The common components of a microprocessor include I/O Units Control Unit Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) Registers Cache

7. Explain what is Snooping Cache?

   Snooping Cache is the process where individual caches monitor address lines for accesses to memory locations that they have cached.

8. What technique is used to automatically move program and data blocks into the physical main memory when they are required for execution?

   Virtual Memory technique is used. It provides a mechanism for translating program generated address into correct main memory locations. By means of mapping table translation or mapping is handled.

9. Mention what is the use of RAID system?

   The use of RAID system is to increase the disk storage capacity and availability.

10. Explain what type of memory that can be erased with the electric discharge?

    With the passage of electric discharge, EEPROM is the type of memory whose content is erased.

11. Explain what is horizontal micro code? .

    The horizontal micro code contains the control signal without any intermediary. It contains a lot of signals and hence due to that the number of bits also increases

12. Explain what is direct mapping I

    n direct mapping, the RAM is used to store data and some of the data is stored in the Cache. The address space is divided into two parts index field and tag field. The tag field is used to store the tag field whereas the rest is stored in the main memory.