Computer

Hardware

Chapter Preview
In this chapter, we will study:
The hardware components of an information system:
CPU (central processing unit) Memory (primary and secondary storage) Input devices Output devices.

The classification of computers. Strategic issues regarding hardware.

Why Learn About Hardware?

Can improve productivity, increase revenue and provide better service Managers are expected to know about hardware
To help define business needs To ask questions and evaluate options when buying equipment

Hardware : An Introduction
Hardware: any machinery (most of which use digital circuits) that assists in the input, processing, storage, and output activities of an information system

Computer System
The CPU
Control ALU Unit

Input Devices

Registers

Output Devices

Primary Storage

Communication Devices

Secondary Storage

The CPU
A microprocessor that executes instructions to perform processing tasks. Component parts are:
Control Unit Arithmetic-Logic Unit Registers Primary Storage
The CPU
Control ALU Unit

Registers Primary Storage

The CPU (continued)

Control Unit
Access program instructions Decode (interpret) instructions Control the flow of data throughout system Data flows through paths called buses

The CPU
Control ALU Unit

Registers Primary Storage

The CPU (continued)

Arithmetic-Logic Unit
Perform computations on data Perform comparisons on data
The CPU
Control ALU Unit

Registers Primary Storage

The CPU (continued)

Registers
High speed storage areas Hold data and instructions
The CPU
Control ALU Unit

Registers Primary Storage

The CPU (continued)

Primary Storage (Main Memory)
Stores instructions from programs Stores data to be processed
The CPU
Control ALU Unit

Registers Primary Storage

The CPU (continued)

Machine Instruction Cycle
An instruction is fetched from primary storage by the Control Unit The Control Unit decodes the instruction The ALU receives the data and the instruction and performs the calculation or comparison The result is stored in primary storage.
Machine cycle time is measured in: Nanoseconds (1 billionth of a second) Picoseconds (1 trillionth of a second) MIPS (millions of instructions per second)

The CPU (continued)

Computer performance is measured by the number of Machine Instruction Cycles performed per second. Factors affecting this performance include:
Clock Speed series of electronic pulses produced at a predetermined rate that affects machine cycle time Word Length Line Width

Hardware Components in Action

Step 1: Fetch instruction Step 2: Decode instruction Step 3: Execute instruction Step 4: Store results

Hardware Components in Action (continued)

Execution of an Instruction

Physical Characteristics of the CPU

Digital circuits on chips Electrical current flows through silicon Moores Law: transistor density of chips will double every 18 months

CPU Architecture
Multiprocessing: simultaneous execution of two or more instructions at the same time Multiprocessing using coprocessors
Coprocessor: speeds processing by executing specific types of instructions while the CPU works on another processing activity

Parallel Computing
Parallel computing: simultaneous execution of the same task on multiple processors to obtain results faster Parallel Processing Pipelining

Parallel Computing (continued)

Different approaches to achieving parallel computing
Single instruction/multiple data (SIMD) parallel processors Multiple instruction/multiple data (MIMD) parallel processors

Grid computing: use of a collection of computers,

often owned by multiple individuals or organizations, to work in a coordinated manner to solve a common problem

Other Architectures
CISC( Complex Instruction Set Computer) RISC ( Reduced Instruction Set Computer)

Computer Memory
The CPU
Control ALU Unit

Input Devices

Registers

Output Devices

Primary Storage

Communication Devices

Secondary Storage

Computer Memory Basics

Computers are digital, and represent data in bit patterns Bit is shorthand for Binary digIT. The binary system consists of two values: 0 & 1 8 bits = byte Bytes are the basic measure of storage in computers Kilobytes, Megabytes, Gigabytes, Terabytes

Memory Characteristics and Functions

Main memory
Located physically close to the CPU, but not on the CPU chip itself Rapidly provides data and instructions to the CPU

Types of Memory
Random access memory (RAM)
Temporary and volatile

Types of RAM
DRAM (Dynamic RAM) SRAM (Static RAM)

Types of Memory (continued)

Types of nonvolatile memory
ROM (read-only memory) PROM (programmable read-only memory) EPROM (erasable programmable read-only memory)

Cache memory: high-speed memory that a processor can access more rapidly than main memory

Types of Memory (continued)

SRAM

Basic Types of Memory Chips

EDO*- Extended Data Out

Types of Memory (continued)

Cache Memory