Answer To: Kent Institute Australia Pty. Ltd. Assessment Brief XXXXXXXXXXABN XXXXXXXXXXCRICOS Code: 00161E RTO...
Deepti answered on Oct 13 2021
Computer Architecture
2021
CARC-103 Student Name
[Computer Architecture]
Reflective Journal
Contents
Introduction 3
Week 1 3
Role of Software in Computer systems 3
Week 2 3
ASCII Code 4
Week 3 4
Instruction cycle pipelining 4
Week 4 5
Cloud-based storage services 5
Week 5 5
Stack Memory 6
Week 6 6
Bar Code Scanners 6
Week 7 6
TCP/IP 6
Week 8 7
Hypervisor 7
Week 9 7
RAID-5 Protection 7
Week 11 8
Conclusion 8
References 8
Introduction
This report enlists all the concepts of operating system in computer architecture. All the hardware, software and network terminology and requirements used to build a computer and to understand its working were studied in this course. The concepts of my interest include ASCII coding format for data representation and storage, cloud-based storage, use of stack method for memory operations, how bar code scanners are used as I/O devices, TCP/IP network model. Hypervisor virtualization software and RAID-5 protection for file management. Since the role of software is equally critical to the performance and ease of use of a machine (computer), as is the role of hardware, I begin the journal with concepts that explain the significance of software.
Week 1
System Architecture is introduced where automated computation id discussed along with its technologies like Biology, Mechanics, Electronic, Optics and Quantum mechanics. The fundamental related to computer and its components are described including general-purpose and special purpose processor and CPU components, primary and secondary storage, system bus, I.O devices. It further discusses personal smart devices, midrange computers, mainframe and super computers and servers. Software such as application software, embedded software and system software are introduced followed by web apps and web services, URL and communication over network.
Role of Software in Computer systems
I was more interested in understanding the role of software in systems. After reading through literature, I think software is a dominating factor in development of complex systems. It contributes significantly to the development cost and elapsed time of development. A thorough understanding of the role of software shall help me as a system architect to integrate the software development. It will enable me to make software-hardware tradeoffs effectively, balance overall system performance, risks and costs. The role of software includes integration technology, capturing application functionality, defining system behavior, determining the potential that the system performance achieves (Kruchten, 2009) and direct the computer system to achieve certain work.
Week 2
Data representation in computer system includes various forms in which it can be stored and processed. This involves representation of number system and text. The formats that a processor works on include integers, real numbers, characters, Boolean and memory address. Integers can be represented by excess notation and two’s complement. Real numbers are represented by floating point notation. Characters are represented in ASCII 7-bit coding format and Unicode and Boolean data is represented as true or false. Lastly, memory address format is crucial to computer since CPU’s performance depends on how efficiently it can read the memory addresses and write into them.
ASCII Code
I found ASCII format interesting to understand how computer can convert characters into numbers. The letters or characters are assigned a value through ASCII table where every number, letter, punctuation mark, etc. has a unique code. It is important to know the convention being used in order to understand a coding format and this knowledge shall help me in understanding the conversions easily. A number in binary is first converted into decimal representation. Each digit is then represented by BCD codes. Each of the deduced digits is converted to its own ASCII character code and then the generated code is used for accomplishing tasks like printing. Printing device would be pre-programmed to recognize the code as the actual decimal number.
Week 3
The components of a CPU are described and the instruction cycles are discussed in detail. The flow of control and data during fetch and execution cycles is demonstrated well. Instructions like Move, Add, Shift, Jump are introduced. Simple and complex instructions like RISC, CISC are enlisted with comparison. Performance measures for instructions are discussed like MIPS, MFLOPS, Benchmarks, SPEC. General-purpose and Special-purpose registers are discussed with word size and performance. CPU performance enhancement methods like pipelining, memory caching, branch prediction and speculation execution and multiprocessing are discussed. Lastly, the lecture discussed how a processor is fabricated.
Instruction cycle pipelining
Each instruction is a time-shift pipeline and instruction always moves from left to right. Another simple representation can be taken as clock cycles move left to right, instructions take the same progress and time of each instruction when it is present in pipeline can be shown through cell labeling. The diagram below shows hoe instructions progress in pipeline. However, delay issues need further understanding. Theoretically, the delays through every pipeline stage are identical but practically it is hard to accomplish. Research by (Sprangle, 2002)...