Architecture of Computer System

Architecture of Computer System

Computer is an electronic machine that makes performing any task very easy. In computer, the CPU executes each instruction provided to it, in a series of steps, this series of steps is called Machine Cycle, and is repeated for each instruction. One machine cycle involves fetching of instruction, decoding the instruction, transferring the data, executing the instruction.

A computer architecture is a detailed specification of the computational, communication, and data storage elements (hardware) of a computer system, how those components interact (machine organization), and how they are controlled (instruction set). A machine’s architecture determines which computations can be performed most efficiently, and which forms of data organization and program design will perform optimally.

The term “architecture” in computer literature can be traced to the work of Lyle R. Johnson and Frederick P. Brooks, Jr., members of the Machine Organization department in IBM’s main research center in 1959. Johnson had the opportunity to write a proprietary research communication about the Stretch, an IBM-developed supercomputer for Los Alamos National Laboratory (at the time known as Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory).

The term architecture as applied to computer design, was first used in 1964 by Gene Amdahl, G. Anne Blaauw, and Frederick Brooks, Jr., the designers of the IBM System/360. They coined the term to refer to those aspects of the instruction set available to programmers, independent of the hardware on which the instruction set was implemented.

Computer system has five basic units that help the computer to perform operations, which are given below:

Input Unit

Output Unit

Storage Unit

Arithmetic Logic Unit

Control Unit

Input unit performs following tasks: Accept the data and instructions from the outside environment. Convert it into machine language. Supply the converted data to computer system.

Output Unit:It connects the internal system of a computer to the external environment. It provides the results of any computation, or instructions to the outside world. Some output devices are printers, monitor etc.

Storage Unit:This unit holds the data and instructions. It also stores the intermediate results before these are sent to the output devices. It also stores the data for later use.The storage unit of a computer system can be divided into two categories:

Primary Storage:This memory is used to store the data which is being currently executed. It is used for temporary storage of data. The data is lost, when the computer is switched off. RAM is used as primary storage memory.

Secondary Storage:The secondary memory is slower and cheaper than primary memory. It is used for permanent storage of data. Commonly used secondary memory devices are hard disk, CD etc.

Arithmetic Logical Unit:All the calculations are performed in ALU of the computer system. The ALU can perform basic operations such as addition, subtraction, division, multiplication etc. Whenever calculations are required, the control unit transfers the data from storage unit to ALU. When the operations are done, the result is transferred back to the storage unit.

Control Unit: It controls all other units of the computer. It controls the flow of data and instructions to and from the storage unit to ALU. Thus it is also known as central nervous system of the computer.

Адрес публикации: https://www.prodlenka.org/metodicheskie-razrabotki/324442-architecture-of-computer-system