67th Orientation Course

Academic Staff College

TITLE: COMPUTER SYSTEM

Pearson India

ISBN-10

8131700704

Edition

3rd Edition

Number of Pages

542 Pages

Publication Year

2007

Language

English

ISBN-13

9788131700709

Binding

Paperback

REVIEWER: ER. ROUF UL ALAM BHAT

Assistant Professor (ECE)

The book entitled Computer system Architecture by Morris M. Mano. Is a thoroughly edited
book in computer organization and architecture and has been named as bible of computer
architecture. While going through the book there are hardly any flaws but reviewing this book
makes me to write something about its positives. Dealing with computer architecture as well as
computer organization and design, this book provides the basic knowledge necessary to
understand the hardware operation of digital computers. Written to aid electrical engineers,
computer engineers, and computer scientists, the book includes the computer architecture,
organization, the design associated with computer hardware, the various digital components
used in the organization and design of digital computers ,detailed steps that a designer must go
through in order to design an elementary basic computer, the organization and architecture of the
central processing unit , the organization and architecture of input-output and memory, the
concept of multiprocessing, concepts of pipeline and vector processing, the reduced instruction
set computer (RISC) and sample worked-out problems to clarify topics.
The book does not assume prior knowledge of computer hardware and the material can be
understood without the need of prerequisites. However, some experience in assembly language
programming with a microcomputer will make the material easier to understand The following is
a brief chapter wise review of the subjects that are covered in each chapter .
Chapter 1 introduces the fundamental knowledge needed for the design of digital systems
constructed with individual gates and flip-flops. It covers Boolean algebra, combinational
circuits, and sequential circuits. This provides the necessary background for understanding the
digital circuits to be presented.
Chapter 2 explains in detail the logical operation of the most common standard digital
components. It includes decoders, muitiplexers, registers, counters, and memories. These digital
components are used as building blocks for the design of larger units in the chapters that follow.
Chapter 3 shows how the various data types found in digital computers are represented in binary
form in computer registers. Emphasis is on the representation of numbers employed in arithmetic
operations, and on the binary coding of symbols used in data processing.
Chapter 4 introduces a register transfer language and shows how it is used to express
microoperations in symbolic form. Symbols are defined for arithmetic, logic, and shift
rnicrooperations. A composite arithmetic logic shift unit is developed to show the hardware
design of the most common micro- operations.

Chapter 5 presents the organization and design of a basic digital computer. Although the
computer is simple compared to commercial computers, it nevertheless encompasses enough
functional capabilities to demonstrate the power of a stored program general purpose device.
Chapter 6 utilizes the twenty five instructions of the basic computer to illustrate techniques used
in assembly language programming. Programming examples are presented for a number of data
processing tasks. The relationship between binary programs and symbolic code is explained by
examples. The basic operations of an assembler are presented to show the translation from
symbolic code to an equivalent binary program.
Chapter 7 introduces the concept of microprogramming, A specific microprogramrned control
unit is developed to show by example how to write microcode for a typical set of instructions.
The design of the control unit is carried-out in detail including the hardware for the
microprogram sequencer.
Chapter 8 deals with the central processi_ng unit (CPU). An execution unit with common buses
and an arithmetic logic unit is developed to show the general register organization of a typical
CPU.
Chapter 9 on pipeline and vector processing is a new chapter in the third edition The concept of
pipelining is explained and the way it can speed-up processing is illustrated with several
examples, Both arithmetic and instruction pipeline is considered. It is shown how RISC
processors can achieve single cycle instruction execution by using an efficient instruction
pipeline together .
Chapter 10 presents arithmetic algorithms for addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division
and shows the procedures for implementing them with digital hardware. Procedures are
developed for signed-magnitude and signed-2s complement fixed-point numbers.
Chapter 11 discusses the techniques that computers use to communicate with input and output
devices. Interface units are presented to show the way that the processor interacts with external
peripherals.
Chapter 12 introduces the concept of memory hierarchy, composed of cache memory, main
memory, and auxiliary memory such as magnetic disks. The organization and operation of
associative memories is explained in detail.
Chapter 13 presents the basic characteristics of mutiprocessors. Various interconnection
structures are presented. The need for inter processor arbitration, communication, and
synchronization is discussed. The cache coherence problem is explained together with some
possible solutions.
Every chapter includes a set of problems and a list of references. Some of the problems serve as
exercises for the material covered in the chapter. Others are of a more advanced nature and are

intended to provide practice in solving problems associated with computer hardware architecture
and design. The book is suitable for a course in computer hardware systems in an electrical
engineering, computer engineering, or computer science department.