CHAPTER 1:

Computer Systems
The Architecture of Computer Hardware
and Systems Software:
1.3 An Example System

 Is the computer fast enough to run necessary programs?

 Is the computer cost-effective?
 Will it be obsolete in 6 months?

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Why Study Computer
Architecture?
 User
 Understand system capabilities and limitations
 Make informed decisions
 Improve communications with information technology
professionals
 Systems Analyst
 Conduct surveys, determine feasibility and define and
document user requirements
 Specify computer systems to meet application requirements
 Programmer
 Create efficient application software for specific processing
needs

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Why Study Computer
Architecture?
 System Administrator / Manager
 Install, configure, maintain, and upgrade computer
systems
 Maximize system availability
 Optimize system performance
 Ensure system security
 Web Designer
 Optimize customer accessibility to Web services
 System administration of Web servers
 Select appropriate data formats
 Design efficient Web pages
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 Overview
 A modern computer is an electronic, digital, general purpose
computing machine that automatically follows a step-by-step
list of instructions to solve a problem. This step-by step list of
instructions that a computer follows is also called an algorithm
or a computer program.
 Why study computer organization and architecture?
 Design better programs, including system software such as compilers,
operating systems, and device drivers.
 Optimize program behavior.
 Evaluate (benchmark) computer system performance.
 Understand time, space, and price tradeoffs.
 Computer organization
 Encompasses all physical aspects of computer systems.
 E.g., circuit design, control signals, memory types.
 How does a computer work?
5
Input-Process-Output Model (IPO)

• Input: keyboard, mouse, scanner, punch cards

• Processing: CPU executes the computer program
• Output: monitor, printer, fax machine
• Storage: hard drive, optical media, diskettes, magnetic tape

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Architecture Components
 Hardware
 Processes data by executing instructions
 Provides input and output
 Software
 Instructions executed by the system
 Data
 Fundamental representation of facts and
observations
 Communications
 Sharing data and processing among different
systems
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Hardware Component
 Input/Output devices
 Storage Devices
 CPU
 ALU: arithmetic/logic unit
 CU: control unit
 Interface unit
 Memory
 Short-term storage for CPU calculations

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Typical Personal Computer
System

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CPU: Central Processing Unit
 ALU: arithmetic/logic unit
 Performs arithmetic and Boolean logical
calculations
 CU: control unit
 Controls processing of instructions
 Controls movement of data within the CPU
 Interface unit
 Moves instructions and data between the CPU
and other hardware components
 Bus: bundle of wires that carry signals and power
between different components

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Memory
 Also known as primary storage, working
storage, and RAM (random access memory)
 Consists of bits, each of which hold a value of
either 0 or 1 (8 bits = 1 byte)
 Holds both instructions and data of a
computer program (stored program concept)

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Software Component
 Applications
 Operating System
 API: application program
interface
 File management
 I/O
 Kernel
 Memory management
 Resource scheduling
 Program communication
 Security
 Network Module

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Communications Component
 Hardware
 Communication channels
 Physical connections between computer systems
 Examples: wire cable, phone lines, fiber optic cable,
infrared light, radio waves
 Interface hardware
 Handles communication between the computer and the
communication channel
 Modem or network interface card (NIC)
 Software
 Network protocols: HTTP, TCP/IP, ATAPI

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Computer Systems
All computer systems, no matter how complex,
consists of the following:
 At least one CPU
 Memory to hold programs and data
 I/O devices
 Long-term storage

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Protocols
 Common ground rules of
communication between computers, I/O
devices, and many software programs
 Examples
 HTTP: between Web servers and Web
browsers
 TCP/IP: between computers on the
Internet and local area networks
 ATAPI: between a CPU and CD-ROMs

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Standards
 Created to ensure universal compatibility of
data formats and protocols
 May be created by committee or may become
a de facto standard through popular use
 Examples:
 Computer languages: Java, SQL, C, JavaScript
 Display standards: Postscript, MPEG-2, JPEG, GIF
 Character set standards: ASCII, Unicode, EBCDIC
 Video standards: VGA, XGA, RGB

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Early History
 1642: Blaise Pascal invents a calculating
machine
 1801: Joseph Marie Jacquard invents a loom
that uses punch cards
 1800’s:
 Charles Babbage attempts to build an analytical
engine (mechanical computer)
 Augusta Ada Byron develops many of the
fundamental concepts of programming
 George Boole invents Boolean logic.

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Modern Computer Development
 1937: Mark I is built (Aiken, Harvard University, IBM).
 First electronic computer using relays.
 1939: ABC is built
 First fully electronic digital computer. Used vacuum tubes.
 1943-46: ENIAC (Mauchly, Eckert, University of
Pennsylvania).
 First general purpose digital computer.
 1945: Von Neumann architecture proposed.
 Still the standard for present day computers.
 1947: Creation of transistor
 (Bardeen, Shockley, Brattain, Bell Labs).
 1951: UNIVAC.
 First commercially available computer.

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Early Computers

Babbage’s Analytical Engine ENIAC

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