System architecture

System architecture

1. Von Neumann architecture

   • MAR (Memory address register)
   • MDR (Memory data register)
   • Program counter
   • Accumulator

2. Common CPU components and their functions

   • ALU (Arithmetic logic unit)
     • This handles the data processing inside the CPU. There are 2 parts: Arithmetic and logic. The arithmetic operation performs standard operations such as addition, subtraction and multiplication etc. where as the logic operation deaks with logic and comparisons such as 'is this value bigger than that value' the answer always being either 'true' or 'false'.
   • CU (Control unit)
     • This tells the computers memory, arithmetic logic unit, and input and output devices how to respond to an instruction.
   • Cache
     • The CPU needs data and it should be available to it instantly when its needed so its not a slow operation. The cache is extremely fast but is also a very small type of RAM. It's used to store instructions or data that is frequently used, recently used or about to be used. This saving it having to come all the way from the RAM.

3. Performance affecting parts of the CPU

   • Clock speed, this is how fast an instruction can be processed by your CPU.
   • Cache size, depending on how big your cache size is this would depend on how quick your computer would be at executing an instruction as the bigger the cache the more instruction can be stored in quick memory ready to use by the CPU.
   • Number of cores, each core can only process one instruction at a time. So by increasing the number of cores this would increase the number of processes that can be done at one time.

4. Embedded systems- This is a type of hardware that contains specific software embedded in it as this is the hardwares most important function