Single Core to Multi-Core Architectures Quiz and Flashcards

Study Notes

Single Core Processors

Single core processors have only one processor in a die to process instructions.
All processors developed by different manufacturers till 2005 were single core.
Single core processors have been discontinued in new computers, making them available at very cheap rates.
Problems with single core processors include:
Increase in clock speed leading to increased heat production, making it difficult to continue evolving.

Multi-Core Processors

Multi-core processors use two or more cores to process instructions at the same time using hyper-threading.
Multiple cores are embedded in the same die.
Multi-core processors may have dual, tri, quad, hexa, octa, or deca cores, with some having up to 22 or 32 cores.
Multi-core processors are the practical solution for increasing computer speed due to power and temperature constraints.
Problems with multi-core processors include:
Amdahl's law, which states that the performance of parallel computing is limited by its serial components.

Comparison of Single Core and Multi Cores

Single core processors can execute only one instruction at a time, while multi-core processors can execute multiple instructions using multiple cores.
Single core processor performance is dependent on clock frequency, while multi-core processor performance depends on frequency, number of cores, and program to be executed.
Examples of single core processors include 80386, 486, AMD 29000, AMD K6, Pentium I, II, III, etc.
Examples of multi-core processors include Core-2Duo, Athlon 64 X2, I3, I5, I7, etc.

SIMD and MIMD Systems

Computer architecture can be classified into four main categories under Flynn's Taxonomy.
The four categories are:
SISD: Single Instruction, Single Data
SIMD: Single Instruction, Multiple Data
MISD: Multiple Instruction, Single Data
MIMD: Multiple Instruction, Multiple Data
True SIMD architectures can be determined by their usage of distributed memory and shared memory.
True SIMD architecture with distributed memory has a control unit that interacts with every processing element, each with its own local memory.

Note: I have not included figures or diagrams in the summary as they were not provided in the original text.

Description

Test your knowledge of computer architecture, covering single-core and multi-core processors, SIMD and MIMD systems, interconnection networks, and more. Learn about the evolution of processors and their performance issues.