Podcast
Questions and Answers
What are the types of systems mentioned in the computer food chain?
What are the types of systems mentioned in the computer food chain?
What has been the trend in technology regarding integrated circuits?
What has been the trend in technology regarding integrated circuits?
Transistor density has increased, with TSMC producing 5nm process chips in 2020.
The demand for DRAM is driven primarily by the needs of AI technology.
The demand for DRAM is driven primarily by the needs of AI technology.
True
The percentage of manufactured devices that survives the testing procedure is known as the ______.
The percentage of manufactured devices that survives the testing procedure is known as the ______.
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What are some contributors to integrated circuit production cost?
What are some contributors to integrated circuit production cost?
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What has been a major theme in the computer industry regarding costs?
What has been a major theme in the computer industry regarding costs?
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What is the significance of the learning curve in manufacturing?
What is the significance of the learning curve in manufacturing?
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Study Notes
Computer Architecture Analogy: The Food Chain
- Computer systems are analogous to a food chain, with smaller systems (like laptops and tablets) being consumed or incorporated by larger ones (servers, clustered systems, and ultimately, massively parallel systems).
Motivation for Change in Computer Architecture
- Performance: Improvements driven by technological advancements and architectural innovations, benefitting even low-end systems.
- Cost: Simpler design and higher production volumes lead to lower costs.
- Function: Advancement in interconnection technologies influences the evolution of computer architecture.
Technology Trends
- Processor Performance: Significant growth in processor performance since the late 1970s, as measured by SPEC benchmarks.
- Integrated Circuit Technology: Increasing transistor density; TSMC's 5nm process in 2020 offered 80% higher density.
- DRAM: High demand driven by AI, with capacity growth of 25-40% per year (slowing).
- Flash Memory: Capacity growth of 50-60% annually, significantly cheaper per bit than DRAM.
- Magnetic Disk Technology: Capacity growth of 40% annually; substantially cheaper than Flash and DRAM.
- Network Technology: Performance depends on both switch performance and transmission systems.
The Designer's Task
- Determining system attributes.
- Optimizing performance.
- Adhering to cost constraints.
Cost Considerations
- Cost-sensitive designs are increasingly important.
- Technology improvements are crucial for lowering costs while enhancing performance.
- Learning Curve: Manufacturing costs decrease over time due to increased yield (percentage of functioning devices).
Integrated Circuit Costs
- Manufacturing processes significantly impact costs.
Sample Wafer and Die
- A 300 mm wafer can contain 280 Sandy Bridge dies using a 32 nm process.
- An Intel Core i7 die measures 18.9 mm x 13.6 mm in a 45 nm process.
Other Cost Factors
- Die cost, packaging, testing, and yield all contribute to the overall IC production cost.
Cost vs. Price
- The relationship between manufacturing cost and market price is complex and influenced by various factors.
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Description
Explore the fascinating analogies in computer architecture, comparing systems to a food chain. This quiz delves into the motivation for changes in architecture, focusing on performance, cost, and function, alongside the latest technology trends shaping the industry. Test your knowledge on advancements that drive the evolution of computer systems.
