Podcast
Questions and Answers
Which of the following applications benefit from powerful microprocessor-based systems?
Which of the following applications benefit from powerful microprocessor-based systems?
What is the main advantage of pipelining in microprocessors?
What is the main advantage of pipelining in microprocessors?
How often can chip manufacturers release a new generation of chips according to Moore's Law?
How often can chip manufacturers release a new generation of chips according to Moore's Law?
Which of the following is a technique used to increase microprocessor performance?
Which of the following is a technique used to increase microprocessor performance?
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What is meant by 'superscalar execution' in microprocessors?
What is meant by 'superscalar execution' in microprocessors?
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What does pipelining NOT impact in a microprocessor's performance?
What does pipelining NOT impact in a microprocessor's performance?
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Which of the following best describes the role of cloud service providers with regard to performance?
Which of the following best describes the role of cloud service providers with regard to performance?
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Which of the following does NOT represent a benefit of powerful desktop applications?
Which of the following does NOT represent a benefit of powerful desktop applications?
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What is one of the main advantages of pipelining in microprocessors?
What is one of the main advantages of pipelining in microprocessors?
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What does superscalar execution in microprocessors refer to?
What does superscalar execution in microprocessors refer to?
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How does branch prediction enhance microprocessor performance?
How does branch prediction enhance microprocessor performance?
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What is the purpose of speculative execution in microprocessors?
What is the purpose of speculative execution in microprocessors?
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What challenge does a microprocessor face regarding different component speeds?
What challenge does a microprocessor face regarding different component speeds?
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In data flow analysis for microprocessors, what is the main objective?
In data flow analysis for microprocessors, what is the main objective?
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Which of the following is NOT a functionality of pipelining?
Which of the following is NOT a functionality of pipelining?
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What happens when a branch prediction is incorrect?
What happens when a branch prediction is incorrect?
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What does increasing the number of bits retrieved at one time in a DRAM accomplish?
What does increasing the number of bits retrieved at one time in a DRAM accomplish?
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What is one strategy to overcome the imbalance between memory and processor speeds?
What is one strategy to overcome the imbalance between memory and processor speeds?
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Which of the following is NOT a benefit of increasing the size and speed of caches?
Which of the following is NOT a benefit of increasing the size and speed of caches?
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What does the term 'power density' refer to in relation to high-speed chips?
What does the term 'power density' refer to in relation to high-speed chips?
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What major design issue arises from increasing clock speed and logic density in chips?
What major design issue arises from increasing clock speed and logic density in chips?
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Which of the following techniques increases the effective speed of instruction execution in processors?
Which of the following techniques increases the effective speed of instruction execution in processors?
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Which factor does NOT contribute to RC delay according to the content?
Which factor does NOT contribute to RC delay according to the content?
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What is the goal of incorporating increasingly complex cache structures between processors and memory?
What is the goal of incorporating increasingly complex cache structures between processors and memory?
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What is the primary advantage of multicore processors compared to single complex processors?
What is the primary advantage of multicore processors compared to single complex processors?
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What does an increase in capacitance in chip wiring primarily lead to?
What does an increase in capacitance in chip wiring primarily lead to?
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What is the role of multiple caches in multicore processors?
What is the role of multiple caches in multicore processors?
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In the context of computer performance, which measure is considered more significant than raw speed?
In the context of computer performance, which measure is considered more significant than raw speed?
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What is a significant challenge associated with Many Integrated Core (MIC) processor designs?
What is a significant challenge associated with Many Integrated Core (MIC) processor designs?
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How does decreasing the size of components on a chip affect performance?
How does decreasing the size of components on a chip affect performance?
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What type of processing units does a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) combine with general-purpose processors?
What type of processing units does a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) combine with general-purpose processors?
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Which is true about the limitations faced with raw speed in modern processors?
Which is true about the limitations faced with raw speed in modern processors?
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Study Notes
Designing for Performance
- Cost of computer systems is decreasing while performance and capacity are dramatically increasing.
- Modern desktop applications benefiting from high-performance microprocessor systems include:
- Image processing
- Three-dimensional rendering
- Speech recognition
- Videoconferencing
- Multimedia authoring
- Voice and video annotation
- Simulation modeling
- Businesses now depend on powerful servers for transaction processing and database management, replacing traditional mainframes.
- Cloud service providers utilize extensive servers for high-volume, high-transaction-rate applications.
Microprocessor Speed
- Due to Moore's Law, chip generations are released every three years, featuring four times the transistors which enhance speed.
- Key techniques to increase performance in modern microprocessors:
- Superscalar execution
- Pipelining
- Branch prediction
- Speculative execution
- Data flow analysis
Pipelining
- Sends multiple data packets serially for increased efficiency without waiting for prior acknowledgments.
- Supports parallelism in hardware-level execution, particularly with common instructions.
- Overall program execution time reduces even if individual instruction execution time does not.
Superscalar Execution
- Allows issuing multiple independent instructions in parallel during each clock cycle, utilizing multiple parallel pipelines.
Branch Prediction
- Improves instruction pipeline flow by anticipating which instructions will be processed next, reducing delays caused by conditional jumps.
- If predictions fail, speculatively executed instructions are discarded, resulting in a pipeline restart.
Speculative Execution
- Executes instructions ahead of their appearance based on predictions, keeping execution engines busy and optimizing performance.
Performance Balance
- Designing efficient systems requires balancing components operating at different speeds.
- DRAM is generally much slower than processors, necessitating adjustments in system architecture.
- System benchmark comparisons are more relevant than raw performance metrics of individual components.
Improvements in Chip Organization and Architecture
- Increasing processor speed is possible through smaller logic gates, allowing higher clock rates and reduced signal propagation time.
- Enhanced cache size and speed contribute to significantly lower access times.
- Modifications in processor organization boost effective instruction execution speed and parallelism.
Problems with Clock Speed and Logic Density
- Power density increases as logic density and clock speed rise, complicating heat dissipation.
- RC delay impacts signal speed due to resistance and capacitance, exacerbated as component sizes decrease.
- Memory latency remains an issue as memory speeds do not match processor speeds.
New Approaches for Performance Improvement
- Multicore processing integrates multiple processors on a single chip with a shared cache, facilitating performance gains without raising clock rates.
- Many Integrated Core (MIC) architecture includes numerous cores for extensive parallel processing capabilities.
Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)
- GPUs consist of multiple general-purpose processors alongside dedicated graphics processing units.
- Facilitate 2D and 3D graphics rendering and video processing effectively.
- Allows for repetitive computations across various applications.
Basic Measures of Computer Performance
- Performance must be assessed alongside cost, size, security, reliability, and power consumption.
- Effective application execution is more crucial than raw processing speed.
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Description
This quiz explores the concepts of performance and capacity in modern computer systems. It highlights the applications that demand high processing power, including image processing and multimedia authoring. Test your knowledge on how these technologies leverage the advancements in microprocessors.
