Architecture Examples And Hierarchy

1. Architecture Examples And Hierarchy Samuel Njoroge

2. Architecture Examples and Hierarchy - Overview • Architecture Levels • Bus interconnection and Bridging • Controller chips • System Level architecture • Board level architecture • Chip Level architecture

3. What are the architectural ranges? Microsocopic – an integrated chip Macroscopic – Entire Computer System

5. Some Architectural terms • System: This is the complete computer; it includes CPU, memory and I/O devices. System architecture describes the interconnection of components and buses • Board: Individual circuit board that forms part of a computer. Board architecture describes the interconnection of chips and the interface to the bus • Chip: Individual integrated chip that is used on a circuit board. Chip architecture describes the interconnection of functional units and gates • Bus: Subsystem that transfers data and power between computer components • Functional Unit: An entity of hardware capable of accomplishing specified purpose.

6. Functional Units Processor Memory I/O Interfaces Interconnections High Speed Buses: - For functional units requiring high speed Low speed buses: For functional units requiring low seed System level Architecture of PC

7. Bus Interconnection and Bridging • To interconnect buses we use Bridging • With Bridge technology we can have multiple bridges • Bridge technology enables backward compatibility (.e.g. old I/O devices can be used with new processor

8. A processor uses Peripheral Component Interconnect Bus (PCI) I/O devices uses Industrial Standard Architecture (ISA). These buses are incompatible and cannot be connected Solution: use Bridge Technology. Example of bridging

9. Physical Architecture of Bridge • Design of bridge is complex • The architecture of the Bridge uses special controllers – Controller Chips • Separates high speed and low speed units onto separate chips. • A controller can also provide an illusion of a bus

10. Example of PC architecture • Two Controller chips A). Northbridge Chip:- Processor, Memory Advanced Graphic port (AGP). B.) Southbridge Chip:- LAN interface, PCI Bus, Printer and Input Ports

11. PC controller layout

13. Board Level Architecture • For Board level Architecture I’ll use an example of a LAN Interface • LAN Interface: • Connect computer to a Network • Transmit data between computers and network • Comprised of an individual circuit board with Processor and memory.

14. Board Level Architecture – LAN Interface. SRAM • Highest Speed • Used for Instructions. DRAM • Lower Speeds • Used for data transfer

15. Chip Level Architecture – Intel Network Processor • Chip Level Architecture shows us the internal design of an integrated circuit that are concealed in a board level architecture

16. Example of the functional units on a Chip

17. Summary • Architecture level of a system can be viewed at several layers of abstraction • System architecture shows the entire computer system • Board Architecture shows individual circuit board • Chip architecture shows Individual integrated circuit • Functional unit architecture shows individual functional unit on integrated circuit.

18. Works Cited. • http://www.eca.cs.purdue.edu/ • http://www.cstp.umkc.edu/~mullinsj/cs282/ • Essentials of Computer Architecture • Douglas E. Corner