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CHAPTER 2COMPUTER HARDWARE

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The Significance of Hardware

Pace of hardware development is extremely fast. Keeping up requires a basic understanding of hardware issues.

New hardware (or falling prices) often leads to new business opportunities.

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Computer Hardware

The physical equipment used for input, processing, output, and storage Central processing unit (CPU) Memory (primary and secondary

storage) Input technologies Output technologies Communication technologies

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Computer System Components

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How the Processor/CPU works

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Processing Characteristics

Machine Cycle Time Time it takes to execute the instruction and

execution phases Measured in Million Instruction Per Second (MIPS) or

FLoating point Operations Per Second (FLOPS) Clock Speed

A series of electronic pulses produced at a predetermined rate, that affect machine cycle time

Measured in MHz or GHz (fastest desktop CPUs today are 2.4 GHz

Word Length How many bits are processed at a time by the CPU 4, 8, 16, 32, 64 AMD and Intel are now shipping 64 bit processors

All are crude measures of performance E.g. AMD Athlon XP 2600+ (2.1 GHz) is faster than

Intel P4 2.6 GHz

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Advances in Microprocessor Design

Increasing miniaturization of transistors Making the physical layout of the chip’s

components as compact and efficient as possible

New materials for the chip that improve the conductivity (flow) of electricity Superconductivity

Optical processors Major problem today: Heat!

Uncooled, a CPU would melt itself in seconds!

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Moore’s LawThe number of transistors in a chip will double every 18 months.

- Gordon Moore, 1965

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Moore’s Law Illustrated

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Memory Characteristics and Functions

Primary Storage Stores what the CPU will use directly

Storage Capacity Types of Memory

Random Access Memory (RAM) Read-Only Memory (ROM)

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Storage Measurements

Some devices are measure in ’metric’ bytes 1 KB = 1000 Bytes Gives a larger number 100 MB = 105 million Bytes

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Basic Types of Memory Chips

Conte

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Secondary Storage

stores very large amounts of data for extended periods of time

typically non-volatile much slower than primary storage can be much more cost effective

than primary storage uses a variety of media, each with

its own technology

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Types of Secondary Storage

Magnetic Tapes Magnetic Disks RAID Storage area

network (SAN) Optical Disks

Magneto-optical Disk

Digital Video Disk (DVD)

Memory Cards Expandable

Storage

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Secondary Storage Devices

Fixed Media Hard disks (40-100 GB) Redundant Array of Inexpensive

Disks (RAID) Removable Media

Diskette (1.44 MB) Laser-servo diskette (120 MB)

Combines magnetic and optical storage Cartridge disks – e.g. Jaz (1-2 GB) Tape (GB) CD-ROM (640-700 MB)

CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-ROM (4.7GB), DVD-RAM Flash memory (4-512 MB)

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Costs for Data Storage

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Storage Area Network (SAN)

Storing and accessing data is becoming increasingly important

SAN offers Lots of bandwidth Easily upgraded Less hassle More security

SAN is a hot topic

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Input Devices

Keyboard and mouse

Voice-recognition devices

Digital Computer Cameras

Terminals Scanning Devices

Point-of-Sale (POS) Devices

Automatic Teller Machine (ATM) Devices

Touch Sensitive Screens

Bar Code Scanners

Source Data Automation: Making input digitial at the time data is created

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Hardware for Output

Softcopy Video Monitors Video Terminals Speakers

Robotic

Hardcopy Printers Plotters Other Hardcopy

Media transparencies microfilm CD-ROM Slides

Multi function devices

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Computer classification

Cell phone Handheld (palm) Laptop Desktop PC Server Workstation Midrange (small mainframe) e.g. IBM

AS/400 Mainframe e.g. IBM S/390 Supercomputer e.g. Cray

Note: There are also computers embedded in appliances, toys, cars, etc.

BIG, FAST

Small, slow

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Supercomputers: The World’s Fastest Computers

Current Champion NEC’s Earth Simulator 36 TerraFlops Cost: $350 million

Upcomer Cray Inc’s X1 Basic unit: 800 GigaFlops, cost: $10 million Theoretical max: 51 TeraFlops

Alternative Approach Clusters of regular networked PCs Example: 1152 computers with 2304 Intel Xeon

Processors achieve 11 TFlops (Top 3) Top 5: http://www.top500.org/lists/2003/06/top5.php Video

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PC Architecture

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25Source: www.pctechguide.com

26Source: www.aopen.com.tw

More detail at: http://computer.howstuffworks.com/motherboard2.htm

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The next times

Thursday Due: Lab 2

Tuesday Rest of Chapter 2: Software