Computer technology and architecture: an evolving interaction

J.L. Hennessy, N.P. Jouppi
1991 Computer  
he interaction between computer architecture and integrated circuit technology is complex and bidirectional. The characteristics of various implementation technologies affect decisions architects make by influencing performance, cost, and other system attributes. Developments in computer architecture also impact the viability of different technologies. The implementation requirements of various architectures can emphasize different technology characteristics, such as density, power, and speed.
more » ... o understand the interaction between computer architecture and IC technology and the attractiveness of a technology for use in computers, we need a metric to evaluate different computer designs. In designing a computer today, the most important considerations are usually performance and cost. Secondary metrics, which may vary in importance, include fault tolerance, power, and environmental factors such as size, cooling, and noise. In this article, we discuss an assessment based primarily on performance and cost. Many of the secondary factors are indirectly measured by cost, while others are more difficult to quantify. Furthermore, wefocus primarily on CPU performance, both because it is easier to measure and because the impact of technology is most easily seen in the CPU. To evaluate the suitability of an IC technology, you must consider the technology in the context of a complete CPU. Considering only device-level performance characteristics without accounting for other possible deficiencies only yields We measure CPU performance by the execution time on some suitable work load. The execution time of a program can be expressed as the product of three With an eye toward the 199oS, the authors tell how the rapid rate of the 1980s can be misleading results. terms: of performance growth sustained and discuss the number of instructions required, the average number of clock cycles per instruction, and the time per clock cycle. for more Since the goal is to maximize performance, a computer designer wants to decrease each of these terms. Unfortunately, these factors are interrelated. The number of exotic implementation technologies. COMPUTER 18 0018-9162/91/0900-00l8$0l .OO 0 1991 IEEE
doi:10.1109/2.84896 fatcat:bspgywxfq5at3hf6g4h76q76tq