Back Systems Architecture Master Guide Computer-Science
Download Open
Show description 2,327 chars · Computer-Science

Systems Architecture Master Guide

Systems Architecture Master Guide

SYSTEMSMASTER

Core Modules

Compilation

Performance

Data Rep

Assembly

Pipelining

I/O Peripherals

PRO TIP

Smaller transistors decrease prop delay, which directly increases performance.

Comprehensive Review

Computer Architecture

High-density summary of system execution, architectural performance, and hardware-level data management.

Compilation Process

Lexical Analysis
Tokens

The very first step: separating input source code text into discrete, recognizable atomic tokens.

Assembler
Machine Code

Translates assembly language into final binary machine code the CPU can execute.

Linker
Linking

Combines multiple partial programs and external libraries into a single executable file.

Backend
Optimization

Arranges symbol tables in memory and generates the final hardware instructions.

Performance & Metrics

Master Formula

CPU Time = IC × CPI × T

Where IC = Instruction Count, CPI = Cycles Per Instruction, T = Clock Period

Improvement Strategies

Decrease CPI (Better architecture)

Increase Clock Rate (Better manufacturing)

Decrease Logic Depth

Performance Rules

Performance = 1 / Execution Time

Propagation Delay limits Clock Rate

Feature Size ↓ = Performance ↑

Register Conventions

Register

Convention / Purpose

Save Responsibility

$ra

Return Address (Automatic via jal)

Caller (if nested)

$sp

Stack Pointer (Points to top of stack)

Always maintained

$v0 - $v1

Return Values from procedure

Callee Result

$a0 - $a3

Arguments / Parameters

Caller Prepared

$s0 - $s7

Saved Temporaries (Stable across calls)

Callee Save

$t0 - $t9

Volatile Temporaries

Caller Save

Data Representation

Number Systems

Binary & Hex

Modern computers use 2 symbols (0, 1) where '1' is high voltage. Hexadecimal uses 16 symbols for compact memory addresses.

Sign Logic

2's Complement

MSB = 0 indicates Positive. To convert: Flip bits and add 1. Example: -9 (8-bit) = 11110111.

Byte Order

Endianness

Big-Endian stores MSB at lowest address. Endianness matters when transferring memory blocks between different CPUs.

Exceptions

Overflow States

Unsigned Short (65535) + 1 = Overflow. Signed Int (-2.1B) - 1 = Underflow. Signed Short (0) + 1 = OK.

Pipelining & Hazards

Structural Hazard

Hardware resource conflict (two instructions using memory at once).…