Computer architecture can be thought of as
a protocol by which the various technologies that go into a computer are
designed to interact with each other. It can be described as a specification
which details the way in which all the software and hardware technology
standards in a computer interact in forming a computer system or platform. To
make a simpler understanding, it can be referred to the way a computer system
is designed, as well as the technologies it can work with.
Why
“architecture”?
Why do we have the word “architecture” in
this terminology? It is used to denote the method by which the needs and
requirements of the all the elements related to computers, such as the user,
system, or technology work with each other. Architecture relates to the
standards and designs that are based on those needs and requirements.
Computer architecture can be said to have
originated with Von Neumann. The Von Neumann architecture, dating to the end of
World War II, is still valid and is used by almost all kinds of computers to
this day. A creation of the mathematician John Von Neumann; it explains the core
design of an electronic computer and its parts, and the way they interact with
each other: the CPU being the heart of the system, in which is included the main
functions of the computer.
The
three categories of computer architecture
Computer architecture consists of three
categories:
System
Design: System design has in it all the hardware
components of the system. These include the CPU, memory controllers, the
graphics processing unit, data paths and other items such as virtualization and
multiprocessing apart of course, from the data processors.
Instruction
Set Architecture (ISA): The ISA is the embedded
programming language that goes into the CPU. The ISA gives a clear definition
of the CPU's capabilities and functions, which are based on the programming it
is capable of performing or processing. The important elements of ISA are the
processor register types, memory addressing modes, data formats, word size, and
the instruction set used by programmers.
Microarchitecture: This is another word for computer organization. Data processing, data
paths and storage elements, in addition to how they have to be implemented in
the ISA are defined by this type of architecture.
Reference:
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http://www.techopedia.com/definition/26757/computer-architecture
