Question

Explain efficiency and throughput in computer architecture

Answer 1

To improve the performance of a CPU we have two options:
1) Improve the hardware by introducing faster circuits.
2) Arrange the hardware such that more than one operation can be performed at the same time.

Since, there is a limit on the speed of hardware and the cost of faster circuits is quite high, we have to adopt the 2nd option.

Pipelining : Pipelining is a process of arrangement of hardware elements of the CPU such that its overall performance is increased. Simultaneous execution of more than one instruction takes place in a pipelined processor.

Let us see a real life example that works on the concept of pipelined operation. Consider a water bottle packaging plant. Let there be 3 stages that a bottle should pass through, Inserting the bottle(I), Filling water in the bottle(F), and Sealing the bottle(S). Let us consider these stages as stage 1, stage 2 and stage 3 respectively. Let each stage take 1 minute to complete its operation.
Now, in a non pipelined operation, a bottle is first inserted in the plant, after 1 minute it is moved to stage 2 where water is filled. Now, in stage 1 nothing is happening. Similarly, when the bottle moves to stage 3, both stage 1 and stage 2 are idle. But in pipelined operation, when the bottle is in stage 2, another bottle can be loaded at stage 1. Similarly, when the bottle is in stage 3, there can be one bottle each in stage 1 and stage 2. So, after each minute, we get a new bottle at the end of stage 3. Hence, the average time taken to manufacture 1 bottle is :

Without pipelining = 9/3 minutes = 3m

I F S | | | | | | | | | I F S | | | | | | | | | I F S (9 minutes)

With pipelining = 5/3 minutes = 1.67m

I F S | | | I F S | | | I F S (5 minutes)

Thus, pipelined operation increases the efficiency of a system.

Design of a basic pipeline

In a pipelined processor, a pipeline has two ends, the input end and the output end. Between these ends, there are multiple stages/segments such that output of one stage is connected to input of next stage and each stage performs a specific operation.Interface registers are used to hold the intermediate output between two stages. These interface registers are also called latch or buffer.All the stages in the pipeline along with the interface registers are controlled by a common clock.