Computer Architecture

The architecture (how the computer is built and runs) is important to ensure that everything is run efficiently, the performance is maximised and the power consumption is kept as low as possible. On a computer motherboard there are things called Buses, these transfer data between components on a computer, for example the CPU is connected to the RAM to store calculations. Another example is the Front side bus which connects the CPU to the Northbridge. This is a core logic chipset and processes lots of the calculations within the motherboard, the bus connects this information elsewhere.

there is the ISA (Instruction Set Architecture); this is the programming language of the CPU. it defines what the CPU should be doing and what is is able to do based on what it can perform or process. The different tasks include the word size, processor register types, memory addressing modes, data formats and the instruction that the program is using.

A computer uses Micro Architecture within its components. This is how everything is organised within the computer. This defines the data paths, where everything is going; From the input device where does the information need to go to be the most efficient? It also works out how data is processed and what path the information needs to take to be processed.