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Overview
As computers become more complex, the number and complexity of the tasks facing the computer architect have increased. Computer performance often depends in complex way on the design parameters and intuition that must be supplemented by performance studies to enhance design productivity.
This book introduces computer architects to computer system performance models and shows how they are relatively simple, inexpensive to implement, and sufficiently accurate for most purposes. It discusses the development of performance models based on queuing theory and probability. The text also shows how they are used to provide quick approximate calculations to indicate basic performance tradeoffs and narrow the range of parameters to consider when determining system configurations. It illustrates how performance models can demonstrate how a memory system is to be configured, what the cache structure should be, and what incremental changes in cache size can have on the miss rate. A particularly deep knowledge of probability theory or any other mathematical field to understand the papers in this volume is not required.
Synopsis
As computers become more complex, the number and complexity of the tasks facing the computer architect have increased. Computer performance often depends in complex way on the design parameters and intuition that must be supplemented by performance studies to enhance design productivity.
This book introduces computer architects to computer system performance models and shows how they are relatively simple, inexpensive to implement, and sufficiently accurate for most purposes. It discusses the development of performance models based on queuing theory and probability. The text also shows how they are used to provide quick approximate calculations to indicate basic performance tradeoffs and narrow the range of parameters to consider when determining system configurations. It illustrates how performance models can demonstrate how a memory system is to be configured, what the cache structure should be, and what incremental changes in cache size can have on the miss rate. A particularly deep knowledge of probability theory or any other mathematical field to understand the papers in this volume is not required.
Booknews
Papers from symposiums and industry journals, written between 1983 and 1993, introduce computer architects to performance models for computer systems. Sections on processor architecture; cache and main memory models; and disk and disk cache systems discuss the development of performance models based on queuing theory and probability, and show how performance models are used to provide calculations to indicate basic performance trade-offs and to narrow the range of parameters considered when determining system configurations. Assumes a knowledge of computer architecture and basic probability theory. No index. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)