Advanced Computer Architecture

Flynns Classification of Computers

In general, digital computers may be classified into four categories, according
to the multiplicity of instruction and data streams. This scheme for classifying
computer organizations was introduced by Michael J. lynn.
The essential computing process is the e!ecution of a se"uence of instructions
on a set of data. The term stream is used here to denote a se"uence of items
#instructions or data$ as e!ecuted or operated upon by a single processor.
Instructions or data are defined with respect to a referenced machine. An
instruction stream is a se"uence of instructions as e!ecuted by the machine%
a data stream is a se"uence of data including input, partial, or temporary
results, called for by the instruction stream.
Computer organizations are characterized by the multiplicity of the hardware
provided to service the instruction and data streams. &isted below are lynn's
four machine organizations(
)ingle instruction stream*single data stream #)I)+$
)ingle instruction stream*multiple data stream #)IM+$
Multiple instruction stream*single data stream #MI)+$
Multiple instruction stream*multiple data stream #MIM+$
,oth instructions and data are fetched from the memory modules. Instructions
are decoded by the control unit, which sends the decoded instruction stream
to the processor units for e!ecution. +ata streams flow between the
processors and the memory bidirectionally. Multiple memory modules may be
used in the shared memory subsystem. -ach instruction stream is generated by
an independent control unit. Multiple data streams originate from the
subsystem of shared memory modules.
SISD Computer
This organization, shown in igure below, represents most serial computers available
today. Instructions are e!ecuted se"uentially but may be overlapped in their e!ecution
stages #pipelining$. Most )I)+ uniprocessor systems are pipelined. An )I)+
computer may have more than one functional unit in it. All the functional units are
under the supervision of one control unit.
Created by T . /hosh
Control
0nit
Instruction )tream
1rocessor
#1$
Memory
#M$
I23
Instruction )tream
+ata )tream
Advanced Computer Architecture
SIMD Computer
This class corresponds to array processors. As illustrated in igure below, there are
multiple processing elements supervised by the same control unit. All 1-s #processing
elements$ receive the same instruction broadcast from the control unit but operate on
different data sets from distinct data streams. The shared memory subsystem may
contain multiple modules.
MISD Computer
This organization is conceptually illustrated in igure below. There are n processor
units, each receiving distinct instructions operating over the same data stream and its
derivatives. The results #output$ of one processor become the input #operands$ of the
ne!t processor in the macropipe. This structure has received much less attention and
has been challenged as impractical by some computer architects. 4o real embodiment
of this class e!ists.
Created by T . /hosh
1
n
1
5
Mn
Control
0nit
1rogram loaded
from front end
M
5
+ata
Stream
+ata
Stream
Instruction
Stream
+ata loaded
from front end
Advanced Computer Architecture
C0( control unit 10( processor unit MM( memory module I)( instruction stream
+)( data stream
MIMD Computer
Most multiprocessor systems and multiple computer systems can be classified in this
category #igure below$. An MIM+ computer is tightly coupled if the degree of
interactions among the processors is high. 3therwise, we consider them loosely
coupled. Most commercial MIM+ computers are loosely coupled.
6e have listed below several system models under each of the three e!isting
computer organizations.
Computer class Computer system models
)I)+#uses one functional unit$ I,M 785 %I,M 59:8 % I,M 78;8%
1+1 <A=*5527>8.
)I)+#with multiple functional units$ I,M ?982;5 % C+C )tar*588% TI*A)C %
Cray*I% u@itsu <1*:88.
)IM+ Illiac*I< % 1-1- % ,)1.
MIM+ I,M ?782 59> M1% 0nivac 5588 2 >8%
#loosely coupled$ Tandem 59 % C.mA .
MIM+ C.mmp% Cray*?% )*5 % Cray*= M1%
#tightly coupled$ +enelcor B-1.
Created by T . /hosh
1
5
Control
0nit*5
M
5
+ata
Stream
Instruction )tream
Instruction )tream
1
n
Control
0nit*n
M
n
+ata
Stream
Instruction )tream
Instruction )tream
Advanced Computer Architecture
Created by T . /hosh