Computer Architecture: A Quantitative Approach

"Once in a great while, a landmark computer-science book is published. Computer Architecture: A Quantitative Approach, Second Edition, is such a book. In an era of fluff computer books that are, quite properly, remaindered within weeks of publication, this book will stand the test of time, becoming lovingly dog-eared in the hands of anyone who designs computers or has concerns about the performance of computer programs." - Robert Bernecky, Dr. Dobb's Journal, April 1998

Computer Architecture: A Quantitative Approach was the first book to focus on computer architecture as a modern science. Its publication in 1990 inspired a new approach to studying and understanding computer design. Now, the second edition explores the next generation of architectures and design techniques with view to the future.

A basis for modern computer architecture

As the authors explain in their preface to the Second Edition, computer architecture itself has undergone significant change since 1990. Concentrating on currently predominant and emerging commercial systems, the Hennessy and Patterson have prepared entirely new chapters covering additional advanced topics:

* Advanced Pipelining: A new chapter emphasizes superscalar and multiple issues.
* Networks: A new chapter examines in depth the design issues for small and large shared-memory multiprocessors.
* Storage Systems: Expanded presentation includes coverage of I/O performance measures.
* Memory: Expanded coverage of caches and memory-hierarchy design addresses contemporary design issues.
* Examples and Exercises: Completely revised on current architectures such as MIPS R4000, Intel 80x86 and Pentium, PowerPC, and HP PA-RISC.

Distinctive presentation

This book continues the style of the first edition, with revised sections on Fallacies and Pitfalls, Putting It All Together and Historical Perspective, and contains entirely new sections on Crosscutting Issues. The focus on fundamental techniques for designing real machines and the attention to maximizing cost/performance are crucial to both students and working professionals. Anyone involved in building computers, from palmtops to supercomputers, will profit from the expertise offered by Hennessy and Patterson.

An excellent successor to Hennessy and Patterson's Computer Organization and Design, this book presents computer architecture and design as something quantitative that can be studied in the context of real running systems rather than in an abstract format. The concepts are again grounded in real machine architectures and many of the examples are contemporary architectures, such as PowerPC chips and Intel 80x86. Computer Architecture follows the same outline as its predecessor, but covers information in more depth, moving rapidly from introductory discussions to issues just shy of computer design research. The format again includes an excellent mix of exercises and historical background. This book is recommended for people with some experience in digital design--or people who have read and understood the authors' first text.