Ch 9 · Virtual Machines & Parallel Processing (A Level) · Theory

Topic 9 of 10 in Computer Architecture — Inside the CPU — 3 lessons.

Parallel Processing

A single core does one thing at a time (very fast). Parallel processing uses multiple processing units to do many things *simultaneously*. The common model:

RISC vs CISC

Processors are designed around their instruction set:

Virtual Machines

A virtual machine (VM) is a software emulation of a computer, running on top of real hardware via a hypervisor. One physical server can run several isolated VMs, each with its own "virtual" CPU, memory and OS.

All topics in Theory Computer-architecture

  1. The Von Neumann Model
  2. Inside the CPU
  3. Registers
  4. The Fetch–Decode–Execute Cycle
  5. Buses
  6. The Memory Hierarchy
  7. What Makes a CPU Fast
  8. Assembly Language & Addressing Modes
  9. Virtual Machines & Parallel Processing (A Level)
  10. Check Your Understanding