A Taxonomy for Computer Architectures

  • Authors:
  • David B. Skillicorn

  • Affiliations:
  • Queen's Univ. at Kingston, Kingston, Ont., Canada

  • Venue:
  • Computer
  • Year:
  • 1988

Quantified Score

Hi-index 4.10

Visualization

Abstract

A taxonomy is presented that extends M.J. Flynn's (IEEE Trans.Comput., vol. C-21, no.9, p.948-60, Sept. 1972), especially in the multiprocessor category. It is a two-level hierarchy in which the upper level classifies architectures based on the number of processors for data and for instructions and the interconnections between them. A lower level can be used to distinguish variants even more precisely; it is based on a state-machine view of processors. The author suggests why taxonomies are useful in studying architecture and shows how this applies to a number of modern architectures.