accelerator freeing up data from within a cache to make
a microprocessor , ASIC or expansion card room for new cache entries to be allocated ; designed to offload a specific task from the CPU , controlled by a cache replacement policy. Caused by often containing fixed function hardware; a common a cache miss whilst a cache is already full. example is a Graphics processing unit. cache hit accumulator finding data in a local cache , preventing the a register in a CPU in which intermediate need to search for that resource in a more distant arithmetic and logic results are stored. location (or to repeat a calculation). address cache miss the unique integer number that specifies a Not finding data in a local cache , requiring use of the memory location in an address space cache policy to allocate and fill this data, and possibly address space performing evicting other data to make room. a mapping of logical addresses into physical cache thrashing memory or other memory mapped devices. A pathological situation where access in a AI accelerator cache cause cyclical cache misses by evicting data an accelerator aimed running artificial neural that is needed in the near future. networks or other machine learning and machine cache ways vision algorithms (either training or deployment), e.g. The number of potential cache lines in an Movidius Myriad 2 , TrueNorth , Tensor processing associative cache that a specific physical addresses unit etc. can be mapped to; higher values reduce potential ATX collisions in allocation. Advanced Technology extended - a Card reader motherboard form factor specification developed by a data input device that reads data from a Intel in 1995 to improve on previous DE factor card-shaped storage medium . {{term Computer standards like the AT form factor. case }} the enclosure that contains most of the AT components of a computer (usually excluding the The dimensions and layout (form factor) of the display, keyboard and mouse). motherboard for the IBM AT . CD-R AGP Compact Disc-Recordable; a variation of the Accelerated Graphics Port - a high-speed optical compact disc which may be written to once. point-to-point channel for attaching a video card to a COMA computer's motherboard , primarily to assist in the Cache-only memory architecture , a acceleration of 3D computer graphics . multiprocessor memory architecture where an B address space is dynamically shifted between bus processor nodes based on demand. a subsystem that transfers data between Compact Disc-ReWritable computer components inside a computer or between a variation of the optical compact disc which computers. may be written to many times. Blu-ray Disc CD-ROM a optical disc storage medium designed to (Compact Disc Read-Only Memory) - a pre- supersede the DVD format. pressed optical compact disc which contains data or C music playback. cache chip A small, fast local memory that transparently (or integrated circuit) - a miniaturized buffers access to a larger but slower or more electronic circuit that has been manufactured in the distant/higher latency memory or storage device , surface of a thin substrate of semiconductor material. organised into cache lines . Automatically translates control store accesses to the underlying resources address space the memory that stores the microcode of a to locations in the cache. CPU . cache line core A small block of memory within a cache ; the the portion of a CPU which actually performs granularity of allocation,refills,eviction; typically 32- arithmetic and logical operations . A CPU may have 128 bytes in size. multiple cores (e.g. "a quad-core processor"). cache coherency core memory The process of keeping data in multiple in modern usage, a synonym for main caches synchronised in a multi-processor shared memory , dating back from the pre-semiconductor- memory system, also required when DMA modifies chip times when the dominant main memory the underlying memory. technology was magnetic core memory . CPU computer monitor, though it can also be used to Central processing unit - the portion of a transmit audio, USB, and other forms of data. computer system that executes the instructions of a Direct mapped cache computer program. a cache where each physical address may Conventional PCI only be mapped to one cache line , indexed using the Conventional Peripheral Component low bits of the address . Simple but highly prone to Interconnect - a computer bus for attaching hardware allocation conflicts. devices in a computer. DMA Computer case Direct memory access - the ability of a Computer chassis, cabinet, box, tower, hardware device such as a disk drive or network enclosure, housing, system unit or simply case - the interface to access main memory without intervention enclosure that contains most of the components of a from the CPU , provided by one or more DMA computer (usually excluding the display, keyboard channels in a system. and mouse). DVD Computer form factor (Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc) - The name used to denote the dimensions, an optical compact disc - of the same dimensions as power supply type, location of mounting holes, compact discs (CDs), but store more than six times as number of ports on the back panel, etc. much data. Chipset DVI (or chip set) - a group of integrated circuits, or Digital Visual Interface (DVI) is a video display chips, that are designed to work together. They are interface developed by the Digital Display Working usually marketed as a single product. Group (DDWG). The digital interface is used to Channel I/O connect a video source to a display device, such as a a generic term that refers to a high- computer monitor. performance input/output (I/O) architecture that is Drive bay implemented in various forms on a number of DRAM computer architectures, especially on mainframe (Dynamic random-access memory) - a type of computers.. random-access memory that stores each bit of data in D a separate capacitor within an integrated circuit and data cache D-cache which must be periodically refreshed to retain the a cache in a CPU or GPU servicing data load stored data. and store requests, mirroring main memory (or dual issue refers to a superscalar pipeline capable of VRAM for a GPU ). executing 2 instructions simultaneously. Computer data storage E a technology consisting of computer Expansion card components and recording media used to a printed circuit board that can be inserted retain digital data . It is a core function and into an electrical connector , or expansion slot on a fundamental component of computers. [1] computer motherboard, backplane or riser card to add Device memory functionality to a computer system via the expansion local memory associated with a hardware bus. An expansion bus is a computer bus which device such as an graphics processing unit or moves information between the internal hardware of a OpenCL compute device , distinct from main memory. computer system (including the CPU and RAM) and DASD peripheral devices. It is a collection of wires and (Direct Access Storage Device) A mainframe protocols that allows for the expansion of a computer. terminology introduced by IBM denoting secondary A PCI digital I/O expansion card storage with random access, typically (arrays of) hard F disk drives. Firewall DIMM A hardware device or software to protect a (dual in-line memory module);A series of computer from viruses, malware, trojans etc. dynamic random-access memory integrated circuits. firmware These modules are mounted on a printed circuit fixed programs and data that internally control board and designed for use in personal computers, various electronic devices. workstations and servers. floppy disk DisplayPort a data storage medium that is composed of a DisplayPort is a digital display interface disk of thin, flexible ("floppy") magnetic storage developed by the Video Electronics Standards medium encased in a square or rectangular plastic Association (VESA). The interface is primarily used to shell. connect a video source to a display device such as a floppy disk drive a device for reading floppy disks. Flash Memory instructions used to transfer data between a type of non volatile computer storage chip memory and processor registers . that can be electrically erased and reprogrammed. Load-store architecture G An instruction set architecture where Graphics processing unit arithmetic/logic instructions may only be performed H between processor registers , relying on separate hard drive load/store instructions for all data transfers. a non-volatile storage device that stores data Local memory on rapidly rotating rigid (i.e. hard) platters with memory associated closely with a processing magnetic surfaces. element , e.g. a cache , scratchpad , the memory hardware connected to one processor node in a NUMA or the physical components of a computer. COMA system, or device memory (such as VRAM) in HDMI an accelerator . (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) - a M compact interface for transferring encrypted mainframe uncompressed digital audio and video data to a powerful computer used mainly by large device such as a computer monitor, video projector or organizations for bulk data processing such as digital television. census, industry and consumer statistics, enterprise Harvard architecture resource planning, and financial transaction a memory architecture where program processing. machine code and data are held in separate main memory memories , more commonly seen in microcontrollers the largest random access memory in a and memory hierarchy (before offline storage) in a digital signal processors . computer system; i.e. distinct from caches or I scratchpads; usually consists of DRAM . input device memory address any peripheral equipment used to provide the address of a location in a memory or other data and control signals to an information processing address space . system. memory architecture Computer memory input/output architecture the communication between an information a memory architecture in a computer system , processing system (such as a computer), and the e.g. NUMA, uniform memory access, COMA , etc. outside world. memory access pattern IOPS The pattern with which software or some other (Input/Output Operations Per Second, system (a accelerator , or DMA channel ) accesses pronounced eye-ops) - a common performance memory , affecting locality of reference and measurement used to benchmark computer storage parallelism . devices like hard disk drives. Modified Harvard architecture instruction a variation of Harvard architecture used for a group of several bits in a computer program most CPUs with separate non-coherent that contains an operation code and usually one or instruction and data caches (assuming that code is more memory addresses . immutable), but still mirroring the same instruction cache I-cache main memory address space , and possibly sharing a cache in a CPU or GPU servicing instruction fetch higher levels of the same cache hierarchy requests for program code (or shaders for a GPU ), motherboard possibly implementing modified Harvard architecture the central printed circuit board (PCB) in many if program machine code is stored in the same modern computers which holds many of the crucial address space and physical memory as data . components of the system, while providing Instruction fetch connectors for other peripherals.[4] A stage in a pipeline that load the next memory instruction referred to by the program counter . devices that are used to store data or K programs on a temporary or permanent basis for use keyboard in an electronic digital computer. an input device , partially modeled after the monitor typewriter keyboard, which uses an arrangement of an electronic visual display for computers. buttons or keys , to act as mechanical levers or mouse electronic switches . a pointing device that functions by detecting L two-dimensional motion relative to its supporting Load/store instructions surface; motion is usually mapped to a cursor in screen space ; typically used to control a graphical individuals, and which is intended to be operated user interface on a desktop computer or for CAD etc. directly by an end user, with no intervening computer Mini-VGA operator. small connectors used on some laptops and prefetching other systems in place of the standard VGA The pre-loading of instructions or data before connector. needed either by dedicated cache control instructions Microcode or predictive hardware, to mitgate a layer of hardware-level instructions involved latency . in the implementation of higher level machine code printer instructions in many computers and other processors. A peripheral which produces a text or graphics Mask ROM of documents stored in electronic form, usually on a type of read-only memory (ROM) whose physical print media such as paper or transparencies. contents are programmed by the integrated circuit Process node manufacturer. refers to a level of semiconductor N manufacturing technology , one of several successive network transistor shrinks. a collection of computers and other devices Processor node connected by communications channels, e.g. by a processor in a multiprocessor system or ethernet or wireless networking cluster, connected by dedicated communication Network interface controller channels or a network. also referred to as LAN card and network Processing element card. an electronic circuit (either a microprocessor NUMA or an internal component of one) that may function Non-uniform memory access autonomously or under external control, performing network on a chip NOC arithmetic and logic operations on data , possibly a computer network on a single containing local memory, and possibly connected to semiconductor chip, connecting processing elements, other processing elements via a network, network on fixed function units or even memories and caches . a chip , or cache hierarchy . Increasingly common in System on a chip designs. Prefetch (cache) Prefetch Non-volatile memory the process of pre-loading instructions or data memory that can retain the stored data even into a cache ahead of time, either under manual when not powered. control via prefetch instructions or automatically by a Non-volatile random-access memory prefetch unit which may use runtime heuristics to random-access memory that retains its data predict the future memory access pattern. when power is turned off. PSU O Power supply unit - A unit of the computer that optical disc drive converts mains AC to low-voltage regulated DC for a disk drive that uses laser light or the power of all the computer components. electromagnetic waves near the light spectrum as part PROM of the process of reading or writing data to or from Programmable Read-Only Memory - a type of optical discs . non-volatile memory chip that may be programmed Magneto-optical drive after the device is constructed. Operating system PCIe the set of software that manages computer Peripheral Component Interconnect Express - hardware resources and provide common services for a computer expansion bus standard designed to computer programs , typically loaded by the BIOS on replace the older PCI, PCI-X , and AGP bus booting . standards. Operation code PCI-X Several bits in a computer program instruction PCI-eXtended - a computer bus and that specify which operation to perform. expansion card standard that enhances the 32-bit PCI P Local Bus for higher bandwidth demanded by servers. pen drive R another name for a USB flash drive . RAID peripheral (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) - a device attached to a computer but not part data storage schemes that can divide and replicate of it. data across multiple hard disk drives in order to personal computer increase reliability, allow faster access, or both. Any general-purpose computer whose size, RAM capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for Random-access memory - any form of U computer data storage that allow stored data to be uop cache accessed in any order (i.e., at random). a cache of decoded micro-operations in a ROM CISC processor (e.g x86 ). [7] Read Only Memory - a type of memory chip USB that retains its data when its power supply is switched Universal Serial Bus - a specification to off. establish communication between devices and a host S controller (usually a personal computers ). server USB flash drive a computer which may be used to provide A flash memory device integrated with a USB services to clients. interface. USB flash drives are typically removable software and rewritable. computer programs and other kinds of V information read and written by computers . Video card SIMM also referred to as a graphics card and Single in-line memory module - a type of several other names, a video card is an expansion memory module containing random access memory card which generates a feed of output images to a used in computers from the early 1980s to the late display (such as a computer monitor). 1990s. VGA Solid-state drive Video Graphics Array - the last graphical (or solid-state disk or electronic disk) a data standard introduced by IBM to which the majority of storage device that uses integrated circuit assemblies PC clone manufacturers conformed. as memory to store data persistently. Volatile memory SRAM memory that requires power to maintain the Static random-access memory - a type of stored information. semiconductor memory that uses bistable latching W circuitry to store each bit. The term static differentiates Webcam it from DRAM which must be periodically refreshed. A video camera that feeds its images in real Sound card time to a computer or computer network, often via an internal expansion card that facilitates USB , Ethernet , or Wi-Fi. Webcams typically include economical input and output of audio signals to and a lens (shown at top), an image sensor (shown at from a computer under control of computer programs. bottom), and supporting circuitry. It is also referred to as an audio card. Write back cache storage device A cache where store operations are buffered SDRAM in cache lines , only reaching main memory when the Synchronous dynamic random access entire cache line is evicted memory - Write through cache dynamic random access memory that is synchronized A cache where store operations are with the system bus . immediately written to the underlying main memory. SuperDisk Working set a high-speed, high-capacity alternative to the The set of data used by a processor during a 90 mm (3.5 in), 1.44 MB floppy disk. The SuperDisk certain time interval, which should ideally fit into a hardware was created by 3M's storage products CPU cache for optimum performance. group Imation in 1997. T tape drive A peripheral storage device that allows only sequential access, typically using magnetic tape . terminal An electronic or electromechanical hardware device that is used for entering data into, and displaying data from, a computer or a computing system. trackpad Also known as a touchpad [6] ; a pointing device consisting of specialized surface that can translate the motion and position of a user's fingers or a stylus to a relative position on a screen. TV tuner card