3 - Hardware

Von Neumann Architecture

A type of computer architecture based on the concept of a stored program computer, consisting of a CPU, memory, and input/output devices.

Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)

A component of the CPU responsible for performing arithmetic and logical operations.

Control Unit (CU)

Manages and coordinates CPU operations, fetching, decoding, and executing instructions.

Registers

Small, fast storage locations within the CPU that hold data the CPU is actively working with.

Program Counter (PC)

Keeps track of the next instruction to be executed by containing its memory address.

Memory Address Register (MAR)

Holds the address of the memory location to be accessed.

Memory Data Register (MDR)

Holds data being transferred between memory and the CPU.

Current Instruction Register (CIR)

Holds the instruction currently being executed.

Accumulator (ACC)

Stores intermediate results of arithmetic and logic operations.

Fetch-Decode-Execute (FDE) Cycle

The process where the CPU retrieves instructions from memory, decodes them, and executes them.

Virtual Memory

A memory management technique that uses secondary storage to simulate additional RAM.

Network Interface Card (NIC)

A device that connects a computer to a network, containing the MAC address.

CACHE

Temporary memory inside the CPU that stores frequently used instructions and is expensive.

Cloud Storage

A model of data storage where digital data is stored in logical pools across multiple servers accessible over the internet.

Primary Storage

Main memory directly accessed by the CPU, including RAM and ROM.

Random Access Memory (RAM)

Volatile memory used for temporary storage, allowing fast read and write operations.

Read Only Memory (ROM)

Non-volatile memory that contains permanent instructions, such as boot-up sequences.

Secondary Storage

Not directly accessed by the CPU and used for more permanent data storage.

Solid-State Drives (SSDs)

A type of secondary storage using NAND or NOR technology that has no moving parts.

Data Bus

Carries data between the CPU and other components.

Address Bus

Carries memory addresses used by the CPU to specify locations to read from or write to.

Control Bus

Carries control signals used by the CPU to coordinate operations of other components.