2 Вариант Architecture (computer science)
Architecture (computer science), a general term referring to the structure of all or part of a computer system. The term also covers the design of system software, such as the operating system (the program that controls the computer), as well as referring to the combination of hardware and basic software that links the machines on a computer network. Computer architecture refers to an entire structure and to the details needed to make it functional. Thus, computer architecture covers computer systems, microprocessors, circuits, and system programs. Typically the term does not refer to application programs, such as spreadsheets or word processing, which are required to perform a task but not to make the system run.
Design elements
In designing a computer system, architects consider five major elements that make up the system's hardware: the arithmetic/logic unit, control unit, memory, input, and output. The arithmetic/logic unit performs arithmetic and compares numerical values. The control unit directs the operation of the computer by taking the user instructions and transforming them into electrical signals that the computer's circuitry can understand. The combination of the arithmetic/logic unit and the control unit is called the central processing unit (CPU). The memory stores instructions and data. The input and output sections allow the computer to receive and send data, respectively.
Different hardware architectures are required because of the specialized needs of systems and users. One user may need a system to display graphics extremely fast, while another system may have to be optimized for searching a database or conserving battery power in a laptop computer.
In addition to the hardware design, the architects must consider what software programs will operate the system. Software, such as programming languages and operating systems, makes the details of the hardware architecture invisible to the user. For example, computers that use the C programming language or a UNIX operating system may appear the same from the user's viewpoint, although they use different hardware architectures.
3 Вариант network architecture
Computers communicate with other computers via networks. The simplest network is a direct connection between two computers. However, computers can also be connected over large networks, allowing users to exchange data, communicate via electronic mail, and share resources such as printers.
Computers can be connected in several ways. In a ring configuration, data are transmitted along the ring and each computer in the ring examines this data to determine if it is the intended recipient. If the data are not intended for a particular computer, the computer passes the data to the next computer in the ring. This process is repeated until the data arrive at their intended destination. A ring network allows multiple messages to be carried simultaneously, but since each message is checked by each computer, data transmission is slowed.
In a bus configuration, computers are connected through a single set of wires, called a bus. One computer sends data to another by broadcasting the address of the receiver and the data over the bus. All the computers in the network look at the address simultaneously, and the intended recipient accepts the data. A bus network, unlike a ring network, allows data to be sent directly from one computer to another. However, only one computer at a time can transmit data. The others must wait to send their messages.
In a star configuration, computers are linked to a central computer called a hub. A computer sends the address of the receiver and the data to the hub, which then links the sending and receiving computers directly. A star network allows multiple messages to be sent simultaneously, but it is more costly because it uses an additional computer, the hub, to direct the data.