Rettig

James Rettig

Computer Architecture Lab 493-001

				AMD 29000

	The AMD29000 (Advanced Micro Devices) streamlined 
instruction microprocessor is the topic of this report 
(AM29000).  To begin, the streamlined instruction set 
reduces the number of instructions required for most 
gereral-purpose tasks.  It along with the AM29005 has a high 
performance, general-purpose, 32-bit, three-bus 
architecture.  They have CMOS processing technology and are 
TTL compatible.  With a cpi = 1.5, on-chip timer facility, 
clock generation and debugging support.  They have a 
flexible architecture and a fast execution of simple 
instruction.  Their target applications are for example:  
high-performance work stations, gereral purpose-
ninicomputers, high performance real-time controllers, laser 
printer controllers, network protocol converters, ect.  The 
influence of the architecture is high-level language. They 
will execute operations common to all languages.  They 
target C, FORTRAN, Pascal, Ada, and COBOL.  The AM29000 has 
33,25,20, an 16MHz operating frequencies.  It has 512-byte 
branch target cache on-chip and 64-entry memory unit on-
chip.  The amd family is embedded RISC technology for high-
performance applications.  The 29k family of microprocessors 
and microcontrollers are 100% software compatible.  

Conclusion

AMd is a large supplier of Windows-compatible 
microprocessors.  Their target is personal and networks and 
communications markets.  Their purpose is for high-level 
language. They have a varity of applications.  The AM2900 is 
similar to its family, expecially the AM29005, yet it has 
its own characteristics.  Theses that are not listed above 
are:  demultiplexed, pipelined address, instuction and data 
busses.

	                         EARTH Project  

	The EARTH project (Efficient Architecture for Running Threads) is 
a multiprocessor architecture designed for efficient parallel execution 
of both numerical and nonnumerical programs.  The target of the EARTH 
project is to investigate complier techniques and architectual features 
that are required for better supporting parallel computing in future 
high-performance architectures.  Some of theses are benchmarking, 
emulation and simulation of parallel machines and an EARTH hardware 
protptype.  
	A VLSI implementation of the architecture will offer hardware 
support for the EARTH programming model.  The earth node architecture 
consists of an execution unit and a synchonization unit, linked together 
by buffers, which share a local memory.  The programming model was 
implemented on top of the MANNA multiprocessor. This multiprocessor is 
used as multithread system.  The Threaded-C complier offers support for 
EARTH operations.  It translates programs written in an extended C 
dialect into MANNA executables and can with minor changes generate true 
earth code.  The problem is that it suffers when running fine-grained 
multitheraded programs because hardware does not support rapid 
communication between th execution unit and the syncronization unit.  
Solution:  multithreaded code on the EARTH-MANNA platform, aids in the 
architecture and the synchonization unit hardware.  Currently a model is 
being added to simulate sync unit hardware.  This will make it possible 
to see what a real EARTH machine will do, to extract statistics needed 
to select design parameter, and experiment with future enhancements.  

Conclusion

This project is still not here.  Using VLSI the machine will 
be currently based on dual-bus architecture with the exe 
unit and the sync unit having their own buses to shared 
hardware resources so that the bus conventions can be 
minimized.  The exe unit will be off the shelf and the sync 
unit will be VLSI.  It will be redesigned and will  
currently be simulated.