Due: 3/26/2007
Read the following paper:
- The CRAY-1 Computer System - R.M. Russell, Communications. of the ACM, January 1978.
Comment on the paper. Provide a short (a few sentences) summary of the focus of the paper or key arguments made. Make sure to specifically address these points:
- What is the number of functional units? How does that compare to today?
- What is the clock rate? Why is it so fast? How was the clock cycle balanced across the machine?
- What is the size of the register state? The memory? What is the memory latency? How does that compare to today?
- What are the four most striking features of the machine?
- What is the instruction set architecture?
- How is virtual memory, relocation and protection provided?
- What is the floating-point format? How does it different from IEEE 754 standard floating-point?
- What is the vector vs. scalar speed? What is the minimum vector size to be faster than a scalar loop? What is a long vs. short vector computer?
- What is the speed relative to other computers of its era? To a Pentium 4 or AMD 64?
- What are the general impressions of the Cray 1 vs. today’s CPUs?
Your comments should demonstrate that you've thought about the most important parts of each paper.