Organization & Structure of a Computer System.

8. Key Features

Key Features:

• Uses a single memory unit to store both instructions and data.
• Instructions are executed sequentially.
• Uses the fetch-decode-execute cycle.
• Commonly used in personal computers, laptops, and general-purpose processors.

Advantages:

✔ Simpler design and cost-effective.
✔ Supports modern programming languages easily.

Disadvantages:

✖ The Von Neumann Bottleneck (slow memory access due to shared bus).
✖ Performance is limited by memory speed.

2. Harvard Architecture

This architecture was developed to overcome the bottleneck in Von Neumann systems by using separate memory for instructions and data.

Key Features:

• Separate memory for instructions and data.
• Instructions and data can be accessed simultaneously, improving performance.
• Used in embedded systems, digital signal processors (DSPs), and microcontrollers.

Advantages:

✔ Faster execution due to separate buses.
✔ Reduces data corruption risks.

Disadvantages:

✖ More complex and expensive to implement.
✖ Limited flexibility in memory usage.