Page 123 - Computer_Science_F5
P. 123
Computer Science Applications of the Intel as scientific simulations, financial
Hyperthreading (HT) include;
modeling, Medical imaging processing
and Virtualization environments
(a) Web browsers can handle multiple
downloads and page rendering
While Intel Hyperthreading and IBM
concurrently.
FOR ONLINE READING ONLY
(b) Video editing software can encode
not limited to them. AMD Processors like
video while simultaneously Power 5 are prominent examples, SMT is
previewing the edited content. the Ryzen series also incorporate SMT
(c) Office applications can perform technology under the name “Simultaneous
multiple tasks (e.g., spell check, Multithreading.” Many ARM processors
formatting) in parallel. for mobile devices and embedded systems
utilize SMT for improved performance.
(b) IBM Power 5 with SMT
Building upon the success of the The future of SMT: As processor core
PowerPC architecture, IBM’s Power 5 counts continue to increase, SMT remains
processor incorporated SMT support in a relevant technology for squeezing
2004. While offering SMT capabilities, additional performance out of individual
the Power 5 went further with additional cores. It offers a balance between adding
improvements: more physical cores (which can be
(a) Increased cache sizes: Larger L1 and expensive) and maximizing the utilization
L2 cache sizes allowed for more data of existing resources within a core.
to be readily available for threads,
reducing memory access delays. Multithreading vs. Multiprocessing
(b) Separate instruction prefetch Multithreading allows a single processor
units: Each SMT thread received to execute multiple threads concurrently
its own instruction prefetch unit, within a single process. Threads share the
improving the efficiency of fetching same memory space but have separate
instructions ahead of time. stacks and registers. It is like having
(c) Increased issue queues: The processor multiple cooks (threads) working in the
could hold and potentially execute same kitchen (process) using the same
more instructions out of order, further ingredients (memory) but with their own
enhancing parallelism. tools (registers and stacks).
(d) Larger virtual register File: The
number of virtual registers accessible Multiprocessing utilizes multiple
to each thread was expanded, processors to run multiple processes
providing more flexibility for simultaneously. Each process has its own
complex programs. memory space and resources. It’s like
having multiple kitchens (processes) with
The Power 5 with SMT targeted high- separate ingredients (memory) and cooks
performance computing tasks such (processors) working independently.
114
for Advanced Secondary Schools
Computer Science Form 5.indd 114 23/07/2024 12:33