APPROACH FOR COMPUTER SYSTEMS DESIGN

Abstract

We develop a computer design process that uses an architectural approach, involving the definition and analysis of sequences of functions. This approach allowed us to configure a system at a high level, and provides a mechanism for predicting performance, reliability, availability, and security. A key feature of the design approach is sequence and system complexity that we found to be a good predictor of system properties, such as reliability. Both non-concurrent and concurrent processing, using multiple parallel processors, methods are evaluated with respect to performance, reliability, availability, security, and cost. We evaluated the tradeoffs between performance and cost, and found that a two-processor system provides a good balance between performance and cost. Our major contribution to the field of computer design is our innovative approach of using sequences as the basis of design and the application of complexity metrics as a predictor of system attributes, an approach we did not find in an extensive review of the literature.