A firm in one the areas listed below needs to replace their computing infrastructure. They would like a high-performance computer system to cater for their business needs. They have approached you, as their consultant, to propose a replacement computer system.
Weather forecasting
Natural Language Processing
Healthcare and medicine
Modelling and Simulation
Security
Materials and Manufacturing Industries
a) Propose a high-performance computer system for the firm. Justify and analyse the main components of the proposed system, considering their performance, cost, security and usability. You can use existing off-the-shelf components, or propose new ones. Discuss the techniques used in enhancing the performance of these components. A detailed analysis of the proposed Instruction Set Architecture is required.
b) Using the selected Instruction Set, write an assembly language programme to implement an algorithm (you should agree on the algorithm to implement with the module leader). The algorithm should include a loop, a branch instruction, a subroutine call and some arithmetic/logic operations. Provide machine code for the instructions used in this program.
c) Prepare a test plan for measuring the performance of the system, and compare to similar systems. An informed prediction of the future trend of the design of computer systems should be presented. This should be supported by peer-reviewed research findings.