2

Internal Architecture

This chapter provides both an overview of the 21264/EV68A microarchitecture and a sys- tem designer’s view of the 21264/EV68A implementation of the Alpha architecture. The combination of the 21264/EV68A microarchitecture and privileged architecture library code (PALcode) defines the chip’s implementation of the Alpha architecture. If a certain piece of hardware seems to be “architecturally incomplete,” the mi ssing functionality is implemented in PALcode. Chapter 6 provides more information on PALcode.

This chapter describes the major functional hardware units and is not intended to be a detailed hardware description of the chip. It is organized as follows:

•21264/EV68A microarchitecture

•Pipeline organization

•Instruction issue and retire rules

•Load instructions to R31/F31 (software-directed instruction prefetch)

•Special cases of Alpha instruction execution

•Memory and I/O address space

•Miss address file (MAF) and load-merging rules

•Instruction ordering

•Replay traps

•I/O write buffer and the WMB instruction

•Performance measurement support

•Floating-point control register

•AMASK and IMPLVER instruction values

•Design examples

2.121264/EV68A Microarchitecture

The 21264/EV68A microprocessor is a high-performance third-generation implementa- tion of the Compaq Alpha architecture. The 21264/EV68A consists of the following sections, as shown in Figure 2–1:

•Instruction fetch, issue, and retire unit (Ibox)

•Integer execution unit (Ebox)

21264/EV68A Hardware Reference Manual

Internal Architecture 2–1

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Compaq specifications Internal Architecture, 21264/EV68A Microarchitecture