A computer consists of a CPU and an I/O device D connected to main memory Mvia a shared bus with a data bus width of one word. The CPU can execute a maximum of 106 instructions per second. An average instruction requires five processor cycles, three of which use the memory bus. A memory read or writes operation uses one processor cycle. Suppose that the CPU is continuously executing “background” programs that require 95% of its instruction execution rate but not any I/O instructions. Assume that one processor cycle equals one bus cycle. Now suppose that very large blocks of data are to be transferred between M and D.
a. If programmed I/O is used and each one-word I/O transfer requires the CPU to execute two instructions, estimate the maximum I/O data transfer rate, in words per second, possible through D.
b. Estimate the same rate if DMA transfer is used.