Alpha Architecture Handbook Author:Digital Equipment Corporation Alpha is a 64-bit load/store RISC architecture that is designed with particular emphasis on the three elements that most affect performance: clock speed, multiple instruction issue, and multiple processors. — The Alpha architects examined and analyzed current and theoretical RISC architecture design elements and developed high-performance alterna... more »tives for the Alpha architecture. The architects adopted only those design elements that appeared valuable for a projected 25-year design horizon. Thus, Alpha becomes the first 21st century computer architecture.
The Alpha architecture is designed to avoid bias toward any particular operating system or programming language. Alpha supports the OpenVMS Alpha, DIGITAL UNIX, and Windows NT. Alpha operating systems and supports simple software migration for applications that run on those operating systems.
This manual describes in detail how Alpha is designed to be the leadership 64-bit architecture of the computer industry.
Alpha is a True 64-Bit Architecture.
Alpha was designed as a 64-bit architecture. All registers are 64 bits in length and all operations are performed between 64-bit registers. It is not a 32-bit architecture that was later expanded to 64 bits.« less