What is MIPS(Million of Instructions Per Second)?

It may be a strategy for measuring the raw speed of a computer’s processor. Since the MIPS estimation doesn’t take into consideration other components such as the computer’s I/O speed or processor engineering, it isn’t continuously a reasonable way to degree the execution of a computer. For this case, a computer evaluated at 100 MIPS may be able to compute certain capacities quicker than another computer evaluated at 120 MIPS. 

The MIPS estimation has been utilized by computer producers like IBM to degree the “cost of computing.” The value of computers is decided in MIPS per dollar. Interests, the esteem of computers in MIPS per dollar has consistently multiplied on a yearly premise for a final couple of decades.

How to Calculate MIPS

Required inputs for calculating MIPS are the

•  Number of instructions per second can be performed by a processor 
•  CPU processor speed (cycles per second), Ex (1 GHz, 2 GHz).
•  CPI (average clock cycles per instruction).
•  Execution time. 

Method 1: If no. of instructions and Execution time is given. 

Step 1: Perform the Divide operation between no. of instructions and Execution time and store the value (Let X)  in a variable. 

Step 2: Perform the Divide operation between that variable (X) and 1 million for finding millions of instructions per second. Example:

if a computer completed 2 million instructions in 0.10 seconds .
X = 2 million/0.10 = 20 million. 
No of MISP = X/1 million (as the name tells about it)
No of MISP=20 million/1 million =20.

Method 2: If the number of cycles per second (CPU) and the number of cycles per instruction (CPI) are given. 

Step 1: Perform the Divide operation between the number of cycles per second (CPU) and the number of cycles per instruction (CPI) and store the value (X) in a variable. 

Step 2: Perform a Divide operation between that variable and 1 million for finding millions of instructions per second. Example:

If a computer with a CPU of 400 megahertz had a CPI of 2.
X =  400/2=200 
No of MISP=X/1 million
No of MISP =  0.0002

Advantages of MIPS:

• It is easy to understand and measure
• It helps in the calculation of CPU processor speed (cycles per second), CPI (average clock cycles per instruction) and Execution time.
• It handles when the amount of work is large.

Disadvantages of MIPS:

• It may not reflect real execution, since simple instructions do way better.
• It is an older, obsolete measure of a computer’s speed and power.