The SIMD Vector Computer

The very successful Cray 1 supercomputer was a vector computer:

The benches at the bottom are independent memory banks placed closed to a processor tower !

The SIMD Vector Computer

An important design factor of vector computers is the use of (many) independent memory modules:

 

The independent memory modules can transfer multiple data items (= operands) to the CPU used in the vector instructions

Schema of the Cray-1 supercomputer