CS330--Computer Design & Architecture--Spring 2011--Directed Study






The Textbook


Course Description


Course Objectives


Course Policies


Grading System


Course Schedule
         

Prof. Thomas A. Easton


Photo of Professor Easton atop the Hill of Tara, March 2004 		        
OFFICE: Rm. 108

OFFICE HOURS: Wednesday afternoons

OFFICE PHONE: 859-1331

HOME PHONE: 338-1074

CANCELLATION PHONE NUMBER: 859-1140

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THE TEXTBOOK

Computer Organization and Architecture, 8th Edition
William Stallings
Prentice-Hall, 2010 (ISBN: 978-0-13-608860-8)


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COURSE DESCRIPTION


This course examines the major components of computer systems, how they are organized, and how they work together.


See "Course policies" below for details on testing and grading.

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COURSE OBJECTIVES


After completing this course, students will:
  1. Understand what the major components of computer systems are.
  2. Understand how these components communicate with each other.
  3. Understand how internal and external memory work and are used.
  4. Be able to describe CPU units and instruction sets.
  5. Be able to describe how parallel processing and multicore computers work.


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COURSE POLICIES


Grading will be based on eight papers, any or all of which you may place in your E-Portfolio. See the Course Schedule for details.



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GRADING SYSTEM

A (94 - 100)      A- (90 - 93)
B+ (87 - 89)     B (83 - 86)    B- (80 - 82)
C+ (77 - 79)     C (73 - 76)     C- (70 - 72)
D+ (67 - 69)     D (63 - 66)    D- (60 - 62)
F (below 60)



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COURSE SCHEDULE

CAUTION: COURSE SCHEDULE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT WARNING!

DATETOPICASSIGNMENT
Week 1: Jan 11, 13 IntroductionRead Chh. 0-2
 Paper #1, due Tues Jan 20

Prepare a short (two pages) objective summary of the main ideas in  Chapter 2 relating to performance and benchmarking.
Week 2: Jan 18, 20 Computer Components and FunctionRead Ch. 3
 Cache Memory Read Ch. 4
 Paper #2, due Tues Jan 27

Write a paper that describes the three principal cache mapping functions and summarizes their pros and cons.
Week 3: Jan 25, 27 Internal Memory Read Ch. 5
External Memory Read Ch. 6
Week 4: Feb 1, 3Input/Output Read Ch. 7
Paper #3, due Tues Feb 9Write a report answering Problem 7.20, p. 257
Week 5: Feb 8, 10Operating System SupportRead Ch. 8
Week 6: Feb 15, 17 Computer Arithmetic

Read Ch. 9

Paper #4, due Tues March 2

After reading Chapter 9 as well as the paper "What Every Computer Scientist Should Know About Floating-Point Arithmetic," write a paper exploring the issue of rounding in floating-point arithmetic.

Week 7: March 1, 3 Instruction Sets: Characteristics and Functions Read Ch. 10
Week 8: March 8, 10 Instruction Sets: Addressing Modes and Formats Read Ch. 11
Paper #5, due Tues March 16 Solve Problems 11.1, 11.2, and 11.3.
Week 9: March 15, 17 Processor Structure and Function Read Ch. 12
Week 10: March 22, 24 Reduced Instruction Set Computers (RISC) Read Ch. 13
 Paper #6, due Tues April 6

Write an essay on the difference between RISC and CISC.

Week 11: April 5, 7 Instruction-Level Parallelism and Superscalar Processors Read Ch. 14
Week 12: April 12, 14 Control Unit Operation Read Ch. 15
 Microprogrammed ControlRead Ch. 16
 Paper #7, due Tues April 20Describe the differences between a hardwired implementation and a microprogrammed implementation of a control unit?  Under what circumstances is one implementation to be preferred over the other?
Week 13: April 19, 21 Parallel Processing Read Ch. 17
Hand in late papers!  
Week 14: April 26, 28 Multicore Computers Read Ch. 18
Paper #8, due Tues May 4 At a top level, what are the main design variables in a multicore organization?
   
Mon May 2 FINAL EXAMS BEGIN
 
Thursday May 5 Hand in any late papers. LAST CHANCE!
 






Syllabus last modified November 18, 2010.