Computer Architecture

Catalog description

This course offers a comprehensive coverage of computer architecture and the internals of computer systems. Topics include Computer system performance metrics and analysis, instruction set design, CPU organization (datapath and control, out-of-order execution, register renaming, branch handling techniques, supporting precise interrupts in out-of-order pipelines, superscalar processors), Memory systems (caches, virtual memory, TLBs, multi-level cache hierarchies), Input-output systems, Storage systems and RAIDs, Introduction to multicore and multithreaded processors. Upon completion of this course, the student will understand the operations and timing issues of modern microprocessors, memory systems and input/output devices, and the interactions among these components Prerequisites: COSC 1437 and COSC 2325 .