EE660: Computer Architecture I

Executive Summary

Fundamental understanding of computer architecture is key to hardware and processor design, compilers, operating systems, and high performance programming. This course explores computer architectures and design techniques of modern microprocessors at various scales. The focus will be given to architectures that can exploit different forms of parallelism, whether they be implicit or explicit, to improve performance. A selection of topics covered by the course include multi-issue superscalar processors, out-of-order processors, Very Long Instruction Word (VLIW) processors, advanced caching, multiprocessor systems, and parallel programming.

Logistics

  • CRN

    EE660 001
    76915
  • Personnel:

    Lecturer: Yao Zheng Office Hours: see here
  • Format:

    Lecture Time Lecture Location Textbook Quiz Assignment
    MW 13:30pm-14:45pm Holmes Hall 389 Required: Computer Architecture: A Quantitative Approach (5th Edition) (PH11) Individual Team
    Optional: Modern Processor Design: Fundamentals of Supperscalar Processors (SL13)

Grading Policy

Breakdown

Quiz & Assignment Discussion & Participation
80% 20%
  • Cutoffs

    A- B- C-
    70% 50% 30%
  • Proscribed Conduct: Copying or otherwise cheating on homework, lab reports, or exam will result in a failing grade for the course. More details can be found at student conduct code policies, III.C.

Schedule

TIME TOPIC LECTURE READING Quiz ASSG DUE
Week 01 (Aug 22, 24) Introduction to Computer Architecture lec 01 PH11: Chapter 1, C1-C16.
Week 02 (Aug 29, 31) Review: Pipeline lec 02 PH11: C26, C30-C58, C61-C81.
Week 03 (Sep 7) Review: Pipeline cont.
Week 04 (Sep 12, 14) Review: Cache lec 03 PH11: B1-B40, SL13:177-209.
Week 05 (Sep 19, 21) Superscalar Pipelines lec 04 PH11:C43-C61, SL13:217-236
Week 06 (Sep 26, 28) Out-of-Order Processors lec 05 SL13:338-357
Week 07 (Oct 3, 5) Branch, Register Renaming, and Memory Disambiguation lec 06 SL13:237-273.
Week 08 (Oct 10, 12) VLIW Introduction lec 07 PH11: 192-196, Appendix H
Week 09 (Oct 17, 19) Branch Prediction lec 08 PH11: C26-C30, SL13:219-237, 453-508
Week 10 (Oct 24, 26) Advanced Cache Optimizations lec 09 PH11:71-105
Week 11 (Oct 31, Nov 02) Memory Protection lec 10 PH11 B41-B67, 105-144
Week 12 (Nov 07, 09) Vector Processors and GPUs lec 11 PH11:282-357
Week 13 (Nov 14, 16) Multithreading lec 12 PH11:221-259
Week 14 (Nov 21, 23) Parallel Programming and Small Multiprocessors lec 13 PH11:377-400, 343-378
Week 15 (Nov 28, 30) Interconnection Network lec 14 PH11:Appendix F
Week 16 (Dec 05, 07) Large Multiprocessors (Directory Protocols) lec 15 PH11:378-386, 400-429
Week 17 (Dec 12, 16) Elective Topic