This course is an introduction to computer architecture and organization, with a special focus on the basic principles underlying contemporary, mainstream, microprocessor design. It will explore the interaction of hardware and software, and consider the efficient use of hardware to achieve high performance. Topics will include the MIPS instruction-set architecture, computer arithmetic, processor design, performance measurement and analysis, pipelining, caches and virtual memory, input/output, and design tradeoffs among cost, performance, and complexity.
Mondays and Wednesdays, 1:30-2:50, Where: Aaron Burr Hall, room 219.
Prerequisite for this course is COS 217, Introduction to Programming
Systems. While ELE 206/COS 306, has been a prereq in the past, this year's offering will give sufficient intro for people who have not taken it.