TORONTO METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY

Course Outline (W2024)

COE818: Advanced Computer Architecture

Instructor(s)Arghavan Asad [Coordinator]
Office: EPH432
Phone: TBA
Email: arghavan.asad@torontomu.ca
Office Hours: Thursdays 6:00pm-7:00pm
Calendar DescriptionThe main topics include: instruction set architecture for advanced processor, advanced pipelining, including branch predication, instruction level parallelism. It also covers advanced architecture including superscalar VLIW, speculative, vector processors, multithreading and multi-processors. It discusses the performance limitations and scalability issues and introduces real-world examples including MMX technology, and Pentium architectures. The laboratory work includes performance evaluation of advanced architectures.
PrerequisitesCOE 758
Antirequisites

None

Corerequisites

None

Compulsory Text(s):
  1. David Patterson and John Hennessy "Computer Architecture A QuantitativeApproach" 2006, Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, San Francisco, California ISBN0080475027, 9780080475028
  2. Laboratory Manual: Available through D2L and http://www.ee.ryerson.ca/~courses/ele818
Reference Text(s):
Learning Objectives (Indicators)  

At the end of this course, the successful student will be able to:

  1. Uses numerical and analytical models to predict, control, and design component, system. (1b)
  2. Identifies potential hazards and checks for alternative solutions. (2a)
  3. Compares model predictions with real-world data Proposes model improvements (2b)
  4. Appraises the validity/reliability of data relative to the degrees of error and limitations of theory and measurement (3a)
  5. Anticipates the needs of the project, customizes design processes, analyzes progress, and revises plans as necessary. Uses strategic planning in more complex design problems/systems. (4a)
  6. Uses strategic planning in more complex design problems/systems. (4c)
  7. Generates solutions for more complex design engineering problems/systems. (4b)
  8. Designs and develops simple tools (software, hardware) to perform given tasks as required by the project. (5a)

NOTE:Numbers in parentheses refer to the graduate attributes required by the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB).

Course Organization

3.0 hours of lecture per week for 13 weeks
1.0 hours of lab per week for 12 weeks
0.0 hours of tutorial per week for 12 weeks

Teaching AssistantsAhmad Fahmy
Course Evaluation
Theory
Midterm Exam 25 %
Final EXam 50 %
Laboratory
Lab Reports 25 %
TOTAL:100 %

Note: In order for a student to pass a course, a minimum overall course mark of 50% must be obtained. In addition, for courses that have both "Theory and Laboratory" components, the student must pass the Laboratory and Theory portions separately by achieving a minimum of 50% in the combined Laboratory components and 50% in the combined Theory components. Please refer to the "Course Evaluation" section above for details on the Theory and Laboratory components (if applicable).


ExaminationsMidterm exam in Week 7 or 8, for two hours, closed book (covers Weeks 1-6).
 Final exam, during  the exam period, 2 and half hours , closed-book (covers Weeks 1-13).
Other Evaluation InformationNone
Teaching Methods lecture time Tuesday from 3 to 6 ENGLG02
Other InformationNone

Course Content

Week

Hours

Chapters /
Section

Topic, description

1

3

Instruction Set Principles
   - Review and Introduction
   - Instruction Set Architectures
   - Memory Addressing
 (Chapter 2 Section 2.1-2.4)


2

3

Instruction Set Principles
   - Operations Introduction to
   - Operands
   - Encoding Instruction Set
   - Role of Compilers
 (Chapter 2 Section 2.5-2.12)


3

3

Pipelining Basic and Intermediate Concepts
   - Basic Pipeline for MIPS
 (Appendix A Section A.1)


4

3

Pipelining:
   - Pipeline Hazards
   - Data Hazards
 (Appendix A Section A.2-A.3)


5

3

Pipelining:
   - Control Hazards
   - Multicycle operations
   - Dealing with Exceptions
   - MIPS Pipeline
 (Appendix A Section A.4-A.6)


6

3

Instruction Level Parallelism:
   - Concept
   - Dynamic Scheduling
 (Chapter 3 Section 3.1-3.2)


7

3

Examples and Review Midterm


8

3

Instruction Level Parallelism:
   - Dynamic Scheduling and hazards
   - Superscalar
 (Chapter 3 Sections 3.3-3.6)


9

3

Instruction Level Parallelism:
   - VLIW
   - Branch Prediction
 (Chapter 4 Sections 4.1-4.3)


10

3

Vector Processors and GPU:
   - Concept and Architecture
   - Performance
 (Appendix G Sections G.1-G.2)


11

3

Multiprocessors:
   - Introduction
   - Shared Memory Architecture
 (Chapter 6 Sections 6.1-6.3)


12

3

Multiprocessors:
   - Coherency and Synchronization
 (Chapter 6 Sections 6.4-6.7)


13

3

Multithreading
 (Chapter 6 Section 6.9)
 Review


Laboratory(L)/Tutorials(T)/Activity(A) Schedule

Week

L/T/A

Description

2-3

TBA

Using SIMPLESCALAR Simulator

4-7

TBA

Evaluating  Performance of Computer System

8-12

TBA

Using GPU

University Policies & Important Information

Students are reminded that they are required to adhere to all relevant university policies found in their online course shell in D2L and/or on the Senate website

Refer to the Departmental FAQ page for furhter information on common questions.

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