Computer Architecture

Learning Outcomes

An in-depth understanding of computer architecture with particular emphasis on core kernel issues, command routing, memory organization and peripherals, for systems and application development.

Indicative Module Content

• The architecture and organization of modern computers and microprocessors
• Pipelining commands and control unit design
• Superscalar processors
• Dynamic command routing and static command routing
• Model-based techniques to improve the performance of modern processors
• Parallel architectures, multiprocessors and multi-computers
• Cache coherence, memory consistency and synchronization
• Advanced memory organization and peripherals, for high-performance processors
• Simulation/design of a microprocessor system, or memory system, via a high-level programming language (C, C ++) or hardware-level (VHDL, Verilog)
• Evaluation of architectural performance based on benchmarks.