| CODE |
CCE3013 |
|
| TITLE |
Computer Architecture |
|
| LEVEL |
03 - Years 2, 3, 4 in Modular Undergraduate Course |
|
| ECTS CREDITS |
6 |
|
| DEPARTMENT |
Communications and Computer Engineering |
|
| DESCRIPTION |
Objectives:
The performance of computers can be enhanced using pipelined and parallel computer architectures. Nowadays, common personal computers employ these techniques to achieve faster execution times. The objective of this study-unit is to give an understanding on the advantages and implications of such solutions. Design techniques for pipelined and parallel architectures will also be analysed.
Syllabus:
• Fast Multiplication Techniques
• Barrel Shifter
• Pipelined Architectures
o Techniques used to enhance throughput including: instruction lookahead, execution overlap (pipelining).
o Branching, data, and instruction dependencies.
o CISC, RISC and superscalar architectures.
o Efficiency of pipeline hardware.
• Parallel Architectures
o Parallel Processing.
o Parallel Architectures such as: Mesh, Star, Ring, Hypercube.
o Switching Elements.
o Arithmetic pipelines.
o Performance Considerations.
o Shared Memory Architectures.
o Handling of Cache.
Textbooks:
• C. Hammacher, Z. Vranesic, S. Zaky, Computer Organization, McGraw Hill, ISBN: 0-07-112218-4.
• D. Sima, T. Fountain and P. Kacsuk, Advanced Computer Architectures, A Design Space Approach, Addison-Wesley, ISBN: 0-201-42291-3.
Reference:
• M.J. Quinn, Parallel Computing Theory and Practice, McGraw Hill, ISBN: 0-07-113800-5. |
|
| RULES/CONDITIONS |
Before TAKING THIS STUDY-UNIT YOU ARE ADVISED TO TAKE CCE2011
|
|
| STUDY-UNIT TYPE |
Lecture and Tutorial |
|
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
| Assessment Component/s |
Resit Availability |
Weighting |
| Assignment |
Yes |
20% |
| Examination (2 Hours)
|
Yes |
80% |
|
|
| LECTURER/S |
Paul J. Micallef
|
|
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints.
Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice.
It should be noted that all the information in the study-unit description above applies to the academic year 2012/3, if study-unit is available during this academic year, and may be subject to change in subsequent years.
|
20 May 2013
http://www.um.edu.mt/ict/studyunit
