CMSC 411 Computer Architecture Syllabus

Class schedule, topic and assignments

Lec Date Subject                                  Reading     Homework
                                                             assigned  due
 1. 2/1   Introduction, terminology               1.1-1.6     HW1
 2. 2/3   Performance,                            2.1-2.5
 3. 2/8   Benchmarks,                             2.6-2.8     HW2       HW1
 4. 2/10  CPU operation                     skim  3.1-3.7
                                            read  p117-121
 5. 2/15  esim - project simulator                web page    HW3       HW2
 6. 2/17  Instructions and registers        skim  3.8-3.11
                                            read  p145-149
 7. 2/22  Arithmetic                              4.1-4.4     HW4       HW3
 8. 2/24  ALU                                     4.5
 9. 3/1   Multiply                                4.6         HW5       HW4
10. 3/3   Divide                                  4.7
11. 3/8   Floating Point                          4.8         HW6       HW5
12. 3/10  Control Unit                            5.1-5.3
13. 3/15  Microprogramming - review               5.4-5.5               HW6  
14. 3/17  mid-term exam
          Spring Break
15. 3/29  Pipelining 1                            6.1
16. 3/31  Pipelining 2                            6.2-6.3     HW7
17. 4/5   Project outline                         web page
18. 4/7   Pipelining hazards 1                    6.4-6.6     HW8       HW7
19. 4/12  Pipelining hazards 2                    "
20. 4/14  Cache                                   7.1-7.2     HW9       HW8
21. 4/19  Cache performance                       7.3         HW10  PROJ 1/3
22. 4/21  Virtual memory 1                        7.4-7.5               
23. 4/26  Virtual memory 2                        "           HW11      HW9
24. 4/28  Project layouts                         web page              HW10
                                                                    PROJ 2/3
25. 5/3   I/O types and performance               8.1-8.3     HW12      
26. 5/5   Busses, I/O-processor connection        8.4-8.6               HW11
27. 5/10  Multiprocessors                   skim  9.1-9.4               HW12
28. 5/12  Review                                  study             PROJ 3/3
29. 5/17  Final Exam 6:00 - 8:00  (no other)
 

Last updated 4/21/99