Course overview
Fundamentals of computer design; quantifying cost and performance; instruction set architecture; program behaviour and measurement of instruction set use; processor datapaths and control; pipelining, handling pipeline hazards; memory hierarchies and performance; I/O devices, controllers and drivers; I/O and system performance.
Course learning outcomes
- Discuss how a modern computer works
- Explain how it supports execution of software
- Explain how design alternatives affect performance and cost