Computer Architecture and Organization Course Work

Week-wise Course Breakup (Fall-2009)

Course Title: Computer Architecture & Organization (Course Code: CEN 221)

                                    

Week	Topic to be Covered	Remarks
1.	Introduction to Computer Organization and Architecture, Structure and function, Why study Organization and Architecture. A brief history of computers, Designing for performance, Pentium and PowerPC Evolution.
2	Computer components, Computers functions, Interconnection Structures, Bus interconnection
3	Computer memory system overview, Cache memory principles, Elements of cache design, Pentium 4 and PowerPC Cache Organizations
4	Overview of Semiconductor Main Memory (RAM) and Magnetic disk storage	Quiz is due
5	Input/Output - External devices, I/O modules, Programmed I/O, Interrupt-Driven, Direct Memory Access	Assignment Submission
6	Operating System overview – Scheduling & Memory Management
7	The Arithmetic and Logic Unit, Integer Representation, Integer Arithmetic, Floating-point Representation, Floating-point Arithmetic	Quiz is due
8		Quiz is due
	Mid Term Examinations
9	Machine Instruction Characteristics, Types of operands, Types of operations, Assembly Language, Addressing, Pentium and PowerPC Addressing Modes, Instruction formats
10
11	Processor Organization, Register Organization, Instruction Cycle, Instruction Pipelining	Assignment Submission
12
13	Instruction Execution Characteristics, The use of a large register file, Compiler-Based register organization, Reduced instruction set Architecture, RISC pipelining, RISC versus CISC Controversy
14
15	Instruction level parallelism and Superscalar design issues	Quiz is due
16	Revision and group discussion	Assignment Submission
17	Final Examinations