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Calendar

This calendar provides lecture topics and associated lecture notes, assignments, quizzes, and reading assignments. The reading assignments refer to the course textbook, Computer Architecture: A Quantitative Approach: 2nd Edition, by J. L. Hennessy and D. A. Patterson.

DAY # TOPICS HANDOUTS READINGS KEY DATES
1 Lecture 1 - History of Calculation and Computer Architecture
Chapter 1: pp. 53-60
2 Lecture 2 - Influence of Technology and Software on Instruction Sets: Up to the Dawn of IBM 360
  • Lecture Notes (PDF)
Rest of Chapter 1
3 Lecture 3 - Complex Instruction Set Evolution in the Sixties: Stack and GPR Architectures
  • Lecture Notes (PDF)
  • Problem Set 1 (PDF)
  • Problem Set 1 Supplement (PDF)
Chapter 2: pp. 69-96 Problem Set 0 Due
4 Lecture 4 - Micro-Programming
  • Lecture Notes (PDF)
Chapter 2: pp. 96-116
5 Lecture 5 - Simple Instruction Pipelining
  • Lecture Notes (PDF)
Chapter 3: pp. 125-160, Background: Chapter 6, Computer Org & Design
6 Lecture 6 - Pipeline Hazards
  • Lecture Notes (PDF)
Chapter 3: pp. 161-178
7 Lecture 7 - Multilevel Memories
  • Lecture Notes (PDF)
  • Problem Set 2 (PDF)
Chapter 3: pp. 178-187
Chapter 5: pp. 373-397
Problem Set 1 Due
8 Lecture 8 - Cache (Memory) Performance Optimization
  • Lecture Notes (PDF)
Chapter 5: pp. 397-474
9 Lecture 9 - Virtual Memory Basics
  • Lecture Notes (PDF)
  • Problem Set 3 (PDF)
Same as Lecture 8 Problem Set 2 Due
10 Lecture 10 - Virtual Memory: Part Deux
  • Lecture Notes (PDF)
Chapter 3: pp. 187-214
11 Lecture 11 - Complex Pipelining
  • Lecture Notes (PDF)
  • Sample Midterm (PDF)
Problem Set 3 Due
12 Midterm Review Session - 2 hours
13 Lecture 12 - Out of Order Execution & Register Renaming
  • Lecture Notes (PDF)
Chapter 4: pp. 221-261
14 Midterm Exam - 2 hours
15 Lecture 13 - Branch Prediction & Speculative Execution
  • Lecture Notes (PDF)
Chapter 4: pp. 262-317
16 Lecture 14 - Advanced Superscalar Architectures
  • Lecture Notes (PDF)
  • Problem Set 4 (PDF)
Chapter 4: pp. 317-359
17 Lecture 15 - VLIW/EPIC: Statically Scheduled ILP
  • Lecture Notes (PDF)
18 Lecture 16 - Vector Computers
  • Lecture Notes (PDF)
Appendix B
19 Lecture 17 - Symmetric Multiprocessors: Synchronization and Sequential Consistency
  • Lecture Notes (PDF)
  • Problem Set 5 (PDF)
Chapter 8 (skip Sec. 8.2 and 8.4) Problem Set 4 Due
20 Lecture 18 - Cache Coherence
  • Lecture Notes (PDF)
Chapter 8, Appendix E
21 Lecture 19 - Relaxed Memory Models
  • Lecture Notes (PDF)
  • CSG Memo 413 (PDF)
Chapter 8, Appendix E
22 Lecture 20 - Microprocessor Evolution: 4004 to Pentium Pro
  • Lecture Notes (PDF)
  • Problem Set 6 (PDF)
Problem Set 5 Due
23 Lecture 21 - Advanced CISC Implementations: Pentium 4
  • Lecture Notes (PDF)
24 Lecture 22 - Virtual Machines and Dynamic Translation: Implementing ISAs in Software
  • Lecture Notes (PDF)
25 Lecture 23 - Multithreaded Processors
  • Lecture Notes (PDF)
Problem Set 6 Due
26 Lecture 24 - Embedded Computing
  • Lecture Notes (PDF)
27 Lecture 25 - Parallel Processors
  • Lecture Notes (PDF)
  • Sample Final (PDF)
Chapters 7 & 8
28 Final Exam Review Session - 2 hours
29 Final Exam - 2 hours