CS405 Computer System Architecture

Course Objectives:
1. To impart a basic understanding of the parallel architecture and its operations
2. To introduce the key features of high performance computers

Syllabus
Basic concepts of parallel computer models, SIMD computers, Multiprocessors and
multi-computers, Cache Coherence Protocols, Multicomputers, Pipelining computers
and Multithreading.

Module 1

Parallel computer models – Evolution of Computer Architecture, System Attributes to performance, Amdahl’s law for a fixed workload. Multiprocessors and Multicomputers, Multivector and SIMD computers, Architectural development tracks, Conditions of parallelism.

Module 2

Processors and memory hierarchy – Advanced processor technology- Design Space of processors, Instruction Set Architectures, CISC Scalar Processors, RISC Scalar Processors, Superscalar and vector processors, Memory hierarchy technology.

MODULE 3

Multiprocessors system interconnects – Hierarchical bus systems, Cross bar switch and multiport memory, Multistage and combining networks.
Cache Coherence and Synchronization Mechanisms, Cache Coherence Problem, Snoopy Bus Protocol, Directory Based Protocol, Hardware Synchronization Problem

MODULE 4

Message Passing Mechanisms-Message Routing schemes, Flow control Strategies, Multicast Routing Algorithms.
Pipelining and Superscalar techniques – Linear Pipeline processors and Nonlinear pipeline processors

MODULE 5

Instruction pipeline design, Arithmetic pipeline deign – Super Scalar Pipeline Design

MODULE 6

Multithreaded and data flow architectures – Latency hiding techniques, Principles of multithreading – Multithreading Issues and Solutions, Multiple context Processors, Finegrain Multicomputer- Fine-grain Parallelism. Dataflow and hybrid architecture

TEXTBOOKS

K. Hwang and Naresh Jotwani, Advanced Computer Architecture, Parallelism,
Scalability, Programmability, TMH, 2010.

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTION PAPERS