CSE 240A -- Principles in Computer Architecture

Announcements:

Final review, Mar 19, 6:30 pm, WLH 2212

Dean's finals week office hours, Mon 2-4.

Book problems listed on hw page.

Missing lecture slides posted from last class.

Lecture Slides

Reading and Assignment Schedule

Homework and Project Assignments

Basic Course Information:

• Instructor: Dean Tullsen
• CSE 3216
• tullsen at cs dot ucsd dot edu
• 534-6181
• office hours: M 3, W 2, or by appt
• TA: Manish Arora
• marora at cs dot ucsd dot edu
• office hours, Tu 3:30-4:30, We 10-11, or by appt
• office hours location, CSE B260A
• Meeting times and place:
• WLH 2113
• lecture: Tu Th 2:00-3:20
• Course textbook
• Hennessy & Patterson, "Computer Architecture: A Quantitative Approach", Fifth Edition, Morgan Kaufmann
• Other recommended reading
• WWW Computer Architecture Home Page
• a comprehensive guide to research and general information on computer architecture available on the web.
• Patterson & Hennessy, "Computer Organizatin and Design:  The Hardware/Software Interface" gives a lower-level treatment of the material (more from the design standpoint).  This represents the assumed background/prerequisite for this class.
• Assignments will be of three types:
• traditional homeworks, e.g., problems from the book, typically with 1-week notice.
• small projects, typically involving simulation and analysis tools
• reading summaries for papers
• The class mailing list will be used for announcements, etc. I believe I can set it up without your input, but please watch for it.  You can also use it to ask questions of general interest (eg, about projects, etc.), just don't abuse it.

I. Introduction

II. Computer System Performance

III. Instruction Set Architecture

IV. Pipelining

V. The Memory/Cache Hierarchy

VI. Instruction-Level Parallelism

VII. Parallel Machines

• The grade for 240 will be based on homeworks, projects, one midterm, and a final, as follows (this is subject to change, but only with plenty of notice):
• homeworks, projects, reading summaries: 30%
• midterm: 25%
• final: 45%
• subjective influences like class participation will have an impact in the margins.
• The final will be inclusive of all course material.
• Late assignments are not encouraged. Late assignments will receive partial credit -- they may or may not be graded. We will make every effort to return assignments to you in a timely manner -- limiting your ability to turn things in late is, unfortunately, critical to that goal.
• You have the right of appeal for grading on all tests; however, an appeal (except for scoring errors) covers the entire test, and may result in an unfavorable judgment on another problem (but not typically). You have one week from the time the midterms are returned to make appeals, including addition errors on your score. Check it over carefully when you get it.
• There is no appeal on homeworks, except for addition errors. No single problem will have a significant impact on your grade.

• I hope cheating isn't an issue for a graduate class. If it is, severe consequences will result.