CSE 560M: Computer Systems Architecture I

Fall 2008

Instructor Patrick Crowley, Bryan Hall 522-D, pcrowley AT wustl.edu
Course web site http://www.arl.wustl.edu/~pcrowley/cse/560/
Course newsgroup
 wu.cse.class.560
Course meeting times Monday & Wednesday 2:30PM to 4:00PM in Whitaker Hall, Room 218
Final exam
 TBD
Office hours TBD
Prerequisites CSE 361S (formerly CS 306S) and CSE 260M, or equivalents
TA/VHDL Consultant
 Ben Wun (bw6 AT cse.wustl.edu)
Office Hours: TBD

Caveat: This syllabus is tentative, and subject to adjustments and changes throughout the semester.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

We will be using the 4th edition of the Hennessy and Patterson text.

Course Calendar

The course calendar contains links to daily lecture notes, readings, assignments, and other important details. You should visit it frequently.

Course Catalog Description

Formerly CS 521M. An exploration of the central issues in computer architecture: instruction set design, addressing and register set design, control unit design, microprogramming, memory hierarchies (cache and main memories, mass storage, virtual memory), pipelining, bus organization, RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computers), and CISC (Complex Instruction Set Computers). Architecture modeling and evaluation using VHDL and/or instruction set simulation. Prerequisites: CSE 361S/CS 306S and CSE 260M.

Texts & Reading Material

We will use two textbooks:

We will also read papers from the research literature.

Assignments

There will be 3 types of assignments:

  1. Readings. You will read a major portion of the 800+ page text, plus several research papers. The course newsgroup will be used to discuss the material. You will frequently submit commentaries on selected readings to the newsgroup prior to class; these will be identified on the course calendar.
  2. Homeworks. There will be several homework assignments designed to deepen and evaluate your understanding.
  3. Project. We will perform a number of architecture studies with VHDL and other modeling tools.

Late Policy

As a general rule, late work will not be accepted. Special arrangements, either due to emergencies or made well in advance, will be considered individually.

Exams

There will be one final exam.

Grading

Final 30%
Assignments 60%
Class participation 10%

Additional Materials

You might find the following helpful throughout the semester.

Disability Resources

Students with disabilities or suspected disabilities are strongly encouraged to both bring any additional considerations to the attention of the instructor and make full use of the University's Disability Resource Center (http://disability.wustl.edu).

Academic Integrity

(From Undergraduate Programs catalog, p. 16) You are expected to maintain the highest standards of academic integrity and refrain from the forms of misconduct spelled out in the University Academic Integrity Policy, which is published in full in Bearings and elsewhere. Violations will lead to disciplinary action and may result in suspension or expulsion from the University.
Students and faculty have an obligation to uphold the highest standards of scholarship. Plagiarism or other forms of cheating are not tolerated. When a student has violated the standards of the academic community, an instructor may recommend that the student be brought before a disciplinary committee. These are the most frequent areas of violation:
Findings of academic misconduct may result in a written reprimand, failure of an assignment or course, disciplinary probation, withdrawal of merit-based scholarship support, or other sanctions. Severe or repeat offenses may be referred to the University Judicial Board for consideration of suspension or expulsion.