Issues in Computer Architecture and Microarchitecture for Future Computing Machines (3 ECTS) 

Prof. Yale N. Patt (University of Texas at Austin, USA) 

DATES:  

June 18: 15:00 to 19:00 room C6-E106 (Intro, focus, calibration) 

June 19: 15:00 to 18:00 room C6-E106  (Tradeoffs: ISA, Microarchitecture, System) 

June 20: 15:00 to 18:00 room C6-E106 (Run-time mechanisms) 

June 21: 15:00 to 18:00 room C6-E106 (Compile-time mechanisms) 

June 22: 15:00 to 18:00 room C6-E106 (Parallelism: uniprocessor) 

June 25: 15:00 to 18:00 room C6-E106 (Parallelism: multi-processor) 

June 26: 15:00 to 18:00 room C6-E106 (State-of-the-art designs: GPUs and other) 

July 02: 15:00 to 18:00 D6-114 (Mega-nonsense and the future) 

July 04: 12:00 to 14:00 and 15:00 to 18:00 D6-114 (project presentations) 

July 06: 15:00 to 16:00 D6-114 (discussion final exam) 

Description:

This course identifies topics that are both fundamental to computer architecture and relevant to the design of microprocessors of the future.  The emphasis is always on insights that will be useful to the graduate student, whether he/she goes on for a PhD or joins a microprocessor design team.  We will deal with principles, tradeoffs, and implementation details.  We will cover mechanism (e.g., trace caches, helper threads, branch prediction, bandwidth).  We will discuss the implications of multi-core on future microprocessor design.  We will examine current state of the art microprocessors.  In addition to the class lectures/discussions, students will carry out an out-of-class project and make a presentation on what they learn to the class.  There will be a written final examination that will be taken outside of class and turned in prior to the final class meeting.