CST 6301 - Advanced Computer Architecture

Credits: 3 hrs

Advanced topics in computer architecture with the emphasis being on the design and evaluation of modern uniprocessor computing systems and high performance computers. Topics include: evaluation methodology/metrics and caveats, instruction set designing, advanced pipelining, instruction level parallelism, prediction-based techniques, alternative architectures (VLIW, Vector and SIMD), memory hierarchy design and I/O, high-level language machines, application-directed machines, systolic arrays, associative processors, technology and application trends and their impact on processor design. Several case studies illustrating how and why some of these techniques are implemented in modern processors.
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the MCST graduate program and advisor approval