COMP25212 10 Semester 2 Undergraduate Level 2 James Garside Unit coordinator Department of Computer Science 1 FHEQ level (Framework for Higher Education Qualifications) ' Middle part of Bachelors ' European Credit Transfer & Accumulation System Rating : 5.0 <p>The basic architecture of computer systems has been covered in first year course units which detailed both the instruction set architecture and the micro-architecture (hardware structure) of simple processors. Although these principles&nbsp;underlie the vast majority of modern computers, there is&nbsp;a wide range of both hardware and software techniques which are employed to increase the performance, reliability and flexibility of systems.</p> <p>The basic architecture of computer systems has been covered in the first year course units which detailed both the instruction set architecture and the micro-architecture (hardware structure) of simple processors. Although these principles underlie the vast majority of modern computers, there are a wide range of both hardware and software techniques which are employed to increase performance, reliability and flexibility of these systems.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The principles covered will include: caching in order to overcome latency; pipelining to increase processor utilisation; Multi-Threading and Multi-Core principles, along with potential structures, and challenges such as memory coherency and consistency.</p> <p>The aims of this course are to introduce the most important system architecture approaches. To give a wider understanding of how real systems operate and, from that understanding, the ability to optimise their use.</p> <ul><li style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);color:rgb(81, 81, 81);font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:-webkit-left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">describe the techniques which are employed in modern computing systems to increase performance, reliability and flexibility.</li><li style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);color:rgb(81, 81, 81);font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:-webkit-left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">compare the strengths and weaknesses of different system architectures.</li><li style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);color:rgb(81, 81, 81);font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:-webkit-left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">explain how and predict to which extent such techniques impact the performance, reliability and flexibility of computing systems.</li><li style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);color:rgb(81, 81, 81);font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:-webkit-left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">identify suitable system architectures for a given set of system requirements.</li></ul><p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Introduction</strong></p><p>The motivation behind advanced architectural techniques.</p><p><strong>Caching</strong></p><p>The need to overcome latency. Caching as a principle, examples of caching in practice. Processor cache structure and operation.</p><p><strong>Pipelining</strong></p><p>Principles of pipelining. Implementation of a processor pipeline and its properties. Pipelining requirements and limitations. Additional support for pipelining.</p><p><strong>Multi-Threading</strong></p><p>Basic multi-threading principles. Processor support for multi-threading. Simultaneous multi-threading.</p><p><strong>Multi-Core</strong></p><p>Motivation for multi-core. Possible multi-core structures. Cache coherence.</p><p><strong>File System Support</strong></p><p>Implementation of file systems. RAID</p><p><strong>Virtual Machines</strong></p><p>Motivation for Virtual Machines. Language Virtual Machines. System Virtual Machines. Virtual Machine implementation. Binary Translation.</p> <p>Lectures, coursework, online quizzes.</p><p>Guest lecture from industry (TBC).</p><p>Continuous feedback with students will be maintained through active participation in the classroom.</p> 1 Written exam 70% 8 Practical skills assessment 30% <p><span style="color:black;">Feedback given after assessment</span></p> COMP15111 Fundamentals of Computer Architecture Pre-Requisite Compulsory Students who are not from the Department of Computer Science must have permission from both Computer Science and their home School to enrol. Y <p>COMP25212 reading list can be found on the Department of Computer Science website for current students.<br/>&nbsp;</p> Assessment written exam 2 Lectures 22 Practical classes & workshops 12 0 64 <p><strong>Course unit materials</strong></p><p>Links to <a href="https://studentnet.cs.manchester.ac.uk/ugt/syllabus.php">course unit teaching materials</a> can be found on the School of Computer Science website for current students</p>