Computer Microarchitecture
Welcome to the 2022 website of COMP3710 Special Topics course on Computer Microarchitecture. Our focus in this course is on the implementation aspects of modern general purpose processors.
Use Zoom Webinar Links for Remote Participation
You can browse the press section of the website to learn about novel innovations in modern processors, memory, and storage systems. We will periodically also highlight exciting research outcomes from top-tier computer architecture conferences.
Semester 2 2022 Details#
| Mode of Delivery: | Hybrid (In-person and Online) |
| Lectures: | Monday and Tuesday (1 pm, ENGN T) |
| Lab: | Friday 9 am |
| Prerequisites: | COMP2300 |
| Incompatible Courses: | None |
| Course Convenor: | Dr. Shoaib Akram |
| Lecturer: | Shoaib Akram |
| Office: | CSIT N319 |
| Office hours: | TBA |
| Forum: | https://TBA |
Outline#
This course is about the implementation of instruction set architectures. Our goal is to expose the students to the design and implementation details of realistic general-purpose processors. We will bring up hardware and software technology trends and the tradeoffs an architect must make in building modern processors. We will also discuss a selection of research from computer architecture conferences. We expect the students to write a research review and deliver an oral presentation. What the students get out of this course depends on how much effort they put in doing assignments and thinking about the various issues we raise in the classroom.
We expect students to have:
- knowledge of one modern ISA,
- some experience with assembly language programming (e.g., COMP2300 or ENGN2219), and
- some experience with C/C++ and the Linux environment.
Most lectures will be based on the material in the textbooks. I will use slides in the class. I expect students to read the applicable sections in the book after the lecture. I will post the slides in advance. Please participate in the class discussions.