Unit COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE

Course
Computer science and electronic engineering
Study-unit Code
A003128
Curriculum
In all curricula
Teacher
Carla Binucci
Teachers
  • Carla Binucci
Hours
  • 54 ore - Carla Binucci
CFU
6
Course Regulation
Coorte 2024
Offered
2024/25
Learning activities
Base
Area
Matematica, informatica e statistica
Academic discipline
ING-INF/05
Type of study-unit
Obbligatorio (Required)
Type of learning activities
Attività formativa monodisciplinare
Language of instruction
Italian
Contents
- Information representation
- Introduction to computer architectures
- Computer system organization
- The digital logical level
- The microarchitecture level
- The ISA level
Reference texts
- Andrew S. Tanenbaum, Structured Computer Organization, 6th Edition, Prentice Hall, 2013
Educational objectives
Providing the student with the concepts necessary for understanding computer architectures
Prerequisites

Teaching methods
The course is organized with lectures and exercises on the topics covered in the course.
Other information

Learning verification modality
Written exam.
- Duration: about 100 minutes
- Structure: theoretical questions and exercises.
Extended program
- Introduction: Milestones in computer architecture; Types of computers; Examples of computer families.

- Information representation: Finite precision numbers; Fixed-base numbering systems; Base conversions; Negative binary numbers; Binary arithmetic; Principles of floating-point arithmetic; IEEE 754 floating-point standard.

- General Organization of a Computer: Organization of a computing system; CPU organization; Main memory: error-correcting codes, Hamming algorithm; Memory hierarchies; Secondary memory: magnetic disks and interfaces, solid-state drives (overview); RAID systems; Buses: basic concepts.

- Digital Logic Level: Introduction to logic gates and Boolean algebra; Basic digital logic circuits: multiplexer, decoder, comparator, shifter, adder, 1-bit ALU, clock; SR latch, D flip-flop; Registers; Memory organization.

- Microarchitecture Level: Introduction to the microarchitecture level: basic concepts; CISC-RISC; Microarchitecture example: Data path, timing, microinstructions, microprogrammed control unit; Performance improvement: prefetching, pipelining, cache memory.

- ISA Level: Overview of the ISA level, data types, instruction formats, addressing, instruction types, flow control.
Obiettivi Agenda 2030 per lo sviluppo sostenibile
4
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