EC513:ComputerArchitectureFall,2013

Basics
Instructor: MartinHerbordt,PHO333

OfficeHours:MW35andbyappointment

Phone:x39850

Email:herbordt@bu.edu

Webpage:http://lms.bu.edu

Mission Statement: What you need to know about computation logic to build ASICs, FPGAs, and
EmbeddedSystems.

CourseDescription:Principlesofcomputerarchitectureanddesign,includingcomputerarithmetic
andALUdesign,instructionsets,CPUdesign,memoryhierarchies,andI/Osystems.Casestudies.

Prerequisites: For undergraduates, EC413 (Computer Organization). For graduate students, high
level language programming and basic knowledge of computer organization and a working
knowledgeofassemblylanguage.Knowledgeofoperatingsystemswillbeuseful.

Texts: Hennessy & Patterson, Computer Architecture: A Quantitative Approach, 5e Morgan

Kaufmann,2012.
ReviewreadingsfromPatterson&Hennessy,ComputerOrganizationandfromoldereditionsofH&P.
OtherreadingsTBD.

CourseMechanics

Classes:Theoverallclassstyleislecture/exam.
Grading:Exams:65%
HomeworkAssignments:20%
FinalProject:15%
Exams:Therewillbetwomidtermexamsandafinal.Examsareopentextbookandopen
notes.
Homework:Therewillbeeighttoninehomeworkassignments.Youareencouragedtowork
together to learn the material and to discuss approaches to solving homework problems.
However, you must come up with and write up the solutions on your own. See academic
honestybelow.
ProgrammingAssignments:Theremaybeafewprogrammingassignments(upto3)related
toassemblylanguageandtoprobingandanalyzingcomputers.Probeprogramswillbeshort.
FinalProject:Thepurposeistoadddepthinoneparticularareaofwhatisabroadcourse.
Possibilitiesincludedoingaperformanceevaluationstudy,writingareportonadesignissue,
andcreatingadesign.Topicsvarysubstantiallydependingonyourinterestsandexperience.

Administration

OfficeHours:OfficehoursaretentativelyMW35.Thebesttimetocatchmeotherwiseis
rightafterclass;theworsttimeisrightbeforeclass!OnrareoccasionImaybeunabletokeep
officehours,sopleasecontactmebeforetravelingalongwaytomeetme.
Email: You are required to periodically check your email since this is the way many
assignments will be distributed. Questions via email are always good. If the solution has
general interest, I will broadcast it to the class (leaving the questioner anonymous); if the
solutionisveryinvolved,wemayneedtogooveritinperson.Also,pleasecheckyouremail
forunexpectedoccurrenceslikeerrorsinassignments,cancellations,etc.
Course Web Site: The BlackBoard site is given above. I use it to post class notes, lab and
homeworkassignments,HWsolutionsketches,andothercourseinformation.
Incompletes: Incompletes will be granted only in accordance with university policy, which
(broadly)requiresamajornonacademiccrisisneartheendofthesemester.
CourseNotes:Ihandoutlectureslidesbeforeclass.Istronglyrecommendannotatingthem
duringclassandrereadingthembeforethenextclass.
AcademicHonesty:Pleasereadtheuniversityacademichonestypolicy.Ifsomethingisnot
clear,thenask.Inparticular,plagiarismisregardedasaseriousoffence.
HWSolutions:IpostsolutionsketchestoHWassignments,althoughwithgreatreluctance.I
believethatsolutionsaregreatforquicklyfindingminorproblems,butotherwiseaverybad
waytolearnmaterial.Ifyouarehavingdifficulty,thebestthingistoseemeoutsideofclass.
Distractions:Whatwasthat?Pleasekeepallelectronicdevicesoffduringclass.