Midterm Review

1
Midterm Review
Introduction to Computer Systems
Engineering (CPEG 323)
2
Objectives of CPEG 323

• Acquire solid knowledge in the analysis, design,
  implementation and evaluation of computer system
  organization with emphasis on instruction-set
  architecture and optimization
• Acquire basic knowledge of the interaction
  between system software (e.g. compilers) and
  hardware (architecture) design

3
ABET Outcomes

• Ability to apply knowledge of science (e.g.,
  computer architecture and system organization,
  and related computer science issues), and
  engineering (e.g., performance analysis and
  benchmarking, ISA simulation and verification)
• Ability to use the techniques, skills and modern
  engineering tools necessary for engineering
  practice
• Knowledge of related topics in computer science
  discipline

4
Areas of Importance

• Basics of computer organization
• Instruction set architectures
• Computer arithmetic
• System Software
• Computer performance

5
Basics of Computer Organization

• (Chapter 1 of text slides Topic0, 1, 1a)
• General knowledge of computing history
• Historical perspectives
• Impacts of technological changes
• Market forces
• How architecture is affected by software and
  applications
• Basic structure of general purpose computer

6
Instruction Set Architectures

• (Chapter 2 of book Slides 2, 2a, 2b, 2c. 2d)
• What is ISA ?
• Role of ISA w.r.t. hardware and software
• MIPS instruction set architecture
• Basic Steps of MIPS instruction execution

7
More about ISA

• 4 style of ISAs
• memory-to-memory
• accumulator machines
• stack machines
• register based ISA
• General vs. special purpose regs

8
More about ISA

• MIPS memory model
• data types and sizes
• little vs. big endings
• Register conventions
• MIPS operations (3 types)
• instruction format and fields
• addressing mode
• assembly vs. machine representation
• RISC vs. CISC
• Calling conventions and stack frames
• caller save vs. callee save
• parameter passing

9
More about ISA

• System software and ISA
• role of system software tool chain compiler,
  assembler, linker, etc.
• memory layout for C compilers
• runtime stack layout
• Interaction between ISA and OS
• Privileged mode, traps, etc
• Static vs. dynamic libraries

10
Computer Arithmetic

• (Chapter 3 of book Topics 3, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d,
  3e)
• Number representations
• un/signed integers
• BCDs
• Twos complement

11
Computer Arithmetic contd

• Basic ALU design
• Integer adders (ripple carry, look ahead
  techniques)
• Integer multiply

12
Computer Arithmetic contd

• Real numbers
• IEEE-754 Representation
• FP Addition

13
Performance Evaluation

• (Chapter 4 of book Slides 4, 4a)
• Why performance evaluation ?
• Performance matrices
• Performance measurement
• Benchmarks

14
Performance matrices

• Time-based matrices
• CPI
• MIPS and MFLOPS
• Hardware based matrices and weakness

15
Performance measurement and benchmarking

• Sustained and peak performance
• Relative performance
• Benchmark classes

16
Processor Datapath and Control

• (Chapter 5 of book Slides 5, 5a, 5b)
• Datapath building blocks
• Single-cycle datapath and control
• Multi-cycle datapath and control
• And comparison between them

17
Data Path and Control
Given an instruction, say, add or lw or sw, can
you point out the correct setting of each control?
18
Data Path and Control

• 1-cycle implementation
• Multi-cycle implementation
• Finite-state machine ?Microcode