1. General information
Course:
COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE
Code:
42323
Type:
CORE COURSE
ECTS credits:
6
Degree:
407 - DEGREE PROGRAMME IN COMPUTER SCIENCE ENGINEERING
Academic year:
2022-23
Center:
108 - SCHOOL OF COMPUTER SCIENCE OF C. REAL
Group(s):
20
21
22
Year:
3
Duration:
First semester
Main language:
English
Second language:
Spanish
Use of additional languages:
English Friendly:
N
Web site:
Bilingual:
Y
Lecturer:
JESÚS BLANCO RODRÍGUEZ DE GUZMAN
- Group(s):
21
Building/Office
Department
Phone number
Email
Office hours
TECNOLOGÍAS Y SISTEMAS DE INFORMACIÓN
Jesus.Blanco@uclm.es
Available at https://esi.uclm.es/index.php/grado-en-ingenieria-informatica/profesorado/
Lecturer:
MARIA SOLEDAD ESCOLAR DIAZ
- Group(s):
21
Building/Office
Department
Phone number
Email
Office hours
Fermín Caballero / 3.05
TECNOLOGÍAS Y SISTEMAS DE INFORMACIÓN
926052838
Soledad.Escolar@uclm.es
Available at https://esi.uclm.es/index.php/grado-en-ingenieria-informatica/profesorado/
Lecturer:
FERNANDO RINCON CALLE
- Group(s):
20
21
22
Building/Office
Department
Phone number
Email
Office hours
Fermín Caballero/3.03
TECNOLOGÍAS Y SISTEMAS DE INFORMACIÓN
6484
fernando.rincon@uclm.es
Available at https://esi.uclm.es/index.php/grado-en-ingenieria-informatica/profesorado/
Lecturer:
JOSÉ ANTONIO DE LA TORRE LAS HERAS
- Group(s):
21
22
Building/Office
Department
Phone number
Email
Office hours
Fermín Caballer / 3.14
TECNOLOGÍAS Y SISTEMAS DE INFORMACIÓN
JoseAntonio.Torre@uclm.es
Available at https://esi.uclm.es/index.php/grado-en-ingenieria-informatica/profesorado/
2. Pre-Requisites
Before taking this subject, your are supposed to have a good knowledge of the internals of a basic computer, as well as understanding how pipelining works, its advantages and drawbacks. It is also advisable that you are able to understand assembly code. more concretely we will assume that you are familiarized with the DLX/MIPS architecture.
Even without this prior knowledge you can still take the subject, but you should take into account the additional effort that it will imply. More concretely, you should review and study the program of Computer Structure (1st course) and Computer Organization (2nd Course). The Hennessy & Patterson book (included in the references) is also a good source of information to get this previous learning outcomes.
3. Justification in the curriculum, relation to other subjects and to the profession
This subject is part of the "Computing Engineering" block in the graduate degree. Here you will learn about the architectural concepts present in most current computers (from a laptop to a server in a data center). It provides the foundings for the following subjects: "Advanced Computer Architecture", "Operating Systems II", "Microprocessor based systems design" and "Information Systems Integration".
From the career point of view, the knowledge adquired should be useful to evaluate and select the most appropriate computing system for the concrete needs of a client. Furthermore, this type of know-how will also be useful for any company working on the development or integration of any type of computer system.
4. Degree competences achieved in this course
| Course competences | |
|---|---|
| Code | Description |
| CO01 | Ability to design, develop, select, and assess, applications and digital systems, guaranteeing their reliability, security, and quality, according to ethical principles and the current and common laws. |
| CO08 | Ability to analyse, design, build and maintain applications in a strong, safe, and efficient manner by selecting the most appropriate paradigms and programming languages. |
| CO09 | Ability to know, understand, and assess the structure and architecture of computers, and their basic components. |
| INS01 | Analysis, synthesis, and assessment skills. |
| INS04 | Problem solving skills by the application of engineering techniques. |
| INS05 | Argumentative skills to logically justify and explain decisions and opinions. |
| PER02 | Ability to work in multidisciplinary teams. |
| PER04 | Interpersonal relationship skills. |
| PER05 | Acknowledgement of human diversity, equal rights, and cultural variety. |
5. Objectives or Learning Outcomes
| Course learning outcomes | |
|---|---|
| Description | |
| Identification of main types of architectures. | |
| Knowledge of assessment techniques for computer performance. | |
| Knowledge and identification of paralelisms at instruction level trhoughout segmentation and problems linked to it. | |
| Understanding of the principles of computer architecture. | |
| Knowledge of the structure of a CPU, identification of its functioning units, and explanation of their role in the execution of instructions. | |
| Additional outcomes | |
| Description | |
| - Understanding the concept of the programming model. - Impact on performance of interactions between the programming model, programs coding and computer architecture. - Understand the design of different types of ILP processors taking into account the relationships between technology, architecture, software, compilers, cost, power consumption, performance and market demands |
|
6. Units / Contents
-
Unit 1: Introduction
-
Unit 2: Parallelism and Parallel Architectures
-
Unit 3: Superscalar Processors
-
Unit 4: Multiprocessor Architectures
-
Unit 5: Domain Specific Architectures
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS, REMARKS
Practical activities:
- Parallel programming of a multicore architecture. Measuring performance and understanding its relation with architecture, parallelism, coding and programming model.
7. Activities, Units/Modules and Methodology
| Training Activity | Methodology | Related Competences (only degrees before RD 822/2021) | ECTS | Hours | As | Com | Description | |
| Study and Exam Preparation [OFF-SITE] | Self-study | CO08 CO09 | 1.8 | 45 | N | N | Self-study (EST) | |
| Writing of reports or projects [OFF-SITE] | Self-study | CO01 CO08 CO09 INS01 INS04 PER02 PER05 | 0.9 | 22.5 | Y | N | Preparation of essays on topics proposed by lecturer (RES) | |
| Other off-site activity [OFF-SITE] | Practical or hands-on activities | CO01 CO08 CO09 INS01 INS04 PER02 PER04 | 0.9 | 22.5 | N | N | Lab practical preparation (PLAB) | |
| Class Attendance (theory) [ON-SITE] | Lectures | CO08 CO09 | 0.9 | 22.5 | N | N | Teaching of the subject matter by lecturer (MAG). | |
| Laboratory practice or sessions [ON-SITE] | Practical or hands-on activities | CO01 CO08 CO09 INS01 INS04 | 0.54 | 13.5 | Y | Y | Realization of practicals in laboratory (LAB). | |
| Problem solving and/or case studies [ON-SITE] | Problem solving and exercises | CO09 INS04 PER04 | 0.48 | 12 | Y | N | Worked example problems and cases resolution by the lecturer and the students (PRO). | |
| Individual tutoring sessions [ON-SITE] | CO08 CO09 | 0.18 | 4.5 | N | N | Individual or small group tutoring (TUT). | ||
| Other on-site activities [ON-SITE] | Assessment tests | CO08 CO09 INS01 INS04 INS05 | 0.3 | 7.5 | Y | Y | Final test of the complete syllabus of the subject (EVA) | |
| Total: | 6 | 150 | ||||||
| Total credits of in-class work: 2.4 | Total class time hours: 60 | |||||||
| Total credits of out of class work: 3.6 | Total hours of out of class work: 90 | |||||||
As: Assessable training activity Com: Training activity of compulsory overcoming (It will be essential to overcome both continuous and non-continuous assessment).
8. Evaluation criteria and Grading System
| Evaluation System | Continuous assessment | Non-continuous evaluation * | Description |
| Final test | 50.00% | 50.00% | Compulsory activity that can be retaken (rescheduling) to be carried out within the planned exam dates of the final exam call (convocatoria ordinaria) |
| Laboratory sessions | 25.00% | 25.00% | Compulsory activity that can be retaken. It will be assesed by tests or projects. |
| Theoretical papers assessment | 15.00% | 15.00% | Non-compulsory activity that can be retaken. Elaboration of projects. |
| Other methods of assessment | 10.00% | 10.00% | Non-compulsory activity that can be retaken. Participation in forums and online training activities will be valued |
| Total: | 100.00% | 100.00% |
According to art. 4 of the UCLM Student Evaluation Regulations, it must be provided to students who cannot regularly attend face-to-face training activities the passing of the subject, having the right (art. 12.2) to be globally graded, in 2 annual calls per subject , an ordinary and an extraordinary one (evaluating 100% of the competences).
Evaluation criteria for the final exam:
-
Continuous assessment:In compulsory activities, a minimum mark of 40% is required in order to pass that activity and have the possibility to therefore pass the entire subject. The evaluation of the activities will be global and therefore must be quantified by means of a single mark. In the case of the activities that may be retaken (i.e., rescheduling), an alternative activity or test will be offered in the resit/retake exam call (convocatoria extraordinaria).
The final exam will be common for all the theory/laboratory groups of the subject and will be evaluated by the lecturers of the subject in a serial way, i.e., each part of the final exam will be evaluated by the same lecturer for all the students.
A student is considered to pass the subject if she/he obtains a minimum of 50 points out of 100, taking into account the points obtained in all the evaluable activities, and also has passed all the compulsory activities.
For students who do not pass the subject in the final exam call (convocatoria ordinaria), the marks of activities already passed will be conserved for the resit/retake examcall (convocatoria extraordinaria). If an activity is not recoverable, its assessment will be preserved for the resit/retake exam call (convocatoria extraordinaria) even if it has not been passed. In the case of the passed recoverable activities, the student will have the opportunity to receive an alternative evaluation of those activities in the resit/retake exam call and, in that case, the final grade of the activity will correspond to the latter grade obtained.
The mark of the passed activities in any call, except for the final exam, will be conserved for the subsequent academic year at the request of the student, provided that mark is equal or greater than 50% and that the activities and evaluation criteria of the subject remain unchanged prior to the beginning of that academic year.
The failure of a student to attend the final exam will automatically result in her/him receiving a "Failure to attend¿ (no presentado). If the student has not passed any compulsory evaluation activity, the maximum final grade will be 40%. -
Non-continuous evaluation:Students may apply at the beginning of the semester for the non-continuous assessment mode. In the same way, the student may change to the non-continuous evaluation mode as long as she/he has not participated during the teaching period in evaluable activities that together account for at least 50% of the total mark of the subject. If a student has reached this 50% of the total obtainable mark or the teaching period is over, she/he will be considered in continuous assessment without the possibility of changing to non-continuous evaluation mode.
Students who take the non-continuous evaluation mode will be globally graded, in 2 annual calls per subject, an ordinary and an extraordinary one (evaluating 100% of the competences), through the assessment systems indicated in the column "Non-continuous evaluation".
In the "non-continuous evaluation" mode, it is not compulsory to keep the mark obtained by the student in the activities or tests (progress test or partial test) taken in the continuous assessment mode.
Specifications for the resit/retake exam:
Evaluation tests will be conducted for all recoverable activities.
Specifications for the second resit / retake exam:
Same characteristics as the resit/retake exam call.
9. Assignments, course calendar and important dates
| Not related to the syllabus/contents | |
|---|---|
| Hours | hours |
| Study and Exam Preparation [AUTÓNOMA][Self-study] | 45 |
| Writing of reports or projects [AUTÓNOMA][Self-study] | 22.5 |
| Other off-site activity [AUTÓNOMA][Practical or hands-on activities] | 22.5 |
| Class Attendance (theory) [PRESENCIAL][Lectures] | 22.5 |
| Laboratory practice or sessions [PRESENCIAL][Practical or hands-on activities] | 13.5 |
| Problem solving and/or case studies [PRESENCIAL][Problem solving and exercises] | 12 |
| Individual tutoring sessions [PRESENCIAL][] | 4.5 |
| Global activity | |
|---|---|
| Activities | hours |
| General comments about the planning: | The subject is taught in 3 x 1,5 hour sessions per week |
10. Bibliography and Sources
