Description

Theory
2

Laboratory
2

Instructors

Miguel Leitão

Contents

Technology for Processors and its evolution.
- Evaluation of performance of computers
- The example of the family x86.
- Architectures RISC / CISC / VLIW.
Architectures of memory systems.
- Segmentation. Paging.
- Cache memories:
- Architectures;
- Policies management;
- Virtual Memory.
- Memory protection.
Parallel Architectures
- Models of parallelism.
- Executive Pipelines.
- Speculative execution.
- Out of order execution.
- SIMD.
- Support for multitasking environments.
- Virtualization.
Spetial pruposes processors
- Floating Point Units.
- Digital signal processors (DSPs).
- Multimedia Extensions (MMX, SSE).
- Graphics Processors (GPUs).
- Video RAMS (VRAMs).
Embedded Computing Systems.
- Systems without storage devices.
- Systems without user interface.
- The core of the operating system (kernel), Preparation / Compilation.
- Kernel modules.
- Communication between applications and kernel.
- Storing devices
- File systems.
The booting process.
- MBR, Boot sector, boot loader.

Learning Outcomes

This course aims in promote knowledge of computing systems architectures in order to enhance the ability to development generic computers and dedicated computer systems.
- Understanding the basics of a microprocessor operation.
- Know the general micro-processors currently available.
- To know the typical architecture of computing systems and their components.
- Understand the trends of future computer architectures evolution.
- Design of innovative applications of dedicated computing systems.
- Use of analysis tools for optimizing computer systems solutions
- Analysis of system requirements.
- Identification of capabilities offered by a particular computing system.
- Specify a computing system architecture.
- Identification of possibilities for application of computing systems to problem-solving.
- Design of dedicated computing systems.
- Implementation of peripheral or components that can be integrated into computing systems.
- Adaptation and integration of generic computing systems to solve practical problems.
- Browse technical specifications.