6 823 Computer System Architecture Fall 2005

Have you ever wondered what actually happens beneath the level of your high-level programming language, operating system, and compiler? Understanding computer system architecture bridges the gap between software instructions and physical hardware execution. This text-based course guides you through the inner workings of modern central processing units (CPUs) and memory systems. You will transition from writing simple code to understanding exactly how hardware fetches, decodes, and executes every instruction. What you'll learn: - Understand the fundamentals of instruction set architecture (ISA), including modern open standards like RISC-V. - Analyze processor micro-architecture, instruction pipelining, and hazard mitigation techniques. - Explore memory hierarchy designs, including cache coherence, virtual memory, and translation lookaside buffers. - Examine advanced execution models such as superscalar, out-of-order processing, and parallel architectures. - Discover parallel computing fundamentals, symmetric multiprocessing, and modern heterogeneous multi-core systems. - Evaluate hardware-level security principles and their impact on modern processor design. The course starts with essential terminology and foundational computer design principles, before moving systematically from single-cycle processors to complex parallel systems. You will read detailed conceptual breakdowns and analyze architectural structures explained through clear, step-by-step text. This course is designed for aspiring software engineers, computer science students, and technology enthusiasts seeking a solid foundation in hardware design. No prior hardware engineering experience is required. Begin reading today to master the underlying mechanics of modern computing systems.