IntroArchi: Introduction to Computer Architecture

This course provides an overview of the architecture of microprocessor-based systems. It presents the main hardware and software components and the concept of Instruction Set Architecture (ISA) which can be considered as the hardware-software interface. It also shows how computer systems internally represent and process data. Its main goal is to explore the continuum between pure software concepts and the hardware components implementing them in the end. It is intended for students who never attended courses in computer architecture.

Laboratory sessions allow students to discover the internal details of a computer system, and to observe the behavior during the execution of software applications.

History of computers
Binary representation of data
Boolean logic, boolean logic gates, storage elements, registers
Combinatorial circuits, sequential circuits
Clock, clock frequency, the performance of microprocessors
Arithmetic and Logic Unit (ALU), Central Processing Unit (CPU)
Memory, addresses, load, store
Instructions, instruction set architectures
Assembly languages, assembler
High-level programming languages, compilation
Labs on RISC-V architectures: observation of a processor during the execution of software applications, design of simple applications in assembly language.

Learning outcomes:

Understanding of the structure of a computer system, its main hardware and software components, and their role.
Programming in assembly language.
Understand how hardware and software interact.

Teaching and learning methods: lectures, exercises, laboratory sessions, homework.

Course policies: attendance to the laboratory sessions is mandatory.

Requirements: none.

Attending the lectures is not mandatory but highly recommended: the recommended book is not a real textbook and the provided material does not contain the entirety of what is discussed in the classroom.

Attendance to the lab sessions is mandatory.

A one hour written exam accounts for 100% of the final grade. The exam is closed book, closed notes, except one A4-sized, double sided, cheat sheet. Connected devices (laptops, smart phones, tablets…) are strictly forbidden. Example past exams:

All labs are distributed and managed using git and GitLab.

Recommendations for the lab sessions:

If you never used the EURECOM GitLab instance, first visit it and log in using your EURECOM credentials (LDAP). This will activate your GitLab account.
If you receive by email an invitation to join the Gitlab ia project, please accept the invitation.
Visit the ia project, read the home page and follow the instructions.
All lab instructions are given for a GNU/Linux environment (Debian, Ubuntu…) If you work on your personal computer under another Operating System you will probably need to adapt the instructions.

You read one of these books? Or another that is not in the list and should? Please drop me note and give me some feedback.

The most relevant parts of the Computer Organization and Design - RISC-V Edition - The Hardware Software Interface book for this course (do not forget the corresponding exercises at the end of each chapter) are:

Section 1.3 Below Your Program
Sections 2.1 to 2.10 of Chapter 2 Instructions: Language of the Computer
Sections 3.1 and 3.2 of Chapter 3 Arithmetic for Computers
Section 4.2 Logic Design Conventions
Section A.1 to A.3, A.5 and A.7 of Appendix A The Basics of Logic Design

Plus, optionally:

Section Historical Perspective and Further Reading of Chapters 1 and 2
Section 2.13 A C Sort Example to Put it All Together