Course Goals

The course is supposed to be a continuation of the class from Dr. Masson. The previous course covers the basic components of the processor at an example of a MIPS processor architecture. In the advanced class the impact of different processor and system architectures on the system performance will be evaluated. The class is supposed to give the student a deeper understanding of the correct system design and the basic problems in the computer design. The course consists of three major parts (see section 2): Hardware Architectures, Software Development and System Design.

The final goal is to provide the student with knowledge that is necessary to make the right decisions, which system architecture is appropriate for a given task. He should be able to analyze the problem and choose the right configuration of hardware and appropriate software environment. The student should be able to identify the basic system features from data sheets and specifications without special knowledge about the Electrical Engineering details.