Computer Architecture

The Computer Architecture course forms part of the knowledge pertaining to the branch known as Architecture and Technology of Computers, branch among other things explains the operation of computers as computing machines.This course is one of the key subjects in relation to the study of computer architectures and together with the courses of Computer Fundamentals and Computer Structure, complete aspects of theory, abstraction and design of the area.Moreover, the course acts as a bridge introducing advanced architectures, whose contents will be consolidated in the third year course of Computer Engineering and other optional courses of the Computer Engineering route.Its location and characterization as mandatory in the syllabus make it a course that explores various concepts introduced in Computer Structure, but considering that, while in the latter the computer is studied from the point of view of their functional units, in Computer Architecture the study is approached from a higher level, from an engineering perspective and considering issues related to the design, evaluation and strategies to increase performance while it serves as basis for the accomplishment of these objectives in the course of Computer Engineering.The previous courses (Computer Fundamentals and Computer Structure) that students had to attend, expect that they reach the course with a reasonable knowledge base about architectures that, in any case, is necessary to analyse, consolidate, formalize and illustrate with specific implementations and designs, approaching that from a broader perspective, introducing, at the same time, new performance enhancing techniques.

Course will consist of 60hrs of in class work and 90 hrs of independent work outside the classroom.

Course includes computer practicals.