School: Engineering

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

Your unit may be subject to government or third party COVID-19 vaccination requirements. Please consider this before enrolling in this unit, and speak with the unit coordinator if this raises any concerns.

  • Unit Title

    Computer Architecture
  • Unit Code

    ENS6150
  • Year

    2022
  • Enrolment Period

    1
  • Version

    1
  • Credit Points

    15
  • Full Year Unit

    N
  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
  • Unit Coordinator

    Dr Ganesh ARULAMPALAM

Description

This unit introduces students to the architecture and design of advanced computer systems. Interactions between software and hardware and concepts relating to instruction sets and memory management are covered. Additionally various other aspects of computer design including hardware and software support of multitasking, special purpose coprocessors, input/output systems, parallel architectures, and supercomputers are discussed.

Equivalent Rule

Unit was previously coded ENS5244

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Describe the architecture and operation of an advanced computer system.
  2. Evaluate alternative computer systems.
  3. Evaluate the applicability of VLIW computer architectures.
  4. Evaluate the impact of VLSI technology on new computer concepts.
  5. Explain the concept of a selected I/O system.
  6. Explain the concept of virtual machines.
  7. Research new developments in computer architecture and reflect critically on their significance to engineering practice.
  8. Write short microprograms and assembly language routines.

Unit Content

  1. Computer system organisation processors, primary memory, secondary memory, I/O.
  2. Memory synchronisation, consistency and coherence in multiprocessor/multicomputer architectures.
  3. Parallel computer architecture SIMD computers, shared-memory multiprocessors, message-passing multicomputers.
  4. The assembly language level macro definition, assembly process, linking and loading.
  5. The digital logic level memory, CPU chips and buses.
  6. The instruction set architecture level instruction formats, addressing, instruction types.
  7. The microarchitecture level the data path, micro-instructions, micro-instruction control.
  8. The operating system machine level virtual memory, virtual I/O, parallel processing.
  9. VLIW computer architecture memory protection, translation and virtualisation.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant School Progression Panel.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
AssignmentHardware/software design problems30%
PresentationResearch seminar10%
Examination ^End of semester examination60%

^ Mandatory to Pass


Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Academic Integrity

Integrity is a core value at Edith Cowan University, and it is expected that ECU students complete their assessment tasks honestly and with acknowledgement of other people's work. This means that assessment tasks must be completed individually (unless it is an authorised group assessment task) and any sources used must be referenced.

Breaches of academic integrity can include:

Plagiarism

Copying the words, ideas or creative works of other people, without referencing in accordance with stated University requirements. Students need to seek approval from the Unit Coordinator within the first week of study if they intend to use some of their previous work in an assessment task (self-plagiarism).

Unauthorised collaboration (collusion)

Working with other students and submitting the same or substantially similar work or portions of work when an individual submission was required. This includes students knowingly providing others with copies of their own work to use in the same or similar assessment task(s).

Contract cheating

Organising a friend, a family member, another student or an external person or organisation (e.g. through an online website) to complete or substantially edit or refine part or all of an assessment task(s) on their behalf.

Cheating in an exam

Using or having access to unauthorised materials in an exam or test.

Serious outcomes may be imposed if a student is found to have committed one of these breaches, up to and including expulsion from the University for repeated or serious acts.

ECU's policies and more information about academic integrity can be found on the student academic integrity website.

All commencing ECU students are required to complete the Academic Integrity Module.

Assessment Extension

In some circumstances, Students may apply to their Unit Coordinator to extend the due date of their Assessment Task(s) in accordance with ECU's Assessment, Examination and Moderation Procedures - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000001386.

Special Consideration

Students may apply for Special Consideration in respect of a final unit grade, where their achievement was affected by Exceptional Circumstances as set out in the Assessment, Examination and Moderation Procedures - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000003318.

ENS6150|1|1

School: Engineering

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

Your unit may be subject to government or third party COVID-19 vaccination requirements. Please consider this before enrolling in this unit, and speak with the unit coordinator if this raises any concerns.

  • Unit Title

    Computer Architecture
  • Unit Code

    ENS6150
  • Year

    2022
  • Enrolment Period

    2
  • Version

    2
  • Credit Points

    15
  • Full Year Unit

    N
  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
  • Unit Coordinator

    Dr Ganesh ARULAMPALAM

Description

This unit introduces students to the architecture and design of advanced computer systems. Interactions between software and hardware and concepts relating to instruction sets and memory management are covered. Additionally various other aspects of computer design including hardware and software support of multitasking, special purpose coprocessors, input/output systems, parallel architectures, and supercomputers are discussed.

Equivalent Rule

Unit was previously coded ENS5244

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Research new developments in computer architecture and reflect critically on their significance to computer system design and performance.
  2. Create simple conceptual designs of computer hardware sub-systems to meet specific performance requirements.
  3. Explain the low-level structure, operation and control system of a processor and write microcode to control a simple datapath.
  4. Write assembly language programs to implement higher level software functions.

Unit Content

  1. Computer system organisation - processors, primary memory, secondary memory, I/O.
  2. Assembly language programming, macro definition, assembly process, linking and loading.
  3. Instruction set architecture - instruction formats, addressing, instruction types.
  4. Microarchitecture level data path, microinstructions, microinstruction control.
  5. Digital logic level memory, CPU chips and buses.
  6. Operating system machine level virtual memory, virtual I/O, parallel processing.
  7. Parallel computer architectures - SIMD computers, shared-memory multiprocessors, message-passing multicomputers.

Learning Experience

Students will attend on campus classes as well as engage in learning activities through ECU's LMS

JoondalupMount LawleySouth West (Bunbury)
Semester 22 x 2 hour labNot OfferedNot Offered
Semester 213 x 2 hour lectureNot OfferedNot Offered
Semester 213 x 1 hour tutorialNot OfferedNot Offered

For more information see the Semester Timetable

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant School Progression Panel.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
AssignmentSoftware related assignment15%
AssignmentHardware related assignment25%
Research PaperDevelopments in Computer Architecture10%
Laboratory WorkLaboratory work and reports10%
Examination ^End of semester examination40%

^ Mandatory to Pass


Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Academic Integrity

Integrity is a core value at Edith Cowan University, and it is expected that ECU students complete their assessment tasks honestly and with acknowledgement of other people's work. This means that assessment tasks must be completed individually (unless it is an authorised group assessment task) and any sources used must be referenced.

Breaches of academic integrity can include:

Plagiarism

Copying the words, ideas or creative works of other people, without referencing in accordance with stated University requirements. Students need to seek approval from the Unit Coordinator within the first week of study if they intend to use some of their previous work in an assessment task (self-plagiarism).

Unauthorised collaboration (collusion)

Working with other students and submitting the same or substantially similar work or portions of work when an individual submission was required. This includes students knowingly providing others with copies of their own work to use in the same or similar assessment task(s).

Contract cheating

Organising a friend, a family member, another student or an external person or organisation (e.g. through an online website) to complete or substantially edit or refine part or all of an assessment task(s) on their behalf.

Cheating in an exam

Using or having access to unauthorised materials in an exam or test.

Serious outcomes may be imposed if a student is found to have committed one of these breaches, up to and including expulsion from the University for repeated or serious acts.

ECU's policies and more information about academic integrity can be found on the student academic integrity website.

All commencing ECU students are required to complete the Academic Integrity Module.

Assessment Extension

In some circumstances, Students may apply to their Unit Coordinator to extend the due date of their Assessment Task(s) in accordance with ECU's Assessment, Examination and Moderation Procedures - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000001386.

Special Consideration

Students may apply for Special Consideration in respect of a final unit grade, where their achievement was affected by Exceptional Circumstances as set out in the Assessment, Examination and Moderation Procedures - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000003318.

ENS6150|2|2