Study plan
IT 503 Study Outline: Computer Organization — Elements, Memory Hierarchy and Multiprocessing
Lessons in this plan
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1
Basic Computer System Elements and Interconnection
Identify the core hardware elements of a computer system—processor, main memory, I/O modules, and system bus—and explain the role each plays in overall system operation.
- 2 Processor Evolution: Microprocessors, GPUs, DSPs, and SoCs Differentiate microprocessors, multicore chips, GPUs, DSPs, and systems on a chip, and describe the kinds of workloads each is designed to support.
- 3 Instruction Execution Fundamentals Trace the basic instruction cycle, including instruction fetch, use of the program counter and instruction register, and the main categories of processor actions during execution.
- 4 Interrupts and Processor Control Explain why interrupts are needed, classify major interrupt types, and relate interrupt handling to improved processor utilization and coordination with slower I/O devices.
- 5 Memory Hierarchy and Locality Describe the major tradeoffs in memory design—capacity, speed, and cost—and explain how the memory hierarchy and principle of locality address those tradeoffs.
- 6 Cache Memory Principles and Design Choices Explain the purpose of cache memory and analyze key cache design issues including block size, mapping function, replacement algorithms such as LRU, and write policy.
- 7 I/O Techniques: Programmed I/O, Interrupt-Driven I/O, and DMA Compare programmed I/O, interrupt-driven I/O, and direct memory access in terms of processor involvement, data movement, and system efficiency.
- 8 Multiprocessing and Multicore Organization Describe symmetric multiprocessors and multicore computers, including shared memory and I/O characteristics, common processor capabilities, and the role of integrated operating system support.
- 9 Operating System Resource Management for Memory and Multiprocessing Relate computer organization topics to operating system responsibilities by explaining how the OS manages processor time, memory, I/O resources, processes, threads, and SMP behavior.