CS 420/598 is an introductory course in computer architecture. Computer architecture specifies the hardware/software interface in a computer system. The goal of this course is to introduce the basic concepts and principles. The topics to be covered include fundamentals of computer design, performance and cost, instruction set architecture, processor technology, pipelining, memory system (caches, virtual memory), input/output systems and bus communications, and parallel processors.

Students are expected to have the background from CSE 230 (Computer Organization and Assembly Language Programming: Register-level computer organization. Instruction set architecture. Assembly language. Processor organization and design. Memory organization. IO programming, Exception/interrupt handling.)

Course Information:	CSE 420/598:  Computer Architecture  http://www.public.asu.edu/~ccolbou/src/cse420f07.html
Class Meeting Time:	T Th 9:15-10:30  Coor 184 (note new room!!!)
Instructor:    Office Hours:	Charlie Colbourn Office:  Brickyard 444   Charles.Colbourn@asu.edu Tuesdays 1:30-2:30, Thursdays 11:00-12:00.
TA:    Office Hours:	Arun Kannan Office:  BY 411AC  aarun@asu.edu Monday 10-11, Wednesday 1:30-2:30
Prerequisites:	CSE 230
Special Needs:	If you are entitled to extra accommodation for any reason (such as a disability), we make every reasonable attempt to accommodate you. However, it is your responsibility to discuss this with the instructor at the beginning of the course.
Academic Honesty:	Work in this course, unless explicitly stated in writing to the contrary, is to be an effort by the individual student. It is not acceptable to use work other than your own without full attribution and acknowledgment. While you are welcome to discuss academic problems with others, it is not acceptable to discuss solutions with them. If in doubt about anything related to academic integrity, see the instructor.
TextBooks:
Required Text:	John L. Hennessy and David A. Patterson, Computer Architecture (4th Edition), Morgan Kaufmann, 2007. Note that the 4th edition is a complete change from the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd.