This course addresses topics in designing the memory systems of current and future microprocessor and multiprocessor architectures. Special emphasis is given for multicore processors, including the issues of how memory systems can be designed to scale to manycore processors. Various aspects of memory systems, such as latency, bandwidth, power efficiency, reliability, and security, will be covered. There will be coverage on both hardware techniques as well as software techniques such as how the OS manages the main memory. There will also be coverage of emerging technology such as virtualization and embedded DRAM, and how they affect memory system design.

This course is intended as an advanced graduate course for Master's degree students as well as PhD students working in the area of computer architecture and systems. Examples of topics that will be covered include:

• Basic organization of caches, translation lookaside buffer, and page table.
• Cache design issues for single processor systems
• Cache design issues for multiprocessor and multicore systems
• Trends in memory hierarchy design: cache sharing, non-uniform cache architecture, interconnection of cache banks, tiled cache architectures, etc.
• Prefetching techniques
• Advanced cache management techniques
• Cache and memory compression techniques
• Software management of memory: virtual memory management, memory protection
• Reliability of the memory systems: soft errors, hard failures, error correction and detection, etc.
• DRAM organization and its performance characteristics
• Emerging memory technology: embedded DRAM caches, MRAM, etc.
• Memory management in systems with virtualization
• Memory performance isolation and Quality of Service.
• Design of secure memory.

HOMEWORK: weekly paper reading assignments, plus either presentations or special reports.

EXAMINATIONS: one mid-term and one final exam

PROJECTS: one experimental project

SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS: an SSH client, and a C/C++ language editor

There is no required textbook. Most readings are taken from research and technical papers. Students who have not taken any of ECE 521, CSC/ECE 506, or CSC 501, will be assigned required additional reading materials so that they can keep up with the course.