94.574
Elements of
Computer Systems
(Fall 2000)
| Prof. Thomas Kunz | |
| Office: ME 4474 | |
| e-mail: tkunz@sce.carleton.ca | |
| phone: 520-3573 | |
| http://kunz-pc.sce.carleton.ca/sce574/ |
| Curriculum | ||
| Tutorial/survey of computer and software systems for students without formal training in Computer Science or Systems Engineering. | ||
| Goals | ||
| Give a foundation in computer systems and software organization | ||
| Prepare students for other courses offered in the department and for research | ||
| Pre-requisites | ||
| Working knowledge of a high level language (C, C++ or Pascal) | ||
| Some assembler skills | ||
| Note: this is not a programming course! | ||
| Course notes, sold through the Carleton University bookstore | ||
| Two recommended books: | ||
| Greg W. Scragg, Computer Organization: A Top-Down Approach, McGraw-Hill 1992, ISBN 0-07-055843-4 | ||
| Leland L. Beck, System Software: An Introduction to Systems Programming (3rd edition), Addison-Wesley Longman 1997, ISBN 0-201-42300-6 | ||
| Books on reserve in the library | ||
| 1. Classes of systems and their major features | |
| Programming computers: | |
| ================== | |
| 2. Basics of Computer Architecture | |
| 3. Assembler language | |
| 4. High level languages and data structures | |
| 5. Algorithms and algorithm analysis | |
| System software: | |
| ============= | |
| 6. Compilers and compilation | |
| 7. Operating systems | |
| 8. Computer networks (optional) | |
| 1. Classes of systems and their major features | ||
| On-line and Transactional | ||
| Embedded and Real time (soft and hard) | ||
| General purpose | ||
| 2. Basics of computer architecture | ||
| Examples: Pentium and PowerPC | ||
| Data models: integers, reals, character sets | ||
| Memory and memory access, interrupts, caches, disks | ||
| Instructions | ||
| 3. Assembler language | ||
| Main features in assembly languages | ||
| Addressing modes | ||
| Subprogram calling sequences | ||
| Examples | ||
| 4. High level languages and data structures | ||
| Relationship between C and assembler | ||
| Examples of scoping rules | ||
| Abstract data types: lists, stacks and trees | ||
| OO languages: classes, inheritance, polymorphism | ||
| 5. Algorithms | ||
| Analysis of algorithm complexity | ||
| Examples | ||
| 6. Compilers and compilation | ||
| What compilers do and how they work | ||
| Grammars | ||
| 7. Operating systems | ||
| History | ||
| Processes and process scheduling | ||
| Concurrency: Co-routines and threads | ||
| Mutual exclusion | ||
| Interprocess communication | ||
| Memory management | ||
| 8. Computer networks (optional) | ||
| ISO reference model | ||
| Ethernet | ||
| Sliding window flow control | ||
| Routing, Internetworking | ||
| On-line or transaction processing (TP) systems | |||
| Users request and receive information interactively | |||
| Usually interact with a Database management system (DBMS) | |||
| Usually low on computation, high on data complexity | |||
| Decision support and strategic planning systems | |||
| Information regarding many aspects of a business are coalesced to help make decisions | |||
Classes of Software Systems (cont.)
| Real-time and embedded systems | |||
| Receives data from the environment | |||
| Returns results sufficiently quickly to affect the environment | |||
| Process control systems (manufacturing, refining), Automated Teller Networks (ATM), Telephone switching systems, Hospital patient monitoring systems, operating systems | |||
| Distinction from on-line systems is usually because of performance requirements or because responses depend on the system’s state | |||
| These systems are typically harder to build than transaction processing systems, they require more analysis and design work | |||
| Hard real-time => if a performance deadline is missed, the result can cause human injury or major financial damage | |||
Classes of Software Systems (cont.)
| General software products | |||
| Database, Compilers, Code generation tools | |||
| Changes are usually incremental, functionality is added from release to release | |||
| Need to exploit new technologies as they emerge | |||
| For example integration with the Internet | |||
| In general: | |||
| Embedded/hard real time and real-time require the most analysis and design, and are the most expensive to build | |||
| General software products become more and more difficult to modify as they age | |||
| Examples of system sizes | ||
| NORTEL telephone switch 10 Million Lines of Code (Real time/Transaction processing) | ||
| size keeps growing: as of Fall 1998, I was given a number of 30 Million Lines of Code by one of the Nortel developers | ||
| IBM Canada C++ Compiler Suite 1 or 2 Million Lines of Code depending on how many tools you include (General purpose + support for real time) | ||
| Need well organized groups and repeatable development processes to build and maintain such software (Software Crisis, Software Engineering) | ||