A Graphical Full System Simulator for Undergraduate Computer Architecture Education

American University, Washington DC

Investigators

Abstract

Computer Science (31) Computer architectures have evolved greatly in recent years but these innovations are not widely taught in introductory computer organization courses. Existing simulators are used by researchers but do not meet the needs of students. The simulator developed for this project models a full x86 machine and includes modern architectural components including multicore, superscalar, two-level cache and speculation. Students select components such as the pipeline or memory to visualize how data are processed. Multiple levels of abstractions allow student to ignore components that they are not ready to study. One can also reconfigure the architecture components using a graphical user interface. Expected outcomes include the simulator as a standalone application, a web applet and a collection of laboratory exercises. Materials are designed to be used within existing computer organization and architecture courses. The applet can be accessed by any modern browser and thus allows adoption by a wide audience. Pilot testing is being performed at American University, a small liberal arts school, and the University of Maryland, a large public university.