Computer Science (COMP) 314
Computer Organization (Revision 3)
Revision 3 closed, replaced by current version.
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Delivery Mode:Individualized study online.
Credits:3
Area of Study:Science
Prerequisite:COMP 200 and COMP 268; or the coordinator's approval.
Students in this course are required to contact their tutor using email or the course (Moodle) forums. Please see the Tutor and Coordinator Support page for more information.
Centre:School of Computing and Information Systems
SCIS Orientation
COMP 314 has a Challenge for Credit option.
COMP 314 sample
Course website
CCIS Software and Hardware Requirements
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Overview
COMP 314 examines how the hardware components of the computer are orchestrated by the operating system to provide the user/programmer with efficient and convenient service and high degree of machine independence in writing and executing programs and in managing system resources.
The main concerns of this course are the fundamental principles and concepts of operating systems.
Computer organization is a vast topic that cannot be covered in the frame of a single course. A number of important topics—such as the design and implementation of digital circuits and other hardware components, machine language and assembler language programming, and an in-depth survey of existing hardware architectures—are not covered in this course.
It is assumed that students are familiar with the basic structure and the main hardware components of the computer. Topics covered in COMP 314 include an overview of computer-system structures and operating-system structures; process management (what a process is, CPU scheduling, process synchronization, deadlocks, and inter-process communication); storage management (memory management, virtual memory, disk management, and file-system management); protection and security issues (access matrix and its implementations, authentication, viruses and other intruders, and encryption); and an overview of distributed systems (network structures, distributed system structures, and distributed file systems).
Outline
COMP 314 consists of the following four units.
Unit 1: Overview
- Section 1: Introduction
- Section 2: Computer System Structures
- Section 3: Operating System Structures
Unit 2: Process Management
- Section 1: Processes
- Section 2: CPU Scheduling
- Section 3: Process Synchronization
- Section 4: Deadlocks
Unit 3: Storage Management
- Section 1: Memory Management
- Section 2: Virtual Memory
- Section 3: File System Interface
- Section 4: File System Implementation
- Section 5: Secondary Storage Structure
Unit 4: Protection and Security
- Section 1: Protection
- Section 2: Security
Evaluation
To receive credit in COMP 314, you must achieve a course composite grade of at least “D” (50 percent), including a grade of 50 percent on each assignment, and at least 50 percent on the final examination.
| TME 1 | TME 2 | TME 3 | Final Exam | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | 10% | 25% | 55% | 100% |
To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University's online Calendar.
Course Materials
Textbook
Silberschatz, A., Galvin, P. B. & Gagne, G. (2004). Operating system concepts. 7th ed. Wiley & Sons, Inc. ISBN 0-471-69466-5.
Other material
The remainder of the learning materials for COMP 314 is distributed in electronic format or is available from the course or other Web sites. The materials in these categories presently include:
Distributed in Electronic Format:
- Computer Science 314 Study Guide.
Available from the Course website:
- Tutor Marked Exercises and Instructions.
- A Course Evaluation Form.
- Links to Other Web-based Course Resources.
Special Course Features
Computing and Information Systems courses at Athabasca University require that students use computer mediated communications. We expect students to have access to computer equipment with a minimum configuration.
Special Instructional Features
Delivery of COMP 314 is dependent upon computer mediated communications. Students are required to have access to the World Wide Web.
Athabasca University reserves the right to amend course outlines occasionally and without notice. Courses offered by other delivery methods may vary from their individualized-study counterparts.
Opened in Revision 3, November 2005.
View previous syllabus
Last updated by SAS 05/19/2015 14:13:17
