EEL6706 Fault-Tolerant Computer Architecture (FTCA)

EEL6706 Fault-Tolerant Computer Architecture (FTCA) Course Syllabus, Fall Semester 2015, Dr. George FTCA Introduction

General Description: The field of FTCA for dependable computing has recently emerged as one of the most important areas of study in computer engineering. Modern computer systems are susceptible to a broad range of potential faults, errors, and failures, and increasing chip density and design complexity exacerbate the problem. Novel methods in hardware, information, network, software, and time redundancy are now available to mitigate these threats in the form of fault-tolerant computer architectures and systems. The focus of studies here is the design and analysis of dependable machines, from small embedded systems to space-based platforms to high-end supercomputers, in terms of reliability, availability, performability, testability, safety, and more.

Corequisite: Completion or concurrent enrollment in EEL5764 Computer Architecture (c/o ECE) or CDA5155 Computer Architecture (c/o CISE), or consent of the professor.

Catalog Description: Design and quantitative analysis of fault-tolerant architectures and dependable systems including fundamental issues, redundancy techniques, evaluation methods, design methodology, and applications.

Time and Place: MWF-3 (09:35-10:25am), Room 239, Larsen Hall (LAR239).

Course Objective: Students will gain fundamental knowledge and understanding of principles and practice in fault-tolerant computer architecture and systems for dependable computing, emphasizing both hardware and software challenges and the interactions between them, as well as exposure to research challenges in this field, through class lectures and discussions, reading assignments, homework, case studies, and a major research project.

Professor: Dr. Alan D. George, Professor of ECE, Founder & Director of the NSF CHREC Center, 327 Larsen Hall, [email protected], (352)392-5225, Office Hours = MWF-4 (10:40-11:30) or by appointment. When contacting the professor by email, please use the prefix "[FTCA]" in the Subject field of the message.

Teaching Assistant: Mr. Dhananjay (DJ) Kumar, 331 Larsen Hall, [email protected], Office Hours TBA.

Required Textbooks: I. Koren and C. Krishna, Fault-Tolerant Systems, Morgan Kaufmann Pub. (2007), ISBN 978-0-12- 088525-1, accompanied by simulator tools to support studies in FTCA. We will also feature readings in the pending textbook by B. Parhami, Dependable Computing: A Multilevel Approach, publisher and date TBD. Material in these textbooks will be supplemented by readings from selected journal and conference publications.

FTCA Content

General Topics:

 Fundamental Concepts and Definitions  Hardware Redundancy and Fault Tolerance  Information Redundancy and Fault Tolerance  Network Redundancy and Fault Tolerance  Software Redundancy and Fault Tolerance  Time Redundancy and Fault Tolerance  Assorted Case Studies  Special Topics Project: A major research project will be assigned in order to explore fundamental issues in fault-tolerant computer EEL6706 Fault-Tolerant Computer Architecture (FTCA) Course Syllabus, Fall Semester 2015, Dr. George architectures, networks, services, systems, and applications for dependable computing. This project will span much of the semester and provide students the opportunity to more deeply explore fundamental issues in FTCA in terms of design and analysis. Students will form small teams to propose then conduct a simulative and/or experimental research project on a topic in FTCA of their choosing (subject to professor approval). Each project will involve studies with hardware, information, network, software, and/or time redundancy. Testbed facilities to support these projects will be provided as needed and available. The culmination of each project will be the final report, a clear and concise research paper suitable for potential conference publication that presents project concepts, approach, development, experiments, results, and analyses. The most important outcome of each project will be the research results that are achieved, analyses rendered, and conclusions drawn with demonstrable insight.

FTCA Policies

Grading Policy:

 25% from Exam #1 (covers first half of semester) – Monday Oct. 12 (class #21)  25% from Exam #2 (covers second half of semester) – Monday Dec. 7 (class #41)  40% from Class Project (working in small teams)  10% from Homework, Quizzes, and Class Participation  In determining final grades, total scores in FTCA will be sorted and converted into letter grades via a Gaussian curve, where scores in upper half are guaranteed to equate to a B+ or better Note: Graduate students, in order to graduate, must have an overall GPA of 3.0 or better (B or better). For example, a B- average, which equates to a GPA of 2.67, does not satisfy this graduation requirement.

Deadline Policy: Much as you will often experience in your career after graduation, all assignments in this course will be given with a strict deadline, and students are required to submit their assignments on or before that deadline. In case of extenuating circumstances, students are advised to contact the professor immediately or as soon as practical. Late assignments and makeup exams will only be permitted in the case of documented medical emergencies.

Attendance Policy: Students are expected to regularly attend classes and participate with Q&A for the benefit of all. While some lecture materials will be posted on-line, others (derivations, exercises, etc.) will likely not, and pop quizzes may be administered in this course, so attendance will be particularly important.

Conduct Policy: We, the members of the University of Florida community, pledge to hold ourselves and our peers to the highest standards of honesty and integrity. All assignments are to be considered an individual effort unless otherwise specified by the professor.

Academic Honesty: All work submitted in this course must be your own and produced exclusively for this course. The use of sources (ideas, quotations, paraphrases) must be properly acknowledged and documented. Your professor in this course requires the utmost degree of academic honesty and ethics, and thus any violations will be treated and handled very seriously. All students admitted to the University of Florida have signed a statement of academic honesty committing themselves to be honest in all academic work and understanding that failure to comply with this commitment will result in disciplinary action. This statement is a reminder to uphold your obligation as a student at the University of Florida and to be completely honest in all assignments and exams in this and all courses. If at any time questions arise regarding what is or is not appropriate, the student should ask the professor for guidance or clarification before proceeding. Note: plagiarism (i.e., use of writings of others -- phrases, sentences, paragraphs, etc. -- without quotes and attribution) is strictly prohibited.