CS250: Foundations of Computer Systems

The true voyage of discovery consists not of going to new places, but of having a new pair of eyes.

– Marcel Proust (1871 – 1922)

Fall 2025

CS250 covers foundational aspects of computer systems encompassing processors, networks, storage, and computing frameworks. A holistic understanding these constructs is key to designing systems (AI, Big Data, clouds, and security) that scale by surfacing problems and solutions from different vantage points. The course includes a discussion of processors, cores, and co-processors (GPUs). Speed differentials across the memory hierarchy and the implications of caching will be covered as well. The discussion of the memory subsystem is complemented with the design of data structures for storage systems. Core foundations of networking including the design of the key elements of the networking stack (IP, TCP, and UDP) will be covered alongside a discussion of DNS. The course also explores characteristics of I/O systems with an emphasis on on-disk data structures that facilitate effective data retrievals. Finally, the course ends with a future gazing component that explores new, promising systems on the horizon with an emphasis on neuromorphic computing.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course students will be able to:

1. Explain core computer systems terminology
2. Explain binary number representations, signed numbers, and floating-point numbers alongside conversions across numbering systems
3. Synthesize concepts in Boolean logic and algebra
4. Distill and build upon core concepts in memory management
5. Describe the interplay between CPU, memory, the I/O subsystem alongside the execution of programs.
6. Design programs that leverage networking protocols that underpin the internet including IP, TCP, and UDP.
7. Design and implement core data structures used for storage systems
8. Explain the inner workings of Graphic Processing Units (GPUs)

Extensive experimentation through programming assignments is a principal activity of this course. These assignments will focus on developing skills that are immediately transferable to building real-world systems.

Prerequisites

• CS 163 or CS 164 with a C or higher
• Concurrent Enrollment in CS 165

This course can be used in lieu of CS270 for all Computer Science majors (for e.g., it will satisfy the prerequisite for CS370). For ECE majors: This course may not satisfy the prerequisites for downstream ECE courses: for example, CS250 does not involve assembly programming.

2025 Fall Semester Details

Labs / Recitations in CSB 225 and CSB 315