Computer Architecture | Module 6: Memory System Organization by Prakhar Chauhan | Learn Smarter
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Module 6: Memory System Organization

The chapter delves into the organization and operational principles of computer memory systems, emphasizing the memory hierarchy made up of registers, cache, main memory, and secondary storage. It discusses trade-offs in memory design concerning speed, size, cost, and volatility, as well as advanced memory management techniques including cache memory and virtual memory. The chapter provides a comprehensive overview of the roles each memory type plays in optimizing performance and addressing the speed disparity between the CPU and main memory.

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Sections

  • 6

    Memory System Organization

    This section explores the organization and principles of a computer's memory hierarchy, detailing various memory technologies and management techniques.

  • 6.1

    Memory Organization And Device Characteristics

    This section discusses the organization of computer memory, highlighting various memory types, their characteristics, functions, and significance in computing.

  • 6.1.1

    Cpu Registers

    CPU registers are the fastest and smallest storage locations in a computer's memory hierarchy, a critical component for processing data efficiently within the CPU.

  • 6.1.2

    Cache Memory (Cpu Cache)

    Cache memory serves as a high-speed buffer between the CPU and main memory, enabling faster data access by storing frequently used data.

  • 6.1.3

    Main Memory (Ram - Random Access Memory)

    Main Memory (RAM) refers to the primary storage in computers, crucial for holding data and programs actively in use.

  • 6.1.4

    Secondary Storage (Mass Storage)

    This section discusses secondary storage or mass storage in computer systems, highlighting its characteristics, types, and importance for long-term data retention.

  • 6.2

    Memory Management

    Memory Management is a crucial function of the operating system that coordinates memory resources and ensures protection between processes.

  • 6.2.1

    Memory Management Unit (Mmu)

    The Memory Management Unit (MMU) is a critical hardware component that translates logical addresses to physical addresses and manages memory access rights, ensuring efficient memory use and protection.

  • 6.2.2

    Memory Protection

    Memory protection is a critical feature of modern operating systems that ensures safe and isolated execution of processes.

  • 6.2.3

    Address Translation

    Address translation is the process by which logical addresses generated by the CPU are converted into physical addresses by the Memory Management Unit (MMU), facilitating program execution while ensuring memory protection and multitasking.

  • 6.2.4

    Segmentation

    Segmentation is a memory management technique that divides a program's memory into distinct logical segments, enhancing memory organization and protection.

  • 6.2.5

    Paging

    Paging is a memory management technique that eliminates fragmentation by dividing memory into fixed-size blocks, allowing for efficient allocation and access of memory required by processes.

  • 6.2.6

    Swapping

    Swapping is a memory management technique that allows the operating system to temporarily move processes between main memory and secondary storage, thus managing memory limits effectively.

  • 6.3

    Concept Of Cache Memory

    Cache memory is a fast, intermediate storage layer that helps reduce the performance gap between a CPU and slower main memory.

  • 6.3.1

    Motivation

    This section discusses the motivation behind the development of cache memory, focusing on bridging the speed gap between CPUs and slower main memory.

  • 6.3.2

    Locality Of Reference

    The Principle of Locality of Reference explains how computer programs exhibit predictable memory access patterns, enhancing cache performance.

  • 6.3.3

    Cache Hits And Misses

    Cache hits and misses play a crucial role in the performance of a computer's memory system, determining how efficiently data is accessed by the CPU.

  • 6.3.4

    Cache Line (Block)

    The cache line is a fundamental unit of data transfer in cache memory that optimizes memory access by utilizing spatial locality.

  • 6.3.5

    Cache Mapping Techniques

    This section explores cache mapping techniques, detailing how data is allocated within cache memory to optimize CPU performance.

  • 6.3.6

    Cache Coherence

    Cache coherence refers to the mechanisms that maintain consistency of shared data in multi-processor systems, ensuring that all processors have a unified view of the data.

  • 6.3.7

    Write Policies

    This section discusses various write policies used in cache memory systems, focusing on write-through and write-back techniques.

  • 6.4

    Virtual Memory

    Virtual Memory is a technique that allows programs to use more memory than is physically available in RAM by creating an abstraction layer.

  • 6.4.1

    Motivation

    This section explains the motivation for understanding the complex organization of a computer's memory hierarchy.

  • 6.4.2

    Concept

    This section details the concept of memory hierarchy, its components, and their significance in modern computer architecture.

  • 6.4.3

    Virtual Address Vs. Physical Address

    This section explains the key differences between virtual addresses, generated by the CPU, and physical addresses, used in actual memory hardware, highlighting their roles in memory management.

  • 6.4.4

    Page Table

    This section explores the fundamental role of page tables in virtual memory management, emphasizing their structure, functionality, and significance in translating virtual addresses to physical addresses.

  • 6.4.5

    Page Fault

    This section explores the concept of page faults in virtual memory systems, detailing their causes, handling procedures, and performance implications.

  • 6.4.6

    Translation Lookaside Buffer (Tlb)

    The Translation Lookaside Buffer (TLB) is a crucial hardware component in modern computer architectures that speeds up the address translation process by caching recent page table entries.

  • 6.4.7

    Page Replacement Algorithms

    Page replacement algorithms are critical strategies used in virtual memory management to decide which pages to remove from memory to make space for new pages.

Class Notes

Memorization

What we have learnt

  • A computer's memory hierarc...
  • The performance of a memory...
  • Cache memory plays a crucia...

Final Test

Revision Tests