A Summary of Cache Memory
Cache memory is a chip-based computer component that enables efficient retrieval of data from the computer’s memory. Cache memory acts as a temporary storage area that the processor can easily retrieve data from. This temporary storage area is known as the cache and is more easily-accessible than DRAM memory - the computer’s main memory source. Cache memory is sometimes called CPU memory as it is typically integrated directly into the CPU chip or placed on a separate chip with an independent bus interconnect with the CPU. This means cache memory is physically closer to the processor, making it more accessible to the processor and increasing efficiency.
In order to fit so close to the processor, cache memory is much smaller than main memory. As such, it has less storage space. Cache memory is also more expensive than main memory due to its complexity and higher performance. However, what cache memory loses in size and cost, it makes up for in speed. Cache memory takes only a few nanoseconds to respond to a CPU request, operating between 10 and 100 times faster than RAM memory. The physical hardware used for cache memory is high-speed static random access memory (SRAM), and the hardware used in main memory is dynamic random access memory (DRAM).
Cache memory should not be confused with the broader term cache. A cache is a temporary storage of data that can be present in both hardware and software, while cache memory refers specifically to the hardware component that allows computers to create caches throughout the network.
There are three types of cache memory categorized as levels. The three levels, L1, L2, and L3, describe the memory’s proximity and accessibility to the microprocessor. L1 cache, also called primary cache, is extremely fast, small, and commonly embedded in the processor chip as CPU cache. L2 cache, or secondary cache, is larger than L1. It can be embedded on the CPU or on a separate chip or coprocessor with an alternative system connecting the cache and CPU. This prevents it from being slowed down by traffic in the main system. L3 cache is a specialized memory designed to improve the performance of the lower levels. L3 is often slower than L1 or L2, but is still much faster than DRAM. L3 cache has the largest capacity of the three levels.
Cache memory is a critical component due to its ability to greatly improve the efficiency of data retrieval. It stores program instructions and data that is repeatedly used in the operation of programs or information that the CPU will likely need again. The computer processor can access information from the cache much faster than main memory, markedly increasing the overall speed of the program.
In addition to its performance improving characteristics, cache data can also help evaluate the overall performance of a computer by analyzing cache’s hit/miss ratio. When the system successfully retrieves data from the cache, it is known as a cache hit. When the system searches for data in the cache, but cannot find it, it is known as a cache miss. If the hit/miss ratio is not up to your standards, it can sometimes be improved by adjusting the cache memory block size, or the size of data units in storage.
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