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Write short note on Memory with its hierarchy.

Subject: Computer Organization and Architecture

Topic: Module 2

Difficulty: Low

1 Answer
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MEMORY

  • Computer data storage,often called storage or memory refers to computer components,devices,and recording media that retain digital data used for computing for some interval of time.
  • Computer data storage provides one of the core functions of modern computer,ie,Information retention.
  • So far,no practical universal storage medium exists,and all forms of storage have some drawbacks.
  • Therefore a computer system usually contains several kind of storage each with individual purposes.

MEMORY CHARACTERISTICS

  • The complex subject computer memory can be made manageable by classifying the memory systems according to their key characteristics.
  • The most important characteristics are:-

    • Memory type
    • Memory size
    • Memory location
    • Word length
    • Addressable unit
    • Unit of transfer
    • Access method

THE MEMORY HIERARCHY

  • The goal of any memory system is to provide adequate storage capacity with an acceptable level of performance and cost.
  • One can achieve these goals by employing several memory types - with different cost/performance ratios-that are organized to provide a high average performance at a low average cost per bit.
  • The objective of the organization is to achieve a good trade-off between cost,storage capacity and performance for the memory system as a whole.

hierarchy

  • As one goes down the hierarchy,the following occur

    • Decreasing cost per bit
    • Increasing capacity
    • Increasing access time
    • Decreasing frequency of access of the memory by the CPU
  • Thus smaller,more expensive memories are supplemented by larger,cheaper and slower memories.

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