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Memory Organization Memory Hierarchy 2.2.1

The memory hierarchy pyramid structure arranges memory types from fastest to slowest: registers, cache, main memory, secondary storage, tertiary storage. Access time and cost increase down the hierarchy while capacity decreases. This design bridges the processor-memory performance gap by providing increasingly larger and faster cache to reduce dependency on slower main memory. It has two main types: internal primary memory like cache and main memory and external secondary memory like disks.

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286 views

Memory Organization Memory Hierarchy 2.2.1

The memory hierarchy pyramid structure arranges memory types from fastest to slowest: registers, cache, main memory, secondary storage, tertiary storage. Access time and cost increase down the hierarchy while capacity decreases. This design bridges the processor-memory performance gap by providing increasingly larger and faster cache to reduce dependency on slower main memory. It has two main types: internal primary memory like cache and main memory and external secondary memory like disks.

Uploaded by

Arjun Nain
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Memory organization: Memory hierarchy 2.2.

1
Memory hierarchy
The computer memory hierarchy looks like a pyramid structure which is used to describe the
differences among memory types. It separates the computer storage based on hierarchy.
Level 0: CPU registers
Level 1: Cache memory
Level 2: Main memory or primary memory
Level 3: Magnetic disks or secondary memory
Level 4: Optical disks or magnetic types or tertiary Memory

In Memory Hierarchy the cost of memory, capacity is inversely proportional to speed. Here
the devices are arranged in a manner Fast to slow, that is form register to Tertiary memory.
Let us discuss each level in detail:
Level-0 − Registers
The registers are present inside the CPU. As they are present inside the CPU, they have least
access time. Registers are most expensive and smallest in size generally in kilobytes. They
are implemented by using Flip-Flops.
Level-1 − Cache
Cache memory is used to store the segments of a program that are frequently accessed by the
processor. It is expensive and smaller in size generally in Megabytes and is implemented by
using static RAM.
Level-2 − Primary or Main Memory
It directly communicates with the CPU and with auxiliary memory devices through an I/O
processor. Main memory is less expensive than cache memory and larger in size generally in
Gigabytes. This memory is implemented by using dynamic RAM.
Level-3 − Secondary storage
Secondary storage devices like Magnetic Disk are present at level 3. They are used as
backup storage. They are cheaper than main memory and larger in size generally in a few
TB.
Level-4 − Tertiary storage
Tertiary storage devices like magnetic tape are present at level 4. They are used to store
removable files and are the cheapest and largest in size (1-20 TB).
Let us see the memory levels in terms of size, access time, bandwidth.

Level Register Cache Primary Secondary


memory memory
Bandwidth 4k to 32k 800 to 5k 400 to 2k 4 to 32 MB/sec
MB/sec MB/sec MB/sec
Size Less than 1KB Less than 4MB Less than 2 GB Greater than 2
GB
Access time 2 to 5nsec 3 to 10 nsec 80 to 400 nsec 5ms
Managed by Compiler Hardware Operating OS or user
system

Why memory Hierarchy is used in systems?


Memory hierarchy is arranging different kinds of storage present on a computing device
based on speed of access. At the very top, the highest performing storage is CPU registers
which are the fastest to read and write to. Next is cache memory followed by conventional
DRAM memory, followed by disk storage with different levels of performance including
SSD, optical and magnetic disk drives.
To bridge the processor memory performance gap, hardware designers are increasingly
relying on memory at the top of the memory hierarchy to close / reduce the performance gap.
This is done through increasingly larger cache hierarchies (which can be accessed by
processors much faster), reducing the dependency on main memory which is slower.
This Memory Hierarchy Design is divided into 2 main types:
 External Memory or Secondary Memory –
Comprising of Magnetic Disk, Optical Disk, Magnetic Tape i.e. peripheral storage
devices which are accessible by the processor via I/O Module.
 Internal Memory or Primary Memory –
Comprising of Main Memory, Cache Memory & CPU registers. This is directly
accessible by the processor.
These are the following characteristics of Memory Hierarchy Design from above figure:
1. Capacity:
It is the global volume of information the memory can store. As we move from
top to bottom in the Hierarchy, the capacity increases.
2. Access Time:
It is the time interval between the read/write request and the availability of the
data. As we move from top to bottom in the Hierarchy, the access time
increases.
3. Performance:
Earlier when the computer system was designed without Memory Hierarchy
design, the speed gap increases between the CPU registers and Main Memory
due to large difference in access time. This results in lower performance of the
system and thus, enhancement was required. This enhancement was made in the
form of Memory Hierarchy Design because of which the performance of the
system increases. One of the most significant ways to increase system
performance is minimizing how far down the memory hierarchy one has to go to
manipulate data.
4. Cost per bit:
As we move from bottom to top in the Hierarchy, the cost per bit increases i.e.
Internal Memory is costlier than External Memory.

References
Reference Books:

 J.P. Hayes, “Computer Architecture and Organization”, Third Edition.

 Mano, M., “Computer System Architecture”, Third Edition, Prentice Hall.

 Stallings, W., “Computer Organization and Architecture”, Eighth Edition, Pearson Education.
Text Books:

 Carpinelli J.D,” Computer systems organization &Architecture”, Fourth Edition, Addison


Wesley.

 Patterson and Hennessy, “Computer Architecture” , Fifth Edition Morgaon Kauffman.


Reference Website

 Memory Hierarchy Design and its Characteristics - GeeksforGeeks


 What is memory hierarchy? (tutorialspoint.com)

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