Cache Memory
Q1.
An 8-way set associative cache of size 64 KB (1 KB = 1024 bytes) is used in a system with 32-bit address. The address is sub-divided into TAG, INDEX, and BLOCK OFFSET. The number of bits in the TAG is ____.Q2.
Consider a system with 2 KB direct mapped data cache with a block size of 64 bytes. The system has a physical address space of 64 KB and a word length of 16 bits. During the execution of a program, four data words P, Q, R, and S are accessed in that order 10 times (i.e., PQRSPQRS...). Hence, there are 40 accesses to data cache altogether. Assume that the data cache is initially empty and no other data words are accessed by the program. The addresses of the first bytes of P, Q, R, and S are 0xA248, 0xC28A, 0xCA8A, and 0xA262, respectively. For the execution of the above program, which of the following statements is/are TRUE with respect to the data cache?MSQQ3.
Consider a set-associative cache of size 2KB (1KB=2^{10} bytes) with cache block size of 64 bytes. Assume that the cache is byte-addressable and a 32 -bit address is used for accessing the cache. If the width of the tag field is 22 bits, the associativity of the cache is ______Q4.
A cache memory that has a hit rate of 0.8 has an access latency 10 ns and miss penalty 100 ns. An optimization is done on the cache to reduce the miss rate. However, the optimization results in an increase of cache access latency to 15 ns, whereas the miss penalty is not affected. The minimum hit rate (rounded off to two decimal places) needed after the optimization such that it should not increase the average memory access time is _____.Q5.
Assume a two-level inclusive cache hierarchy, L1 and L2, where L2 is the larger of the two. Consider the following statements. S1: Read misses in a write through L1 cache do not result in writebacks of dirty lines to the L2 S2: Write allocate policy must be used in conjunction with write through caches and no-write allocate policy is used with writeback caches. Which of the following statements is correct?Q6.
Consider a computer system with a byte-addressable primary memory of size 2^{32} \text{ bytes}. Assume the computer system has a direct-mapped cache of size 32 KB (1 KB = 2^{10} \text{ bytes}), and each cache block is of size 64 bytes. The size of the tag field is __________ bits.Q7.
How many total bits are required for a direct-mapped cache with 128 KB of data and 1 word block size, assuming a 32-bit address and 1 word size of 4 bytes?Q8.
For a multi-processor architecture, in which protocol a write transaction is forwarded to only those processors that are known to possess a copy of newly altered cache line?Q9.
A cache memory needs an access time of 30 ns and main memory 150 ns, what is average access time of CPU (assume hit ratio = 80%)?