Memory Technology and Systems
Memory Technology and Systems
Learning Objectives:
- Demonstrate computer architecture concepts related to design of modern processors, memories and I/Os.
Levels of Memory Hierarchy:
- CPU registers
- Cache
- Main Memory
- Disk
- Tape
How is Hierarchy Managed:
- Registers $\longleftrightarrow$ Memory: By compiler
- Cache $\longleftrightarrow$ Memory: By the hardware
- Memory $\longleftrightarrow$ Disks: By the programmer (files)
RAM:
- Random Access Memory comes in two varieties- static and dynamic
- Static RAM (SRAM) is faster and significantly more expensive than Dynamic RAM (DRAM)
- SRAM is used for cached memories, both on and off the CPU chip.
- DRAM is used for the main memory plus the frame buffer of a graphics system.
- Typically a desktop system will have no more than a few megabytes of SRAM but gigabytes of DRAM.
DDR Terminology:
- DDR200: Clock frequency 100Mhz, Data Rate: 200 Mhz
- DDR266: Clock frequency 133Mhz, Data Rate: 266 Mhz
- DDR333: Clock frequency 167Mhz, Data Rate: 300 Mhz
- DDR400: Clock frequency 200Mhz, Data Rate: 400 Mhz
Solved Example: 9918-01
Which of the following memory devices is very much similar, mainly in terms of speed, to the cache memory?
A. Flash memory
B. DRAM
C. SRAM
D. EEPROM
Correct Answer: C
Solved Example: 9918-02
Which is not a type of secondary memory?
A. Solid State Drive
B. Hard Disk
C. Random Access Memory (RAM)
D. USB Pen Drive
Correct Answer: C
Solved Example: 9918-03
Which of the following is not an example of solid state storage device?
A. None of these
B. DVD ROM
C. Memory Card
D. USB Flash Drives
Correct Answer: B
Solved Example: 9918-04
______ is a volatile memory.
A. SRAM
B. DRAM
C. Both (A) and (B)
D. None of these
Correct Answer: C
Solved Example: 9918-05
Which among the following memories is used in Digital camera?
A. Virtual memory
B. Flash memory
C. Main memory
D. Cache memory
Correct Answer: B
Solved Example: 9918-06
What kind of memory is both static and non volatile?
A. BIOS
B. CACHE
C. RAM
D. ROM
Correct Answer: D
Solved Example: 9918-07
Which of the following is a very high-speed semiconductor memory which can speed up the CPU?
A. Cache Memory
B. Primary Memory
C. Main Memory
D. Secondary Memory
Correct Answer: A
Solved Example: 9918-08
What are the two kinds of memory in a computer?
A. Hardware Memory and Software Memory
B. Short Term Memory and Long Term Memory
C. Arithmetic Memory and Logical Memory
D. Read only Memory (ROM) and Random Access Memory (RAM)
Correct Answer: D