How is cache memory used

For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. This site uses cookies to improve your experience and serve personalised ads and content. Find out more by visiting our Cookie Policy,. Cache memory is high performing, temporary server memory for servers which provides faster and more efficient access to frequently accessed data than server RAM.

Cache memory is a crucial component of any server, and it is important to understand how it functions in order to best support your system. Here are four common questions about cache memory answered:.

Server cache memory is essentially a faster and smaller version of RAM which contributes to the overall performance of your CPU. By keeping the CPU busy to avoid wasted computation, cache memory increases the efficiency of your CPU and helps prevent bottlenecking in your system.

Cache memory temporarily stores information, data and programs that are commonly used by the CPU. When data is required, the CPU will automatically turn to cache memory in search of faster data access. When data is found in cache memory, this is called a cache hit. A cache hit enables the processor to retrieve data quickly, making your overall system more efficient. Since cache memory is much smaller than server RAM, the data it stores is only temporary, and so it may not hold the information that the processor needs.

There are 3 main levels of cache memory which all have slightly different functions. Level 1 L1 is the fastest type of cache memory since it is smallest in size and closest to the processor. White papers from our partners VMware U. Join Our Newsletter Want more on technology leadership? Sign up for Tech Monitor's weekly newsletter, Changelog, for the latest insight and analysis delivered straight to your inbox.

White papers Home About us Contact us Newsletter. White papers from our partners. When that data is accessed again, if a copy is available in the cache, that copy is accessed first so the speed and efficiency is increased.

Modern video cards also store their own cached memory inside their graphics processing chips. Other than hardware cache, software cache is also available as a method to store temporary files on the hard disk. This cache also known as browser or application cache is used to rapidly access previously stored files for the same reason: increasing speed. For example, an online browser might save some images from a web page by caching them to avoid re-downloading them every time that page is open again.

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