Faster Access to Frequently Accessed Data:
Caches are used to store frequently accessed data or instructions, such as program code or recently
used files.
By keeping this data in a cache, the system can access it more quickly than if it had to retrieve
it from a slower memory or storage device. This helps to improve the overall performance of the system by reducing the amount of time the CPU spends waiting for data.
2. Reduced Memory Bandwidth Requirements:
Memory bandwidth is a critical resource in computer systems, and the amount of memory bandwidth required by an application or process can be a limiting factor for system performance. By using a cache,
the system can reduce the amount of memory bandwidth required by an application or process. This is because the cache can store frequently accessed data, which reduces the number of memory accesses
needed by the CPU. This, in turn, reduces the memory bandwidth requirements of the system, which can improve performance.
Caches also solve the following problems:
1. Limited Memory Capacity:
Computer systems typically have limited memory capacity, and caches help to make efficient use of the
available memory. By caching frequently accessed data, the system can reduce the amount of memory
needed to store that data, which helps to make more memory available for other purposes.
2. High Latency of Memory Access:
Memory access can be a slow and expensive operation, particularly for large and complex memory
systems. By caching frequently accessed data, the system can reduce the number of memory accesses
needed, which helps to reduce the overall latency of memory access. This is because the cache can
provide faster access to frequently accessed data, while the slower memory is used only when
necessary.