Design of CPU Cache Memories

We present an overview of the current issues in the design of CPU cache memories. Our stress is on those issues of greatest concern to cache designers and builders, including line size, associativity, real vs. virtual addressing, main memory up date algorithm, split (data/instructions) cache vs. unified cache, cache consistency mechanisms, cache size and number of cache levels. Brief mention is made of other aspects of cache and S-unit design. The Fairchild CLIPPERtm is used as an example of modern cache memory design.