Which of the following allows speculative execution?a)12-way set assoc...
Explanation: The direct mapped cache has the advantage of allowing a simple and fast speculative execution.
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Which of the following allows speculative execution?a)12-way set assoc...
Direct Mapped Cache:
Direct mapped cache is a type of cache organization where each memory block is mapped to only one cache location. It means that for a given memory address, there is only one cache location where the data can be stored and retrieved. This type of cache organization is simple and straightforward but has limitations in terms of performance.
Set Associative Cache:
Set associative cache is a type of cache organization that combines the advantages of direct mapped and fully associative cache. In set associative cache, each memory block is mapped to a specific set of cache locations, and each set contains multiple cache locations. The number of cache locations in each set is referred to as the associativity.
Speculative Execution:
Speculative execution is a technique used in modern processors to improve performance by executing instructions ahead of time, without knowing whether they will actually be needed. It is based on the assumption that most of the time, the instructions will be executed in a predictable manner. Speculative execution allows the processor to fetch and execute instructions in parallel, increasing the overall throughput.
Explanation:
Out of the given options, the direct mapped cache (option C) allows speculative execution. This is because in a direct mapped cache, each memory block is mapped to only one cache location. This means that the cache can hold only one memory block at a time. When a cache miss occurs and a memory block needs to be fetched from the main memory, the cache location is overwritten with the new data.
Speculative execution can take advantage of this cache organization by fetching and executing instructions ahead of time, even if they are not immediately needed. The processor can speculatively fetch instructions and data into the cache, assuming that they will be used in the future. If the speculation is correct, the fetched instructions can be executed without any delay. However, if the speculation is incorrect, the cache location will be overwritten with the correct data when the cache miss occurs.
In contrast, in set associative caches (options A, B, and D), multiple memory blocks can be stored in each set. This makes it more difficult for speculative execution to predict which cache location will be overwritten, as multiple memory blocks may need to be evicted. Therefore, set associative caches are not as suitable for speculative execution as direct mapped caches.
Overall, direct mapped caches provide a simpler cache organization that allows for efficient speculative execution.
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