Learning Memory Hierarchy and Exploring Spatial and Temporal Localities with the Amnesia Simulator
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5753/ijcae.2023.4823Keywords:
Computer Architecture, Memory Hierarchy, Simulator, AmnesiaAbstract
The evolution of technologies increasingly demands more processing power from computers (e.g., smartphones, tablets, laptops, desktops, and servers), requiring both performance and efficiency. One of the main components associated with a computer's performance is memory, and thus, how quickly data or instructions can be accessed by the processor. During the undergraduate course in Computer Science, students are immersed in various subjects that bring an understanding of the importance of memory. However, one subject that particularly focuses on memory hierarchy is Computer Architecture. Generally speaking, learning the positive and negative effects of memory exploitation lies in understanding how to leverage spatial and temporal locality to reduce the impact of cache misses and page faults. For this reason, the primary objective of this paper is to present a study and learning approach for memory hierarchy using the Amnesia simulator. This approach has been utilized in the Computer Architecture III course. Among the outcomes achieved is this article, which, in its initial version, was developed as one of the products of the course's work. The contribution includes the learning approach and the maturation of the students involved in the work.
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