What is typical storage hierarchy, Computer Engineering

Assignment Help:

Q. What is typical storage hierarchy?

A typical storage hierarchy is displayed in Figure above. Though Figure shows only block diagram however it includes storage hierarchy:   

Register

Cache memory

Main memory

Secondary Storage and 

Mass Storage. 

As we move up hierarchy we encounter storage elements which have faster access time and higher cost per bit stored as well as slower access time as a result of moving down hierarchy. So cache memory normally has the fastest access time and the smallest storage capacity as well as the highest cost per bit stored. Primary memory (main memory) falls next in storage hierarchy list. On-line, direct-access secondary storage devices like magnetic hard disks make up level of hierarchy just below main memory. Off-line, direct-access and sequential access secondary storage devices like magnetic tape, ZIP disk, Floppy disk and WORM disk etc. fall next in storage hierarchy. Mass storage devices generally referred to as archival storage are at the bottom of storage hierarchy. They are cost-effective for storage of very large quantities of data when fast access time is not essential.

Please note two significant points here: 

  • Size of memory increases as we move down hierarchy.
  • Quantum of data which is transferred between two consecutive memory layers at a time also increases as we go from a higher to lower side. For illustration from main memory to Cache transfer one or a few memory words are accessed at a time while in a hard disk to main memory transfer, a block of about 1 Megabyte is transferred in a single access.

 


Related Discussions:- What is typical storage hierarchy

Program, Write a program to find the area under the curve y = f(x) between ...

Write a program to find the area under the curve y = f(x) between x = a and x = b, integrate y = f(x) between the limits of a and b. The area under a curve between two points can b

Function name or connective symbol, Function name or connective symbol: ...

Function name or connective symbol: Whether if we write op(x) to signify the symbol of the compound operator then predicate name and function name or connective symbol are the

Explain top-down parsing, Explain Top down parsing. Top down parsing...

Explain Top down parsing. Top down parsing: Specified an input string, top down parsing tries to derive a string identical to this by successive application of grammar rule

Give example of real time processing, Give example of Real time (transactio...

Give example of Real time (transaction) processing Using this illustration of booking seats on a flight, below sequence of events would occur: -  Customer/travel agent conta

Components of information super highway infrastructure, Explain the compone...

Explain the components of Information Super Highway Infrastructure. The Information Superhighway is more than the Internet. It is a sequence of components, having the collectio

What is dispatch unit, What is dispatch unit? A separate unit which we ...

What is dispatch unit? A separate unit which we call the dispatch unit fetch instructions from the front of the queue and sends them to the execution unit. The dispatch unit al

How can i model a bi-directional net, How can I model a bi-directional net ...

How can I model a bi-directional net with assignments influencing both source and destination? Assign statement constitutes a continuous assignment. Changes on the RHS of stat

State the concept of hierarchy in object oriented, Hierarchy Hierarchy...

Hierarchy Hierarchy is a process of ranking or ordering of abstraction. Hierarchy is decided by the help of 'divide and conquer' principle. Complex objects can be described

How can server communicate with more than one client, Server can interact w...

Server can interact with more than one client with using threading concepts there are java threads which are allocated to each client when he logs in to server, the thread handles

Explain the mechanisms of propagation of radio communication, Explain the m...

Explain the mechanisms of propagation of radio communication. Radio communication deals along with electronic radiation of electromagnetic energy from one point to other by the

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd