Fully- Associative Cache Memory.

Fully Associative Cache Memory: This cache is most flexible cache architecture where data blocks from main memory can be paced in any location in cache memory. In other words, this cache has ‘P’ locations to store data from Main Memory. The value of ‘P’ is always less than ‘N’ which represents total number of blocks present in main memory.
 
Main Memory structure (NX8 bytes total)

Associative cachem memory example

Address (8 locations in 1 block.)
0x00000
0x00001
0x00002
0x00003
0x00004
0x00005
0x00006
0x00007

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Digital fundamentals.

Interview Questions.

Implementation of Fully Associative Cache:

In above example/diagram the address width for main memory is 16 bits. The 16 bits are spit into two groups. The first group is called TAG of 13 bits and second group is OFFSET of 3 bits deep.
 
Block Nos (TAG) - Any 1 of 8192 = (2^13)
No of Bytes (offset) - Any 1 of 8 = (2^3)
 
Implementation of cache requires a separate set of locations for storing the memory content and address of data blocks. The set of locations which store the main memory content are called cache lines. The locations which store upper TAG bits are called TAG memory. So if cache line 0 has block 7 from main memory then Tag memory will have value 0x0007.
Another set of 1 bit location are kept aside for storing a valid flag for data in cache memory.

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