A back-side bus connects the CPU to L2 and sometimes L1 cache memory, allowing the CPU to cache and fetch memory. It speeds up processes by retrieving information from the cache, which is very fast. The bus is usually set to near the same speed as the CPU.
A back-side bus is a piece of computer hardware that connects the central processing unit (CPU) to level 2 (L2) and sometimes level 1 (L1) cache memory. This connection is made when the CPU needs to cache memory or fetch memory from it. It’s important to connect the CPU and cache with the back-side bus, because the CPU will have an easier time processing information that has previously been stored or processed. In most computers, this bus is at least as fast as the CPU.
During operations, a CPU may need cache for some reason, and a back-side bus acts as a bridge between the two. Cache is the memory that stores things that have already been viewed. For example, if someone recently opened an image, text document, or website, the cache will store the file for a short while; the memory is flushed if the user does not return to the file within the time period. Most back-side busses connect with L2 cache, while some also connect with L1.
As a bridge, the back-side bus allows the cache to move in two different directions. If the CPU needs to cache some or all of a process so that it can return to the process later, it will use the bus to cache the process. When the CPU needs something from the cache, it will tell the bus to fetch it.
While the cache typically has the smallest amount of memory in a computer, it is very fast as a result. Because of this, the CPU can use the back-side bus to speed up otherwise lengthy processes, but only if they have recently run. For example, if someone is performing a long math problem or rendering a complicated image, the CPU may take several minutes or more to complete the function. If the user performs the same function again, the CPU will be able to repeat the process much faster by retrieving information from the cache.
The cache is very fast, and because the CPU needs this memory quickly, the back-side bus is usually made to have high processing speed. Most computers set this bus to near the same speed as the CPU, with the lowest setting typically around half the CPU speed. If the bus is set to a slower speed, it may be faster to repeat the recent process, eliminating the need for a backside bus.
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