Caches store frequently accessed information to improve computer performance. Cache flushes clear this memory. Different types of caches include DNS, browser, disk, and CPU caches. Cache flushes can impact performance and security. CPU cache size and speed are important for high performance.
In computing, a cache is a specialized section of a computer’s memory that attempts to improve performance by storing information that has been accessed recently or is expected to be accessed soon. By keeping this information easily accessible, computer performance can be greatly improved. A cache flush is what clears these sections of memory. Without caches and the ability to download them, computers would run at significantly slower speeds.
There are various types of caches. A domain name system (DNS) cache flush is the clearing of the section of computer memory that stores DNS entries. These entries are what translate a domain name, such as www.wisegeek.com, into a numerical Internet Protocol (IP) address that your computer can use to connect to the website.
Another area of the computer that uses cache flushing is the browser cache. Web browsers store a variety of information relating to the websites visited by the user. In some cases, this information could be used to compromise user security by allowing remote users to access their accounts. Most browsers have a feature that allows the user to initiate a clear of the cache which can alleviate these problems by deleting this information.
Users concerned about security should also be aware of disk caching. Information written to and read from the hard drive is stored in a cache. Malicious users can access this cache to find out what drive information the computer last accessed. The specifics of how to perform a disk cache flush vary between operating systems.
Perhaps the most important cache of all is the central processing unit (CPU) cache. This is a specialized type of memory that is used by the processor to perform various tasks quickly and efficiently. The CPU cache is typically many times faster than a computer’s random access memory (RAM), although it is significantly smaller. For those looking for the best performing computers, CPU cache size and speed are important factors.
In addition to security, cache flushes have a variety of effects on computer performance. Disk write caching can be used to increase performance on computers that often write information to the hard disk. However, this form of caching can negatively impact the performance of home computers. If a computer loses power while information is in write cache, the information will be lost.
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