Introduction to Cache Organization

Zoom Talk Link

Passcode:  243019

CSE Lecturer Candidate

Abstract: Caching — using a small, fast memory to store values likely to be used in the future — is critically important in modern CPU design.  Multiple layers of caches can be used to hide the latency of each memory reference as instructions are executed.  In this talk, we will introduce the concept of a CPU cache and its place in the memory hierarchy.  We will discuss how caches improve the performance of memory read operations, and how we can assess the performance of a given cache design by calculating average memory access time.  After this lecture, students will be able to (1) quantitatively analyze multi-layer cache system performance, and (2) synthesize qualitative explanations about the motivations, costs, and benefits of caches.

Bio: Kevin Leach is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Michigan.   He has taught six different undergraduate courses as the instructor of record while at UM, including computer organization, databases, compilers, software engineering, web systems, and conversational artificial intelligence, reaching 1400 students.  Kevin is also a cross-disciplinary researcher, combining the areas of systems security, functional brain imaging studies, and natural language processing.  He has published over 30 refereed articles in these areas, 3 of which have received awards, and 8 of which were co-authored with undergraduate student researchers. He received the PhD from the University of Virginia in 2016, where he received the Louis T Rader Outstanding Research Award.