Difficulty: Medium
Correct Answer: Memory Interleaving, which splits memory into modules accessed in parallel to increase bandwidth
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This question is about memory system design and a technique used to improve performance by increasing effective bandwidth. As processors become faster, the main memory system must supply data quickly enough to keep the CPU busy. One way to achieve higher bandwidth is to divide memory into multiple banks or modules that can be accessed concurrently. This concept is known as memory interleaving. Understanding memory interleaving is important for appreciating how hardware designers reduce bottlenecks in modern computer architectures.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
Memory interleaving is a technique where consecutive memory addresses are spread across multiple memory modules rather than being stored in a single contiguous physical block. For example, one address maps to module 0, the next to module 1, and so on. This arrangement allows the system to service multiple memory requests in parallel, effectively increasing the throughput or bandwidth. Memory management refers to the allocation, protection, and mapping of memory regions and does not by itself increase bandwidth. The terms memory intraleaving and memory leaving are not standard technical terms and appear to be distractors. Therefore, the correct technique for increasing bandwidth by parallel module access is memory interleaving.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify that the question is focused on increasing bandwidth rather than on address translation or protection.Step 2: Recall that memory interleaving explicitly describes splitting memory across banks so that multiple access operations can overlap.Step 3: Examine option B, which states that memory interleaving splits memory into modules accessed in parallel.Step 4: Compare this to memory management, which deals with logical management of memory without necessarily increasing bandwidth at the hardware level.Step 5: Recognize that memory intraleaving and memory leaving are misspellings or non technical phrases, and conclude that memory interleaving is the correct answer.
Verification / Alternative check:
Computer architecture references describe interleaved memory as a method for improving performance by distributing data across memory banks. Diagrams show addresses mapping to different banks in a round robin fashion. The CPU or memory controller can send a new request to one bank while another bank is still servicing a previous request, thereby overlapping operations. In contrast, memory management chapters focus on virtual memory, paging, and segmentation rather than bandwidth. These descriptions firmly associate increased bandwidth with interleaving rather than with management alone, confirming that option B is correct.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A is incorrect because memory management is about controlling the use of memory, including allocation and access rights, not specifically about increasing bandwidth through parallel access. Option C is incorrect because memory intraleaving is not a standardized term and appears to be a spelling variation that does not refer to a real technique. Option D is incorrect because memory leaving has no defined meaning in computer architecture. Only option B, memory interleaving, correctly identifies the technique used to increase bandwidth by accessing multiple memory modules in parallel.
Common Pitfalls:
One common mistake is to assume that any memory related term that sounds complex must be correct, without checking whether it is actually used in textbooks or technical literature. Another pitfall is to confuse memory management, which focuses on how memory is allocated and protected, with performance techniques like interleaving. Students may also forget that bandwidth improvements often involve parallelism, so looking for keywords that imply splitting or overlapping operations is helpful. Remember that interleaving is specifically about distributing addresses across multiple banks to enable simultaneous or staggered access, which directly boosts throughput.
Final Answer:
The correct answer is Memory Interleaving, which splits memory into modules accessed in parallel to increase bandwidth.
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