Cache Simulator is a program that Simulates the behavior of a cache memory.
Computer Systems Course Lab.
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A cache for a machine is organized as an array of S = 2^s cache sets. (s: number of set-index bits)
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Each set consists of E cache lines.
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Each line consists of a data block of B = 2^b bytes (b: number of block bits), a valid bit that indicates whether or not the line contains meaningful information, and t = m − (b + s) tag bits that uniquely identify the block stored in the cache line.
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Time Stamps are used to Evict the least recently used block from the cache to make room for the next block.
It takes a valgrind memory trace as input, simulates the hit/miss behavior of a cache memory on this trace, and outputs the total number of hits, misses, and evictions.
It has the following detailed behaviour:
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cache-sim file contains parse_arguments() function that parse arguments (s, E, b) and traces file from command-line.
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The program then takes each valgrind memory trace, parse the set-index and tag from the given address through parse_addressInfo() function.
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After parsing the address, the program calls inspect_cache() function, which checks whether the set whose index is set-index has a line that has tag equal to the given tag. If so, it returns the line-index. Otherwise it returns -1.
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if inspect_cache() returns line_index, then the program calls hit() function, and parse that block from cache and do the specified operations on it. Otherwise, the program calls find_empty_line() function that checks whether there is an empty line in the set. if so, the program calls miss() function that parse the block from memory and place it, in that empty line, in the cache.
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if there is no empty lines in the set, then evict the Least Recent Used one, and place the block instead of it.
- Git
- GCC
Run the following commands in a terminal:
git clone https://github.com/ahmed-salah-ucf/cache-simulator.gitmake
You can run cache simulator using different cache parameters and traces.
./csim -s <s> -E <E> -b <b> -t <traces file>
for example :
./csim -s 1 -E 1 -b 1 -t traces/yi2.trace
- The Project really helped me understand cache memories mechanism, how they work, and the impact that cache memories can have on the performance of applications.
- I learned how to write programs that exploit cache memory.