Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
here allows us to consider four additional elements of a computer's
memory:
Types of main memory (RAM and ROM)
Transitory versus permanent memory
Files and their organization
Virtual memory and its relationship to files and main memory
When we are finished, we will have the hierarchical view of
computer storage that is shown in Figure 3.1. (Although Figure 3.1
serves as a nice summary to this section of the chapter, you may
have to keep reading to learn what all of the terms there mean;
please be patient as you read ahead!)
Types of Main Memory: As we begin our consideration of com
puter storage, we need to consider a computer's main memory a bit
more carefully. When considering main memory, most of it, called
random access memory
(
RAM
), functions as described in Chapter 1.
Instructions from computer programs and data are stored and re
trieved in various locations as needed, and this space is reused as
our work moves from one application to another.
File on
local disk
File on
remote server
File on
CD
Files:
Virtual Memory
RAM
(random-access
memory)
ROM
(read-only memory)
Main Memory:
Cache Memory
CPU:
Registers
Figure 3.1
A hierarchical view of computer storage.
