Architecture Interview Question:

How is a block found in a cache?

Submitted by: Administrator

Each place in cache records block's tag (as well as its data) Of course, place in cache may be unoccupied, so usually place maintains valid bit so to find block in cache:

Use index of block address to determine place (or set of places)

For that (or each) place, check valid bit is set and compare tag with that of block address --- this can be done in parallel for all places in a set.
Submitted by: Administrator