hardware system

Hardware predicting the outcome of processor branches.

Processor hardware predicting and fetching future memory accesses.

Loading predicted data into a cache before it is requested.

Access where requested data is found in the cache.

Access where requested data is absent from the cache.

Cache allowing a block to occupy any cache location.

Cache allowing blocks multiple locations within a set.

Cache allowing each block only one possible location.

Number of locations where a cache block may be stored.

Cache immediately forwarding writes to lower-level memory.