In a multi-level cache hierarchy, what is the difference between "inclusive" and "exclusive" cache designs?
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Incorrect.
The correct answer is A) In an inclusive cache hierarchy, data present in a smaller (e.g., L1) cache is also guaranteed to be present in the larger (e.g., L2) cache; in an exclusive hierarchy, a given piece of data resides in only one cache level at a time, avoiding duplication
Correct Answer
In an inclusive cache hierarchy, data present in a smaller (e.g., L1) cache is also guaranteed to be present in the larger (e.g., L2) cache; in an exclusive hierarchy, a given piece of data resides in only one cache level at a time, avoiding duplication
Inclusive caches simplify coherence checks (since checking the larger cache also covers smaller caches' contents) at the cost of some duplicated storage, while exclusive caches maximize effective cache capacity across levels but require more complex coherence handling.