AMD announces new caching technology

     Chip maker AMD has announced a new line of processors using advanced caching technology. Each processor packs an astounding 64meg of UltraCache™. Traditional caching technologies suffer from performance problems due to the fact that today's processors change tasks thousands of times per second. These abrupt changes require the reloading of important information by the cache. AMD's new UltraCache™ technology greatly extends the functionality of traditional cache technologies by effectively dedicating one half of the L1 and/or L2 cache to every process (thread) executing on a computer, even if there hundreds of tasks.

UltraCache™ works in conjunction with the main caches and the operating system by storing the cache information for each thread in a large, inexpensive DDR DRAM cache. As one thread is executed by the OS using one half of the L1/L2 caches, the cache data from the previous/next thread are swapped to/from the "swap" cache.

In a telephone interview, AMD marketing director Clarence West had this to say, "The UltraCache™ technology gives incredible increases in efficiency of the primary caches. The increased efficiency allows the Athlon 64/64 to reach the same levels of performance at far lower bus speeds and therefore use less power. That's why the first Athlon 64/64's will be used in mobile applications."

Initially AMD will only be releasing a mobile version of the Athlon 64/64. UltraCache™ enabled server and desktop processors should be available later this year.