Static RAM

SRAM versus DRAM
DRAM:
Memory technology
PC memory is dominated by DRAM
Characterized by the fact that it must be constantly accessed or it will lose its stored data.
NEED: create highly specialized and complex support hardware to interface the memory systems to the CPU.
inherently very dense

SRAM:

VERSUS:
SRAM cell: more complicated
SRAM overall operation: easier to understand

RAM versus tape backup device
"random access": the first cell and the last cell

Memory Hierarchy
grow exponentially in size and decrease exponentially in access time
L1 cache: closest memory to the CPU, smallest(1K~1M), access time(0.5ns~1ns), on-chip
L2 cache: in pentium-class processors on the processor chip, on-chip
The secondary cache: main memory(memory sticks), 1
Hard disk drive: an electromechanical device, handy place, 10000

symbols [ kilo, mega, giga, tera ]
engineering sense: 10³ 10⁶ 10⁹ 10¹²      (1000, 1000000, 1000000000, 1000000000000) [hard disk drive ]
computer-speak versions: 2¹⁰ 2²⁰ 2³⁰ 2⁴⁰   (1024, 1048576, 1073741824, 1099511627776) [memory size & memory issues]