A Translation Lookaside Buffer (TLB) is a hardware component that is commonly used in processor architecture to enhance the performance of virtual memory access. It works as a cache for virtual-to-physical address translation, allowing the processor to quickly access physical memory addresses associated with a virtual address.
In other words, when a program makes a memory access request, the TLB checks whether there is a mapping for the virtual address in its cache. If it finds a match, the TLB returns the physical address for that virtual address, allowing the processor to directly access the physical memory. This speeds up the process of data retrieval and reduces latency, leading to improved system performance.
Furthermore, by reducing the number of lookups made to the memory management unit (MMU), the TLB also helps reduce overall system complexity and power consumption. Overall, the TLB improves the efficiency and performance of virtual memory management, making it an important component of computational architecture.
Publication date: