Types of Memory

The term "memory" applies to any electronic component capable of temporarily
storing data. There are two main categories of memories:

 Internal memory that temporarily memorizes data while programs are
running. Internal memory uses micro conductors, i.e. fast specialized electronic
circuits. Internal memory corresponds to what we call random (RAM).
 Auxiliary memory (also called physical memory or external memory) that
stores information over the long term, including after the computer is turned off.
Auxiliary memory corresponds to magnetic storage devices such as the hard
drive, optical storage devices such as CD-ROMs and DVD-ROMs, as well
as read-only memories.
The main characteristics of a memory are:
 Capacity, representing the global volume of information (in bits) that the
memory can store
 Access time, corresponding to the time interval between the read/write
request and the availability of the data
 Cycle time, representing the minimum time interval between two successive
accesses
 Throughput, which defines the volume of information exchanged per unit of
time, expressed in bits per second
 Non-volatility, which characterises the ability of a memory to store data
when it is not being supplied with electricity.
The ideal memory has a large capacity with restricted access time and cycle
time, a high throughput and is non-volatile. However, fast memories are also the
most expensive. This is why memories that use different technologies are used in a
computer, interfaced with each other and organised hierarchically.The fastest
memories are located in small numbers close to the processor. Auxiliary memories,
which are not as fast, are used to store information permanently.
Types Of Memory
 Random Access memory (RAM)
Random access memory, generally called RAM is the system's main memory,

i.e. it is a space that allows you to temporarily store data when a program is
running. Unlike data storage on an auxiliary memory such as a hard drive, RAM is
volatile, meaning that it only stores data as long as it supplied with electricity.
Thus, each time the computer is turned off, all the data in the memory are
irremediably erased.
 Read-Only Memory (ROM)

Read-only memory, called ROM, is a type of memory that allows you to keep
the information contained on it even when the memory is no longer receiving
electricity. Basically, this type of memory only has read-only access. However, it
is possible to save information in some types of ROM memory.
 Flash Memory
Flash memory is a compromise between RAM-type memories and ROM

memories. Flash memory possesses the non-volatility of ROM memories while
providing both read and write access However, the access times of flash memories
are longer than the access times of RAM.
Volatile
Rewritable - Byte Addressable (DRAM and SRAM)
Dynamic RAM (DRAM) and static RAM (SRAM) chips are the "working
storage" in every computer. DRAM is the main memory in a computer and SRAM
is used for high-speed caches and buffers. Both types are "byte addressable," which
means that data can be read and written one byte at a time. Their major drawback
is that DRAM and SRAM require power to hold their content. See dynamic
RAM, static RAM and byte addressable.
Future Memories
The Holy Grail for future computer memories is to create a byte addressable
RAM chip with the speed of static RAM, the density of dynamic RAM and the
non-volatility of flash.
Non-Volatile
Rewritable - Byte Addressable - Symmetric

EEPROM chips and F-RAM, which have been on the market for some years,
along with newer memory technologies, offer the byte addressability of DRAM
and SRAM, but do not lose their content when the power is turned off. In addition,
read and write speeds are equal or nearly the same. See EEPROM, F-
RAM and future memory chips.
Rewritable Flash - Block Writes - Asymmetric
Flash memory is the most widely used non-volatile memory chip in both
computers and consumer electronics (CE) devices. Although reads are random
access to the byte level, writing is done at the block level similar to writing a disk
sector. Therefore, it takes longer to write than to read, and read and write speeds
are asymmetric.
Rewritable When Removed (EPROM)

EPROM chips are initially written in an external "programmer" device and
must be removed from the circuit board and placed back in the device for
reprogramming.
Permanent (ROM and PROM)
Data and instructions in ROM and PROM chips can never be changed.
ROMs are manufactured, while PROMs are programmed in an external device like
EPROMs.
Static RAM (SRAM)
This RAM will maintain it’s data as long as power is provided to the memory
chips. It does not need to be re-written periodically. In fact, the only time the data on
the memory is refreshed or changed is when an actual write command is executed.
SRAM is very fast, but is much more expensive than DRAM. SRAM is often used
as cache memory due to its speed.
There are a few types of SRAM:
 ASync SRAM
An older type of SRAM used in many PC’s for L2 cache. It is asynchronous,
meaning that it works independently of the system clock. This means that the CPU
found itself waiting for info from the L2 cache.
 Sync SRAM
This type of SRAM is synchronous, meaning it is synchronized with the system

clock. While this speeds it up, it makes it rather expensive at the sametime.Pipeline
Burst SRAM. Commonly used. SRAM requests are pipelined, meaning larger
packets of data re sent to the memory at once, and acted on very quickly. This breed
of SRAM can operate at bus speeds higher than 66MHz, so is often used.
Dynamic RAM (DRAM)
DRAM, unlike SRAM, must be continually re-written in order for it to
maintain its data. This is done by placing the memory on a refresh circuit that re-
writes the data several hundred time per second. DRAM is used for most system
memory because it is cheap and small.There are several types of DRAM,
complicating the memory scene even more:
 Fast Page Mode DRAM (FPM DRAM)

FPM DRAM is only slightly faster than regular DRAM. Before there was
EDO RAM, FPM RAM was the main type used in PC’s. It is pretty slow stuff, with
an access time of 120 ns. It was eventually tweaked to 60 ns, but FPM was still too
slow to work on the 66MHz system bus. For this reason, FPM RAM was replaced
by EDO RAM. FPM RAM is not much used today due to its slow speed, but is
almost universally supported.
 Extended Data Out DRAM (EDO DRAM)
EDO memory incorporates yet another tweak in the method of access. It allows
one access to begin while another is being completed. While this might sound
ingenious, the performance increase over FPM DRAM is only around 30%. EDO
DRAM must be properly supported by the chipset. EDO RAM comes on a SIMM.
EDO RAM cannot operate on a bus speed faster than 66MHz, so, with the
increasing use of higher bus speeds, EDO RAM has taken the path of FPM RAM.
 Burst EDO DRAM (BEDO DRAM)
Original EDO RAM was too slow for the newer systems coming out at the time.
Therefore, a new method of memory access had to be developed to speed up the
memory. Bursting was the method devised. This means that larger blocks of data
were sent to the memory at a time, and each “block” of data not only carried the
memory address of the immediate page, but info on the next several pages.
Therefore, the next few accesses would not experience any delays due to the
preceding memory requests. This technology increases EDO RAM speed up to
around 10 ns, but it did not give it the ability to operate stably at bus speeds over
66MHz. BEDO RAM was an effort to make EDO RAM compete with SDRAM.
 Synchronous DRAM (SDRAM)
SDRAM became the new standard after EDO bit the dust. Its speed is
synchronous, meaning that it is directly dependent on the clock speed of the entire
system. Standard SDRAM can handle higher bus speeds. In theory, it could operate
at up to 100MHz, although it was found that many other variable factors went into
whether or not it could stabily do so. The actual speed capacity of the module
depended on the actual memory chips as well as design factors in the memory PCB
itself.To get around the variability, Intel created the PC100 standard. The PC100
standard ensures compatibility of SDRAM subsystems with Intel’s 100MHz FSB
processors. The new design, production, and test requirements created challenges for
semiconductor companies and memory module suppliers. Each PC100 SDRAM
module required key attributes to guarantee full compliance, such as the use of 8ns
DRAM components (chips) that are capable of operating at 125MHz. This provided
a margin of safety in ensuring that that the memory module could run at PC100
speeds. Additionally, SDRAM chips must be used in conjunction with a correctly
programmed EEPROM on a properly designed printed circuit board. The shorter the
distance the signal needs to travel, the faster it runs. For this reason, there were
additional layers of internal circuitry on PC100 modules.
As PC speeds increased, the same problem was encountered for the 133 MHz bus,
so the PC133 standard was developed.
 RAM Bus DRAM (RDRAM)

Developed by Rambus, Inc. and endorsed by Intel as the chosen successor to
SDRAM. RDRAM narrows the memory bus to 16-bit and runs at up to 800 MHz.
Since this narrow bus takes up less space on the board, systems can get more speed
by running multiple channels in parallel. Despite the speed, RDRAM has had a
tough time taking off in the market because of compatibility and timing issues. Heat
is also an issue, but RDRAM has heatsinks to dissipate this. Cost is a major issue
with RDRAM, with manufacturers needing to make major facility changes to make
it and the product cost to consumers being too high for people to swallow.
 DDR-SDRAM (DDR)
This type of memory is the natural evolution from SDRAM and most
manufacturers prefer this to Rambus because not much needs to be changed to make
it. Also, memory makers are free to manufacture it because it is an open standard,
whereas they would have to pay license fees to Rambus, Inc. in order make
RDRAM. DDR stands for Double Data Rate. DDR shuffles data over the bus over
both the rise and fall of the clock cycle, effectively doubling the speed over that of
standard SDRAM. Due to its advantages over RDRAM, DDR-SDRAM support was
implemented by almost all major chipset manufacturers, and quickly became the
new memory standard for the majority of PC’s. Speeds ranged from 100mhz DDR
(with operating speed of 200MHz), or pc1600 DDR-SDRAM, all the way to current
rates of 200mhz DDR (with operating speed of 400MHz), or pc3200 DDR-
SDRAM. Some memory manufactures produce even faster DDR-SDRAM memory
modules which readily appeal to the over clocker crowd.
 DDR-SDRAM 2 (DDR2)
The latest DDR-SDRAM technology to hit the market for PC’s has become
known simply as DDR-SDRAM 2 or DDR2. It features several advantages over
conventional DDR-SDRAM (DDR), with the main one being that in each memory
cycle DDR2 now transmits for 4 bits of information from logical (internal) memory
to the I/O buffers. standard DDR-SDRAM only transmits 2 bits of information each
memory cycle. Because of this, normal DDR-SDRAM requires the internal memory
and I/O buffers to both operate at 200MHz to reach a total external operating speed
of 400MHz. Due to DDR2′s ability to transmit twice as many bits per cycle from
logical (internal) memory to the I/O buffers (this technology is formally known as 4
bit prefetch), the internal memory speed can actually run at 100MHz instead of
200MHz, and the total external operating speed will still be 400MHz. Mainly what
all this comes down to is that DDR-SDRAM 2 will be able to operate at higher total
operating frequencies thanks to its 4 bit prefetch technology (e.g. a 200mhz internal
memory speed would yield a total external operating speed of 800mhz!) than DDR-
SDRAM. Currently, this is the memory standard on most new motherboards.

Types of Memory

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Types of Memory

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The term "memory" applies to any electronic component capable of temporarily

storing data. There are two main categories of memories:

Random access memory, generally called RAM is the system's main memory,

 Read-Only Memory (ROM)

Flash memory is a compromise between RAM-type memories and ROM

Rewritable - Byte Addressable (DRAM and SRAM)

Rewritable - Byte Addressable - Symmetric

Rewritable When Removed (EPROM)

Static RAM (SRAM)

This type of SRAM is synchronous, meaning it is synchronized with the system

 Fast Page Mode DRAM (FPM DRAM)

 Burst EDO DRAM (BEDO DRAM)

 Synchronous DRAM (SDRAM)

 RAM Bus DRAM (RDRAM)

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