backside cache
<hardware, processor> An implementation of secondary cache memory that
allows it to be directly accessed by the CPU.
Backside cache is used by Apple Computers, Inc. in their PowerPC G3 processor.
Previous PowerPC processors used the system bus to access both secondary cache
and main memory. In the PowerPC G3 a dedicated bus handles only CPU/cache
transactions. This bus can operate faster than the system bus thus improving the
overall performance of the processor.
The term apparently derives from the relocation of the secondary cache from the
motherboard to the processor card itself, i.e. on the backside of the processor
card.
(1998-09-10)
Nearby terms:
back-propagation « back quote « backronym « backside
cache » backslash » backspace » backtick
