General terms for Cache :

Cache Hits : When the cache consisted the information requested, the transaction is said to be a cache hit.

Cache Miss : When the cache does not have the information requested, the transaction is said to be a cache miss.

Cache consistency : Since cache is a photocopy of a small piece main memory, it is essential that the cache always reflects what is in main memory.

Snoop : When a cache is watching the address lines for transaction, this is known a snoop.  This function permit thecache to see if any transactions are accessing memory it contains within itself.

Snarf : When a cache takes the information from the data lines, the cache is command to have snarfed the data.   This function permits the cache to be updated and maintain consistency.

Snoop and snarf are the mechanisms the cache utilize to maintain consistency.

Dirty Data : When data is modified within cache but not in main memory, the data in cache is called "dirty data."

Stale Data : When data is modified in main memory but not in cache, the data in the cache is called stale data.

Cache Architecture : Caches have 2 characteristics, a write policy anda read architecture. "The write policy might be either"Write-Through."Or "Write-Back". The read architecture can be either "Look Aside" or "Look Through.