Q. What is Associative Mapping Cache?

The most fastest and flexible cache organization employs an associative memory that is displayed in Figure below. The associative memory stores both address and data of memory word. This allows any location in cache to store any word from main memory. The address value of 15 bits is shown as a five-digit octal number and its corresponding 12 bits word is displayed as a five digit octal number. A CPU address of 15 bits is placed in argument register and associative memory is searched for a matching address. If address is found corresponding 12 bits data is read and sent to CPU. If no matches are found then main memory is accessed for the word. Then the address-data pair is transferred to associative cache memory. This address checking is completed concurrently for complete cache in an associative way.

Figure: Associative Mapping Cache