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Re: Memory usage: buffer and cache



Buffer is a logical cache maintained by the operating system in the
main memory while cache is actually a physical hardware that the cpu
uses to decrease the effective memory access time.

Buffer cache is used to store the most recently accessed data from
disk(or what so ever), so that they dont have to be fetched again from
the disk. Its an optimization feature provided by the operating
system. The Cache does similar thing but it sits between the cpu and
the main memory and contains the most recently accessed data and
instructions from the main memory so that in case they are accessed
again, they need not be fetched again, thus improving the performance.

Does that clear your doubt??


On Fri, 22 Oct 2004 00:37:10 -0700, Paul Johnson
<baloo@ursine.dyndns.org> wrote:
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> OK, this is probably the most obvious question ever, but I just can't
> find it in Google or Wikipedia.
> 
> Just what the heck is the difference between buffer and cache in terms
> of memory usage?  What is each catagory used for?
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