Popularly referred to with its acronym, RAM; Random Access Memory is a computer storage form. In recent time, it bears the form of integrated circuits that permit the accessibility of stored data in any order – randomly. This means that a given piece of data can be returned in a stable time no matter its physical location and regardless if it is related to the initial piece of data or not.
RAM is usually connected with volatile memory types where loss of information is encountered subsequent to power failure; an example of such memory is the DRAM memory modules. A good number of other memory types are RAM, also; as well as most types of ROM and flash memory type known as NOR-Flash.
RAM Types
The present day types of writable RAM normally store a bit of data in either the state of flip-flop (e.g. is the static RAM) or as a charge in capacitor (example is dynamic RAM, Flash, EEPROM and EPROM). Other types come with circuitry to spot and/or rectify random faults known as memory errors in the stored data, with the use of error correction codes or parity bits. The random memory access of the Read-only memory type (ROM) contrarily uses a metal mask to enable or disable chosen transistors permanently, rather than store charge in them.
Since SRAM and DRAM are volatile memory, the rest of the computer storage forms such as the magnetic tapes and disks have been used as constant storage in conventional computers. A good number of recent products rather rely on flash memory for data maintenance when not in use (PDAs or petite music players). Some rugged PCs and netbooks have used flash drives to replace magnetic disks. Just the NOR type have the capacity of real random access when flash memory is involved; permitting code execution and subsequently, it is used more frequent than the ROM.
RAM Disks
A portion of a computer’s RAM can be portioned by software, enabling it to perform as much faster hard drive that is known as RAM disk. If the memory in use is non-volatile, the RAM disk retains information or data stored even at power failure or at the shutting down of the computer. Notwithstanding, data can be retained by volatile memory when the computer is shut down; this is only if there is a different source of power, usually a battery.
The Hierarchy of Memory
The memory hierarchy of most computers consists of central processing unit registers, external caches, on-die SRAM caches, virtual memory/swap space on a hard drive and paging systems. This whole band of memory can be described as RAM by most developers regardless of the fact that different subsystems may be characterized by different access times, defying the initial idea behind the RAM’s random access expression.
There’s so much you can still understudy about the Random Access Memory (RAM). There are good computer components resources to explore online in order to get additional information.
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