mäluhaldusüksuse

Mäluhaldusüksuse, often translated as Memory Management Unit (MMU), is a crucial hardware component found in modern computer systems. Its primary function is to manage the system's memory, acting as an intermediary between the CPU and the physical RAM. The MMU translates virtual memory addresses used by programs into physical memory addresses. This translation is essential for several reasons, including enabling multitasking, protecting memory, and implementing virtual memory techniques.

One key role of the MMU is to facilitate virtual memory. Instead of directly accessing RAM, the CPU operates with virtual addresses. The MMU, in conjunction with the operating system, maps these virtual addresses to physical addresses in RAM. If a program requires more memory than is physically available, the MMU and OS can swap less-used portions of memory to secondary storage, such as a hard drive or SSD, and bring them back into RAM when needed. This process allows systems to run larger programs or more programs concurrently than their physical RAM would otherwise permit.

Furthermore, the MMU enforces memory protection. It ensures that one program cannot access or modify the memory space allocated to another program or the operating system itself. This prevents system instability and security breaches. Each process is given its own isolated virtual address space, and the MMU checks access permissions for every memory request. This protection mechanism is fundamental to the security and reliability of multi-user and multitasking operating systems. The MMU is a fundamental component for efficient and secure memory utilization in contemporary computing.