Dma Controller1
Dma Controller1
The term DMA stands for direct memory access. The hardware device
used for direct memory access is called the DMA controller. DMA
controller is a control unit, part of I/O device's interface circuit, which
can transfer blocks of data between I/O devices and main memory
with minimal intervention from the processor.
DMA controller provides an interface between the bus and the input-
output devices. Although it transfers data without intervention of
processor, it is controlled by the processor.
Direct Memory Access (DMA) is a capability provided by some
computer bus architectures that enables data to be sent directly from
an attached device, such as a disk drive, to the main memory on the
computer's motherboard. The microprocessor, or central processing
unit (CPU), is freed from involvement with the data transfer, speeding
up overall computer operation.
DMA transfers overcome the problem of occupying the CPU for the
entire time it's performing a transfer. DMA can lead to cache
coherency problems If a CPU has a cache and external memory, then
the data the DMA controller has access to (stored in RAM) may not be
updated with the correct data stored in the cache.
DMA enables devices -- such as disk drives, external memory,
graphics cards, network cards and sound cards -- to share and
receive data from the main memory in a computer. It does this while
still allowing the CPU to perform other tasks.
Types of DMA
Single-Ended DMA
Dual-Ended DMA
Arbitrated-Ended DMA
Interleaved DMA