What is L3 Cache memeory?

the "L" in L3 refers to the level of the cache.
It is simply a third level of cache memory.
So, instead of 1 cache register inside the processor, the Itanium has 2 cache registers.

AMD was the first to introduce L3 cache a few years ago on the K6/3 series of super 7 CPUs.

It didn't catch on as not enough software was written to take advantage of it.

I am sure that you can find a white paper in the developer section of Intel's web site.

It used to be that the CPU had a small amout of on-chip cache memory and this was known as L1. The L2 cache resided on the motherboard. Now, chipmakers are putting L2 cache onto the chip and the cache memory that resides on the motherboard is now referred to as L3. When L2 cache is put directly onto the chip it is much faster since the signals don't have to go through motherboard circuitry. Things are once again changing and it looks like L3 cache is about to move on-chip. Check out the articlereferenced below. Close up any spaces in the URL after you paste it. http://www.ebnews.com/story/chipwire/OEG20001215S0007

http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/L/L3_cache.html

As more and more processors begin to include L2 cache into their architectures, Level 3 cache is now the name for the extra cache built into motherboards between the microprocessor and the main memory.

Quite simply, what was once L2 cache on motherboards now becomes L3 cache when used with microprocessors containing built-in L2 caches.

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