US 11,237,981 B1 · Memory scanner to accelerate page classification

Abstract

Methods and integrated circuit devices for accelerating memory page classification are provided. Memory systems typically have a combination of faster memory devices and slower memory devices. Frequently accessed memory pages (hot pages) should be maintained in the faster memory devices while less frequently accessed memory pages (cold pages) should be maintained in the slower memory devices. Classification of memory pages as hot or cold pages may be performed by an integrated circuit device that reads counter values that count transactions to corresponding memory pages. A distribution of counter values may be determined, and memory pages may be identified as hot or cold memory pages based on thresholds applied to the distribution.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A method comprising:

reading, by a direct memory access (DMA) engine, counter values from a set of counters counting accesses to corresponding memory pages, the counter values including a counter value that is incremented by performing a counter update for an accumulated number of accesses to a corresponding memory page;
storing, by the DMA engine, counter addresses associated with the counter values in bins, each bin corresponding to a range of counter values;
determining, by the DMA engine, pointers to addresses of memory pages from the counter addresses stored in one or more bins;
classifying, by the DMA engine, the memory pages corresponding to the pointers based on the counter values of the one or more bins;
and
generating, by the DMA engine, an interrupt to perform memory page migration based on the classification of the memory pages.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Memory scanner to accelerate page classification

Life of this patent

Memory scanner to accelerate page classification

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17