Flexible storage and optimized search for multiple page sizes in a translation lookaside buffer

A method, comprising:

• performing a translation lookaside buffer (TLB) transaction in a unified TLB configured to support a plurality of page sizes;
• dynamically updating a counter among a plurality of counters in page size residency metadata, with a number of pages associated with a page size among the plurality of page sizes associated with the counter, in response to the TLB transaction;
• receiving a lookup for the unified TLB;
• and
• determining an order in which to perform the lookup on at least a subset of the plurality of page sizes based on the number of pages in the plurality of counters of the page size residency metadata.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

• perform a translation lookaside buffer (TLB) transaction in a unified TLB configured to support a plurality of page sizes;
• dynamically update a counter among a plurality of counters in page size residency metadata, with a number of pages associated with a page size among the plurality of page sizes associated with the counter, in response to the TLB transaction;
• receive a lookup for the unified TLB;
• and
• determine an order in which to perform the lookup on at least a subset of the plurality of page sizes based on the number of pages in the plurality of counters of the page size residency metadata.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a memory management unit (MMU) including a unified translation lookaside buffer (TLB) configured to support a plurality of page sizes, the MMU further configured to:
• perform a TLB transaction in the TLB;
• and
• store and dynamically update in response to the TLB transaction, an order of TLB transactions based on page size residency metadata associated with each of the plurality of page sizes and comprising at least one of a most recently used page size among the plurality of page sizes, most frequently used page size among the plurality of page sizes, exact age of the plurality of page sizes, first-in-first-out of page sizes among the plurality of page sizes, or random order of the plurality of page sizes,
• the TLB further configured to perform a lookup for at least a subset of page sizes of the plurality of page sizes in an order based on the page size residency metadata.

A method, comprising:

• performing a translation lookaside buffer (TLB) transaction in a unified TLB configured to support a plurality of page sizes;
• dynamically updating an order of TLB transactions based on page size residency metadata associated with each of the plurality of page sizes and comprising at least one of a most recently used page size among the plurality of page sizes, most frequently used page size among the plurality of page sizes, exact age of the plurality of page sizes, first-in-first-out of page sizes among the plurality of page sizes, or random order of the plurality of page sizes, in response to the TLB transaction;
• receiving a lookup for the unified TLB;
• and
• determining an order in which to perform the lookup on at least a subset of the plurality of page sizes based on the page size residency metadata.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

• perform a translation lookaside buffer (TLB) transaction in a unified TLB configured to support a plurality of page sizes;
• dynamically update an order of TLB transactions based on page size residency metadata associated with each of the plurality of page sizes and comprising at least one of a most recently used page size among the plurality of page sizes, most frequently used page size among the plurality of page sizes, exact age of the plurality of page sizes, first-in-first-out of page sizes among the plurality of page sizes, or random order of the plurality of page sizes, in response to the TLB transaction;
• receive a lookup for the unified TLB;
• and
• determine an order in which to perform the lookup on at least a subset of the plurality of page sizes based on the page size residency metadata.