Method and system for optimizing processor performance by regulating issue of pre-fetches to hot cache sets
AssigneeSun Microsystems, Inc.
InventorYuan C. Chou
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for pre-fetching data. The method includes obtaining a pre-fetch request. The pre-fetch request identifies new data to pre-fetch from memory and store in a cache. The method further includes identifying a set in the cache to store the new data and identifying a value of a hotness indicator for the set. The hotness indicator value defines a number of replacements of at least one line in the set. The method further includes determining whether the value of the hotness indicator exceeds a predefined threshold, and storing the new data in the set when the value of the hotness indicator does not exceed the pre-defined threshold.
Claims20
A method for pre-fetching data comprising:
- obtaining a pre-fetch request, wherein the pre-fetch request identifies new data to pre-fetch from memory and store in a cache;
- identifying a set in the cache to store the new data;
- identifying a value of a hotness indicator for the set, wherein the hotness indicator value defines a number of replacements of at least one line in the set;
- determining whether the value of the hotness indicator exceeds a predefined threshold;
- and
- storing the new data in the set when the value of the hotness indicator does not exceed the pre-defined threshold.
A computer system comprising:
- a processor;
- a cache;
- and
- memory,
- wherein the computer system is configured to:
- obtain a pre-fetch request, wherein the pre-fetch request identifies new data to pre-fetch from the memory and store in the cache;
- identify a set in the cache to store the new data;
- identify a value of a hotness indicator for the set, wherein the hotness indicator value defines a number of replacements of at least one line in the set;
- determine whether the value of the hotness indicator exceeds a predefined threshold;
- and
- store the new data in the set when the value of the hotness indicator does not exceed the pre-defined threshold.
A chip comprising:
- a plurality of cores;
- and
- a cache,
- wherein the chip is configured to:
- obtain a pre-fetch request, wherein the pre-fetch request identifies new data to pre-fetch from memory and store in the cache;
- identify a set in the cache to store the new data;
- identify a value of a hotness indicator for the set, wherein the hotness indicator value defines a number of replacements of at least one existing line in the set;
- determine whether the value of the hotness indicator exceeds a predefined threshold;
- and
- store the new data in the cache when the value of the hotness indicator does not exceed the pre-defined threshold.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.