Selective downstream cache processing for data access

A method comprising:

• receiving a first request to access a first set of data in a first cache;
• initiating a determination of whether there is an actual hit or actual miss in the first cache;
• generating a second request to a second cache to access the first set of data from the second cache;
• generating a cancel probability score for the second request, the cancel probability score indicating a probability that the second request will be canceled;
• and
• performing, based on the cancel probability score for the second request, a first action to facilitate access of the first set of data, the performing of the first action occurring before completion of the determination of whether there is an actual hit or actual miss in the first cache.

A method comprising:

• receiving a first request to access a first set of data in a first memory;
• predicting whether there will likely be a hit or a miss in the first memory;
• initiating, in parallel with the predicting whether there will likely be the hit or the miss in the first memory, a determination of whether there is an actual hit or actual miss in the first memory;
• generating, in response to determining that there will likely be the hit in the first memory, a second request to a second memory to access the first set of data from the second memory;
• and
• buffering the second request until the determination of whether the is an actual hit or miss in the first memory is complete.