Using metadata presence information to determine when to access a higher-level metadata table

A system comprising:

• a memory having computer readable instructions;
• and
• one or more processors for executing the computer readable instructions, the computer readable instructions controlling the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
• determining that an incomplete hit occurred for a line of metadata in a lower-level structure of the one or more processors, the lower-level structure being coupled to a higher-level structure in a hierarchy;
• determining that metadata presence information in a metadata presence table is a match to the line of metadata from the lower-level structure;
• and
• responsive to determining the match, determining to avoid accessing the higher-level structure of the one or more processors.

A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by one or more processors to cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

• determining that an incomplete hit occurred for a line of metadata in a lower-level structure of the one or more processors, the lower-level structure being coupled to a higher-level structure in a hierarchy;
• determining that metadata presence information in a metadata presence table is a match to the line of metadata from the lower-level structure;
• and
• responsive to determining the match, determining to avoid accessing the higher-level structure of the one or more processors.