Management of cache replacement status in cache memory

A system for managing cache memory, comprising a cache control configured to:

• receive an instruction fetch for an instruction of an instruction stream, the instruction fetch including an instruction fetch reference tag for the instruction stream and the instruction stream is at least partially included within a cache line, the instruction fetch reference tag distinguishing the instruction stream from another instruction stream;
• compare the instruction fetch reference tag to a previously received instruction fetch reference tag currently associated with the cache line;
• maintain a cache replacement status of the cache line, the cache replacement status comprising a least recently used (LRU) status or an intermediate status between the LRU status and a most recently used (MRU) status, based on the instruction fetch reference tag being the same as the previous instruction fetch reference tag;
• and
• upgrade the cache replacement status of the cache line to the MRU status based on the instruction fetch reference tag being different from the previous instruction fetch reference tag.

A computer program product for managing cache memory, the computer program product comprising:

• a tangible storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method comprising:
• receiving an instruction fetch for an instruction of an instruction stream, the instruction fetch including an instruction fetch reference tag for the instruction stream and the instruction stream is at least partially included within a cache line, the instruction fetch reference tag distinguishing the instruction stream from another instruction stream;
• comparing the instruction fetch reference tag to a previously received instruction fetch reference tag currently associated with the cache line;
• maintaining a cache replacement status of the cache line, the cache replacement status comprising a least recently used (LRU) status or an intermediate status between the LRU status and a most recently used (MRU) status, based on the instruction fetch reference tag being the same as the previous instruction fetch reference tag;
• and
• upgrading the cache replacement status of the cache line to the MRU status if based on the instruction fetch reference tag being different from the previous instruction fetch reference tag.