Cache Dormant Indication for Shared Data Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
In data processing systems with shared caches, there is an overhead associated with cache maintenance requests due to the lack of awareness of the cache state by the agent responsible for issuing these requests, leading to unnecessary processing and energy consumption.
Innovation Solution
A first agent generates a cache dormant indication when the cache is in a dormant state, allowing a second agent to suppress issuing of cache maintenance requests, thereby reducing processing overhead and energy consumption by determining the cache state and providing a hint to the second agent.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the second agent continuously issues cache maintenance requests to ensure data coherency, then data coherency is maintained, but processing overhead and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The first agent performs preliminary action by generating a cache dormant indication before the second agent issues maintenance requests. This advance notification allows the second agent to suppress unnecessary requests, reducing processing overhead while maintaining data coherency when actually needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by having the first agent monitor cache state and provide dormant indications to the second agent. This feedback loop enables the second agent to adjust its maintenance request behavior dynamically, issuing requests only when necessary to maintain coherency.
2Reliability
If the second agent issues cache maintenance requests for all cache states, then data coherency is ensured, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The first agent generates cache dormant indications in advance to inform the second agent about the cache state. This preliminary information allows the second agent to skip energy-consuming maintenance operations when the cache is dormant, while still ensuring coherency when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameter of cache maintenance from continuous to conditional based on the dormant indication state. When the cache is dormant, maintenance requests are suppressed; when active, normal maintenance proceeds, optimizing energy consumption while maintaining reliability.
3Reliability
If the second agent tracks and services all cache maintenance requests, then data coherency is maintained, but processing resources are wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts unnecessary cache maintenance requests from the processing stream by using dormant indications to identify and eliminate redundant operations. The second agent removes tracking and servicing of requests for dormant caches, improving processing efficiency while maintaining coherency for active caches.
Solution Approach 2:
The first agent serves itself by monitoring its own cache state and generating dormant indications. This self-service approach eliminates the need for the second agent to continuously query or track the cache state, reducing processing overhead while ensuring coherency is maintained when needed.
Data Source
AI summary
A data processing apparatus includes a first agent which generates a cache dormant indication when a cache is in a dormant state, and a second agent which issues cache maintenance requests for data stored in the cache accessed by the first agent. In response to the cache dormant indication generated by the first agent, the second agent may suppress issuing of cache maintenance requests for the cache accessed by the first agent.