Cached Mirroring Indicators for Efficient Memory Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing memory access methods for dynamic memory mirroring are inefficient, leading to low memory access efficiency due to the need to retrieve mirroring indication information from the memory during access operations.
Innovation Solution
The method involves caching mirroring indication information in cache lines alongside data, allowing the cache controller to determine whether a target memory space is mirrored without accessing the memory, thereby reducing the delay associated with obtaining mirroring information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If mirroring indication information is stored in page table entries in memory, then memory security is ensured, but memory access efficiency deteriorates due to the need to retrieve this information from memory during access operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-loading mirroring indication information into the cache along with data during data caching operations. This allows the information to be readily available in the cache during subsequent memory access operations, eliminating the need to retrieve it from memory each time and thus resolving the contradiction between security (having the information available) and efficiency (accessing it quickly).
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the cache as an intermediary between memory and the processing units. By storing mirroring indication information in the cache (which has faster access than memory), the system creates an intermediate storage layer that provides both the security of having the information available and the efficiency of fast access, without requiring direct memory access for each retrieval operation.
2Productivity
If mirroring indication information is cached alongside data, then memory access efficiency is improved, but cache complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the storage of data and mirroring indication information into a single cache structure. Instead of maintaining separate storage mechanisms, the mirroring information is combined with the data cache lines, allowing both to be managed together and accessed simultaneously, thus improving efficiency without proportionally increasing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The cache structure is enhanced to serve multiple functions: storing both data and mirroring indication information. This multi-functionality allows the same cache infrastructure to handle both data caching and security attribute storage, avoiding the need for additional dedicated storage structures and thereby limiting the increase in complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
This application discloses a memory access method and a related apparatus, and belongs to a computer field. The method includes: A cache controller receives a memory access instruction sent by a processor core, where the memory access instruction is used to access a target memory space; and the cache controller determines, based on mirroring indication information in a target cache line that is in a cache and that corresponds to the memory access instruction, whether the target memory space is a mirrored memory space. In this application, a problem that a delay increases when mirroring indication information is obtained from a memory can be avoided, to improve memory access efficiency.