Write-Miss Caching With Parallel Main and Victim Cache Paths
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing computing systems experience significant latency in data access due to the time required to retrieve data from main memory, which can be mitigated by incorporating a cache system, but the addition of a victim cache in series with a main cache introduces additional latency as it waits for the main cache to determine whether the memory address is stored before servicing a miss.
Innovation Solution
A cache system is implemented with a victim cache that stores evicted data from the main cache, allowing it to service cache misses independently, reducing overall latency and improving efficiency by parallel processing of main and victim cache operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a victim cache is added in series with the main cache, then cache hit rate is improved, but access latency increases because the victim cache must wait for the main cache to determine whether the address is stored
Solution Approach 1:
The cache system is segmented into two independent parallel paths: a main cache path and a victim cache path. The cache controller divides incoming memory access requests and routes them to both paths simultaneously, allowing independent processing without sequential dependency. This segmentation eliminates the waiting time that occurred in the series configuration while maintaining the benefits of both cache levels.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a one-dimensional series architecture to a two-dimensional parallel architecture by adding the victim cache as a separate parallel path rather than a sequential stage. This dimensional change allows both main cache and victim cache to operate concurrently, reducing access latency while maintaining high cache hit rates.
2Loss of time
If the victim cache services misses independently in parallel, then access latency is reduced, but device complexity increases due to the need for parallel processing paths
Solution Approach 1:
The cache controller is designed with multi-functionality to handle both main cache and victim cache operations within a single control unit. It can route requests, manage tags, and service hits/misses for both cache paths simultaneously, reducing the need for separate control logic and minimizing the increase in device complexity while enabling parallel operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The victim cache is designed to autonomously service cache misses without requiring intervention or waiting from the main cache path. Each cache path operates independently with its own hit/miss handling logic, allowing the victim cache to immediately service misses from its own storage without adding complex coordination mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture to facilitate write miss caching in cache system are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a first cache storage; a second cache storage, wherein the second cache storage includes a first portion operable to store a first set of data evicted from the first cache storage and a second portion; a cache controller coupled to the first cache storage and the second cache storage and operable to: receive a write operation; determine that the write operation produces a miss in the first cache storage; and in response to the miss in the first cache storage, provide write miss information associated with the write operation to the second cache storage for storing in the second portion.