Method and apparatus for filtering memory write snoop activity in a distributed shared memory computer

• Main Author: CONWAY PATRICK N
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 13.05.2008
• Subjects: CALCULATING; CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION ANDCOMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION ANDCOMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THIR OWNENERGY USE; COMPUTING; COUNTING; ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; PHYSICS; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINSTCLIMATE CHANGE

A method and apparatus for filtering memory probe activity for writes in a distributed shared memory computer. In one embodiment, the method may include assigning an uncached directory state to a cache data block in response to evicting the cache data block. In another embodiment, the method may include assigning a remote directory state to a cache data block in response to evicting the cache data block and storing it in a remote cache. In a third embodiment, the method may include assigning a pairwise-shared directory state in response to a second processor node initiating a load operation to a cache data block in a modified cache state in a first processor node. In a fourth embodiment, the method may include assigning a migratory directory state in response to a processor node initiating a store operation to a cache data block in a pairwise-shared cache state.