Memory array with atomic test and set

摘要

A system and method of managing the storage of data is described where a plurality of requesting entities can be permitted access to a shared data resource. When a modification to the data is needed, the request may be executed as an atomic operation. To do this the memory region is temporarily locked until the atomic operation is completed so that other operations related to the data are deferred until the atomic operation has completed. The lock is secured by reference to a data array or register of fixed length where the address of the locked data region is represented by a bit, the position of which is determined by computing a hash value of the address modulo the length of the lock register.

主权项

1. A memory system having an address extent, comprising:
a plurality of memory modules; a plurality of memory gateways, each memory gateway having a communications interface configured to interface with a network, wherein memory gateways of the plurality of gateways are configured to receive a request for exclusive access to an address within the address extent of the memory system and to manage requests so as to provide such exclusive access unless such exclusive access to the logical block address has been previously requested and such exclusive access has not been relinquished; and, the management of the exclusive access requests uses a hash computed on the requested address.