SYSTEM-WIDE POWER CONSERVATION USING MEMORY CACHE

摘要

A method, system, and computer program product for system-wide power conservation using memory cache are provided. A memory access request is received at a location in a memory architecture where processing the memory access request has to use a last level of cache before reaching a memory device holding a requested data. Using a memory controller, the memory access request is caused to wait, omitting adding the memory access request to a queue of existing memory access requests accepted for processing using the last level of cache. All the existing memory access requests in the queue are processed using the last level of cache. The last level of cache is purged to the memory device. The memory access request is processed using an alternative path to the memory device that avoids the last level of cache. A cache device used as the last level of cache is powered down.

主权项

1. A method for system-wide power conservation using memory cache, the method comprising:
receiving a memory access request at a location in a memory architecture of a data processing system where processing the memory access request has to use a last level of cache before reaching a memory device holding a requested data; causing, using a memory controller, the memory access request to wait, and omitting adding the memory access request to a queue of existing memory access requests accepted for processing using the last level of cache; processing all the existing memory access requests in the queue using the last level of cache; purging the last level of cache to the memory device; processing the memory access request using an alternative path to the memory device that avoids the last level of cache; and powering down a cache device used as the last level of cache.