Extended translation lookaside buffer with fine-grain state bits

摘要

A software distributed shared memory system includes a translation lookaside buffer extended to include fine-grain memory block-state bits associated with each block of information within a page stored in memory. The block-state bits provide multiple block states for each block. The block-state bits are used to check the state of each block, thereby alleviating the need for software checks and reducing checking overheads associated therewith.