摘要 |
A time-weighted metric is associated with each line of data that is being held in a data cache. The value of the metric is recomputed as the lines are accessed and the metric value is used to group cache lines for paging purposes. The metrics are computed and stored and the stored metrics are maintained by linking the storage locations together in several linked lists that allow the metrics to be easily manipulated for updating purposes and for determining which metrics represent the most active cache lines. In particular, indices are maintained which identify linked lists of metrics with similar values. At regular predetermined time intervals, these indices are then used to assemble an ordered linked list of metrics corresponding to cache lines with similar metric values. This ordered list can be traversed in order to select cache lines for removal. |