| 摘要 |
A system and method for managing caches in a multiprocessor having multiple levels of caches. An inclusion architecture and procedure are defined through which the L2 caches shield the L1 caches from extraneous communication at the L2, such as main memory and I/O read/write operations. Essential inclusion eliminates special communication from the L1 cache to the L2, yet maintains adequate knowledge at the L2, regarding the contents of the L1, to minimize L1 invalidations. Processor performance is improved by the reduced communication and the decreased number of invalidations. The processors and L1 caches practice a store-in policy. The L2 cache uses inclusion bits to designate by cache line a relationship between the line of data in the L2 cache and the corresponding lines as they exist in the associated L1 caches. Communication and invalidations are reduced through a selective setting/resetting of the inclusion bits and related L2 interrogation practice. <IMAGE> |
