Abstract: Example embodiments provide various techniques for initiating read-ahead requests. A rate at which applications is requesting data from a data storage device is identified. Additionally, a length of time in retrieving or servicing the data from the data storage device is also identified. The identified rate and length of time in retrieving the data are used to determine when read-ahead requests should be sent to pre-fetch data.

Abstract: A system and method of improved task switching in a data processing system. First, a first-level cache memory casts out an invalidated page table entry and an associated first page directory base address to a second-level cache memory. Then, the second-level cache memory determines if a task switch has occurred. If a task switch has not occurred, first-level cache memory sends the invalidated page table entry to a current running task directory. If a task switch has occurred, first-level cache memory loads from the second-level cache directory a collection of page table entries related to a new task to enable improved task switching without requiring access to a page table stored in main memory to retrieve the collection of page table entries.