Abstract: A memory-efficient last level cache (LLC) architecture is described. A processor implementing a LLC architecture may include a processor core, a last level cache (LLC) operatively coupled to the processor core, and a cache controller operatively coupled to the LLC. The cache controller is to monitor a bandwidth demand of a channel between the processor core and a dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) device associated with the LLC. The cache controller is further to perform a first defined number of consecutive reads from the DRAM device when the bandwidth demand exceeds a first threshold value and perform a first defined number of consecutive writes of modified lines from the LLC to the DRAM device when the bandwidth demand exceeds the first threshold value.

Abstract: A processor including an execution unit, an instruction scheduler circuit to identify a first instruction of an instruction stream, identify a second instruction on which execution of the first instruction depends, and assign a first dispatch priority value to the first instruction and the second instruction, and a dispatch circuit to dispatch, based on the first dispatch priority value, the first instruction and the second instruction to an instruction execution circuit.

Abstract: A processor includes a processing core and a cache controller including a read queue and a separate write queue. The read queue is to buffer read requests of the processing core to a non-volatile memory, last level cache (NVM-LLC), and the write queue is to buffer write requests to the NVM-LLC. The cache controller is to detect whether the write queue is full. The cache controller further prioritizes a first order of sending requests to the NVM-LLC when the write queue contains an empty slot, the first order specifying a first pattern of sending the read requests before the write requests, and prioritizes a second order of sending requests to the NVM-LLC in response to a determination that the write queue is full, the second order specifying a second pattern of alternating between sending a write request from the write queue and a read request from the read queue.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a processor includes: a first cache controller to control a first cache memory. This cache controller may include a replacement circuit to: associate a first priority indicator with a first cache line based on storage of demand data in the first cache line and first learning information associated with a set of demand-based categories of cache lines; and associate a second priority indicator with a second cache line based on storage of prefetch data in the second cache line and second learning information associated with a set of prefetch-based categories of cache lines. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: A method is described. The method includes receiving a read or write request for a cache line. The method includes directing the request to a set of logical super lines based on the cache line's system memory address. The method includes associating the request with a cache line of the set of logical super lines. The method includes, if the request is a write request: compressing the cache line to form a compressed cache line, breaking the cache line down into smaller data units and storing the smaller data units into a memory side cache. The method includes, if the request is a read request: reading smaller data units of the compressed cache line from the memory side cache and decompressing the cache line.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a processor includes: a first cache controller to control a first cache memory. This cache controller may include a replacement circuit to: associate a first priority indicator with a first cache line based on storage of demand data in the first cache line and first learning information associated with a set of demand-based categories of cache lines; and associate a second priority indicator with a second cache line based on storage of prefetch data in the second cache line and second learning information associated with a set of prefetch-based categories of cache lines. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a cache controller, the cache controller to receive, from a requestor, a memory access request referencing a memory address of a memory. The cache controller may identify a cache entry associated with the memory address, and responsive to determining that a first data item stored in the cache entry matches a data pattern indicating cache entry invalidity, read a second data item from a memory location identified by the memory address. The cache controller may then return, to the requestor, a response comprising the second data item.

Abstract: A memory-efficient last level cache (LLC) architecture is described. A processor implementing a LLC architecture may include a processor core, a last level cache (LLC) operatively coupled to the processor core, and a cache controller operatively coupled to the LLC. The cache controller is to monitor a bandwidth demand of a channel between the processor core and a dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) device associated with the LLC. The cache controller is further to perform a first defined number of consecutive reads from the DRAM device when the bandwidth demand exceeds a first threshold value and perform a first defined number of consecutive writes of modified lines from the LLC to the DRAM device when the bandwidth demand exceeds the first threshold value.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a processor comprises a processing core, a last level cache (LLC), and a mid-level cache. The mid-level cache is to determine that an idle indicator has been set, wherein the idle indicator is set based on an amount of activity at the LLC, and based on the determination that the idle indicator has been set, identify a first cache line to be evicted from a first set of cache lines of the mid-level cache and send a request to write the first cache line to the LLC.

Abstract: A processor includes a memory to hold a buffer to store data dependencies comprising nodes and edges for each of a plurality of micro-operations. The nodes include a first node for dispatch, a second node for execution, and a third node for commit. A detector circuit is to queue, in the buffer, the nodes of a micro-operation; add, to determine a node weight for each of the nodes of the micro-operation, an edge weight to a previous node weight of a connected micro-operation that yields a maximum node weight for the node, wherein the node weight comprises a number of execution cycles of an OOO pipeline of the processor and the edge weight comprises a number of execution cycles to execute the connected micro-operation; and identify, as a critical path, a path through the data dependencies that yields the maximum node weight for the micro-operation.

Abstract: A processor includes a processing core and a cache controller including a read queue and a separate write queue. The read queue is to buffer read requests of the processing core to a non-volatile memory, last level cache (NVM-LLC), and the write queue is to buffer write requests to the NVM-LLC. The cache controller is to detect whether the write queue is full. The cache controller further prioritizes a first order of sending requests to the NVM-LLC when the write queue contains an empty slot, the first order specifying a first pattern of sending the read requests before the write requests, and prioritizes a second order of sending requests to the NVM-LLC in response to a determination that the write queue is full, the second order specifying a second pattern of alternating between sending a write request from the write queue and a read request from the read queue.

Abstract: A memory-efficient last level cache (LLC) architecture is described. A processor implementing a LLC architecture may include a processor core, a last level cache (LLC) operatively coupled to the processor core, and a cache controller operatively coupled to the LLC. The cache controller is to monitor a bandwidth demand of a channel between the processor core and a dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) device associated with the LLC. The cache controller is further to perform a first defined number of consecutive reads from the DRAM device when the bandwidth demand exceeds a first threshold value and perform a first defined number of consecutive writes of modified lines from the LLC to the DRAM device when the bandwidth demand exceeds the first threshold value.

Abstract: Embodiments described include systems, apparatuses, and methods using sectored dynamic random access memory (DRAM) cache. An exemplary apparatus may include at least one hardware processor core and a sectored dynamic random access (DRAM) cache coupled to the at least one hardware processor core.

Abstract: Processor, apparatus, and method for reordering a stream of memory access requests to establish locality are described herein. One embodiment of a method includes: storing in a request queue memory access requests generated by a plurality of execution units, the memory access requests comprising a first request to access a first memory page in a memory and a second request to access a second memory page in the memory; maintaining a list of unique memory pages, each unique memory page associated with one or more memory access requests stored the request queue and is to be accessed by the one or more memory access requests; selecting a current memory page from the list of unique memory pages; and dispatching from the request queue to the memory, all memory access requests associated with the current memory page before any other memory access request in the request queue is dispatched.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and processors to reduce redundant writes to memory. An embodiment of a system includes: a plurality of processors; a memory coupled to one of more of the plurality of processors; a cache coupled to the memory such that a dirty cache line evicted from the cache is written to the memory; and a redundant write detection circuitry coupled to the cache, wherein the redundant write detection circuitry to control write access to the cache based on a redundancy check of data to be written to the cache. The system may include a first predictor circuitry to deactivate the redundant write detection circuitry responsive to a determination that power consumed by the redundancy check is greater than the power it saves, or a second predictor circuitry to deactivate the redundant write detection circuitry when memory bandwidth saved from performing the redundancy check is not being utilized by memory reads.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a cache controller, the cache controller to receive, from a requestor, a memory access request referencing a memory address of a memory. The cache controller may identify a cache entry associated with the memory address, and responsive to determining that a first data item stored in the cache entry matches a data pattern indicating cache entry invalidity, read a second data item from a memory location identified by the memory address. The cache controller may then return, to the requestor, a response comprising the second data item.

Abstract: Some implementations disclosed herein provide techniques for caching memory data and for managing cache retention. Different cache retention policies may be applied to different cached data streams such as those of a graphics processing unit. Actual performance of the cache with respect to the data streams may be observed, and the cache retention policies may be varied based on the observed actual performance.

Abstract: A processor includes an execution unit, a memory subsystem, and a memory management unit (MMU). The MMU includes logic to evaluate a first bandwidth usage of the memory subsystem and logic to evaluate a second bandwidth usage between the processor and a memory. The memory is communicatively coupled to the memory subsystem. The memory subsystem is to implement a cache for the memory. The MMU further includes logic to evaluate a request of the memory subsystem, and, based upon the first bandwidth usage and the second bandwidth usage, fulfill the request by bypassing the memory subsystem.

Abstract: Embodiments described include systems, apparatuses, and methods using sectored dynamic random access memory (DRAM) cache. An exemplary apparatus may include at least one hardware processor core and a sectored dynamic random access (DRAM) cache coupled to the at least one hardware processor core.

Abstract: A cache memory data compression and decompression technique is described. A processor device includes a memory controller unit (MCU) coupled to a main memory and a cache memory. The MCU includes a cache memory data compression and decompression module that compresses data received from the main memory. The compressed data may then be stored in the cache memory. The cache memory data compression and decompression module may also decompress data that is stored in the cache memory. For example, in response to a cache hit for data requested by a processor, the compressed data in the cache memory may be decompressed and subsequently read or operated upon by the processor.