Abstract: A method to request memory from a far memory cache and implement, at an operating system (OS) level, a fully associative cache on the requested memory. The method includes pinning the working set of a program into the requested memory (pin buffer) so that it is not evicted due to cache conflicts and is served from the fast cache and not the slower next level memory. The requested memory extends the physical address space and is visible to and managed by the OS. The OS has the ability to make the requested memory visible to the user programs. The OS has the ability to manage the requested memory from the far memory cache as both a fully associative cache and a set associative cache.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention describe an apparatus, system and method for workload adaptive address mapping. Embodiments of the invention may receive a request to initialize a system memory including a plurality of memory banks. Using a plurality of memory address mapping schemes for memory settings for the system memory, a system characterization workload is executed during the initialization of the system memory, the system characterization workload including a plurality of transactions directed towards the system memory. Embodiments of the invention may monitor target addresses of the plurality of transactions directed towards the system memory. One of the plurality of memory address mapping schemes is selected based, at least in part, on the target addresses of the plurality of transactions.

Abstract: Embodiments of methods, apparatuses, and storage media for memory imbalance prediction-based cache memory management are disclosed herein. In one instance, the apparatus may include a memory controller associated with a memory having a plurality of storage units. The memory controller may include logic configured to determine whether the memory enters into an imbalance state based at least in part on a difference in numbers of pending access requests to different storage units, and cause an adjustment of replacement management of a cache memory, based at least in part on a result of the determination. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.

Abstract: A method to request memory from a far memory cache and implement, at an operating system (OS) level, a fully associative cache on the requested memory. The method includes pinning the working set of a program into the requested memory (pin buffer) so that it is not evicted due to cache conflicts and is served from the fast cache and not the slower next level memory. The requested memory extends the physical address space and is visible to and managed by the OS. The OS has the ability to make the requested memory visible to the user programs. The OS has the ability to manage the requested memory from the far memory cache as both a fully associative cache and a set associative cache.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention describe an apparatus, system and method for utilizing a utility and lifetime based cached replacement policy as described herein. For processors having one or more processor cores and a cache memory accessible via the processor core(s), embodiments of the invention describe a cache controller to determine, for a plurality of cache blocks in the cache memory, an estimated utility and lifetime of the contents of each cache block, the utility of a cache block to indicate a likelihood of use its contents, the lifetime of a cache block to indicate a duration of use of its contents. Upon receiving a cache access request resulting in a cache miss, said cache controller may select one of the cache blocks to be replaced based, at least in part, on one of the estimated utility or estimated lifetime of the cache block.

Abstract: Techniques and mechanisms for adaptively changing between replacement policies for selecting lines of a cache for eviction. In an embodiment, evaluation logic determines a value of a performance metric which is for writes to a non-volatile memory. Based on the determined value of the performance metric, a parameter value of a replacement policy is determined. In another embodiment, cache replacement logic performs a selection of a line of cache for data eviction, where the selection is in response to the policy unit providing an indication of the determined parameter value.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to endurance-aware ECC protection for memories (e.g., phase change memories). According to one embodiment, a method includes calculating first metadata for data bits and second metadata for ECC bits which protect the data bits and the first metadata. Embodiments can include one or more first metadata bits (for the data bits), and one or more second metadata bits (for the ECC bits). An additional level of ECC protection protects the second metadata. In one embodiment, the wear-reduction modifications applied to the data bits and the ECC bits are different, and can be tailored to the behavior of the bits. According to one embodiment, the endurance-aware ECC protection described herein reduces wear due to accesses to memories while addressing the complications wear-reduction mechanisms introduce to error detection and correction systems.

Abstract: Embodiments of methods, apparatuses, and storage media for memory imbalance prediction-based cache memory management are disclosed herein. In one instance, the apparatus may include a memory controller associated with a memory having a plurality of storage units. The memory controller may include logic configured to determine whether the memory enters into an imbalance state based at least in part on a difference in numbers of pending access requests to different storage units, and cause an adjustment of replacement management of a cache memory, based at least in part on a result of the determination. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.

Abstract: A coarse-grained cache line may be associated with a way from a set in a cache. A first sector of the coarse-grained cache line may be stored in the way. The coarse-grained cache line may include a predetermined number of sectors. A fine-grained cache line may be associated with the way. A second sector of the fine-grained cache line may be stored in the way. The fine-grained cache line may include a predetermined number of sectors. The predetermined number of sectors in the fine-grained cache line may be lower than the predetermined number of sectors in the coarse-grained cache line.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to endurance-aware ECC protection for memories (e.g., phase change memories). According to one embodiment, a method includes calculating first metadata for data bits and second metadata for ECC bits which protect the data bits and the first metadata. Embodiments can include one or more first metadata bits (for the data bits), and one or more second metadata bits (for the ECC bits). An additional level of ECC protection protects the second metadata. In one embodiment, the wear-reduction modifications applied to the data bits and the ECC bits are different, and can be tailored to the behavior of the bits. According to one embodiment, the endurance-aware ECC protection described herein reduces wear due to accesses to memories while addressing the complications wear-reduction mechanisms introduce to error detection and correction systems.

Abstract: Techniques and mechanisms for adaptively changing between replacement policies for selecting lines of a cache for eviction. In an embodiment, evaluation logic determines a value of a performance metric which is for writes to a non-volatile memory. Based on the determined value of the performance metric, a parameter value of a replacement policy is determined. In another embodiment, cache replacement logic performs a selection of a line of cache for data eviction, where the selection is in response to the policy unit providing an indication of the determined parameter value.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention describe an apparatus, system and method for utilizing a utility and lifetime based cached replacement policy as described herein. For processors having one or more processor cores and a cache memory accessible via the processor core(s), embodiments of the invention describe a cache controller to determine, for a plurality of cache blocks in the cache memory, an estimated utility and lifetime of the contents of each cache block, the utility of a cache block to indicate a likelihood of use its contents, the lifetime of a cache block to indicate a duration of use of its contents. Upon receiving a cache access request resulting in a cache miss, said cache controller may select one of the cache blocks to be replaced based, at least in part, on one of the estimated utility or estimated lifetime of the cache block.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for implementing non-volatile store (nvstore) and non-volatile flush (nvflush) instructions.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention describe an apparatus, system and method for workload adaptive address mapping. Embodiments of the invention may receive a request to initialize a system memory including a plurality of memory banks. Using a plurality of memory address mapping schemes for memory settings for the system memory, a system characterization workload is executed during the initialization of the system memory, the system characterization workload including a plurality of transactions directed towards the system memory. Embodiments of the invention may monitor target addresses of the plurality of transactions directed towards the system memory. One of the plurality of memory address mapping schemes is selected based, at least in part, on the target addresses of the plurality of transactions.

Abstract: Certain embodiments provide systems and methods for reducing power consumption in on-chip caches. Certain embodiments include Power Density-Minimized Architecture (PMA) and Block Permutation Scheme (BPS) for thermal management of on-chip caches. Instead of turning off entire banks, PMA architecture spreads out active parts in a cache bank by turning off alternating rows in a bank. This reduces the power density of the active parts in the cache, which then lowers the junction temperature. The drop in the temperature results in energy savings from the remaining active parts of the cache. BPS aims to maximize the physical distance between the logically consecutive blocks of the cache. Since there is spatial locality in caches, this distribution results in an increase in the distance between hot spots, thereby reducing the peak temperature. The drop in the peak temperature then results in a leakage power reduction in the cache.