According to a first aspect, execution logic is configured to perform a linear capability transfer operation which transfers a physical capability from a partition of a first software modules to a partition of a second of software module without retaining it in the partition of the first. According to a second, alternative or additional aspect, the execution logic is configured to perform a sharding operation whereby a physical capability is divided into at least two instances, which may later be combined.

The present invention discloses a method and a system for managing cache memory. The system comprising a processor is configured to receive datasets from one or more applications, segregate the received datasets into one or more data blocks, identify a checkpoint from previously created checkpoints stored in a virtual cache corresponding to the one or more data blocks, wherein the checkpoints are previously created based on frequency of repetition of each of the one or more data blocks and association between the each of the one or more data blocks, recall a sequence of previously stored data blocks from main memory based on the identified checkpoint, and send the sequence of previously stored data blocks to the one or more applications for execution, thereby managing cache memory.

A programmable switch includes ports to communicate with nodes including at least one node providing a cache accessible by other nodes. The programmable switch inspects received packets to identify information related to the cache. One or more cache metrics are determined for the cache based on the identified information and at least a portion of the cache is allocated to at least one application executed by at least one of the nodes based on the one or more cache metrics. According to one aspect, a distributed cache is formed of caches stored at nodes. The network controller stores distributed cache metrics and receives cache metrics from programmable switches for the caches to update the distributed cache metrics. Portions of the distributed cache are allocated to different applications based on the updated distributed cache metrics.

Methods and apparatus implementing Hardware/Software co-optimization to improve performance and energy for inter-VM communication for NFVs and other producer-consumer workloads. The apparatus include multi-core processors with multi-level cache hierarchies including and L1 and L2 cache for each core and a shared last-level cache (LLC). One or more machine-level instructions are provided for proactively demoting cachelines from lower cache levels to higher cache levels, including demoting cachelines from L1/L2 caches to an LLC. Techniques are also provided for implementing hardware/software co-optimization in multi-socket NUMA architecture system, wherein cachelines may be selectively demoted and pushed to an LLC in a remote socket. In addition, techniques are disclosure for implementing early snooping in multi-socket systems to reduce latency when accessing cachelines on remote sockets.

Methods and apparatus implementing Hardware/Software co-optimization to improve performance and energy for inter-VM communication for NFVs and other producer-consumer workloads. The apparatus include multi-core processors with multi-level cache hierarchies including and L1 and L2 cache for each core and a shared last-level cache (LLC). One or more machine-level instructions are provided for proactively demoting cachelines from lower cache levels to higher cache levels, including demoting cachelines from L1/L2 caches to an LLC. Techniques are also provided for implementing hardware/software co-optimization in multi-socket NUMA architecture system, wherein cachelines may be selectively demoted and pushed to an LLC in a remote socket. In addition, techniques are disclosure for implementing early snooping in multi-socket systems to reduce latency when accessing cachelines on remote sockets.

Managing a cache includes parsing a physical address of a data block to determine a partition identifier (ID) and a tag; the partition ID compared against a partition table storing partition IDs. The partition table indicates at least one way partition and at least one set partition corresponding to the partition ID. Based on the partition table, a way partition is determined at which to store the data block, corresponding to a subset of columns of a cache and, based on the partition table and the tag, a set partition is determined at which to store the data block, corresponding to a subset of rows of the cache. A cache address is generated for the data block within a first region of the cache corresponding to an intersection of the way partition and the set partition. The data block is stored to the cache according to the cache address.

Methods, systems, and computer-readable storage media for maintaining and utilizing a unified cache memory. The method first identifies a unified cache memory associated with an application and populates it with data for access during application execution. The unified cache memory is associated with coupled lookup elements, which include multiple keys and multiple values coupled together. The coupled lookup elements are available to the application for access to all possible views of the data.

A graphics processing system is disclosed having a cache system (24) arranged between memory (23) and the graphics processor (20), the cache system comprising a first cache (53) for transferring data to and from the graphics processor (20) and a second cache (54) arranged and configured to transfer data between the first cache (53) and memory (23). When data is to be written from the first cache (53) to memory (23), a cache controller (55) determines a data type of the data and, in dependence on the data type, either causes the data to be written into the second cache (54) without writing the data to memory (23), or causes the data to be written to memory (23) without storing the data in the second cache (54). In embodiments the second cache (54) is write-only allocated.

A graphics processing system is disclosed having a cache system (24) arranged between memory (23) and the graphics processor (20), the cache system comprising a first cache (53) for transferring data to and from the graphics processor (20) and a second cache (54) arranged and configured to transfer data between the first cache (53) and memory (23). When data is to be written from the first cache (53) to memory (23), a cache controller (55) determines a data type of the data and, in dependence on the data type, either causes the data to be written into the second cache (54) without writing the data to memory (23), or causes the data to be written to memory (23) without storing the data in the second cache (54). In embodiments the second cache (54) is write-only allocated.

A cache memory can maintain multiple cache lines and each cache line can include a data field, an encryption status attribute, and an encryption key attribute. The encryption status attribute can indicate whether the data field in the corresponding cache line includes encrypted or unencrypted data and the encryption key attribute can include an encryption key identifier for the corresponding cache line. In an example, a cryptographic controller can access keys from a key table to selectively encrypt or unencrypt cache data. Infrequently accessed cache data can be maintained as encrypted data, and more frequently accessed cache data can be maintained as unencrypted data. In some examples, different cache lines in the same cache memory can be maintained as encrypted or unencrypted data, and different cache lines can use respective different encryption keys.