Described is a data cache implementing hybrid writebacks and writethroughs. A processing system includes a memory, a memory controller, and a processor. The processor includes a data cache including cache lines, a write buffer, and a store queue. The store queue writes data to a hit cache line and an allocated entry in the write buffer when the hit cache line is initially in at least a shared coherence state, resulting in the hit cache line being in a shared coherence state with data and the allocated entry being in a modified coherence state with data. The write buffer requests and the memory controller upgrades the hit cache line to a modified coherence state with data based on tracked coherence states. The write buffer retires the data upon upgrade. The data cache writebacks the data to memory for a defined event.

Some embodiments provide a program that receives a first set of data and a first greenhouse gas emission value. The program stores, in a cache, the first set of data and the first greenhouse gas emission value. The program receives a second set of data and a second greenhouse gas emission value. The program stores, in the cache, the second set of data and the second greenhouse gas emission value. The program receives a third set of data and a third greenhouse gas emission value. The program determines one of the first and second sets of data to remove from the cache based on the first and second greenhouse gas emission values. The program replaces, in the cache, one of the first and second sets of data and the corresponding first or second greenhouse gas emission value with the third set of data and the third greenhouse gas emission value.

Some embodiments provide a program that receives a first set of data and a first greenhouse gas emission value. The program stores, in a cache, the first set of data and the first greenhouse gas emission value. The program receives a second set of data and a second greenhouse gas emission value. The program stores, in the cache, the second set of data and the second greenhouse gas emission value. The program receives a third set of data and a third greenhouse gas emission value. The program determines one of the first and second sets of data to remove from the cache based on the first and second greenhouse gas emission values. The program replaces, in the cache, one of the first and second sets of data and the corresponding first or second greenhouse gas emission value with the third set of data and the third greenhouse gas emission value.

Memory controller devices, memory systems, and operating methods for memory controller devices and memory systems are disclosed. In one aspect, a memory controller having improved wear leveling performance is disclosed. The memory controller may control a first memory area and a second memory area, and include a first software layer configured to control the first memory area based on first logical addresses, a second software layer configured to control the second memory area based on second logical addresses, and a logical address manager configured to compare a logical address received from a host with a reference address selected from among a plurality of logical addresses to be used by the host, and transmit the logical address received from the host to the first software layer or the second software layer according to a criterion selected from between a first criterion and a second criterion based on the comparison.

Memory controller devices, memory systems, and operating methods for memory controller devices and memory systems are disclosed. In one aspect, a memory controller having improved wear leveling performance is disclosed. The memory controller may control a first memory area and a second memory area, and include a first software layer configured to control the first memory area based on first logical addresses, a second software layer configured to control the second memory area based on second logical addresses, and a logical address manager configured to compare a logical address received from a host with a reference address selected from among a plurality of logical addresses to be used by the host, and transmit the logical address received from the host to the first software layer or the second software layer according to a criterion selected from between a first criterion and a second criterion based on the comparison.

Described is a data cache implementing hybrid writebacks and writethroughs. A processing system includes a memory, a memory controller, and a processor. The processor includes a data cache including cache lines, a write buffer, and a store queue. The store queue writes data to a hit cache line and an allocated entry in the write buffer when the hit cache line is initially in at least a shared coherence state, resulting in the hit cache line being in a shared coherence state with data and the allocated entry being in a modified coherence state with data. The write buffer requests and the memory controller upgrades the hit cache line to a modified coherence state with data based on tracked coherence states. The write buffer retires the data upon upgrade. The data cache writebacks the data to memory for a defined event.

Methods, systems, and devices maintain state information in a shadow tag memory for a plurality of cachelines in each of a plurality of private caches, with each of the private caches being associated with a corresponding one of multiple processing cores. One or more cache probes are generated based on a write operation associated with one or more cachelines of the plurality of cachelines, such that each of the cache probes is associated with cachelines of a particular private cache of the multiple private caches, the particular private cache being associated with an indicated processing core. Transmission of the cache probes to the particular private cache is prevented until, responsive to a scope acquire operation from the indicated processing core, the cache probes are released for transmission to the respectively associated cachelines in the particular private cache.

A system and method synchronizes heterogeneous agents in a computer system with a software synchronization mechanism. Agents of the computer system connected to a common memory, including agents lacking a hardware synchronization system, can be synchronized with the software synchronization mechanism. The synchronized agents can cause collisions on the same cache line in order to stress test the memory of the system. Each agent updates a first array to indicate it has arrived at the synchronization. After all the agents have arrived, each agent then updates a second array to announce its exit.

A system and method synchronizes heterogeneous agents in a computer system with a software synchronization mechanism. Agents of the computer system connected to a common memory, including agents lacking a hardware synchronization system, can be synchronized with the software synchronization mechanism. The synchronized agents can cause collisions on the same cache line in order to stress test the memory of the system. Each agent updates a first array to indicate it has arrived at the synchronization. After all the agents have arrived, each agent then updates a second array to announce its exit.

The described embodiments include a computing device with two or more types of processors and a memory that is shared between the two or more types of processors. The computing device performs operations for handling cache coherency between the two or more types of processors. During operation, the computing device sets a cache coherency indicator in metadata in a page table entry in a page table, the page table entry information about a page of data that is stored in the memory. The computing device then uses the cache coherency indicator to determine operations to be performed when accessing data in the page of data in the memory. For example, the computing device can use the coherency indicator to determine whether a coherency operation is to be performed when a processor of a given type accesses data in the page of data in the memory.