Dynamic non-coherent cache memory resizing mechanism

摘要

A dynamic cache resizing mechanism permitting a non-coherent cache memory to be altered in size during the operation thereof. A cache utilization monitoring system determines whether the cache size is optimised for a particular application and environment, and if it is not, modifies a selection process to resize the cache address space. The non- coherent property of the cache is utilized to permit the change of selection process during use, and the choice of selection process may be effected to take into account the proportion of live cache entries which will remain accessible after resizing, and the proportional change in size of the cache during a resizing operation.