Patent ID: 6014709
Filing Date: 2000-01-11
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A method, in a communications network of a computer system, the computer system having a memory storage unit coupled to a plurality of crossbar switches, each one of the plurality of crossbar switches being coupled to at least one third level cache, wherein the memory storage unit, the plurality of crossbar switches, and the third level caches are interconnected via the communications network of the computer system, for controlling congestion when sending data between the third level caches and the memory storage unit, the method comprising the steps of:(1) determining that a message is a data message comprising one of a fetch request or a data transfer;(2) determining that a means for preventing the flow of data messages from a first crossbar switch to a memory storage units is inactive;(3) sending the data message to said memory storage unit;(4) determining that said message in said memory storage unit is one of a data transfer, a purge request, or a return request;(5) determining that a means for preventing the flow of one of a data transfer, a purge request, or a return request from said memory storage unit to a second crossbar switch is inactive; and(6) sending said data message from said memory storage unit to a third level cache via the second crossbar switch.