Patent ID: 7793166
Filing Date: 2010-09-07
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. For a cache memory having meta-data organized into a plurality of table entries, and having data units stored in a plurality of cache-slots, with each of the cache-slots being arranged to be associated with one of the table entries; a method for recovering meta-data that have been subjected to corruption, comprising providing each of the table entries with an in-cache indicator to indicate that the data unit associated therewith is stored in the cache memory; conducting a first review of the table entries, further comprising identifying in-cache table entries comprising the table entries that are associated with cache-slots in the cache memory, performing a correction attempt on each of the in-cache table entries to ensure that the meta-data in each of the in-cache table entries are validated and corrected, if necessary, and ensuring that the in-cache indicator is set for each of the in-cache table entries; and conducting a second review of the table entries, further comprising identifying not-in-cache table entries comprising the table entries that are not associated with cache-slots in the cache memory, identifying invalid table entries comprising the in-cache table entries for which the correction attempt was unsuccessful; ensuring that the in-cache indicator is not set for any of the not-in-cache table entries and for any of the invalid table entries.