Patent ID: 6901485
Filing Date: 2005-05-31
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method of operating a computer system including a home node and one or more remote nodes coupled by a node interconnect, said method comprising: in each of a plurality of entries in a memory directory in the home node, recording whether or not an associated data granule from a home system memory in the home node has a corresponding cache line held in at least one remote node; in response to a data request for a requested data granule in said home system memory, reading an associated entry in said memory directory and issuing an invalidating command to at least one remote node holding a cache line corresponding to said requested data granule; and independently of any data request, periodically reading entries in said memory directory and, in response to an entry indicating at least one remote node holds a cache line corresponding to the associated data granule, issuing a flush query to said at least one remote node to request deallocation of said cache line corresponding to said associated data granule.