Patent ID: 6546429
Filing Date: 2003-04-08
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A method for communicating request transactions in a computer system having a plurality of processing nodes coupled by a node interconnect, said plurality of processing nodes including a local processing node and a remote processing node, said method comprising:in response to receipt at said remote processing node of a request transaction transmitted from said local processing node via said node interconnect, said request transaction requesting access to a cacheable data granule, node controller hardware in said remote processing node issuing said request transaction on a local interconnect within said remote processing node; a plurality of snoopers within said remote processing node providing individual responses to said request transaction based upon cache coherency states associated with said data granule at said plurality of snoopers; and said node controller hardware managing said request transaction in said remote processing node, said managing including in response to said request transaction receiving a retry snoop response at said remote processing node, said node controller hardware reissuing said request transaction on said local interconnect of said remote processing node at least once until a response other than retry is received or until a limit is reached prior to providing to said local processing node a response of said remote processing node to said request transactions.