Patent ID: 6266743
Filing Date: 2001-07-24
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A method for providing an eviction protocol for a sparse directory within a non-uniform memory access (NUMA) computer system, wherein said NUMA computer system includes at least two nodes coupled to an interconnect, each of said at least two nodes includes a local system memory, said method comprising the steps of:in response to a request for evicting an entry from a sparse directory, wherein said entry is associated with a modified cache line, sending an non-intervention writeback request from a home node of said modified cache line to a remote node having said modified cache line;initiating a second writeback request from said remote node to write back said modified cache line to said home node while retrying said non-intervention writeback request at said remote node; andevicting said entry from said sparse directory after said non-intervention writeback request at said remote node has been completed.