Patent ID: 6654855
Filing Date: 2003-11-25
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A method for use in a computer system in which cache lines in a cache memory are transferred in a multi-line page between the cache memory and an underlying storage, the method determining which cache lines to group in a page for removal from the cache memory in order to make room for new data and comprising:(a) associating a metric having a value with each cache line in a page when the page is brought into the cache memory; (b) changing a value of a metric each time the associated cache line is accessed by the computer system; (c) repeatedly arranging metrics in a chain in which metric values are ordered first by a time duration during which associated cache lines were last accessed and then by the value of the metric; and (d) using sequential metric values from the chain to select cache lines in order to build a page for removal from the cache memory.