Apparatus and method for fast cache flushing including determining whether data is to be stored in nonvolatile memory

Abstract

Apparatus, systems, and methods to manage memory operations are described. A cache controller is provided comprising logic to receive a transaction to operate on a data element in a cache memory, determine whether the data element is to be stored in a nonvolatile memory by querying a source address decoder (SAD), and, in response to a determination that the data element is to be stored in the nonvolatile memory, to forward the transaction to a memory controller coupled to the nonvolatile memory, and, in response to a determination that the data element is not to be stored in the nonvolatile memory, to drop the transaction from a cache flush procedure of the cache controller. Additionally, the cache controller may receive a confirmation signal from the memory controller that the data element was stored in the nonvolatile memory, and return a completion signal to an originator of the transaction. The cache controller may also include logic to place a processor core in a low power state.