Intelligently partitioning data cache to allocate space for translation entries

Abstract

A processor architecture which partitions on-chip data caches to efficiently cache translation entries alongside data which reduces conflicts between virtual to physical address translation and data accesses. The architecture includes processor cores that include a first level translation lookaside buffer (TLB) and a second level TLB located either internally within each processor core or shared across the processor cores. Furthermore, the architecture includes a second level data cache (e.g., located either internally within each processor core or shared across the processor cores) partitioned to store both data and translation entries. Furthermore, the architecture includes a third level data cache connected to the processor cores, where the third level data cache is partitioned to store both data and translation entries. The third level data cache is shared across the processor cores. The processor architecture can also include a data stack distance profiler and a translation stack distance profiler.