System for managing access to a memory resource by multiple users

Abstract

A system (e.g., NVMe controller) for managing access to a memory resource by multiple users may include memory storing function queue categorizations for function queues associated with each user, and circuitry to store and execute a multi-user arbitration algorithm that arbitrates access to the memory resource by the multiple users. The function queue categorizations assign a function category to each function queue associated with each user. The multi-user arbitration algorithm includes (a) selecting an intra-user winning function queue for each respective user by performing an intra-user function queue arbitration of the function queues associated with the respective user based on the function queue categorizations associated with the arbitrated function queues, (b) selecting an inter-user winning function queue by performing an inter-user function queue arbitration of the intra-user winning function queues selected for the multiple users, and (c) serving a function from the inter-user winning function queue to the memory resource.