Computer system, cache memory and process for cache entry replacement

Abstract

A computer system, a cache memory and a process, each enabling a cache replacement policy with locking. The computer system comprises a processing device and a memory system, the memory system including a higher level memory, a cache memory and lock ordering resources. The higher level memory provides for storage of information and the cache memory duplicates certain of that information in cache blocks, the cache memory comprising elements organized in sets and ways, wherein each cache block can reside in any element of a set to which the cache block is assigned, and includes a replacement policy. The lock ordering resources is capable of utilizing a granularity of less than an entire way and a selected contiguity of element locking proceeding through selected ways, element-by-element, in a selected order starting from a selected beginning element of one of the selected ways. The lock ordering resources may include a sequencer, a cache control, a first storage device for storing an address of a first cache block to be locked, and a second storage device storing the number of elements for locking. The lock ordering resources may also include a lock vector administrator and a least recently used (LRU) administrator. Cache blocks having addresses in a lock range may be loaded into elements of the selected ways.