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WMPI
2004
ACM

A compressed memory hierarchy using an indirect index cache

14 years 4 months ago
A compressed memory hierarchy using an indirect index cache
Abstract. The large and growing impact of memory hierarchies on overall system performance compels designers to investigate innovative techniques to improve memory-system efficiency. We propose and analyze a memory hierarchy that increases both the effective capacity of memory structures and the effective bandwidth of interconnects by storing and transmitting data in compressed form. Caches play a key role in hiding memory latencies. However, cache sizes are constrained by die area and cost. A cache's effective size can be increased by storing compressed data, if the storage unused by a compressed block can be allocated to other blocks. We use a modified Indirect Index Cache to allocate variable amounts of storage to different blocks, depending on their compressibility. By coupling our compressed cache design with a similarly compressed main memory, we can easily transfer data between these structures in a compressed state, increasing the effective memory bus bandwidth. This optim...
Erik G. Hallnor, Steven K. Reinhardt
Added 30 Jun 2010
Updated 30 Jun 2010
Type Conference
Year 2004
Where WMPI
Authors Erik G. Hallnor, Steven K. Reinhardt
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