Analysis of Multiprocessors with Private Cache Memories

This paper presents an approximate analytical model for the performance of multiprocessors with private cache memories and a single shared main memory. The accuracy of the model is compared with simulation results and is found to be very good over a broad range of parameters. The parameters of the model are the size of the multiprocessor, the size and type of the interconnection network, the cache miss-ratio, and the cache block transfer time. The analysis is extended to include several different read/write policies such as write-through, load-through, and buffered write-back. The analytical technique presented is also applicable to the performance of interconnection networks under block transfer mode.