Lazy Release Consistency for Hardware-Coherent Multiprocessors

Release consistency is a widely accepted memory model for distributed shared memory systems. Eager release consistency represents the state of the art in release consistent protocols for hardware-coherent multiprocessors, while lazy release consistency has been shown to provide better performance for software distributed shared memory (DSM). Several of the optimizations performed by lazy protocols have the potential to improve the performance of hardware-coherent multiprocessors as well, but their complexity has precluded a hardware implementation. With the advent of programmable protocol processors it may become possible to use them after all. We present and evaluate a lazy release-consistent protocol suitable for machines with dedicated protocol processors. This protocol admits multiple concurrent writers, sends write notices concurrently with computation, and delays invalidations until acquire operations. We also consider a lazier protocol that delays sending write notices until re...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 1995
• Where: SC
• Authors: Leonidas I. Kontothanassis, Michael L. Scott, Ricardo Bianchini
• Keywords: Applied Computing, Eager Release Consistency, Lazy Release Consistency, Release Consistency, SC 1995