A SystemC Cache Simulator for a Multiprocessor Shared Memory System

Abstract

In this research we built a SystemC Level-1 data cache system in a distributed shared memory architectural environment, with each processor having its own local cache. Using a set of Fast-Fourier Transform and Random trace files we evaluated the cache performance, based on the number of cache hits/misses, of the caches using snooping and directory-based cache coherence protocols. A series of experiments were carried out, with the results of the experiments showing that the directory-based MOESI cache coherency protocol has a performance edge over the snooping Valid-Invalid cache coherency protocol.