Preemptive thermal management for a computing system based on cache performance

1. A method of preemptive thermal management for a computing system based on cache performance, the computing system having a processor, cached computer memory operatively coupled to the processor, and a processor cache operatively coupled to the processor, the processor cache capable of storing a subset of memory contents of the cached computer memory, the method comprising:

attempting, by the processor, to retrieve portions of the memory contents of the cached computer memory from the processor cache, resulting in cache misses for the processor cache;

tracking, by the processor, cache miss statistics for the processor cache in the computing system, the cache miss statistics describing the cache misses for the processor cache; and

administering a thermal management device for the computing system in dependence upon the cache miss statistics, the thermal management device operatively coupled to the processor and capable of managing temperature for the computing system, including:

determining, by the processor, a thermal control signal in dependence upon the cache miss statistics and a thermal control table that maps a plurality of thermal control signals to a plurality of cache miss ranges;

transmitting, by the processor, the thermal control signal to a thermal management system; and

controlling, by the thermal management system, the thermal management device in dependence upon the thermal control signal.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein administering a thermal management system for the computing system in dependence upon the cache miss statistics further comprises:

polling, by a thermal management system from the processor, for the cache miss statistics for the processor cache; and

controlling, by the thermal management system, the thermal management device in dependence upon the cache miss statistics.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the cached computer memory is main memory operatively coupled to the processor through a memory bus.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the processor cache is one cache among a plurality of caches for the processor; and

the cached computer memory is a higher level cache among the plurality of caches than the processor cache.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

tracking, by the thermal management system, temperature statistics for the computing system after the thermal management device is administered, the temperature statistics describing the temperature for the computing system; and

altering, by the thermal management system, any subsequent administration of the thermal management device in dependence upon the temperature statistics.

6. A computing system for preemptive thermal management based on cache performance, the computing system having a processor, cached computer memory operatively coupled to the processor, and a processor cache operatively coupled to the processor, the processor cache capable of storing a subset of memory contents of the cached computer memory, the computing system also comprising computer memory having disposed within it computer program instructions capable of:

attempting, by the processor, to retrieve portions of the memory contents of the cached computer memory from the processor cache, resulting in cache misses for the processor cache;

tracking, by the processor, cache miss statistics for the processor cache in the computing system, the cache miss statistics describing the cache misses for the processor cache; and

administering a thermal management device for the computing system in dependence upon the cache miss statistics, the thermal management device operatively coupled to the processor and capable of managing temperature for the computing system, including:

determining, by the processor, a thermal control signal in dependence upon the cache miss statistics and a thermal control table that maps a plurality of thermal control signals to a plurality of cache miss ranges;

transmitting, by the processor, the thermal control signal to a thermal management system; and

controlling, by the thermal management system, the thermal management device in dependence upon the thermal control signal.

7. The computing system of claim 6 wherein administering a thermal management system for the computing system in dependence upon the cache miss statistics further comprises:

polling, by a thermal management system from the processor, for the cache miss statistics for the processor cache; and

controlling, by the thermal management system, the thermal management device in dependence upon the cache miss statistics.

8. The computing system of claim 6 wherein the cached computer memory is main memory operatively coupled to the processor through a memory bus.

9. The computing system of claim 6 wherein:

the processor cache is one cache among a plurality of caches for the processor; and

the cached computer memory is a higher level cache among the plurality of caches than the processor cache.

10. The computing system of claim 6 where the computer memory has disposed within it computer program instructions capable of:

tracking, by the thermal management system, temperature statistics for the computing system after the thermal management device is administered, the temperature statistics describing the temperature for the computing system; and

altering, by the thermal management system, any subsequent administration of the thermal management device in dependence upon the temperature statistics.

11. A computer program product for preemptive thermal management for a computing system based on cache performance, the computing system having a processor, cached computer memory operatively coupled to the processor, and a processor cache operatively coupled to the processor, the processor cache capable of storing a subset of memory contents of the cached computer memory, the computer program product disposed in a computer readable recordable medium, the computer program product comprising computer program instructions capable of:

attempting, by the processor, to retrieve portions of the memory contents of the cached computer memory from the processor cache, resulting in cache misses for the processor cache;

tracking, by the processor, cache miss statistics for the processor cache in the computing system, the cache miss statistics describing the cache misses for the processor cache; and

administering a thermal management device for the computing system in dependence upon the cache miss statistics, the thermal management device operatively coupled to the processor and capable of managing temperature for the computing system, including:

determining, by the processor, a thermal control signal in dependence upon the cache miss statistics and a thermal control table that maps a plurality of thermal control signals to a plurality of cache miss ranges;

transmitting, by the processor, the thermal control signal to a thermal management system; and

controlling, by the thermal management system, the thermal management device in dependence upon the thermal control signal.

12. The computer program product of claim 11 wherein administering a thermal management system for the computing system in dependence upon the cache miss statistics further comprises:

polling, by a thermal management system from the processor, for the cache miss statistics for the processor cache; and

controlling, by the thermal management system, the thermal management device in dependence upon the cache miss statistics.

13. The computer program product of claim 11 wherein the cached computer memory is main memory operatively coupled to the processor through a memory bus.

14. The computer program product of claim 11 wherein:

the processor cache is one cache among a plurality of caches for the processor; and

the cached computer memory is a higher level cache among the plurality of caches than the processor cache.

15. The computer program product of claim 11 further comprising computer program instructions capable of:

tracking, by the thermal management system, temperature statistics for the computing system after the thermal management device is administered, the temperature statistics describing the temperature for the computing system; and

altering, by the thermal management system, any subsequent administration of the thermal management device in dependence upon the temperature statistics.