Managing concurrent accesses to a cache
View Patent ↗Various embodiments of the present invention allow concurrent accesses to a cache. A request to update an object stored in a cache is received. A first data structure comprising a new value for the object is created in response to receiving the request. A cache pointer is atomically modified to point to the first data structure. A second data structure comprising an old value for the cached object is maintained until a process, which holds a pointer to the old value of the cached object, at least one of one of ends and indicates that the old value is no longer needed.
1. An information processing system for allowing concurrent accesses to a cache, the information processing system comprising:
a memory;
a processor communicatively coupled to the memory, wherein the processor is configured to perform a method comprising:
receiving a request to update an object stored in the cache;
creating, in response to receiving the request, a first data structure comprising a new value for the object;
atomically modifying a cache pointer to point to the first data structure; and
maintaining a second data structure comprising an old value for the object until a process, which holds a pointer to the old value of the object, at least one of ends and indicates that the old value is no longer needed.
2. The information processing system of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
receiving a request to add a new object to the cache;
creating a third data structure comprising the new object; and
atomically modifying a cache pointer to point to the third data structure.
3. The information processing system of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
receiving a request to delete an existing object from the cache;
atomically modifying a pointer associated with the existing object, the atomically modifying the pointer associated with the existing object preventing the existing object from being accessible by searching the cache; and
maintaining a data structure comprising a value for the existing object until a process holding a pointer to the existing object one of ends and indicates that the value is no longer needed.
4. A computer program product for allowing concurrent accesses to a cache, the computer program product comprising:
a non-transitory storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method comprising:
receiving a request to update an object stored in the cache;
creating, in response to receiving the request, a first data structure comprising a new value for the object;
atomically modifying a cache pointer to point to the first data structure; and
maintaining a second data structure comprising an old value for the object until a process, which holds a pointer to the old value of the object, at least one of ends and indicates that the old value is no longer needed.
5. The computer program product of claim 4 , wherein the method further comprises:
receiving a request to add a new object to the cache;
creating a third data structure comprising the new object; and
atomically modifying a cache pointer to point to the third data structure.
6. The computer program product of claim 4 , wherein the method further comprises:
receiving a request to delete an existing object from the cache;
atomically modifying a pointer associated with the existing object, the atomically modifying the pointer associated with the existing object preventing the existing object from being accessible by searching the cache; and
maintaining a data structure comprising a value for the existing object until a process holding a pointer to the existing object one of ends and indicates that the value is no longer needed.