Cache memory for a scalable information distribution system
View Patent ↗An information distribution system includes an interconnect and multiple data processing nodes coupled to the interconnect. Each data processing node includes mass storage and a cache. Each data processing node also includes interface logic configured to receive signals from the interconnect and to apply the signals from the interconnect to affect the content of the cache, and to receive signals from the mass storage and to apply the signals from the mass storage to affect the content of the cache. The content of the mass storage and cache of a particular node may also be provided to other nodes of the system, via the interconnect.
1. An audio/video distribution system comprising:
logic to enable a first node to access first parts of an audio/video stream from mass storage local to the first node and to provide the first parts of the stream to an external distribution network via at least one I/O port;
logic to enable the first node to cache the first parts in cache memory local to the first node;
logic to enable a second node to access second parts of the audio/video stream from mass storage local to the second node and to provide the second parts of the stream to the external distribution network via the at least one I/O port;
logic to enable the second node to cache the second parts in cache memory local to the second node;
logic to enable the first node to access the cache memory local to the second node for second parts different from the first parts cached in the cache memory local to the first node, and to stream the second parts that are different via the at least one I/O port; and
logic to enable the second node to access the cache memory local to the first node for first parts different than the second parts, and to stream the first parts that are different via the at least one I/O port.
2. The audio/video distribution system of claim 1 , further comprising:
logic to enable a third node to access third parts of the audio/video stream from mass storage local to the third node and to provide the third parts of the stream to the external distribution network via the at least one I/O port;
logic to enable the third node to cache the third parts in cache memory local to the third node; and
logic to enable the third node to access the cache memories local to the first and second node for first and second parts different than the third parts, and to stream the first and second parts that are different via the at least one I/O port.
3. The audio/video distribution system of claim 2 , further comprising:
logic to manage local caches of the first, second, and third nodes as a single global cache memory so that when multiple nodes are providing data to the external distribution network from a same stream of audio/video information via multiple I/O ports, parts of the stream are not duplicated in local caches of the multiple nodes.