In this article, we propose low-overhead runtime mechanisms to manage LLC power
consumption in CMPs. We first introduce a slice-based cache organization that requires
only minimal circuit overhead to shut down parts of the LLC. Based on this slice-based
cache organization, we next propose a low-overhead approach to monitor cache access
behavior and explore different choices of when to power off/power on cache slices to
maximize power savings with only negligible performance degradation. Specifically, we
consider three important and complementary metrics that guide our slice turn-on and
turn-off decisions: utilization, hotness, and the distribution of dirty cache lines.
Using these metrics, we make the following major contributions