Intel Corporation
Memory tagging apparatus and method

Abstract:

An apparatus and method for tagged memory management. For example, one embodiment of a processor comprises: execution circuitry to execute instructions and process data, at least one instruction to generate a system memory access request having a first address pointer; and address translation circuitry to determine whether to translate the first address pointer with or without metadata processing, wherein if the first address pointer is to be translated with metadata processing, the address translation circuitry to: perform a lookup in a memory metadata table to identify a memory metadata value, determine a pointer metadata value associated with the first address pointer, and compare the memory metadata value with the pointer metadata value, the comparison to generate a validation of the memory access request or a fault condition, wherein if the comparison results in a validation of the memory access request, then accessing a set of one or more address translation tables to translate the first address pointer to a first physical address and to return the first physical address responsive to the memory access request.