In a system with 2 private L1 caches and a shared L2 cache, how does the MSI protocol function?

A. L1 caches work independently, and the L2 cache manages coherence.
B. L1 caches operate in a Master-Slave relationship with the L2 cache.
C. L1 caches maintain coherence individually, and the L2 cache resolves conflicts.
D. L1 caches share data, and the L2 cache only stores backup copies.

Answer :

Final answer:

In a system with 2 private L1 caches and a shared L2 cache, L1 caches work independently and L2 cache manages coherence.

Explanation:

The correct answer is option a) L1 caches work independently, and L2 cache manages coherence.

In a system using the MSI (Modified, Shared, Invalid) protocol with 2 private L1 caches and a shared L2 cache, the L1 caches work independently and the L2 cache manages coherence.

The L1 caches store copies of data from the main memory, and the L2 cache keeps track of which data is shared or modified by each cache. When a cache wants to read or modify data in the main memory, it first checks the L2 cache to ensure that the data is in a valid state.