Device and method for data compression using a metadata cache

Abstract

A processing device is provided which includes memory comprising data cache memory configured to store compressed data and metadata cache memory configured to store metadata, each portion of metadata comprising an encoding used to compress a portion of data. The processing device also includes at least one processor configured to compress portions of data and select, based on one or more utility level metrics, portions of metadata to be stored in the metadata cache memory. The at least one processor is also configured to store, in the metadata cache memory, the portions of metadata selected to be stored in the metadata cache memory, store, in the data cache memory, each portion of compressed data having a selected portion of corresponding metadata stored in the metadata cache memory. Each portion of compressed data, having the selected portion of corresponding metadata stored in the metadata cache memory, is decompressed.