A cluster of multiprocessing nodes uses snooping-based cache-coherence to
maintain consistency among the cache memories of the multiprocessing
nodes. One or more of the multiprocessing nodes each maintain a directory
table that includes a list of addresses of data last transferred by
cache-to-cache transfer transactions. Thus, upon a local cache miss for
requested data, a multiprocessing node searches its directory table for
an address of the requested data, and if the address is found in the
directory table, the multiprocessing node obtains a copy of the requested
data from the last destination of the requested data as indicated in the
directory table. Thereafter, a message indicating the completion of a
cache-to-cache transfer is broadcast to other connected multiprocessing
nodes on a "best efforts" basis in which messages are relayed from
multiprocessing node to multiprocessing node using low priority status
and/or otherwise unused cycles.