An information processing system includes a branch target buffer (BTB)
comprising the last next address for the instruction and for receiving an
indirect instruction address and providing a BTB predicted target; and
next branch target table (NBTT) for storing potential branch targets
based on a history of the branch and for providing an NBTT when the a BTB
predicted target is not successful. In another embodiment a system
comprising a plurality of branch prediction resources dynamically
predicts the best resource appropriate for a branch. The method includes
predicting a target branch for an indirect instruction address using a
resource chosen among the plurality of branch prediction resources; and
selectively inhibiting updates of the branch prediction resources whose
prediction accuracy does not meet a threshold.