What is a benefit of the MESI protocol in terms of bus traffic?
The 'M' (Modified) and 'E' (Exclusive) states are the key optimizers. By allowing a cache to modify data in the 'M' state locally (write-back policy) and by allowing a write in the 'E' state without an initial bus transaction, MESI minimizes the need for frequent bus-level updates. This efficiency reduces bus contention and overall bus traffic compared to simpler protocols like Write-Through.
