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arXiv · 2607.08057

Towards Efficient Large Language Model Serving: A Survey on System-Aware KV Cache Optimization

Abstract

Despite the rapid advancements of large language models (LLMs), LLM serving systems remain memory-intensive and costly. The key-value (KV) cache, which stores KV tensors during autoregressive decoding, is crucial for enabling low-latency, high-throughput LLM inference serving. In this survey, we focus on system-aware KV infrastructure for serving LLMs (abbreviated as sKis). We revisit recent work from a system behavior perspective, organizing existing efforts into three dimensions: execution and scheduling (temporal), placement and migration (spatial), and representation and retention (structural). Furthermore, we analyze cross-behavior co-design affinity and behavior-objective links, highlighting future opportunities. Our work systematizes a rapidly evolving area, providing a foundation for understanding and innovating KV cache designs in modern LLM serving infrastructure.

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Jiantong Jiang, Peiyu Yang, Rui Zhang, Feng Liu. 2026-07-09. Towards Efficient Large Language Model Serving: A Survey on System-Aware KV Cache Optimization. https://doi.org/10.18653/v1%2F2026.findings-acl.1916

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