Various embodiments of the present invention manage access to a cache memory. In one embodiment, a set of cache bank availability vectors are generated based on a current set of cache access requests currently operating on a set of cache banks and at least a variable busy time of a cache memory includes the set of cache banks. The set of cache bank availability vectors indicate an availability of the set of cache banks. A set of cache access requests for accessing a set of given cache banks within the set of cache banks is received. At least one cache access request in the set of cache access requests is selected to access a given cache bank based on the a cache bank availability vectors associated with the given cache bank and the set of access request parameters associated with the at least one cache access that has been selected.