Memory pagingIn computer operating systems, memory paging is a memory management scheme that introduces a level of indirection between physical and logical addresses and allows the physical memory used by a program to be non-contiguous. This also helps avoid the problem of memory fragmentation.
Garbage collection (computer science)Form of automatic memory management Stop-and-copy garbage collection in a Lisp architecture: Memory is divided into working and free memory; new objects are allocated in the former. When it is full (depicted), garbage collection is performed: All data structures still in use are located by pointer tracing and copied into consecutive locations in free memory.
Memory managementMemory management (also dynamic memory management, dynamic storage allocation, or dynamic memory allocation) is a form of resource management applied to computer memory. The essential requirement of memory management is to provide ways to dynamically allocate portions of memory to programs at their request, and free it for reuse when no longer needed.
Memory poolMemory pools, also called fixed-size blocks allocation, is the use of pools for memory management that allows dynamic memory allocation. Dynamic memory allocation can, and has been achieved through the use of techniques such as malloc and C++'s operator new; although established and reliable implementations, these suffer from fragmentation because of variable block sizes, it is not recommendable to use them in a real time system due to performance.Extent (file systems)In computing, an extent is a contiguous area of storage reserved for a file in a file system, represented as a range of block numbers, or tracks on count key data devices. A file can consist of zero or more extents; one file fragment requires one extent. The direct benefit is in storing each range compactly as two numbers, instead of canonically storing every block number in the range. Also, extent allocation results in less file fragmentation.
Page (computer memory)A page, memory page, or virtual page is a fixed-length contiguous block of virtual memory, described by a single entry in a page table. It is the smallest unit of data for memory management in an operating system that uses virtual memory. Similarly, a page frame is the smallest fixed-length contiguous block of physical memory into which memory pages are mapped by the operating system.
Computer memoryComputer memory stores information, such as data and programs, for immediate use in the computer; instructions fetched by the computer, and data fetched and stored by those instructions, are located in computer memory. The terms memory, main memory, and primary storage are also used for computer memory. Computer memory is often referred to as RAM, meaning random-access memory, although some older forms of computer memory, such as drum memory, are not random-access.C dynamic memory allocationC dynamic memory allocation refers to performing manual memory management for dynamic memory allocation in the C programming language via a group of functions in the C standard library, mainly malloc, realloc, calloc, aligned_alloc and free. The C++ programming language includes these functions; however, the operators new and delete provide similar functionality and are recommended by that language's authors.Bin packing problemThe bin packing problem is an optimization problem, in which items of different sizes must be packed into a finite number of bins or containers, each of a fixed given capacity, in a way that minimizes the number of bins used. The problem has many applications, such as filling up containers, loading trucks with weight capacity constraints, creating file backups in media, splitting a network prefix into multiple subnets, and technology mapping in FPGA semiconductor chip design.
Computer data storageComputer data storage or digital data storage is the retention of digital data via technology consisting of computer components and recording media. Digital data storage is a core function and fundamental component of computers. Generally, the faster and volatile storage components are referred to as "memory", while slower persistent components are referred to as "storage".
Hard disk driveElectro-mechanical data storage deviceHitachi 500GB 3.5" drive, 2011, opened to show the disk platters and read/write armA hard disk drive (HDD), hard disk, hard drive, or fixed disk is an electro-mechanical computer data storage device that stores and retrieves digital data using magnetic storage with one or more rigid rapidly rotating platters coated with magnetic material.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.