Detecting memory leaks

• US 8,195,720 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2008
• Issued: 06/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hwang, Jinwoo
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Tim T
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHEUNG, HUBERT G
• Application Number:
  US12/147,139
• Publication Number:
  US 20080320449A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,440 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 707/813
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3612 by runtime analysis performance monitoring G06F11/3466
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0253 Garbage collection, i.e. reclamation of unreferenced memory

Abstract

Methods of detecting a memory leak may include identifying a largest ChildNode of a ParentNode, and comparing a total size of the ParentNode to a total size of the largest ChildNode of the ParentNode. If the total size of the ParentNode is significantly larger than the total size of the largest ChildNode of the ParentNode, a possible memory leak area may be identified. Related systems and computer program products are also discussed.

Claims

1. A computer program product comprising a computer usable storage medium having stored therein computer usable program code for detecting a memory leak, the computer usable program code, which when executed by a computer hardware system, causes the computer hardware system to perform:

identifying a ChildNode of a ParentNode as a largest ChildNode of the ParentNode based on memory size;

generating a comparison value based upon a comparison between a total memory size of the ParentNode and a total memory size of the identified largest ChildNode of the ParentNode; and

identifying a possible memory leak area based upon the generated comparison value.

2. The computer program product according to claim 1, wherein

the comparison value is based upon a difference between the total memory size of the ParentNode and the total memory size of the identified largest ChildNode;

and

the possible memory leak area is identified upon the comparison value exceeding a difference threshold.

3. The computer program product according to claim 1, wherein

the comparison value is based upon a ratio of the total memory size of the identified largest ChildNode to the total memory size of the ParentNode;

and

the possible memory leak area is identified upon the comparison value being less than a ratio threshold.

4. The computer program product according to claim 1, wherein the computer usable program code further causes the computer hardware system to perform:

identifying a GrandChildNode of the ParentNode as a largest GrandChildNode of the ParentNode based on memory size;

generating a second comparison value based upon the total memory size of the identified largest ChildNode and a total memory size of the identified largest GrandChildNode; and

identifying a second possible memory leak area based upon the generated second comparison value.

5. The computer program product according to claim 1, wherein the computer usable program code further causes the computer hardware system to perform:

comparing the total memory size of the identified largest ChildNode to a size threshold;

returning a no memory leak detected result upon the total memory size of the identified largest ChildNode being less than the size threshold;

identifying a GrandChildNode of the ParentNode as a largest GrandChildNode of the ParentNode based on memory size upon the total memory size of the identified largest ChildNode being greater than the size threshold;

generating a second comparison value based upon the total memory size of the identified largest ChildNode and a total memory size of the identified largest GrandChildNode; and

identifying a second possible memory leak area based upon the generated second comparison value.

6. The computer program product according to claim 1, wherein the computer usable program code further causes the computer hardware system to perform:

determining whether the identified largest ChildNode is a terminal node;

returning a no memory leak detected result upon the identified largest ChildNode being the terminal node;

identifying a GrandChildNode of the ParentNode as a largest GrandChildNode of the ParentNode based on memory size upon the identified largest ChildNode not being the terminal node;

generating a second comparison value based upon the total memory size of the identified largest ChildNode and a total memory size of the identified largest GrandChildNode; and

identifying a second possible memory leak area based upon the generated second comparison value.

7. The computer program product according to claim 1, wherein the computer usable program code further causes the computer hardware system to perform:

determining whether the identified largest ChildNode is a terminal node;

returning a no memory leak detected result upon the identified largest ChildNode being the terminal node;

comparing the total memory size of the identified largest ChildNode to a size threshold upon the total memory size of the ParentNode not being significantly larger than the total memory size of the identified largest ChildNode;

returning a no memory leak detected result upon the total memory size of the identified largest ChildNode being less than the size threshold;

identifying a GrandChildNode of the ParentNode as a largest GrandChildNode of the ParentNode based on memory size upon the identified largest ChildNode not being the terminal node and upon the total memory size of the identified largest ChildNode being greater than the size threshold;

generating a second comparison value based upon the total memory size of the identified largest ChildNode and a total memory size of the identified largest GrandChildNode; and

identifying a second possible memory leak area based upon the generated second comparison value.

8. A computer hardware system for detecting a memory leak, comprising:

a processor configured to;

identify a ChildNode of a ParentNode as a largest ChildNode of the ParentNode based on memory size;

generate a comparison value based upon a comparison between a total memory size of the ParentNode and a total memory size of the identified largest ChildNode of the ParentNode; and

identify a possible memory leak area based upon the generated comparison value.

9. The computer hardware system according to claim 8, wherein

the comparison value is based upon a difference between the total memory size of the ParentNode and the total memory size of the identified largest ChildNode;

and

the possible memory leak area is identified upon the comparison value exceeding a difference threshold.

10. The computer hardware system according to claim 8, wherein

the comparison value is based upon a ratio of the total memory size of the identified largest ChildNode with respect to the total memory size of the ParentNode;

and

the possible memory leak area is identified upon the comparison value being less than a ratio threshold.

11. The computer hardware system according to claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to:

identify a GrandChildNode of the ParentNode as a largest GrandChildNode of the ParentNode based on memory size;

generate a second comparison value based upon the total memory size of the identified largest ChildNode and a total memory size of the identified largest GrandChildNode; and

identifying a second possible memory leak area based upon the generated second comparison value.

12. The computer hardware system according to claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to:

compare the total memory size of the identified largest ChildNode to a size threshold;

returning a no memory leak detected result upon the total memory size of the identified largest ChildNode being less than the size threshold;

identify a GrandChildNode of the ParentNode as a largest GrandChildNode of the ParentNode based on memory size upon the total memory size of the identified largest ChildNode being greater than the size threshold;

generate a second comparison value based upon the total memory size of the identified largest ChildNode to a total memory size of the identified largest GrandChildNode; and

identify a second possible memory leak area based upon the generated second comparison value.

13. The computer hardware system according to claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine whether the identified largest ChildNode is a terminal node;

return a no memory leak detected result upon the identified largest ChildNode being the terminal node;

identify a GrandChildNode of the ParentNode as a largest GrandChildNode of the ParentNode based on memory size upon the identified largest ChildNode not being the terminal node;

generate a second comparison value based upon the total memory size of the identified largest ChildNode to a total memory size of the identified largest GrandChildNode; and

identify a second possible memory leak area based upon the generated second comparison value.

14. A computer-implemented method for detecting a memory leak, comprising:

identifying a ChildNode of a ParentNode as a largest ChildNode of the ParentNode based on memory size;

generating a comparison value based upon a comparison between a total memory size of the ParentNode and a total memory size of the identified largest ChildNode of the ParentNode; and

identifying a possible memory leak area based upon the generated comparison value.

15. The computer-implemented method according to claim 14, wherein

the comparison value is based upon a difference between the total memory size of the ParentNode and the total memory size of the identified largest ChildNode;

and

the possible memory leak area is identified upon the comparison value exceeding a difference threshold.

16. The computer-implemented method according to claim 14, wherein

the comparison value is based upon a ratio of the total memory size of the identified largest ChildNode to the total memory size of the ParentNode;

and

the possible memory leak area is identified upon the comparison value being less than a ratio threshold.