Peer-to-peer transcendent memory

• US 9,087,021 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2014
• Issued: 07/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Magenheimer, Daniel, Hackel, Kurt
• Primary Examiner(s): DOAN, DUC T
• Application Number:
  US14/293,415
• Publication Number:
  US 20140280685A1
• Time in Patent Office: 414 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/023 Free address space management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0284 Multiple user address space allocation, e.g. using different base addresses interprocessor communication G06F15/163
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/167 using a common memory, e.g. mailbox
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/261 Storage comprising a plurality of storage devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

Various arrangements for utilizing memory of a remote computer system are presented. Two computer systems may allocate a portion of RAM accessible to a memory-access API. A first set of data from the first portion of the first memory of a first computer system may be determined to be moved to memory of another computer system. The first set of data from the first portion of the first memory may be transmitted for storage in the second portion of the second memory of a second computer system. Using the second memory-access API, the set of data may be stored in the second portion of the second memory. Using the first memory-access API, the set of data from the first portion of the first memory may be deleted.

Claims

1. A method for a first computer system to utilize memory of a second computer system, the method comprising:

allocating, by the first computer system, a first portion of a first memory of the first computer system for use by a first memory-access application programming interface (API);

determining, by the first computer system, to move a group of memory pages from the first portion of the first memory of the first computer system to a second memory of the second computer system, wherein the group of memory pages is of a predefined size;

transferring, by the first computer system to the second computer system, the group of memory pages of the predefined size from the first portion of the first memory for storage in a second portion of the second memory of the second computer system; and

cause, by the first computer system, the group of memory pages to be deleted from the first portion of the first memory of the first computer system.

2. The method for the first computer system to utilize memory of the second computer system of claim 1, the method further comprising:

in response to determining to move the group of memory pages to the second memory of the second computer system, requesting, by the first computer system, an allocation of the predefined size from the second computer system.

3. The method for the first computer system to utilize memory of the second computer system of claim 2, the method further comprising:

in response to the allocation of the predefined size from the second computer system, receiving, by the first computer system, an identifier that indicates the allocation of the predefined size.

4. The method for the first computer system to utilize memory of the second computer system of claim 3, wherein transferring, by the first computer system to the second computer system, the group of memory pages of the predefined size from the first portion of the first memory for storage in the second portion of the second memory of the second computer system comprising, for a first memory page:

transferring, by the first computer system to the second computer system, in association with the first memory page;

the identifier that indicates the allocation of the predefined size; and

an offset that defines where within the allocation of the predefined size the first memory page is to be stored.

5. The method for the first computer system to utilize memory of the second computer system of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting, by the first computer system, to each computer system of a plurality of computer systems, a request for available memory resources, wherein the plurality of computer systems comprises the second computer system; and

receiving, by the first computer system, from each computer system of the plurality of computer systems, a response indicating an availability of memory resources at the corresponding computer system of the plurality of computer systems.

6. The method for the first computer system to utilize memory of the second computer system of claim 1, the method further comprising:

maintaining, by the second computer system, a superpage pool that comprises;

the group of memory pages received from the first computer system; and

at least one additional group of memory pages received from a third computer system.

7. The method for the first computer system to utilize memory of the second computer system of claim 1, the method further comprising:

allocating, by the second computer system, the second portion of the second memory of the second computer system for use by a second memory-access application programming interface (API); and

storing, by the second computer system, using the second memory-access API, the group of memory pages in the second portion of the second memory.

8. The method for the first computer system to utilize memory of the second computer system of claim 1, wherein:

the first portion of the first memory of the first computer system is only accessible via the first memory-access application programming interface (API); and

the second portion of the second memory of the second computer system is only accessible via the second memory-access application programming interface (API).

9. A system for sharing memory resources, the system comprising:

a first computer system, configured to;

allocate a first portion of a first memory of the first computer system for use by a first memory-access application programming interface (API);

determine to move a group of memory pages from the first portion of the first memory of the first computer system to a second memory of a second computer system, wherein the group of memory pages is of a predefined size;

transfer, to the second computer system, the group of memory pages of the predefined size from the first portion of the first memory for storage in a second portion of the second memory of the second computer system; and

cause the group of memory pages to be deleted from the first portion of the first memory of the first computer system.

10. The system for sharing memory resources of claim 9, wherein the first computer system is further configured to:

in response to determining to move the group of memory pages to the second memory of the second computer system, request an allocation of the predefined size from the second computer system.

11. The system for sharing memory resources of claim 10, wherein the first computer system is further configured to:

in response to the allocation of the predefined size from the second computer system, receive and store an identifier, from the second computer system, that indicates the allocation of the predefined size.

12. The system for sharing memory resources of claim 11, wherein the first computer system being configured to transfer, to the second computer system, the group of memory pages of the predefined size from the first portion of the first memory for storage in the second portion of the second memory of the second computer system comprises, for a first memory page, the first computer system being configured to:

transfer, to the second computer system, in association with the first memory page;

the identifier that indicates the allocation of the predefined size; and

an offset that defines where within the allocation of the predefined size the first memory page is to be stored.

13. The system for sharing memory resources of claim 9, the system further comprising:

a plurality of computer systems comprising the second computer system, wherein the first computer system is further configured to;

transmit, to each computer system of the plurality of computer systems, a request for available memory resources, wherein the plurality of computer systems comprises the second computer system; and

receive, from each computer system of the plurality of computer systems, a response indicating an availability of memory resources at the corresponding computer system of the plurality of computer systems.

14. The system for sharing memory resources of claim 9, the system further comprising:

the second computer system, configured to;

maintain, a superpage pool that comprises;

the group of memory pages received from the first computer system; and

at least one additional group of memory pages received from a third computer system.

15. The system for sharing memory resources of claim 9, the system further comprising:

the second computer system, configured to;

allocate the second portion of the second memory of the second computer system for use by a second memory-access application programming interface (API); and

store, using the second memory-access API, the group of memory pages in the second portion of the second memory.

16. The system for sharing memory resources of claim 15, wherein:

the first portion of the first memory of the first computer system is only accessible via the first memory-access application programming interface (API); and

the second portion of the second memory of the second computer system is only accessible via the second memory-access application programming interface (API).

17. A non-transitory processor-readable medium of a first computer system for sharing memory resources, comprising processor-readable instructions configured to cause one or more processors to:

allocate a first portion of a first memory of the first computer system for use by a first memory-access application programming interface (API);

determine to move a group of memory pages from the first portion of the first memory of the first computer system to a second memory of a second computer system, wherein the group of memory pages is of a predefined size;

transfer, to the second computer system, the group of memory pages of the predefined size from the first portion of the first memory for storage in a second portion of the second memory of the second computer system; and

cause the group of memory pages to be deleted from the first portion of the first memory of the first computer system.

18. The non-transitory processor-readable medium for sharing memory resources of claim 17, wherein the processor-readable instructions are further configured to cause the one or more processors to:

in response to determining to move the group of memory pages to the second memory of the second computer system, request an allocation of the predefined size from the second computer system.

19. The non-transitory processor-readable medium for sharing memory resources of claim 18, wherein the processor-readable instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to transfer, to the second computer system, the group of memory pages of the predefined size from the first portion of the first memory for storage in the second portion of the second memory of the second computer system comprise processor-readable instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to, for a first memory page:

transfer, to the second computer system, in association with the first memory page;

an identifier that indicates the allocation of the predefined size; and

an offset that defines where within the allocation of the predefined size the first memory page is to be stored.

20. The non-transitory processor-readable medium for sharing memory resources of claim 17, wherein the processor-readable instructions are further configured to cause the one or more processors to:

transmit, to each computer system of a plurality of computer systems, a request for available memory resources, wherein the plurality of computer systems comprises the second computer system; and

receive, from each computer system of the plurality of computer systems, a response indicating an availability of memory resources at the corresponding computer system of the plurality of computer systems.