Intelligent computer memory management

• US 9,519,426 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2015
• Issued: 12/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Iyengar, Arun
• Primary Examiner(s): Rones, Charles
• Assistant Examiner(s): Li, Sidney
• Application Number:
  US14/924,813
• Publication Number:
  US 20160048339A1
• Time in Patent Office: 412 Days
• Field of Search: 711/171
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3037 where the computing system component is a memory, e.g. virtual memory, cache accessing, addressing or allocating within memory systems or architectures G06F12/00; checking stores for correct operation G11C29/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/02 Addressing or allocation; Relocation program address sequencing G06F9/00; arrangements for selecting an address in a digital store G11C8/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/023 Free address space management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0238 Memory management in non-volatile memory, e.g. resistive RAM or ferroelectric memory
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0871 Allocation or management of cache space
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/1016 Performance improvement
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/1041 Resource optimization
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/6042 Allocation of cache space to multiple users or processors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0604 Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. storage management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/061 Improving I/O performance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0631 by allocating resources to storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0632 by initialisation or re-initialisation of storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0653 Monitoring storage devices or systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0673 Single storage device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0683 Plurality of storage devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5016 the resource being the memory

Abstract

A plurality of memory allocators are initialized within a computing system. At least a first memory allocator and a second memory allocator in the plurality of memory allocators are each customizable to efficiently handle a set of different memory request size distributions. The first memory allocator is configured to handle a first memory request size distribution. The second memory allocator is configured to handle a second memory request size distribution. The second memory request size distribution is different than the first memory request size distribution. At least the first memory allocator and the second memory allocator that have been configured are deployed within the computing system in support of at least one application. Deploying at least the first memory allocator and the second memory allocator within the computing system improves at least one of performance and memory utilization of the at least one application.

Claims

1. A method for managing computer memory, the method comprising:

initializing a plurality of memory allocators within a computing system, wherein at least a first memory allocator and a second memory allocator in the plurality of memory allocators are each customizable to efficiently handle a set of different memory request size distributions, wherein to efficiently handle memory request size distributions comprises special free lists tailored to store free blocks of a plurality of particular sizes of the memory request size distributions, the free blocks are allocated from the special free lists to handle memory requests;

customizing the first memory allocator to efficiently handle a first memory request size distribution determined by the computing system;

customizing the second memory allocator to efficiently handle a second memory request size distribution determined by the computing system, the second memory request size distribution being different than the first memory request size distribution; and

deploying at least the first memory allocator and the second memory allocator in support of at least one application, the deploying improving at least one of performance and memory utilization of the at least one application.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing a plurality of memory objects by at least one memory allocator in the plurality of memory allocators.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining that the plurality of memory objects that have been stored are no longer required; and

de-allocating, in response to the determining, memory corresponding to the memory allocator.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

backing up a main memory object in a persistent storage.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the backing up is performed after a value associated with the main memory object has changed.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the backing up is performed in response to determining that a version of the main memory object stored within the persistent storage has been obsolete for a time period exceeding a threshold.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the backing up is performed in response to a number of updates to the main memory object, since a most recent version of the main memory object was stored in the persistent storage, exceeding a threshold.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the persistent storage comprises one of a file system and database management system.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one memory allocator in the plurality of memory allocators utilizes at least one of:

a first fit memory management method;

a best fit management method;

a multiple free list fit I management method;

a multiple free list fit II management method;

a quick fit management method; and

a buddy system management method.