Application-controlled memory management in a single address space environment

Abstract.

With reference to a memory management system supporting the single address space abstraction and a uniform, persistent view of storage, we present a set of mechanisms that allow applications to exert explicit control over memory management activities. These mechanisms make it possible to move the contents of a virtual page to primary memory for fast processor access, or to push these contents back to secondary memory to free primary memory space. Our memory management scheme allows programs to exploit the memory reference pattern of the underlying algorithms, thereby improving utilisation of the system storage resources. This result is illustrated by using significant examples of memory management activities implemented at the application program level.