Kernel Memory Manager Tracking by Block Size
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern operating systems, particularly kernels, become complex and resource-intensive, making it difficult to identify and address issues related to hardware resource usage, as they provide limited feedback and debugging information, leading to decreased available resources for non-kernel programs.
Innovation Solution
The kernel's memory manager allocates and tracks memory usage in a two-dimensional data structure, providing memory usage information by type and allocated block size, enabling finer-grained analysis to identify memory consumption causes and optimize resource allocation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the kernel is updated with new features and optimizations, then the functionality and performance of the operating system are improved, but the kernel begins to incrementally utilize more hardware resources, resulting in decreased hardware resources available for non-kernel programs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism by providing detailed memory usage information from the kernel to userspace through data structures that track memory allocations by subsystem and block size. This feedback enables users to monitor kernel resource consumption and identify issues, allowing for informed decisions about kernel updates and optimizations without blindly accepting increased resource usage.
2Quantity of substance
If users request to identify and fix kernel hardware resource usage issues, then available hardware resources for non-kernel programs can be increased, but the process becomes difficult and time-intensive due to the complexity of modern kernels and lack of debugging information
Solution Approach 1:
The patent provides comprehensive feedback by implementing data structures that track memory usage by kernel subsystem and block size, enabling users to quickly identify resource consumption patterns without time-consuming manual debugging. This feedback mechanism significantly reduces the time required to diagnose and fix kernel resource usage issues.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary layer between the kernel and userspace that collects, organizes, and presents memory usage information in a structured format. This intermediary mechanism (the memory usage tracking system) simplifies the complex task of kernel resource analysis by providing pre-processed, organized data that users can easily interpret and act upon.
3Loss of information
If conventional operating systems provide memory usage information, then users can monitor resource allocation, but the information is provided at a coarse granularity that does not enable detailed analysis of kernel memory usage by allocated block size
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing memory usage information into distinct categories based on kernel subsystem and block size. The data structure segments memory tracking into multiple dimensions (subsystem, block size ranges), enabling detailed analysis of memory allocation patterns. This segmented approach transforms coarse-grained information into fine-grained, actionable insights.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds another dimension to memory usage tracking by incorporating block size categorization alongside traditional subsystem tracking. This dimensional expansion transforms single-dimensional (subsystem-only) memory information into multi-dimensional data that includes subsystem, block size ranges, and allocation counts, enabling comprehensive analysis of memory usage patterns.
Data Source
AI summary
In general, techniques are described for monitoring memory usage in computing devices. A computing device comprising a memory and a control unit that executes a kernel of an operating system having kernel sub-systems may implement the techniques. A memory manager kernel subsystem, in response to requests for amounts of the memory from other one kernel sub-systems, allocates memory blocks from the memory. The memory manager, in response to requests to de-allocate one or more of the allocated memory blocks, determines the corresponding requested amounts of memory and sizes of the de-allocated blocks. The memory manager then generates memory usage information based on the determined requested amounts of memory and the determined ones of the two or more different sizes. The memory usage information specifies usage of the memory in terms of the two or more different sizes of the allocated plurality of memory blocks.