Memory management model and interface for new applications

摘要

A memory management system is described herein that receives information from applications describing how memory is being used and that allows an application host to exert more control over application requests for using memory. The system provides an application memory management application-programming interface (API) that allows the application to specify more information about memory allocations that is helpful for managing memory later. The system also provides an ability to statically and/or dynamically analyze legacy applications to give applications that are not modified to work with the system some ability to participate in more effective memory management. The system provides application host changes to leverage the information provided by applications and to manage memory more effectively using the information and hooks into the application's use of memory. Thus, the system provides a new model for managing memory that improves application host behavior and allows applications to use computing resources more efficiently.

主权项

1. A computer-implemented method within a software application to request allocation and use of memory from an enhanced memory management system, the method comprising:
setting allocation metadata that describes how an application will use a memory allocation; setting a memory fill function that populates the contents of the memory allocation; invoking an allocation interface provided by a host that manages physical memory shared across multiple applications, wherein the application provides the set allocation metadata and memory fill function to the host via the allocation interface; receiving a reference in response to invoking the allocation interface, wherein the reference serves as an indirect identifier for subsequent use of the memory allocation by the application, wherein the preceding steps are performed by at least one processor.