Memory pool technology assigns a specific block of memory to each program, avoiding memory overlap and fragmentation. The operating system controls the memory pool, optimizing memory allocation for each application.
A memory pool is a block of memory assigned to a specific program or application on your computer. Information for a running program, such as the operating system or any application open on the computer, is stored in random access memory (RAM) on a computer. Assigning each program a specific block of memory using memory pool technology avoids the problem of memory overlap. Overlap occurs when two programs try to use the same sections of memory; like trying to share a piece of cake, programs can end up “fighting” over shared memory, causing system errors. With a pool of memory, each program is given its own “slice”, resulting in smooth running of the computer.
A user may think of computer RAM as a simple multi-story library. Without using the memory pool, when information arrives, the computer will start filling shelves indiscriminately from top to bottom, merging the information so that there is no linear logical structure within the memory. While this is an entirely valid approach to memory management, trading organization for speed, the downside comes when programs are removed from memory and new programs take their place. It is likely that the information needed by the new program does not fit perfectly into the gaps that were released when the old program was removed. Without memory pools, this mismatch forces the computer to further compromise the organization within RAM; this is known as fragmentation.
Having fragmented information in memory means that your computer will have to perform a juggling act to retrieve information for any specific program. With memory pooling, fragmentation is minimized as the computer allocates each program a specific area within the memory “shelf,” minimizing the risk of clutter. This results in a little extra overhead on the computer at first, as it has to do its memory “jugglers” when the program first loads, but increases the program’s efficiency substantially while it’s running, how the computer will already know where to look on the “shelf” for program information.
The operating system usually controls the operation of the memory pool. It has the ability to allocate, distribute and rearrange the different “pools” within the computer’s RAM, adapting as needed to the needs of individual applications. For example, if an application requests a larger block of memory than it has been allocated, the operating system must take action to enlarge the specific pool allocated to that program without invading the memory pools of other active programs in the system. Optimization requires that a particular application be optimized for a particular operating system and vice versa, ensuring that both work together to allocate and reserve memory for the application as efficiently as possible.
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