Virtual Memory

Definition: Virtual memory is a memory management technique where

secondary memory can be used as if it were a part of the main memory.

It is used by operating systems to provide the illusion to users and applications

that there is more physical memory (RAM) available than is actually installed on
the computer. It provides an abstraction layer that allows efficient and flexible
memory management, supports multitasking, and simplifies the programming
process

How does OS make use of Virtual Memory:

● The operating system allocates a virtual address space for each process.
This space is divided into sections, typically including areas for code
(executable instructions), data, stack, and heap.
● The operating system maintains a page table for each process. This table
maps virtual addresses to physical addresses. When a process accesses a
virtual address, the operating system uses the page table to determine the
corresponding physical address.
● If a process tries to access a part of its virtual address space that is not
currently in physical RAM, a page fault occurs. The operating system
identifies the required page on the hard disk, brings it into a free page
frame in RAM, and updates the page table accordingly.
● When the physical RAM is full and a new page needs to be brought into
memory, the operating system may swap out a less frequently used page
from RAM to the hard disk to make room. This process is known as
swapping or paging, and it helps optimize the use of physical memory.
● The operating system uses page replacement policies to decide which
page to swap out when a page fault occurs. Common policies include
Least Recently Used (LRU), First-In-First-Out (FIFO), and others. These
policies aim to minimize the impact on performance by selecting pages that
are less likely to be used soon.

Benefits of Virtual Memory:

● Flexibility in Memory Allocation: It provides flexibility in allocating and
managing memory. Processes can be given the illusion of a large,
contiguous address space, enabling the development of complex software.
 ● Efficient Use of Resources: It allows efficient utilization of physical RAM by
temporarily transferring less frequently used data from RAM to the hard
disk, freeing up space for actively used data.
● Multitasking Support: It enables the execution of multiple processes
simultaneously by providing each process with its own virtual address
space, even if the memory requirements exceed physical RAM capacity.
● Ease of Programming: Programmers can develop applications without
worrying about the physical constraints of available RAM. The abstraction
provided by virtual memory simplifies the programming process.
● Memory Isolation: It ensures memory isolation between processes,
preventing one program from accessing or modifying the memory of
another. This contributes to system stability and security.

Disadvantages of using Virtual Memory:

● Performance Overhead: The need to constantly swap pages between RAM
and the hard disk can lead to slower execution times, especially if
excessive paging occurs.
● Page Faults: These can result in delays as the operating system retrieves
the required page from the hard disk. Excessive page faults can degrade
system performance.
● Complexity: The implementation and management of virtual memory adds
complexity to the operating system. Developing and maintaining efficient
algorithms for page replacement and other memory management tasks
requires careful consideration.
● Dependency on Storage Speed: Virtual memory heavily depends on the
speed of the storage device (typically a hard disk or SSD). If the storage
device is slow, it can significantly impact the overall system performance.
● Fragmentation: Over time, virtual memory usage can lead to
fragmentation, both external (non contiguous allocation of physical
memory) and internal (unused portions of allocated memory).
Fragmentation may impact the efficiency of memory usage.
● Resource Intensiveness: The operation of virtual memory can be
resource-intensive, consuming CPU cycles and storage bandwidth. This
may be a concern in resource-constrained environments.