Memory Allocation Requests

Oct 13, 2025 by talynt.org 102 views

Introduction

The buddy system is a memory allocation technique used in computer systems to manage memory efficiently. It is a popular method for allocating and deallocating memory blocks in a system. In this article, we will discuss how the buddy system works and how it can be used to allocate memory in a system with a total available memory of 1024 KB.

The Buddy System

The buddy system is a memory allocation technique that divides the available memory into smaller blocks, called buddies. Each buddy is a contiguous block of memory that can be allocated or deallocated independently. The buddies are arranged in a tree-like structure, with each node representing a buddy. The root node represents the entire available memory, and each child node represents a smaller buddy.

Memory Allocation Requests

The system receives a series of memory allocation requests as follows:

Request 1: Allocate 300 KB
Request 2: Allocate 200 KB
Request 3: Allocate 100 KB

Step 1: Allocate 300 KB

To allocate 300 KB of memory, the system will search for a buddy that is at least 300 KB in size. Since the total available memory is 1024 KB, the system will start by dividing the memory into two buddies of size 512 KB each. One of these buddies will be allocated to satisfy the request.

Step 2: Allocate 200 KB

To allocate 200 KB of memory, the system will search for a buddy that is at least 200 KB in size. Since the system has already allocated 300 KB of memory, it will divide the remaining memory into two buddies of size 256 KB each. One of these buddies will be allocated to satisfy the request.

Step 3: Allocate 100 KB

To allocate 100 KB of memory, the system will search for a buddy that is at least 100 KB in size. Since the system has already allocated 300 KB and 200 KB of memory, it will divide the remaining memory into two buddies of size 128 KB each. One of these buddies will be allocated to satisfy the request.

Memory Allocation Table

The following table shows the memory allocation table after each request:

Buddy Size	Available	Allocated
1024 KB	1	0
512 KB	0	1
256 KB	0	1
128 KB	0	1
64 KB	0	0
32 KB	0	0
16 KB	0	0
8 KB	0	0
4 KB	0	0
2 KB	0	0
1 KB	0	0

Conclusion

In this article, we discussed how the buddy system works and how it can be used to allocate memory in a system with a total available memory of 1024 KB. We also showed how the system can handle a series of memory allocation requests using the buddy system. The buddy system is a popular method for allocating and deallocating memory blocks in a system, and it is widely used in computer systems today.

Advantages of the Buddy System

The buddy system has several advantages, including:

Efficient memory allocation: The buddy system can allocate memory efficiently by dividing the available memory into smaller blocks.
Fast memory deallocation: The buddy system can deallocate memory quickly by simply freeing the allocated buddy.
Reduced fragmentation: The buddy system can reduce memory fragmentation by allocating memory in a way that minimizes the number of free blocks.

Disadvantages of the Buddy System

The buddy system also has several disadvantages, including:

Complex implementation: The buddy system can be complex to implement, especially for large systems.
High overhead: The buddy system can have high overhead due to the need to maintain a tree-like structure of buddies.
Limited scalability: The buddy system may not be scalable for very large systems due to the need to maintain a large tree-like structure of buddies.

Real-World Applications

The buddy system is widely used in computer systems today, including:

Operating systems: The buddy system is used in many operating systems, including Windows and Linux.
Database systems: The buddy system is used in many database systems, including MySQL and PostgreSQL.
Web servers: The buddy system is used in many web servers, including Apache and Nginx.

Conclusion

Introduction

In our previous article, we discussed how the buddy system works and how it can be used to allocate memory in a system with a total available memory of 1024 KB. We also showed how the system can handle a series of memory allocation requests using the buddy system. In this article, we will answer some frequently asked questions about the buddy system.

Q: What is the buddy system?

A: The buddy system is a memory allocation technique used in computer systems to manage memory efficiently. It is a popular method for allocating and deallocating memory blocks in a system.

Q: How does the buddy system work?

A: The buddy system works by dividing the available memory into smaller blocks, called buddies. Each buddy is a contiguous block of memory that can be allocated or deallocated independently. The buddies are arranged in a tree-like structure, with each node representing a buddy.

Q: What are the advantages of the buddy system?

A: The buddy system has several advantages, including:

Efficient memory allocation: The buddy system can allocate memory efficiently by dividing the available memory into smaller blocks.
Fast memory deallocation: The buddy system can deallocate memory quickly by simply freeing the allocated buddy.
Reduced fragmentation: The buddy system can reduce memory fragmentation by allocating memory in a way that minimizes the number of free blocks.

Q: What are the disadvantages of the buddy system?

A: The buddy system also has several disadvantages, including:

Complex implementation: The buddy system can be complex to implement, especially for large systems.
High overhead: The buddy system can have high overhead due to the need to maintain a tree-like structure of buddies.
Limited scalability: The buddy system may not be scalable for very large systems due to the need to maintain a large tree-like structure of buddies.

Q: When is the buddy system used?

A: The buddy system is widely used in computer systems today, including:

Operating systems: The buddy system is used in many operating systems, including Windows and Linux.
Database systems: The buddy system is used in many database systems, including MySQL and PostgreSQL.
Web servers: The buddy system is used in many web servers, including Apache and Nginx.

Q: How does the buddy system handle memory allocation requests?

A: The buddy system handles memory allocation requests by searching for a buddy that is at least the size of the requested memory block. If a suitable buddy is found, it is allocated to the requesting process. If no suitable buddy is found, the system may divide the available memory into smaller blocks to satisfy the request.

Q: Can the buddy system handle large memory allocation requests?

A: The buddy system can handle large memory allocation requests, but it may not be the most efficient method for doing so. The buddy system is designed to handle small to medium-sized memory allocation requests, and it may not be suitable for very large requests.

Q: Is the buddy system a good choice for real-time systems?

A: The buddy system may not be the best choice for real-time systems, as it can introduce latency and overhead due to the need to maintain a tree-like structure of buddies. However, it can still be used in real-time systems if the system is designed to minimize the overhead of the buddy system.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the buddy system is a popular method for allocating and deallocating memory blocks in a system. It has several advantages, including efficient memory allocation, fast memory deallocation, and reduced fragmentation. However, it also has several disadvantages, including complex implementation, high overhead, and limited scalability. The buddy system is widely used in computer systems today, including operating systems, database systems, and web servers.