cst 334: week 3

Write a 1 - 2 paragraph journal post, of at least 250 words, of what you learned this week in CST 334.

This week in CST 334, I learned about how the operating system, or OS, manages memory and handles address translation. Every process is given its own virtual memory space, which prevents it from interfering with other processes. The OS then uses its address translation to link this virtual memory to physical memory, which makes sure each process only accesses its own memory and doesn’t cause any other conflict. This process seems to be essential since it ensures that the system can run multiple processes without them stepping over each other.

I also learned about segmentation, where memory is divided into different parts (code, data, and stack). Each part can change size based on the needs of the process. This system helps manage memory more efficiently and reduces the chance of wasted space. Segmentation adds some complexity because each part of memory has to be tracked and managed separately, but it also allows for greater flexibility in how memory is used.

Additionally, I learned about how the OS handles free memory. The system must keep track of which memory is being used and which is available. If memory isn’t released properly, it can cause memory leaks, where unused memory is wasted. Fragmentation, where memory is used inefficiently, can also happen. The OS needs to allocate and free memory carefully to avoid these problems. Also, memory management is a critical part of the OS, ensuring that processes run smoothly and efficiently without wasting resources. Overall, this week helped me understand how the OS organizes and controls memory to keep everything working well.