Memory and File Management Approach for Computers Using Non-volatile Large Volume Memory

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

Final Year Thesis Oral Defense

Title: "Memory and File Management Approach for Computers Using 
        Non-volatile Large Volume Memory"

by

NG Hok Chun

Abstract:

Recent advancement of non-volatile memory(NVM) technology has shown a 
great potential of replacing the roles of both fast-access data storage 
and long-term bulk storage that dynamic RAM devices and block devices(e.g. 
hard disk) currently does in a general-purpose computer. Currently to cope 
with the hardware limit of having to use two different types of storage 
devices, operating systems manage application data in two separate manner: 
in-memory data which only persist when the application is running (located 
in DRAM), and files which persist as long as the application user wishes 
(located in block devices). This seems unnecessary for computers using NVM 
as the sole data storage device and can possibly be simplified. In this 
thesis, we explores the possibility of unifying data storage management of 
operating system, by finding the common properties of in-memory data and 
files and managing them together, in the hope of achieving a simpler 
design of an operating system and unleashing the full potential of NVM. We 
implemented a proof-of-concept minimal operating system that is capable of 
providing memory and file management services to show the feasibility of 
such design.


Date            : 26 April 2018 (Thursday)

Time            : 16:00 - 17:00

Venue           : Room 5506 (via lifts 25/26), HKUST

Advisor         : Prof. LI Bo

2nd Reader      : Dr. WANG Wei