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Krishnapriya Rajeev

Krishnapriya Rajeev

04-Apr-2023

Segmentation is a memory management technique in which the logical memory of a program is divided into variable-size segments. Each segment represents a logical unit of the program, such as a code segment, a data segment, and a stack segment.  Segmentation helps to reduce external fragmentation and allows the logical structure of a program to be more easily managed.

Each segment is allocated a contiguous block of physical memory, and the mapping between logical and physical addresses is maintained in a segment table. When a program references a memory address, the segment table is used to translate the logical address into a physical address. The segment table holds two key pieces of information related to a segment. Firstly, it contains the Base value which refers to the lowest address of the segment, and secondly, it holds the Limit value which specifies the size of the segment.

An example of a segment table is shown below:

Write in brief about segmentation in the operating system.

The advantages of using segmentation are:

  • Segmentation allows for flexible allocation of memory, which helps to optimize memory utilization and reduce fragmentation.
  • Segments can be dynamically resized to match the needs of the program, which enhances memory management and reduces the chances of memory shortage.
  • Segmentation provides better protection between different segments of the program as each segment can have its own access rights and permissions.
  • Better protection of program segments enhances security and helps to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive data or code.
  • Segmentation can also help to reduce the impact of memory errors by confining them to specific segments, which makes debugging easier.

Some of its disadvantages are:

  • Segmentation can introduce overhead in terms of memory management, as the system must keep track of multiple segments and their locations in memory.
  • Segmentation can introduce complexity into the memory management process, which can make the system more difficult to manage and maintain.
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