Ocamlnet 4 Reference Manual : Netmcore_mempool

# Module Netmcore_mempool

    module Netmcore_mempool: sig .. end

Memory pools

A memory pool is a block of shared memory that is set aside for storing shared data structures. The pool needs to be created before the worker processes are forked off that are going to use the pool. The worker processes do not map the pool to some random address, but rather the processes inherit the pool from the common master process which ensures that all processes will see the pool at the same address.

In order to allow inheritance, the function `Netmcore.start` for starting workers needs to get an additional argument `~inherit_resources`. The resource ID of the pool must be put into this list - otherwise the worker does not get access to the pool.

It is not possible to enlarge the pool later (because of the inheritance method for making the pool accessible). It is advised to make the pool large enough for all possible data cases, and to let the user configure this size.

    exception Out_of_pool_memory

    val create_mempool : ?alloc_really:bool -> int -> Netmcore.res_id

Creates the memory pool as shared memory object of the passed size (rounded up to the next multiple of pages) and returns the resource ID.

Note that the process calling this function cannot use the pool, but only worker processes that are forked later. It is possible to call `create_mempool` before running `Netmcore.startup`.

Option `alloc_really`: On some operating systems (namely Linux) shared memory is not fully included into the memory bookkeeping as long as nothing is written into it (so-called overcommitment). This means that the memory is not reserved, and when something is written for the first time, it might happen that the system cannot grant the request. The consequence is a bus error. By setting `alloc_really` to true, all allocated memory pages are immediately written to, and thus the problem is avoided (or better, if memory is really tight, you get the bus error now immediately, at least).

Note that memory pools have kernel persistence! They are not automatically deleted when the process finishes. Call `unlink_mempool` to delete memory pools.

    val alloc_mem : Netmcore.res_id -> int -> Netsys_mem.memory

Allocate memory in this pool. The passed int the size of the returned `memory` object. The size is rounded up to the next multiple of pages.

Blocks are actually allocated in units of pages.

Raises `Out_of_pool_memory` if there is not enough contiguous space in the pool.

    val size_mem : Netmcore.res_id -> Netsys_mem.memory -> int

Returns the size of this block, or raises `Not_found`

    val size_mem_at_addr : Netmcore.res_id -> nativeint -> int

Returns the size of the block at this address, or raises `Not_found`

    val free_mem : Netmcore.res_id -> Netsys_mem.memory -> unit

Frees this allocated block

    val stats : Netmcore.res_id -> int * int * int

Returns `(total, free, contiguous)` where

- `total` is the total size of the pool
- `free` is the number of free bytes
- `contiguous` is the size of the largest contiguous free block

    val debug_info : Netmcore.res_id -> string

Returns a string describing the allocations etc.

    val shm_name : Netmcore.res_id -> string

Returns the name of the shared memory object

    val sem_container : Netmcore.res_id -> Netsys_sem.container

Returns the semaphore container

    val unlink_mempool : Netmcore.res_id -> unit

Deletes the persistent objects of this pool

    module Debug: sig .. end