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Computer Storage Fragmentation: Pioneering Work of Brian Randell

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Dependable and Historic Computing

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNTCS,volume 6875))

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Abstract

This paper is a tribute to Brian Randell’s early research in dynamic computer storage fragmentation. Explicit formulas are presented from three mathematical models, each bearing on Randell’s dichotomy of external vs. internal fragmentation. The first confirms his observation that the latter form of fragmentation is the greater source of wasted space. The second result describes the performance of an algorithm under which the effects of both forms of fragmentation are provably negligible. The third introduces a new form of fragmentation, that of the files themselves, and settles stability questions concerning the fragmentation process.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA

    Ed Coffman

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  1. Ed Coffman
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Computing Science, Newcaslte University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, UK

    Cliff B. Jones

  2. School of Computing Science, Newcastle University, NE1 7RU, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

    John L. Lloyd

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Coffman, E. (2011). Computer Storage Fragmentation: Pioneering Work of Brian Randell. In: Jones, C.B., Lloyd, J.L. (eds) Dependable and Historic Computing. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 6875. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-24541-1_14

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-24541-1_14

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-24540-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-24541-1

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

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