Word of the Day & Pop Quiz: memory leak

Word of the Day: Daily updates on the latest technology terms

Word of the Day & Pop Quiz Daily updates on the latest technology terms | September 9, 2020 memory leak A memory leak is the gradual loss of available computer memory when a program repeatedly fails to return memory that it has obtained for temporary use. Memory leaks are often caused by programming errors in computer code. For example, a programmer might dynamically allocate memory space for a variable of some type, but then forget to free up that space before the program completes. Should this happen, the system will have less free memory to use each time the program runs. Repeated running of the program or function that causes such memory loss can eventually crash the system.   Memory leaks can be exploited by attackers to gain access to sensitive data or purposely create a denial-of-service (DoS) condition. A garbage collector (GC) can help minimize memory leaks by automatically detecting when data is no longer needed and freeing up storage accordingly. Continue reading...   Take today's Pop Quiz!     1. A coding error in a computer program is called a ________. Answer   2. DoS attacks prevent legitimate users from accessing specific IT resources. What does DoS stand for? a. denial of service b. disk operating system Answer   3. What type of memory only maintains its data while the device is powered? Answer   4. Which memory management feature systematically recovers memory that is no longer being used? a. garbage collection b. FIFO stack Answer   5. Which type of memory is faster to read from -- and write to? a. RAM b. hard disk drive (HDD) c. solid-state drive (SSD) Answer Today's Takeaway "IT admins can't always address a lack of desktop resources by adding RAM or expanding the page file. There could be a virus or malfunctioning applications causing a memory leak." - Gary Olsen Watch and Learn   Storage vs. Memory: What's the Difference? Storage and memory might seem like the same concept on the surface, but they actually serve very different purposes. Watch to learn more about the differences between storage and memory. Continue Learning Memory management techniques improve system performance Prior to using memory management strategies, admins should familiarize themselves with approaches to ensure they implement techniques suited to their specific circumstances.   Dig into the pros and cons of memory ballooning Ballooning is an effective VM memory management technique, but it does have its downfalls, such as potential memory overcommitment and halting application performance. Understand and manage Windows 10 virtual memory It can be difficult for IT pros to understand the intricacies of Windows 10 virtual memory, but they should develop a basic knowledge of virtual memory to effectively manage desktops. Learn native Windows 10 virtual memory management methods With the variety of local techniques for managing Windows 10 virtual memory, desktop administrators can address numerous performance issues on end-user machines. Using Task Manager to monitor memory usage in Windows 10 With the Windows 10 Task Manager, desktop admins can monitor memory usage across the desktop to identify the source of any performance issues and terminate it. Pop Quiz Answer Key 1. bug 2. denial of service 3. volatile memory 4. garbage collection 5. RAM Stay in Touch Thank you for reading! For feedback about any of our definitions or to suggest a new definition (or learning resource) please contact me at mrouse@techtarget.com FOLLOW US About This E-Newsletter The Word of the Day is published by TechTarget, Inc., 275 Grove Street, Newton, Massachusetts, 02466 US. Click to: Unsubscribe. You are receiving this email because you are a member of TechTarget. When you access content from this email, your information may be shared with the sponsors or future sponsors of that content and with our Partners, see up-to-date Partners List, as described in our Privacy Policy. For additional information, please contact: webmaster@techtarget.com. © 2020 TechTarget, Inc. all rights reserved. Designated trademarks, brands, logos, and service marks are the property of their respective owners. Privacy Policy | Partners List