METHOD FOR A CHECKPOINT LIBRARY TO DETECT CORRUPTION BY AN APPLICATION

Abstract

A method of identifying the source of a memory corruption error during operation of a checkpoint library includes receiving an error detection request and, in response to the request, write protecting all memory regions allocated to a checkpoint library. The method further includes detecting when a memory region is accessed for modification during operation of the checkpoint library and, in response to the detection, identifying the source of a memory corruption error affecting the memory region.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various aspects of a communications system are illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates an example of application components that share and divide memory resources in a computing system; and

FIG. 2 is a conceptual block diagram illustrating an example of the functionality of a processor configured to detect error-induced memory corruption while performing a checkpoint procedure.

Claims

1. A storage medium containing a set of program instructions executable by a processor within a system, comprising: a routine to receive an error detection request; anda routine to write protect all memory regions allocated to a checkpoint library in response to the request, detect when a memory region is accessed for modification during operation of the checkpoint library, and identify the source of a memory corruption error affecting the memory region.

2. The storage medium of claim 1 further comprising a routine to notify a user of the checkpoint library about the identified source of the memory corruption error.

3. The storage medium of claim 1 wherein the routine to identify the source of the memory corruption error further comprises a routine to determine that the accessed memory region is allocated to the checkpoint library.

4. The storage medium of claim 3 wherein the routine to identify the source of the memory corruption error further comprises a routine to identify the address of an instruction that caused the accessed memory region to be accessed and, based on the address, determine that the instruction is not included in the checkpoint library.

5. The storage medium of claim 4, further comprising a routine to notify a user of the checkpoint library that the memory corruption error was not caused by the checkpoint library.

6. The storage medium of claim 3 wherein the routine to identify the source of the memory corruption error further comprises a routine to identify the address of an instruction that caused the accessed memory region to be accessed and, based on the address, determine that the instruction is included in the checkpoint library.

7. The storage medium of claim 6, further comprising a routine to remove write protection from the accessed memory region, allow the accessed memory region to be modified, and reinstate write protection to the accessed memory region.

8. A computer system, comprising: a memory component; anda processor operatively connected to the memory component and configured to receive an error detection request and, in response to the request, write protect all memory regions in the memory component allocated to a checkpoint library, detect when a memory region is accessed for modification during operation of the checkpoint library and identify the source of a memory corruption error affecting the memory region.

9. The computer system of claim 8 wherein the processor is further configured to notify a user of the checkpoint library about the identified source of the memory corruption error.

10. The computer system of claim 8 wherein the processor is further configured to determine that the accessed memory region is allocated to the checkpoint library.

11. The computer system of claim 10 wherein the processor is further configured to identify the address of an instruction that caused the accessed memory region to be accessed and, based on the address, determine that the instruction is not included in the checkpoint library.

12. The computer system of claim 11 wherein the processor is further configured to notify a user of the checkpoint library that the memory corruption error was not caused by the checkpoint library.

13. The computer system of claim 10 wherein the processor is further configured to identify the address of an instruction that caused the accessed memory region to be accessed and, based on the address, determine that the instruction is included in the checkpoint library.

14. The computer system of claim 13 wherein the processor is further configured to remove write protection from the accessed memory region, allow the accessed memory region to be modified, and reinstate write protection to the accessed memory region.

15. A method of identifying the source of a memory corruption error, comprising: receiving an error detection request;write protecting all memory regions allocated to a checkpoint library in response to the request;detecting when a memory region is accessed for modification during operation of the checkpoint library; andidentifying the source of a memory corruption error affecting the memory region in response to the detection.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein identifying the source of the memory corruption error includes determining that the accessed memory region is allocated to the checkpoint library.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein identifying the source of the memory corruption error includes identifying the address of an instruction that caused the accessed memory region to be accessed and, based on the address, determining that the instruction is not included in the checkpoint library.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising a notifying a user of the checkpoint library that the memory corruption error was not caused by the checkpoint library.

19. A processor, comprising: means for receiving an error detection request;means for write protecting all memory regions allocated to a checkpoint library in response to the request;means for detecting when a memory region is accessed for modification during operation of the checkpoint library; andmeans for identifying the source of a memory corruption error affecting the memory region in response to the detection.