Memory segmentation: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 17:14, 29 September 2008

Revision as of 17:15, 29 September 2008

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{{Unreferenced|date=July 2007}}

{{for|x86 specifics|x86 memory segmentation}}

In computing, '''memory segmentation''' is one of the most common ways to achieve [[memory protection]]; another common one is [[paging]]. In a computer system using segmentation, an instruction operand that refers to a memory ___location includes a value that identifies a segment and an offset within that segment. A segment has a set of permissions, and a length, associated with it. If the currently running [[Process (computing)|process]] is allowed by the permissions to make the type of reference to memory that it is attempting to make, and the offset within the segment is within the range specified by the length of the segment, the reference is permitted; otherwise, a hardware [[Exception handling|exception]] is delivered.