In operating systems, Memory Management is the function responsible for

allocating and managing computer’s main memory. Memory Management

function keeps track of the status of each memory location, either allocated
or free to ensure effective and efficient use of Primary Memory.
There are two Memory Management Techniques: Contiguous, and Non-
Contiguous. In Contiguous Technique, executing process must be loaded
entirely in main-memory. Contiguous Technique can be divided into:
1. Fixed (or static) partitioning
2. Variable (or dynamic) partitioning
Variable Partitioning –
It is a part of Contiguous allocation technique. It is used to alleviate the
problem faced by Fixed Partitioning. In contrast with fixed partitioning,
partitions are not made before the execution or during system configure.
Various features associated with variable Partitioning-
1. Initially RAM is empty and partitions are made during the run-time
according to process’s need instead of partitioning during system
configure.
2. The size of partition will be equal to incoming process.
3. The partition size varies according to the need of the process so that the
internal fragmentation can be avoided to ensure efficient utilisation of
RAM.
4. Number of partitions in RAM is not fixed and depends on the number of
incoming process and Main Memory’s size.

There are some advantages and disadvantages of variable partitioning over

fixed partitioning as given below.
Advantages of Variable Partitioning –
1. No Internal Fragmentation:
In variable Partitioning, space in main memory is allocated strictly
according to the need of process, hence there is no case of internal
fragmentation. There will be no unused space left in the partition.
2. No restriction on Degree of Multiprogramming:
More number of processes can be accommodated due to absence of
internal fragmentation. A process can be loaded until the memory is
empty.
3. No Limitation on the size of the process:
In Fixed partitioning, the process with the size greater than the size of the
largest partition could not be loaded and process can not be divided as it
is invalid in contiguous allocation technique. Here, In variable partitioning,
the process size can’t be restricted since the partition size is decided
according to the process size.
Disadvantages of Variable Partitioning –
1. Difficult Implementation:
Implementing variable Partitioning is difficult as compared to Fixed
Partitioning as it involves allocation of memory during run-time rather than
during system configure.
2. External Fragmentation:
There will be external fragmentation inspite of absence of internal
fragmentation.
For example, suppose in above example- process P1(2MB) and process
P3(1MB) completed their execution. Hence two spaces are left i.e. 2MB
and 1MB. Let’s suppose process P5 of size 3MB comes. The empty
space in memory cannot be allocated as no spanning is allowed in
contiguous allocation. The rule says that process must be contiguously
present in main memory to get executed. Hence it results in External
Fragmentation.
 Now P5 of size 3 MB cannot be accommodated in spite of required
available space because in contiguous no spanning is allowed.
Fixed Partitioning:
This is the oldest and simplest technique used to put more than one process
in the main memory. In this partitioning, the number of partitions (non-
overlapping) in RAM is fixed but the size of each partition may or may not
be the same. As it is a contiguous allocation, hence no spanning is
allowed. Here partitions are made before execution or during system
configure.
As illustrated in above figure, first process is only consuming 1MB out of
4MB in the main memory.
Hence, Internal Fragmentation in first block is (4-1) = 3MB.
Sum of Internal Fragmentation in every block = (4-1)+(8-7)+(8-7)+(16-14)=
3+1+1+2 = 7MB.
Suppose process P5 of size 7MB comes. But this process cannot be
accommodated in spite of available free space because of contiguous
allocation (as spanning is not allowed). Hence, 7MB becomes part of
External Fragmentation.
There are some advantages and disadvantages of fixed partitioning.
Advantages of Fixed Partitioning –
1. Easy to implement:
Algorithms needed to implement Fixed Partitioning are easy to implement.
It simply requires putting a process into a certain partition without
focusing on the emergence of Internal and External Fragmentation.

2. Little OS overhead:
Processing of Fixed Partitioning requires lesser excess and indirect
computational power.

Disadvantages of Fixed Partitioning –

1. Internal Fragmentation:
Main memory use is inefficient. Any program, no matter how small,
occupies an entire partition. This can cause internal fragmentation.
2. External Fragmentation:
The total unused space (as stated above) of various partitions cannot be
used to load the processes even though there is space available but not
in the contiguous form (as spanning is not allowed).

3. Limit process size:

Process of size greater than the size of the partition in Main Memory
cannot be accommodated. The partition size cannot be varied according
to the size of the incoming process size. Hence, the process size of 32MB
in the above-stated example is invalid.

4. Limitation on Degree of Multiprogramming:

Partitions in Main Memory are made before execution or during system
configure. Main Memory is divided into a fixed number of partitions.
Suppose if there are partitions in RAM and are the number of
processes, then condition must be fulfilled. Number of
processes greater than the number of partitions in RAM is invalid in Fixed
Partitioning.