

Redis memory fragmentation contest - antirez
http://groups.google.com/group/redis-db/browse_thread/thread/9fbc4b033b387baa

======
antirez
Background: in most work loads, with the default glibc malloc() and without
the use of any slab allocator, Redis apparently does not fragment memory even
after many months of continuous uptime (I've an instance running since one
year, with tons of expires and 10000 new keys created per second, without
issues, for instance).

However some user experimented Redis fragmentation problems, especially when
sorted sets are used. This makes sense as in sorted sets nodes have different
sizes (accordingly to the number of links).

This contest have the goal to get in short time a program that is able to
fragment memory in a easy to reproduce way, so that we can start working to an
(optional) slab allocator for Redis that will be included in future releases.

As Redis allocations are already completely wrappered by zmalloc.c file to
ship a version of Redis with a new allocator will be trivial and will not
affect any other part of the system, so as long as we'll get a few memory
fragmenting scripts, chances are that in short time we'll exit with a new
version of Redis featuring this change.

Thank you!

p.s. I understand the prize is not stellar, but it's mostly symbolic of course
;)

------
delano
_The winner will be the first poster that will provide a program able to
fragment Redis memory. Even if another program will be the first to be_
verified _to work, the winner will be the first program that was posted and
actually works._

Is there a deadline?

------
tommi
Contests are always great way to engage people. However, there does not seem
to a prize other than fame. Well, I guess this is just for fun :)

~~~
petercooper
_The prize is a Redis shirt with the new logo and the tagline "all the
allocations are belong to me"._

Maybe not quite as good as fame but a prize nonetheless! :-)

