Buffer Manager

Introduction

The buffer manager reads disk pages into a main memory page as needed. The collection of main memory pages (called frames) used by the buffer manager for this purpose is called the buffer pool. This is just an array of Page objects. The buffer manager is used by (the code for) access methods, heap files, and relational operators to read / write /allocate / de-allocate pages. The Buffer Manager makes calls to the underlying DB class object, which actually performs these functions on disk pages.

Replacement policies for the buffer manager can be changed easily at compile time.

Design Decisions

When a page is requested, the buffer manager brings it in and pins it. The buffer manager does not keep track of all the pages that have been pinned by a transaction. It is up to the various components (that call the buffer manager) to make sure that all pinned pages are subsequently unpinned.

See the text for a more detailed description of the buffer manager.

Click here for the public interface.

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