Lens: Experiencing Multi-level Page Tables at Close Quarters
Arun KP, Rohit Kumar Singh, Debadatta Mishra · 2023
Practical understanding of the working of different sub-systems of the operating system (OS) is crucial to develop a comprehensive understanding of computing systems. Virtual memory mechanisms such as virtual to physical memory translation using multi-level page tables are commonly found in most computing devices, ranging from hand-held devices to desktops and servers. From the pedagogy perspective, one of the primary challenges in explaining virtual to physical address translation through practical demonstrations is the dependency of virtual memory sub-system on the underlying hardware architecture. Furthermore, complicated, diverse, and ever-evolving nature of the multi-level page table support for address translation presents non-trivial challenges for educators to enable a smooth journey for the students from conceptual understanding to hands-on programming experience.