In computer science, resource contention is a conflict over access to a shared resource such as random access memory, disk storage, cache memory, internal busses or external network devices. In recent years, research on the contention is more focused on the resources in the memory hierarchy, e.g., last-level caches, front-side bus, memory socket connection.
Resolving resource contention problems is one of the basic functions of operating systems. Various low-level mechanisms can be used to aid this, including locks, semaphores, mutexes and queues. The other techniques that can be applied by the operating systems include intelligent scheduling, application mapping decision, and page colouring.
Failure to properly resolve resource contention problems may result in a number of problems, including deadlock, livelock, and thrashing.
Famous quotes containing the words resource and/or contention:
“Your kind doesn’t just kill men. You murder their spirits, you strangle their last breath of hope and freedom, so that you, the chosen few, can rule your slaves in ease and luxury. You’re a sadist just like the others, Heiser, with no resource but violence and no feeling but fear, the kind you’re feeling now. You’re drowning, Heiser, drowning in the ocean of blood around this barren little island you call the New Order.”
—Curtis Siodmak (1902–1988)
“It is my contention that civil disobedients are nothing but the latest form of voluntary association, and that they are thus quite in tune with the oldest traditions of the country.”
—Hannah Arendt (1906–1975)