STOCHASTIC SCRATCHPAD STORAGE MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUE

Methods and apparatus for dynamically allocating space within virtual memory at run-time while substantially minimizing an associated path length are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for allocating virtual storage associated with a computer system includes creating a scratchpad, allocating a unit of storage space at a current location within the scratchpad, and writing a set of information into the unit of storage space such that the set of information is substantially not tracked. The scratchpad supports allocation of storage space therein, and includes a first pointer that identifies a current location within the scratchpad. Finally, the method includes moving the first pointer in the scratchpad to identify a second location within the scratchpad. The first pointer moves in the first linear space in substantially only a top-to-bottom direction.