Data processing system having a network and method for managing memory by storing discardable pages in a local paging device

A method in a data processing system for managing memory within the data processing system, the method comprising:

• identifying a discardable page from a server that is to be discarded from the memory;
• storing the discardable page in a paging device located within the data processing system, wherein the discardable page may be retrieved from the paging device instead of from the server;
• determining whether space is available within the paging device to store the discardable page;
• and
• discarding the discardable page instead of storing the discardable page in response to a determination that space is unavailable within the paging device to store the discardable page.

A method in a data processing system for managing memory within the data processing system, the method comprising:

• identifying a page from a server that is to be discarded from the memory;
• storing the page in a paging device located within the data processing system, wherein the page may be retrieved from the paging device instead of from the server;
• determining whether space is available in the paging device in response to a condition that a page is to be removed from the memory and stored within the paging device;
• discarding a discardable page within the paging device in response to a determination that paging space is unavailable within the paging device;
• and
• storing the discardable page within the paging device in response to a determination that paging space is available within the paging device.

A method in a network computer for managing pages from a server, the method comprising:

• receiving a discardable page from the server in a memory within the network computer;
• determining whether space is available in a paging file located within the network computer in response to a determination that the discardable page is to be removed from the memory;
• and
• storing the discardable page within the paging file.

A method for managing memory within a network computer in which client images are stored at a server, the method comprising:

• designating pages from the server as discardable pages;
• determining that a first discardable page from the discardable pages designated should removed from the memory;
• determining whether sufficient space is present to store the first discardable page in a paging file on local storage for the network computer;
• and
• storing the first discardable page within the paging file.

A network comprising:

• a server, wherein the server stores a plurality of pages;
• and
• a network computer, wherein the network computer is connected to the server and includes:
• memory, wherein pages from the plurality of pages are downloaded from the server into the memory;
• a storage device;
• a paging file located on the storage device;
• a processor, wherein the processor performs acts including:
• identifying a page from the pages downloaded from the server that is to be discarded from the memory;
• determining whether space is available within the paging file to store the page;
• and
• in response to a determination that space is available, storing the page.

A data processing system for managing memory located within the data processing system, the data processing system comprising:

• identification means for identifying a discardable page that is to be removed from the memory;
• determination means for determining whether performance will increase by storing the discardable page in a paging device located within the data processing system;
• marking means for marking the discardable page as a page-d discardable page;
• and
• storage means for storing the discardable page in the paging device located within the data processing system, wherein the discardable page may be retrieved from the paging device.

A computer program product on a computer readable medium for managing memory in a data processing system, the computer program product comprising:

• first instructions for identifying a discardable page that is to be removed from the memory;
• second instructions for determining whether performance will increase by storing the discardable page in a paging device;
• third instructions for marking the discardable page as a page-d discardable page;
• and
• fourth instructions for storing the discardable page in a paging device located within the data processing system, wherein the discardable page may be retrieved from the paging device, wherein the instructions are embodied on the computer readable medium.