Memory compression for computer systems

A method for memory operation in a computer system, comprising:

• compressing data into one of a plurality of fixed size buckets in a compressed cache;
• determining when compressed data is present in the compressed cache and:
• identifying the buckets occupied by the compressed data and compression algorithm used to compress the compressed data,
• maintaining an identity of the buckets, a range of the compressed data, and the compression algorithm used,
• decompressing the compressed data as decompressed data, and
• providing the decompressed data from the compressed cache for processing;
• and
• determining when the compressed data is not present in the compressed cache and:
• providing uncompressed data from the persistent memory for processing.

A computer system comprising:

• a processor,
• a persistent storage device;
• a main memory connected to the processor and the persistent storage device, the main memory including:
• a compressed cache for storing data retrieved from the persistent storage device after compression in one of a plurality of fixed size units in the main memory;
• and
• an operating system including:
• a plurality of software modules for accessing the persistent storage device, the plurality of software modules interconnected, and
• a filter driver for managing memory capacity of the compressed cache, the filter driver interconnected between two of the plurality of software modules.

A computer system comprising:

• a processor;
• a persistent storage device;
• a main memory connected to the processor and the persistent storage device, the main memory including:
• a compressed cache for storing uncompressed data retrieved from the persistent storage device as compressed data in one of a plurality of fixed size buckets, and
• a buffer cache connected to the compressed cache for storing uncompressed date retrieved from the persistent storage device as uncompressed data;
• and
• an operating system including:
• a plurality of software modules for accessing the persistent storage device, the plurality of software modules being organized in a multi-layer structure, and
• a filter driver for managing memory capacity of the compressed cache, the filter driver interconnected between two of the plurality of software modules.