Question

Usually, the decision about when to store a modified disk block whose contents are in a main memory buffer is handled by the ____ of the DBMS in cooperation with the underlying operating system?

Answer 1

The decision to store a modified disk block from a main memory buffer is managed by the buffer manager of the DBMS alongside the operating system. The buffer manager uses policies to decide when to write data back to disk and is key to the performance of the DBMS.

Step-by-step explanation:

Usually, the decision about when to store a modified disk block whose contents are in a main memory buffer is handled by the buffer manager of the DBMS in cooperation with the underlying operating system. The buffer manager is responsible for transferring data between the disk and the main memory. It operates based on certain policies like write-through, write-back or delayed-write which decide when the modified blocks should be written back to the disk.

The effectiveness of the buffer manager greatly impacts the overall performance of the DBMS. It is essential to use efficient algorithms to manage the limited buffer space available, cache the most frequently accessed data, and ensure data consistency and recovery by writing data back to disk at appropriate times.