Resource starvation
|
|
In computer science, starvation is a multitasking-related problem, where a process is perpetually denied necessary resources. Without those resources, the program can never finish its task.
Starvation is related to deadlock. Deadlock occurs when two programs each hold resources the other needs to finish, and neither is willing to give them up. Starvation occurs when one program holds resources the other needs, but is unwilling to give them up.
Starvation is illustrated by Edsger Dijkstra's dining philosophers problem.
The fault lies in the scheduling algorithm. The scheduling algorithm, which is part of the kernel, is supposed to allocate resources equitably; that is, the algorithm should allocate resources so that no process perpetually lacks necessary resources.