Patent ID: 7370327

Claim:
A method for managing memory resources in a shared memory system having a plurality of users and having a total memory footprint, the method comprising: determining that the total memory footprint of the system has reached a predetermined level; identifying at least one object pertaining to a user of the plurality of users of the system; determining a user memory footprint by calculating the memory footprint of the at least one object, wherein the user memory footprint is a memory footprint of the user in the shared memory system; and constraining the user memory footprint such that the total memory footprint of the system is limited, wherein the identifying at least one object comprises identifying a principal object and identifying at least one further object related to the principal object, wherein identifying the at least one further object comprises performing a recursive marking operation which stops at one of: an object which is already known; an object identified as a global object; and a class which is inherited by the user.