Patent ID: 8356061

Claim:
A method for executing a garbage collector in a computing system, comprising: in a processor, performing operations for: obtaining a throughput model for the garbage collector, wherein the throughput model comprises a nonlinear objective function that relates a throughput of the garbage collector to a quotient of a first amount of time spent on application execution between two major collections and a second amount of time elapsed in a garbage collection cycle that includes a predetermined number of minor collections and a major collection; estimating a set of characteristics associated with the garbage collector; applying the characteristics to the throughput model to estimate a throughput of the garbage collector; determining a level of performance for the garbage collector based on the estimated throughput; and adjusting a tunable parameter for the garbage collector based on the level of performance to increase the throughput of the garbage collector, wherein the tunable parameter comprises at least one of a heap partition size associated with the garbage collector, a tenuring threshold associated with the garbage collector, or a setting that effects the behavior of the garbage collector.