Multiprogramming with variable partitions

  
Figure 3: Multiprogramming - variable partitions

• Variable partitions - allowing jobs to use as much space as they needed (limit being the complete memory space)
• No need to divide jobs into types - reduce waste if jobs could not fill partition

However, complete wastage is still not reduced

• Consider what happens when multiple jobs in memory, and jobs start completing activity - this leads to the creation of holes in main storage that must be filled.
• Question : What happens if no job in queue can meet the size of the slot left by the departing job ?

  
Figure 4: Allocating Memory

  
Figure 5: Too much free space - but not enough for task