Software based in-system memory test for highly available systems

In this paper we describe a software based in-system memory test that is capable of testing system memory in both offline and online environments. A technique to transparently "steal" a chunk of memory from the system for running tests and then inserting it back for normal application\´s use is proposed. Factors like system memory architecture that needs to be considered while adapting any conventional memory testing algorithm for in-system testing are also discussed. Implementation of the proposed techniques can significantly improve the system\´s ability to proactively detect and manage functional faults in memory. An extension of the methodology described is expected to be applicable for in-system testing of other system components (like processor) as well.