In computing, virtual memory is a memory management technique developed for mult itasking kernels.

This technique virtualizes a computer architecture's various f orms of computer data storage (such as random-access memory and disk storage), a llowing a program to be designed as though there is only one kind of memory, "vi rtual" memory, which behaves like directly addressable read/write memory (RAM). Most modern operating systems that support virtual memory also run each process in its own dedicated address space, allowing a program to be designed as though it has sole access to the virtual memory. However, some older operating systems (such as OS/VS1 and OS/VS2 SVS) and even modern ones (such as IBM i) are single address space operating systems that run all processes in a single address space composed of virtualized memory. Systems that employ virtual memory: use hardware memory more efficiently than do systems without virtual memory. [citation needed] make the programming of applications easier: by hiding fragmentation, by delegating to the kernel the burden of managing the memory hierarchy (there is no need for the program to handle overlays explicitly), and, when each process is run in its own dedicated address space, by obv iating the need to relocate program code or to access memory with relative addre ssing. Memory virtualization is a generalization of the concept of virtual memory. Virtual memory is an integral part of a computer architecture; all implementatio ns (excluding[dubious discuss] emulators and virtual machines) require hardware support, typically in the form of a memory management unit built into the CPU. C onsequently, older operating systems, such as those for the mainframes of the 19 60s, and those for personal computers of the early to mid 1980s (e.g. DOS),[1] g enerally have no virtual memory functionality,[dubious discuss] though notable e xceptions for mainframes of the 1960s include: The Atlas Supervisor for the Atlas. MCP for the Burroughs B5000. TSS/360 and CP/CMS for the IBM System/360 Model 67. Multics for the GE 645. The Time Sharing Operating System for the RCA Spectra 70/46. and the Apple Lisa is an example of a personal computer of the 1980s which featu res virtual memory. Embedded systems and other special-purpose computer systems that require very fa st and/or very consistent response times may opt not to use virtual memory due t o decreased determinism; virtual memory systems trigger unpredictable interrupts that may produce unwanted "jitter" during I/O operations. This is because embed ded hardware costs are often kept low by implementing all such operations with s oftware (a technique called bit-banging) rather than with dedicated hardware. In any case, embedded systems usually have little use for complicated memory hiera rchies.