Papers for heap memory analysis and leak detection

[csabahruska]

BEST
AntTracks project

• Utilizing Object Reference Graphs and Garbage Collection Roots to Detect Memory Leaks in Offline Memory Monitoring
• Analyzing Data Structure Growth Over Time to Facilitate Memory Leak Detection
• Analyzing the Evolution of Data Structures in Trace-Based Memory Monitoring
• Memory Leak Analysis using Time-Travel-based and Timeline-based Tree Evolution Visualizations
• Investigating High Memory Churn via Object Lifetime Analysis to Improve Software Performance

GOOD

• Cork: Dynamic Memory Leak Detection for Garbage-Collected Languages
• Detection and Diagnosis of Memory Leaks in Web Applications
  LeakSpot: useful tool, similar to AntTracks, maybe higher level?
• BLeak: Automatically Debugging Memory Leaks in Web Application
  same idea as Java based AntTracks ; good metrics: LeakShare
• LeakChecker: Practical Static Memory Leak Detection for Managed Languages
  good references for other methods, static analysis based
  phd thesis from the author of the LeakChecker paper

[csabahruska]

Other papers I read:

• Patterns of Memory Inefficiency
  good high level approach for Java

• Xu, G. and Rountev, A., Precise Memory Leak Detection for Java Software Using Container Profiling, 2008
  obsolete ; container-base heap tracking ; subsumed by other techniques

• Rayside, D. and Mendel, L., Object Ownership Profiling: A Technique for Finding and Fixing Memory Leaks, 2007
  obsolete ; based on dominator trees ; subsumed by other techniques

• Mitchell, N., et al, Making Sense of Large Heaps, 2007
  obsolete ; based on dominator trees ; subsumed by other techniques

• Bond, M. D. and McKinley, K. S., Leak Pruning, 2009
  irrelevant, improves leaking programs but does not detect leak source

• Detecting memory leaks in managed languages with Cork

• Diagnosing Memory Leaks using Graph Mining on Heap Dumps
  uses dominator tree => insufficient for group owner leaks

• A STATISTICAL APPROACH FOR IDENTIFYING MEMORY LEAKS IN CLOUD APPLICATIONS
  http://kodu.ut.ee/~srirama/publications/CLOSER11.pdf

• Statistical approach for memory leak detection in Java applications
  http://dspace.ut.ee/bitstream/handle/10062/43817/shor_vladimir.pdf
  does not mention trace based heap analysis that includes temporal info also ; method: genCount / GC generation count + statistics + machine learning

• Memory leaks detection in Java by bi-abductive inference
  http://www.eecs.qmul.ac.uk/~ddino/papers/FASE2010.pdf
  based on static analysis

• Automatic Removal of Array Memory Leaks in Java
  https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/3-540-46423-9_4.pdf
  based on static analysis

• Online Memory Leak Detection in the Cloud-based Infrastructures
  https://arxiv.org/pdf/2101.09799.pdf

• LeakSurvivor: Towards Safely Tolerating Memory Leaks for Garbage-Collected Languages
  https://www.usenix.org/legacy/events/usenix08/tech/full_papers/tang/tang_html/leaksurvive.html

AntTracks:

• User-centered Offline Analysis of Memory Monitoring Data
  https://ssw.jku.at/General/Staff/Weninger/Papers/Weninger_ICPE_17_Preprint.pdf
• User-defined Classification and Multi-level Grouping of Objects in Memory Monitoring
  https://ssw.jku.at/General/Staff/Weninger/Papers/Weninger_ICPE_18_Preprint.pdf
• AntTracks TrendViz: Configurable Heap Memory Visualization Over Time
  https://research.spec.org/icpe_proceedings/2019/companion/p29.pdf
• many good papers
  https://ssw.jku.at/General/Staff/Weninger/
• 2020: Heap Evolution Analysis Using Tree Visualizations.
  https://ssw.jku.at/General/Staff/Weninger/Papers/Weninger_SSP_20_TreeViz_Preprint.pdf
• 2020: Memory Cities: Visualizing Heap Memory Evolution Using The Software City Metaphor.
  https://ssw.jku.at/General/Staff/Weninger/Papers/Weninger_VISSOFT_20_Preprint.pdf
  3d charts have bad UX ; subsumed by: 2020: Memory Leak Analysis using Time-Travel-based and Timeline-based Tree Evolution Visualizations
• 2019: Memory Leak Visualization using Evolving Software Cities.
  https://ssw.jku.at/General/Staff/Weninger/Papers/Weninger_SSP_19_Preprint.pdf
• 2020: Analysis Tool: Findings from a Cognitive Walkthrough and a User Study.
  https://ssw.jku.at/General/Staff/Weninger/Papers/Weninger_EICS_20_Preprint.pdf
  UX survey ; will be useful in a later stage if UI/UX development
• 2019: Detection of Suspicious Time Windows in Memory Monitoring.
  https://ssw.jku.at/General/Staff/Weninger/Papers/Weninger_MPLR_19_Preprint.pdf

Other:

• Just-in-time Compiler Assisted Object Reclamation and Space Reuse
  https://hal.inria.fr/hal-01054959/document
  [escape analysis to reduce memory churn]

• JVM-based Techniques for Improving Java Observability
  https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1024&context=computerscidiss