System and method for handling memory allocation failures through reserve allocation of event data

1. A method comprising the steps of:

receiving a request event from a first component, wherein the request event is received via a mechanism other than a function call from the first component, the request event associated with a request event parameter buffer, wherein the request event comprises at least one event associated with a video-on-demand service, the at least one event comprising at least one of new session request data and stream play request data associated with providing the video-on-demand service;

receiving a response event from a second component, wherein the response event is received via a mechanism other than a function call from the second component, the response event associated with the received request event;

allocating a response event parameter buffer from a first pool, wherein the response event parameter buffer is associated with the response;

obtaining, upon failure of the allocation of the response event parameter buffer an out-of-memory indication buffer used to indicate that no memory was allocated for the response event;

associating the out-of-memory indication buffer with the response event; and

completing, upon obtaining the out-of-memory indication buffer and associating the out-of-memory indication buffer with the response event, the request event using the response event and the associated out-of memory buffer to indicate no memory was allocated for the response event, wherein completing the request event comprises sending the response event and the associated out-of-memory buffer to the first component to complete the request event, wherein the request event parameter buffer associated with the response is re-used when sending the response event to the first component.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the obtaining further comprises:

allocating the out-of-memory indication buffer from the first pool, wherein the size of the out-of-memory indication buffer is smaller than the size of the response event parameter buffer.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

allocating memory for a second reserve pool, wherein the second reserve pool is distinct from the first pool.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the step of allocating memory for a second reserve pool is performed at system initialization.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the step of allocating memory for a second reserve pool is performed in response to a specific request event.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein the obtaining step further comprises:

allocating the out-of-memory indication buffer from the second reserve pool.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the size of the allocation from the second reserve pool is fixed at a minimum necessary to indicate allocation failure.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

initializing the out-of-memory indication buffer to indicate that the request event failed.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

initializing the out-of-memory indication buffer to indicate that the memory allocation for the request event parameter buffer failed.

10. A computer readable medium storing a computer program, the computer program comprising:

requester logic comprising:

logic configured to allocate memory for request event data associated with a request event, wherein the request event comprises at least one event associated with a video-on-demand service, wherein the request event data comprises new session request data associated with providing the video-on-demand service, wherein the new session request data comprises a session id data and asset name data, and wherein a type associated with the session id data and the asset name data is encoded by a position within the new session request data;

logic configured to send the request event with the memory storing request event data related to the request event to a first component via a mechanism other than a function call to the first component; and

responder logic comprising:

logic configured to receive the request event, with the memory storing request event data related to the request event, sent from the first component via a mechanism other than a function call from the first component;

logic configured to allocate memory for response event data from a first pool, wherein the response event data is associated with a response, where the response event is associated with the request event;

logic configured to obtain, upon failure of the allocation of memory for the response event data, memory for out-of-memory response event data used to indicate that no memory was allocated for the response event;

logic configured to associate the out-of-memory response event data with the response and to send, upon obtaining the memory for the out-of-memory response event data and associating the out-of-memory response event data with the response, the response event and the out-of-memory response event data completing the request to indicate no memory was allocated for the response event, wherein the memory storing the request event data is re-used when sending the response event completing the request.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 10 , further comprising:

logic configured to allocate memory for a second reserve pool, wherein the second reserve pool is distinct from the first pool.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the logic configured to allocate memory for the second reserve pool executes at system initialization.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the logic configured to allocate memory for the second reserve pool executes in response to a specific request event.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the logic configured to obtain further comprises:

logic configured to allocate the memory for out-of-memory response event data from the second reserve pool.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 11 , further comprising:

logic configured to initialize the memory for out-of-memory response event data to indicate that the request event failed.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 11 , further comprising:

logic configured to initialize the memory for out-of memory response event data to indicate that the memory allocation for the request event parameter buffer failed.

17. A device comprising:

a processor configured to execute instructions from a memory, the instructions comprising:

logic configured to receive an asynchronous response to a request, the response associated with response event data, the request associated with a request event parameter buffer wherein the request comprises a request event comprising at least one event associated with a video-on-demand service, the at least one event comprising at least one of new session request data and stream play request data associated with providing the video-on-demand service;

logic configured to allocate a parameter buffer for the response event data from a first pool;

logic configured to obtain, responsive to a failure of the allocation, an out-of memory indication buffer;

logic configured to associate the out-of-memory indication buffer with the response event data; and

logic configured to complete, upon obtaining the out-of-memory indication buffer and associating the out-of-memory indication buffer with the response event data, the request using the out-of-memory indication buffer, wherein completing the request comprises sending the response event data and the associated out-of-memory indication buffer to complete the request, wherein the request event parameter buffer associated with the request is re-used when sending the response event data.

18. The device of claim 17 , the instructions further comprising:

logic configured to allocate the out-of-memory indication buffer from the first pool, whenever the size of the out-of-memory indication buffer is smaller than the size of the parameter buffer.