What is the technique called that breaks up larger files into smaller segments?

The technique that is commonly known for breaking up larger files into smaller segments is called paging. This process involves dividing a computer's memory into fixed-size blocks called "pages." When a file is too large to fit into memory, paging allows it to be split into smaller pages that can be managed more efficiently. This is particularly useful in operating systems for managing memory effectively, allowing multiple processes to share the available physical memory space without needing to load entire files at once.

Paging optimizes memory use and increases system performance, as smaller pages can be loaded or swapped in and out of physical memory as needed. This management minimizes the need for continuous contiguous memory, allowing for more flexibility in how memory is allocated and utilized.

In contrast, fragmentation typically refers to the way that data is stored in non-contiguous sections of memory, which can lead to inefficient use of space but does not actively break files into smaller segments in the same way that paging is intended to do. Compression involves reducing the size of files to save space but doesn't necessarily relate to the splitting of files across memory. Virtual memory is a broader concept that uses both hardware and software to allow a computer to compensate for physical memory shortages, but it encompasses more than just breaking files into segments.