Topic: Memory Management in Linux

[djhomeless]

Hi Everyone,
You can file this thread under, 'everything you always wanted to know about Linux, but were afraid to ask'.

Now that my system is rock solid and running all my websites, I've been paying more attention to the logs, and stat programs like MRTG. Now, considering I'm a noob I'm not sure if what I'm seeing is normal, or cause to upgrade my RAM.

The memory seems to be maxxed out, at about 95-96% throughout the day (inc. cached, buffered, and used). Now, you would think this would be cause for concern right? Well, just to confuse the matter, the system CPU averages just 10% utilization throughout the day (with the exception when it runs clam scans in the evening). Also, SWAP is only using a 1/3 of available resources.

I don't notice any sluggish performance, on the contrary my box screams compared to the old Cobalt Linux box I used before. Not knowing how Linux handles memory allocation (and being used to a Windows world), I don't know if what I'm seeing is normal.

Thanks in advance,

Geoffrey

[briank]

Normal for Linux
See http://forums.contribs.org/index.php?topic=18889.msg74665#msg74665
Regards
Brian

[djhomeless]

Thanks, thats what I thought. Considering my performance is very fast, and my swap is so under-utilised, I just assumed this was a 'feature' not a bug.

I suppose when my swap starts maxxing out, and my buffer is reaching 0%, then it will be time to upgrade.

Geoffrey

[CharlieBrady]

You can file this thread under, 'everything you always wanted to know about Linux, but were afraid to ask'.

Or perhaps "something that is frequently asked".

The memory seems to be maxxed out, at about 95-96% throughout the day (inc. cached, buffered, and used). Now, you would think this would be cause for concern right?

No. You paid for the memory, you should be using it, no?

See:

http://forums.contribs.org/index.php?topic=6686.msg24068#msg24068
http://forums.contribs.org/index.php?topic=6686.msg24068#msg24068

[etc]