Linux Server free memory decreases


 
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Operating Systems Linux Linux Server free memory decreases
# 1  
Old 11-25-2008
Linux Server free memory decreases

Hi,

I am facing one problem, On our Linux server Free memory decreases gradually but my java process memory does not increase.
Please any one tell, why free memory decreases gradually (1MB in approx 15 minutes).

kernel details:-
Linux linux4 2.6.9-42.ELsmp #1 SMP Wed Jul 12 23:27:17 EDT 2006 i686 i686 i386 GNU/Linux

Thanks & Regards,
Vaibhav
# 2  
Old 11-25-2008
it might be that linux uses free memory for caches (it fills up as the server runs).

example:

# free -m

total used free shared buffers cached
Mem: 7985 7798 187 0 145 2493
-/+ buffers/cache: 5158 2826
Swap: 1983 0 1983


This machine has 8gb of ram and is using (2.5GB as cache)

If an application needs this memory it will get it.'

or you might have a memory leak ....
# 3  
Old 11-25-2008
1/ it's most probable that s93366 is right: the memory is not "going away", it's being cached. It will be deducted from the "free", will be added to the "used", it will be in "cached" columns.

2/ Open a second console and use the "top" command. See which processes use most memory, see how much your java uses.

Or give us the output from the free Smilie
# 4  
Old 11-25-2008
Yes On my server cache memory also increases some kbs in each 15 minutes
For eg:- if free memory decreases 600 kb then cache memory increases only 100kb

Please tell what is the reason why cache increases
and any kernel tuning required for this problem.
# 5  
Old 11-25-2008
My java process taking around 2GB memory
oas 13207 85.2 24.6 2566432 2045672 ? Sl Dec03 1076:11 /usr/java/jre1.5.0_15/bin/java

Free output:-
[root@pdclinux4 aux]# free -lm
total used free shared buffers cached
Mem: 8115 2720 5395 0 177 433
Low: 820 218 601
High: 7295 2502 4793
-/+ buffers/cache: 2109 6006
Swap: 8189 0 8189
# 6  
Old 11-26-2008
Please any one give comment why cache memory increases due to this any harm on my system in a long run?
# 7  
Old 11-26-2008
Cache memory is just some nix-trix: instead of "not using" memory your system doesn't need, it will use the memory to "cache data". When an application requests more memory, the kernel will free the cache if needed though, so don't worry, memory used by the cache is actually "available" for your programs.

Your java thing seems indeed to be using 2Gb of memory.. not much more I can say of that. If the java thing grows, then it's probably your java code. If the java thing always uses the same amount of memory, and something else grows, it's something else :')
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