RAM question for everyone!

[Robin Laing]

Dan Track wrote:
> On Fri, Jan 23, 2009 at 4:07 PM, Mark Haney <mhaney at ercbroadband.org> wrote:
>> Bryn M. Reeves wrote:
>>> Mark Haney wrote:
>>>> Dan Track wrote:
>>>>> I was recently asked a question about how much RAM should there be
>>>>> within a server given that the APP uses 8GB of Memory, should I buy
>>>>> 10Gig of memory and have a small harddrive and no swap space? Would
>>>>> this configuration allow everything in my OS to run from RAM and not
>>>>> from swap? If this is the case then there's no need to ever create
>>>>> swap, is there?!?
>>>>>
>>>>> Your thoughts are appreciated.
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanks
>>>>> Dan
>>>>>
>>>> With RAM, the more the merrier.  I guess the question is, what does this
>>> Unless you're on a 32-bit system in which case more RAM can make you
>>> much less merrier since the mere addition of the memory causes more
>>> pressure on the already constrained lowmem available on these platforms.
>>>
>>> Regards,
>>> Bryn.
>>>
>> True, but the assumption was 64-bit since he says the app uses 8GB RAM.
>>
>> --
> 
> Thanks for the info, but if my only reads from disk and will not grow
> beyond 8GB is it true to say that I have no need for swap space if I
> install 10GB or more of RAM?
> 
> Dan
> 

This is an interesting discussion.

 From what I read, I would put in at least 10GB of ram in what ever 
arrangement the system will allow.  I would also create a swap partition 
of 4-10G and enable it.  If you don't need it then you can turn it off. 
  If it doesn't affect performance, then you can leave it on.

Swap will only be used if it needs to be.  And if the server is 
critical, then at least there is a buffer if there is a problem.  I have 
8 Gig ram and an 8 Gig swap.  Some times I work with 6 and 8 Gig graphic 
files so the swap comes into play.  If I don't work with large files for 
some time, I don't see any swap usage at all.

I have never done it but I understand that you can create a swap file 
and use that so you could get by without creating a swap partition.

It is a simple process of turning it on or off.


-- 
Robin Laing