Re: [squid-users] memory question and system performance

Pat Lendon wrote:

> We are using Redhat Linux OS. System has 1 gig of memory. Cache
> Manager and top command show squid memory at 5%.
> I've read squid faq 8.11 "How much memory do I need in my squid server?"
> cache_dir ufs /d1/squid_cache 2048 16 256
> /d1 resides on separate file system (18gig of disk, with 7 gig
> available). Squid cache is configured to use 2 gig.
> 10 MB of ram per 2 GB of total cach_dirs would be 20MB
> cache_mem 8 MB
> Plus additional/extra 20MB does calculate to the 5% (50 meg) of the 1
> gig of memory system contains. System appears to have enough memory.

The above configuration should be happy with as little as 128MB with a
standard bloated full server installation.. or as little as 64MB if the
server is stripped down to not run X or any other unneeded memoryhungry
services besides Squid..

> Looking at chart enclosed, is it normal for squid memory usage to grow
> and grow?

No. The normal is that Squid relatively quickly settles on a stdeady
value after it has been in use for a while, and grow a little while the
cache is being filled up.

If top says Squid is using 5% of the memory, What is it that you measure
when you measure the Squid memory usage?

> What causes this?

Good question. If it is Squid who is using this memory additional hints
may be provided by looking at the "Memory Utilization" cachemgr page.

> Furthermore - I'm also seeing slight delays on system. System has two
> AMD Athlon(TM) MP 1800+ processors cpu MHz 1533.431. When system seems
> delayed we run top and cpu's are not even at 50%, memory looks fine.

Keep in mind that Squid is a single application and can only make use of
one CPU..

Regards
Henrik
Received on Wed Mar 26 2003 - 17:42:38 MST