High swap... how to detect which process is creating that

[Mascouten]

I here working on a clients Linux system. This system has a 24GB of Ram which is supported by 18GB swap. Things works fine here by the swap is quiet high. Now here I am not expert at detecting the application which behind this thing to consume the swap. What I am looking is for a detailed solution the memory swap in Linux. I was doing the same by reading a manual which I got from my senior. I had not performed the same operating anytime before. I was just engaged with a basic root level application which supports a networked software. Now if the same keeps on growing then what can be done here to avoid the same or to find out the thing behind it. Also how does this entire things work altogether. If I am not able to find file then at least the procedure behind the memory swap can help me out to locate the file eating up the memory. I tried some basic fixing that does not provide much help.

[Elieis]

It is right that one my think that what is SWAP on our Linux distributions. This is often on most of the machines with 1024Mb of RAM. This confuses most of the users and also it is hard to located the process behind this. I had tried to locate some information here which can be a bit helpful. Now in a single line I can tell you that the Linux swap is required to operate its system in an optimal way, even with lots of memory. Here what happens in your system is that the swap space allows the system to record all data necessary for temporary operation of programs running. Now this is all those stuff which is used for virtual memory stuff. I cannot say that it is possible to entirely stop the process but you can regulate the working of this file. This is a full virtual memory in your system but you can compare it with the page file on a very basic level. Now you might also need to know that for what does this process is used for. It is not possible to terminate the process as it is a vital support for the operating system. Now if you are using a high resource eating software or game then Linux operating system needs SWAP to make the process to work stable. Adding a SWAP here may be useful for Linux systems which needs high availability in terms of program delivery particularly resource-intensive memory. It is a major aspect of an operating system which is needed to be maintained by the system itself. It is possible to manipulate the file and adjust the system consumption as per you need. I am not sure but it is possible to find such tools that can help you to adjust the SWAP file settings. You can then assign a prescribed amount of memory to the resource and then check whether your system performance is effected or not.

[Emiliio]

What I know about this file is that this tool is used for vital process of the operating system. I found that this tool is used for server file sharing, server computing, software for video processing, 3D games. etc. How in windows when a page file is increased if you run some system resource application. The use the empty space on the hard drive to use maximum resources available. The default value is based on the system settings which can be accessed and adjust via terminal. Some file sharing application or network data storage system might eat up a high SWAP which you might not agree to work with. For example, if a program is not used for some time or for several hours or several days, Linux may decide to place it in swap space. This has the advantage of freeing up space in RAM and increase the size of disk cache, and thus increase the performance of disk access and thus increase overall system performance. It helps to initiate the service which needs a high system resource to work in a better way. Now you cannot say that this can be a positive point for the Linux system. There are some flaws of this also. The one thing which I had noticed that it makes your disk very slow to work. Memory speeds can be measured in nanoseconds, while disks are measured in milliseconds. If you have a high SWAP in your system then you will noticed that the speed of your drive is reduces and that has cause a slow performance in your system. I will recommend you to adjust the settings as per need. But that is only recommended if you find a very poor performance of your system. Re-installing some application can be fixed the issue but that can help you out in some basic help only. You can try fixing some tools.

[Enriquee]

That is right if your system has high SWAP usage then that will directly affect the performance of you hard drive. Your data transfer whether in network or local might work a quiet slow. It is possible to assume that time to access the disk can be tens of thousands times slower than accessing physical memory. The more swapping that occurs, the slower your system will be. So if you are facing issue related to SWAP in your system then it is recommended that you must adjust those applications that are eating up high system resource. It can be your direct network drive connection. It is right to say that the more swapping that occurs, the slower your system will be. Even if your system works 24x7 then it is possible that your system may experience swapping or thrashing of the page memory. The same you might see that it is rising too high for some time and then go below back in some seconds. That is acceptable but put strains on your system. In such situations the system is struggling to find free memory and keep applications running at the same time. In this case only adding more RAM will help. Actually it is not recommended that the SWAP of file must occur again and again. I am not sure about the exact system process that can help you out. In such situations the system is struggling to find free memory and keep applications running at the same time. In this case only adding more RAM will help. But on the same hand this process is also important so you have find a middle way for that. I will recommended some automated software that can monitor currently in your system, that can tell you the activity of process and the amount of ram consumed and swapped. Try to put end to some application.

[Enriqueta]

If you can locate the entire number of system process running in your system right now. I can tell you for purpose does this thing supports your system, so that you can have a idea about the same. SWAP initiates the the functions of hibernation. If hibernation, Linux, copy the data in RAM to the swap, and off the computer. If you have a slow system then it is better you add up more ram sticks so that at least your hard drive stays free from the current SWAP thing. It is recommended that the size of SWAP make between x1, x2 5 to the RAM available on the machine. Like for example if you have a 1024GB of ram then it is recommended that you have a reserve of 2048GB of SWAP. This is always the double of what you actually have right now in your system. It can happen if swap (RAM) becomes full, the system may crash completely. Because there is no other alternative your system has to end up the session for initiating the current process on your computer. I advise you to always do a little swap. In Linux it is very simple to add or resize the swap size. The same can be possible with some command line that can guide for adjusting the process. You can find ample of suggestion for that online. The process for this thing is a bit tougher so that cannot be mentioned in one line. You must right down all the command with the steps and results already you got from internet. I have a sample of the command. By the command : sudo dd if = / dev / zero of = / file.swap bs = 1024 count you can generate a swap of 5152MB of RAM. In the same way the swap bs = goes on increasing as you have a enough number of ram. After that you have to also create system file for that by using the command : sudo mkswap / file.swap 512000.

[Ernesto4]

If you are a Linux user and you are facing slow system issue then you might first remember the contents of files in / proc and its various sub-directories relies on information about your system. In other words, do not expect to see the same information in a file / proc on different computers. In addition, depending on the version of the Linux kernel and devices connected to your system, some of the files you find here may not be in your / proc directory. Similarly, files in your folders could not be described in this document. Some system files or applications makes exhaust your system making it working very slowly and memory. It is quite possible to resize partitions with Partition Magic QTParted equivalent. I do not know if it is suir cds of red hat 9. You can also add as many swap partitions as you want. If you use multiple disks it is even strongly advised to have at least one on each disc. And if your space on the swap partition runs out you can possibly create swap files. Linux can create virtual memory space taken from your hard drive. When using swap space, the operating system transfers the unused pages of conventional memory into virtual memory, allowing you to work simultaneously with more applications. However, because of the slowness of the swap, virtual memory is not a substitute for a genuinely effective Vice memory (RAM). This is way how a SWAP thing works in the system. It is none other than what you find a page file in windows and you can just directly adjust the settings by right clicking on the computer. In case of high usage you can set the swap limitation so that you system does not put more strain on the hard drive of your system and eating up the performance of data transfer.