DNS server running low on free mem

[phn at icke-reklam.ipsec.nu]

Elias <elias at tmnet.com.my> wrote:


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> Hi guys,

> I noticed that over a period of a month or two, my DNS servers will run extremely low on memory. My machines are equipped with 1024 MB of mem, but after a while it drops down to less than 10MB free. Restarting the named daemon does not help at all cos the free mem will shoot up to around 200MB when I first restart it, then after a few days it'll go back to < 10MB. The only solution so far is to restart the machines. Is this normal for a DNS server? I'm still new at this and have basically no experience a
t all in DNS behaviour. BTW, I've just upgraded to use BIND 8.3.4. I've tried running BIND 8.3.2, 8.3.3 and also 8.2.3, but all give the same results. Thanks!

> - Elias -

You did not mention what OS you use, for a number of OS it's quite normal 
to see "free memory" quite low.  

Reason is that unused memory is used for system purposes ( as buffer cache or simular)
Memory is not lost, whenever an application needs it it will be 
freed and made available.

So looking for "free memory" might not be the best diagnostic tools. Looking
for used / resident memory used by named is a way better method.

ps and top are two tools that can show this.



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Peter Håkanson         
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