increases cache_mem but no effect on mem status

[Maaz]

Proxy Server: Squid2.6-STABLE12

Dear Gurus,

when in squid.conf
cache_mem 128

then I check the memory status via command "free -m", and 581 MB was used.

But then/now I increased cache_mem in squid.conf, as
cache_mem 300
then
# squid -k reconfigure
But still memory status/used is almost same as it was before increasing the mem_cache in squid.conf
Again I check the memory status as
# free -m, and now the memory used is 589 only, and I think it should be atleast 581+(300-128)=753.

I wana know why its only 589, instead of 753 ?

Regards
Maaz

[Steven E. Protter]

Shalom Maaz,

You increased cache_mem from 128 to 300, a net increase, if squid actually used it of 172 MB.

You may wish to try a full restart on squid and see if ti changes the figures.

However I believe the cause of this is that when squid requested the additional memory, some of it came from the buffer cache. That figure probably reduced.

To prove a problem you need to know what process was using what before the change.

SEP

[Ivan Ferreira · Accepted solution]

It only specifies the upper limit (not starting value) for certain objects.


See:

http://wiki.squid-cache.org/SquidFaq/SquidMemory