Monitoring memory usage with vmstat

[Soren Hansen]

We uses vmstat to monitor the amount of available memory. Does anobody know if file cache is reported as used memory on the free list?

[John Palmer · Accepted solution]

What vmstat reports is 'free' is the number of free pages (at 4kb each). It doesn't include the buffer cache.

You can get the current size of the buffer cache (again in 4kb pages) with:-

echo bufpages/D|adb -k /stand/vmunix /dev/kmem

Regards,
John

[Sridhar Bhaskarla]

Hi Soren,

Your question - buffer cache is included in the used memory. It is not part of free list.

-Sri

[Soren Hansen]

Hi,

Thank you, that was very helpfull.

rgds.

[James R. Ferguson]

Hi Soren:

The buffer cache can also be observed with 'glance'. In the memory utilization graph the "B" region is the buffer cache. Also toggle the (m)emory report of glance and look at the bottom of the screen.

Regards!

...JRF...