Install linux in the DL380 with 2GB mem

[Shehan]

I have a DL380 server with 2GB RAM.When we install Linux to this server ,pls let me know how to allocate the swap partion ?.Is it possible to keep one partion or else need to divide into 4 partions like 1024 * 4.


/Nirukshitha

[ramesh_naik_]

Hi Nirukshitha,

The swap-partition is something like the swap-files under Windows. When physical RAM is used up, the swap partition is used as though it were RAM.

This is the disk partition used for a system swap area. If your swap area is too small, the kernel reserves some real memory to make sure it never "starves" for memory. This memory reservation takes away memory from user applications. To avoid this, set up a swap area that is the size of your RAM (either as a dedicated disk partition or through SAM). For example, if you have 2GB of RAM, use a 2GB swap area.

The recommendations for allocating swap is anywhere from 1.5 to 2 times the amount of physical RAM on your system.

Refer here for details on partitioning:
http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/linux/RHL-9-Manual/install-guide/s1-diskpartitioning.html

Hope this answers!!!!

Regards,
rmn

[sandeep_raman]

Hello Nirukshitha,

The â 1.5 to 2 times the amount of RAMâ rule is just a guideline. You can make a swap partition as big or as small as youâ d like.

On servers,running without swap is propbably suicidal.

The swap partition will only be used if the physical RAM becomes full.Some systems swap a lot,some not very much.

SRH

[sandeep_raman]

Also forgot to mention,
Swap partition size limits under modern Linux kernels

x86 2 Gigabytes
PowerPC 2 Gigabytes
Motorola 680x0 2 Gigabytes
Sparc 1 Gigabyte
MIPS 512 Megabytes
Alpha 128 Gigabytes
UltraSparc 3 Terabytes

So if you have memory above 1Gb,its a better practice to create multiple swap partitions which less than or equal to 2Gb.

SRH