SWAP file usage in our Linux distribution is common to most all other Linux versions and so information gained from other systems running Linux should be usable in openSUSE. Recently after reading an article on how a SWAP file works, I felt that some of that information should be shared with my fellow openSUSE users. You can read the article yourself if you wish in the AUG/SEP 2012 ADMIN magazine called SWAP Tricks by Federico Lucifredi, page 83. Its a great Little Article and worth the cost of the Mag.
So to begin, SWAP disk space is used when we begin to run out of main RAM memory, using it just as if it were regular memory. SWAP space prevents us from running out of memory, which can be a very bad problem should it occur. SWAP space is also used with the computer function called Hibernate, where all of the computer memory state is saved to your hard disk and can be restored at a later date. In this article though, we are concerned about its usage as memory. So, the first thing to decide, is how much should you create, when you install openSUSE? If you are like me, you often just go with the default of 2.00 GB or so. But apparently, there are some basic recommendations for this SWAP file size to be created according to Red Hat recommendations.
RAM Memory SWAP File Size
Up TO 4GB 2GB
4GB TO 16GB 4GB
16GB TO 64GB 8GB
64GB TO 256GB 16GB
So for most of us its a choice between a 2GB or 4GB SWAP File. Also, computers with large amounts of memory will not want to use SWAP space since it does slow your PC down. So, how can we determine where our SWAP file is located and how much of it is being used?
To determine where it is located, you can use the following Terminal command:
> more /proc/swaps
And this is what I get:
Filename Type Size Used Priority
/dev/sda2 partition 4197372 10456 0
Now that we see my SWAP partition is located on /dev/sda2 Partition, I can use fdisk to make sure it is properly setup as a SWAP partition with the following terminal command:
sudo /sbin/fdisk -l /dev/sda
And this is the result of that command on my system:
Disk /dev/sda: 128.0 GB, 128035676160 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 15566 cylinders, total 250069680 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x000bc91f
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 2048 1019897 508925 83 Linux
**/dev/sda2 1019904 9414655 4197376 82 Linux swap / Solaris**
/dev/sda3 * 9414656 250052607 120318976 83 Linux
Having the Partition ID of 82 shows it is a SWAP partition. Now, to determine if it is being used, here is the Terminal Command we can use:
> free -m
total used free shared buffers cached
Mem: 15292 10815 4476 0 1062 8706
-/+ buffers/cache: 1047 14245
**Swap: 4098 10 4088**
The -m option puts the values in millions, and easier to read. OK, well it looks like I have been using some of my 4GB of SWAP space. Even though I have 16GB of RAM memory, I start to use it up with multiple VM’s running so SWAP space will start to be used. Now, did you know there is a way to direct how likely the kernel will use of SWAP space? Consider that having SWAP space keeps you from running out of memory. But, using SWAP space can slow your PC down. The Linux kernel is trying anticipate the use of SWAP space but by default is more likely to use it before its really needed than not. That means there is a way to control its swappiness, as it is called and it can be set from a low of 0 up to 100%, the default. There are three ways to set this value. Th first way is to just edit the file that controls it.
In KDE do Alt-F2: kdesu kwrite /etc/sysctl.conf
OR
In GNOME do Alt-F2: gnomesu gedit /etc/sysctl.conf
And add the following one line to this existing file:
####
#
# /etc/sysctl.conf is meant for local sysctl settings
#
# sysctl reads settings from the following locations:
# /boot/sysctl.conf-<kernelversion>
# /lib/sysctl.d/*.conf
# /usr/lib/sysctl.conf.d/*.conf
# /usr/local/lib/sysctl.d/*.conf
# /etc/sysctl.d/*.conf
# /run/sysctl.d/*.conf
# /etc/sysctl.conf
#
# To disable or override a distribution provided file just place a
# file with the same name in /etc/sysctl.d/
#
# See sysctl.conf(5) and sysctl(8) for more information
#
####
kernel.sysrq = 0
net.ipv4.ip_forward = 0
net.ipv4.tcp_syncookies = 1
net.ipv6.conf.all.forwarding = 0
####
#
# /etc/sysctl.conf is meant for local sysctl settings
#
# sysctl reads settings from the following locations:
# /boot/sysctl.conf-<kernelversion>
# /lib/sysctl.d/*.conf
# /usr/lib/sysctl.conf.d/*.conf
# /usr/local/lib/sysctl.d/*.conf
# /etc/sysctl.d/*.conf
# /run/sysctl.d/*.conf
# /etc/sysctl.conf
#
# To disable or override a distribution provided file just place a
# file with the same name in /etc/sysctl.d/
#
# See sysctl.conf(5) and sysctl(8) for more information
#
####
# net.ipv6.conf.all.disable_ipv6 = 1
# net.ipv6.conf.all.disable_ipv6 = 1
**vm.swappiness=90 **
In this example, we will change the default to 90, down from 100%. Next, we could just change it on the fly with a couple of Terminal commands:
> sudo /sbin/sysctl -w vm.swappiness=90
OR
> sudo echo 90 > /proc/sys/vm/swappiness
In either case, this setting is good for a single session only and will go back to its default on your next restart or the value you have placed into your /etc/sysctl.conf file. Finally. did you know if you are going to do any memory speed testing, it would be best to turn off the SWAP file operation or anytime you don’t want a SWAP file used that might slow you down. The Terminal command you use would be:
To Turn off the SWAP file you would use:
> sudo /sbin/swapoff -a
To Turn on the SWAP file you would use:
> sudo /sbin/swapon -a
This concludes the SWAP file information I wanted to share with you. As always, if you have any comments or corrections, please let me know what they are.
Thank You for using openSUSE,
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