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Re: [Xen-devel] RAM allocation and miscellaneous questions

To: xen-devel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [Xen-devel] RAM allocation and miscellaneous questions
From: "Mark A. Williamson" <mark.williamson@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 30 Sep 2004 14:26:00 +0100
Cc: "Mat" <mat@xxxxxxxxx>
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> For people that still use linux 2.4 (like me) is there a tutorial or some
> documentation about the ballon driver ?

Documentation, 2.6 support and facilities to control other domain's balloons 
using xm in domain 0 are cooking and should be ready shortly.

In the meantime, do:
# echo target_megabytes > /proc/xen/memory_target
To set a new memory footprint.  There's a Linux kernel param (mem=..., I 
think) for setting the maximum amount of memory a domain can handle, if 
larger than it's initial allocation (i.e. if you want to start with x 
megabytes but grow it later).

Trying to grow the domain's memory beyond what it's expecting (the initial 
allocation or the kernel param if you specified that) will not work.

Use:
# cat /proc/xen/memory_target
To get the current footprint.

HTH,
Mark

> > >  I have been wondering why my Domain-0 machine hasn't been using swap!
> > >
> > >  :o) So I should just dump that partition?
> >
> > If you've configured swap, domain 0 should be using just like any
> > normal linux kernel. The balloon driver works in dom0 just like
> > any other domain.
>
> It seems logical, but due to the fact that only a few process are running
> ind dom0, swap file don't need to be huge is it ?
>
> > >  I suppose I'll have to be very rigorous when
> > >  it comes to keeping that domain lean yes? (Especially as I only have
> > >  4GB to play with!). Out side of basic OS functionality, are there any
> > >  Xen or LVM2 related processes I have to account for when setting the
> > >  amount of RAM I can use for Domain-0?
> >
> > -xen linux kernels don't have any special processes that take any
> > noticeable extra resources.
> >
> > In domain 0 you'll have to worry about the footprint of xend, but
> > it's not that big.
>
> When starting with xen one or two month ago, i've created a dom0 with only
> 32 Mo of ram, and when i launched xend, it was so slow that i tought i had
> a problem.
> I didn't take time to investigate and didn't remember how much memory was
> used and if the system was swaping or not.
> I just have done a test now with my current xen putting 32768 Mo on xen
> command line (not the kernel line in grub).
> And the system booted a bit slower and i suspect that durring the launch of
> xend it has done some swap.
> free return this just after the boot :
> mat@zeus:/$ free
>              total       used       free     shared    buffers     cached
> Mem:         32768      28572       4196          0          0       7172
> -/+ buffers/cache:      21400      11368
> Swap:       506008        312     505696
>
> Having this process:
>   207 ?        Ss     0:00 dhclient -e -pf /var/run/dhclient.eth0.pid -lf
> /var/
>   253 ?        Ss     0:00 /sbin/syslogd
>   256 ?        Ss     0:00 /sbin/klogd
>   261 ?        Ss     0:00 /usr/sbin/inetd
>   268 ?        Ss     0:00 /usr/sbin/sshd
>   274 ?        S      0:00 xfrd
>   275 ?        S      0:00 python /usr/sbin/xend start
>   288 ?        Ss     0:00 /usr/sbin/cron
>   327 tty1     Ss+    0:00 /sbin/getty 38400 tty1
>   328 tty2     Ss+    0:00 /sbin/getty 38400 tty2
>   329 tty3     Ss+    0:00 /sbin/getty 38400 tty3
>   330 tty4     Ss+    0:00 /sbin/getty 38400 tty4
>   331 tty5     Ss+    0:00 /sbin/getty 38400 tty5
>   332 tty6     Ss+    0:00 /sbin/getty 38400 tty6
>   333 ?        Ss     0:00 sshd: mat [priv]
>   335 ?        R      0:00 sshd: mat@pts/0
>   336 pts/0    Ss     0:00 -bash
>   344 pts/0    R+     0:00 ps ax
>
> i guess i could reduce the number of getty and get rid of dhclient (the
> adress of dom0 is a static one ...).
>
> It was my 2cents thoughts ...
> Matthieu
>
>
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