Linux - where to put swap space

Swap Space is used on Unix and Linux systems to provide additional pseudomemory resources. In other words, if you try to run so many processes that they won't all fit into memory at the same time, the operating system will swap them in and out of the swap space.

Swap space can be either disc partition(s) (a.k.a. slice(s)) dedicated to the task, and/or file(s) held within the file system. Although the operating system will attempt to swap as efficiently as possible, it does turn into a heavy resource burden sometimes and it's worth tuning your file system layout to take note of this:
a) Use Swap partitions rather than files (but files are great for a temporary expansion if you need it)
b) If you have multiple disc drives of the same speed, spread the swap area between them
c) If you have multiple disc drives of different speeds, put you swap space on the fastest
d) Keep the swap space in the middle of the disc / close to often used files to mimimise head movements
e) If you are using network drives, do NOT put any swap space onto a remote drive!

(written 2004-12-16, updated 2006-06-05)

Associated topics are indexed as below, or enter http://melksh.am/nnnn for individual articles

A162 - Web Application Deployment - Backups and File System Management
  [4063] Backups by crossover between network centres - setting up automatic scp transfers - (2013-04-13)
  [4056] An overpractical test of our backup strategy! - (2013-03-30)
  [2299] How much space does my directory take - Linux - (2009-07-20)
  [1893] Some Linux and Unix tips - (2008-11-18)
  [1801] Will your backups work if you have to restore them? - (2008-09-18)
  [1765] Dialects of English and Unix - (2008-08-21)
  [1648] The tourists guide to Linux - (2008-05-20)
  [1439] Linux / Unix - layout of operating system files - (2007-11-20)
  [1288] Linux run states, shell special commands, and directory structures - (2007-08-03)
  [1023] Finding public writeable things on your linux file system - (2007-01-06)
  [1013] Copy multiple files - confusing error message from cp - (2006-12-30)
  [754] tar, jar, war, ear, sar files - (2006-06-10)
  [735] Boys will be boys, saved by Ubuntu - (2006-05-27)
  [703] Copying files and preserving ownership - (2006-04-28)
  [593] Finding where the disc space has gone - (2006-02-06)
  [554] What backup is adequate? - (2006-01-04)
  [334] Symbolic links and hard links - (2005-06-02)

4de6

Back to
Aladdin, or careful what you wish.

Previous and next
or
Horse's mouth home

Forward to
Railway train service, Melksham station

Some other Articles

Automatic service upgrades
Signage
Railway train service, Melksham station
Linux - where to put swap space
Aladdin, or careful what you wish.
Coffee Standards
Confession
Fish stocks
Programming in isolation
Recent technical articles

4106 posts, page by page

Link to page ... 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83 at 50 posts per page

This is a page archived from The Horse's Mouth at http://www.wellho.net/horse/ - the diary and writings of Graham Ellis. Every attempt was made to provide current information at the time the page was written, but things do move forward in our business - new software releases, price changes, new techniques. Please check back via our main site for current courses, prices, versions, etc - any mention of a price in "The Horse's Mouth" cannot be taken as an offer to supply at that price.

Link to Ezine home page (for reading).
Link to Blogging home page (to add comments).

You can Add a comment or ranking to this page

Public Training Courses

Running regularly at our UK training Centre.
[Schedule] - [About] - [Book]

Like this? ??