Re:Linux Memory Overcommit (2007)
by sylware on Monday August 19, 2024 @06:07AM
(#41289574)
I have been a linux user/dev for a while now, and it seems I have the wrong idea of what is memory overcommit:
For me, for a modern large CPU implementation, it simplifies a lot the userland software stack to be able to book huge virtual address spaces in userland, which are populated on page faults. If really needed, I can "release" some memory ranges of this memory virtual address space (linux munmap has some options related to just that).
I do realize I am working more and more in a 'infinite memory model' (modulo some "released" ranges from time to time).
For instance, I would be more that happy to book a few 64GiB virtual address ranges on my small 8GiB workstation.
I am talking about anonymous memory, not file backed mmaping which is another story.
For me, for a modern large CPU implementation, it simplifies a lot the userland software stack to be able to book huge virtual address spaces in userland, which are populated on page faults. If really needed, I can "release" some memory ranges of this memory virtual address space (linux munmap has some options related to just that).
I do realize I am working more and more in a 'infinite memory model' (modulo some "released" ranges from time to time).
For instance, I would be more that happy to book a few 64GiB virtual address ranges on my small 8GiB workstation.
I am talking about anonymous memory, not file backed mmaping which is another story.