Sys memory command returns memory zone failure in zone 3 of Other memory zone

Products

• PacketShaper

Issue/Introduction

When using sys memory command for checking the memory status of the Symantec Packetshaper appliance, there is memory zone failure for zone 3 into Other memory zone.

Resolution

The memory zone in the Packetshaper is divided into two principal types:

• Main memory zone: Used mainly for flow processing.
• Other memory zone: Used for management GUI and reports between others functions.

Each one of this is composed of a number of zones

PacketShaper pre-allocates memory to different features in the software, even when no process is using the memory.

Nevertheless, it is only worrying when an allocation fails and shows a value different to 0 in the column <fail counts> of the table shown when using the "sys memory" command.

We have also check if the <free blks> column goes 0 in some of the memory zones of the same table because this can mean a memory error.

When these parameters are showing the values previously mentioned that's mean a memory allocation failure indicating there is insufficient memory available and can cause issues.

We expect to see memory allocation failures in memory zone 3, in the “other” category, due to the way the PacketShaper S-series recycles host entries for use in the on-box reporting functionality.

When the host table is full, host entries are recycled in order of the least recently observed hosts.

Due to the nature of this recycling process, each time it takes place, the counter will increment.

Seeing this counter increment, while other zones show zero is typical on a healthy appliance.