4.6 Optimizing Garbage Collection

The NetWare server provides a garbage collection or memory recovery process that periodically collects allocated memory freed by NLM programs and returns it to cache. For general information on garbage collection, see Garbage Collection.

Garbage collection responds to pressure from the virtual memory system. (For an explanation of virtual memory, see Virtual Memory.)

If pressure on virtual memory is high, then garbage collection happens immediately.

If pressure on virtual memory is low, then garbage collection happens at the regularly scheduled garbage collection interval. This interval is controlled by the Garbage Collection Interval server parameter.

To view or change this interval in the Novell Remote Manager:

  1. Click Set Parameters under the Manage Server heading in the navigation frame.

  2. Click Memory > Garbage Collection Interval.

  3. View or change the interval setting.

Normally, garbage collection happens in the background. File system cache sizes grow when this occurs.

To initiate garbage collection manually for individual modules using Novell Remote Manager:

  1. Click List Modules under the Manage Applications heading in the navigation frame.

  2. In the field, type the name of module that you want to garbage collect memory from, then click Load Module.

  3. Click the garbage collection link for that module.

    A page is returned showing the amount of memory that was freed for use.