RAM goes critical within 24 hours

I have 16 GB Ram, and 5 GB virtual memory. As i reboot my server, it starts from using only 2+ GB RAM. But after few hours, it reaches on critical use of RAM, for example 96%. It never used Virtual memory. Finally after every 24 hours, I have to reboot it. Please suggest.

Status: 
Closed (fixed)

Comments

Howdy -- whenever the RAM usage is high, what is the output of the following commands:

free -m
ps auxwf

That will give us an idea of what is going on within your server at the time.

[root@host ~]# free -m
total used free shared buff/cache available
Mem: 15857 793 360 81 14702 14690
Swap: 5119 0 5119
[root@host ~]# ps auxwf
USER PID %CPU %MEM VSZ RSS TTY STAT START TIME COMMAND
root 2 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:00 [kthreadd]
root 3 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:00 \_ [ksoftirqd/0]
root 5 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 00:01 0:00 \_ [kworker/0:0H]
root 7 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:00 \_ [migration/0]
root 8 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:00 \_ [rcu_bh]
root 9 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:00 \_ [rcuob/0]
root 10 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:00 \_ [rcuob/1]
root 11 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:00 \_ [rcuob/2]
root 12 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:00 \_ [rcuob/3]
root 13 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:00 \_ [rcuob/4]
root 14 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:00 \_ [rcuob/5]
root 15 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:00 \_ [rcuob/6]
root 16 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:00 \_ [rcuob/7]
root 17 0.2 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 2:56 \_ [rcu_sched]
root 18 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:33 \_ [rcuos/0]
root 19 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:38 \_ [rcuos/1]
root 20 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:42 \_ [rcuos/2]
root 21 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:37 \_ [rcuos/3]
root 22 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:30 \_ [rcuos/4]
root 23 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:37 \_ [rcuos/5]
root 24 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:43 \_ [rcuos/6]
root 25 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:23 \_ [rcuos/7]
root 26 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:00 \_ [watchdog/0]
root 27 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:00 \_ [watchdog/1]
root 28 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:00 \_ [migration/1]
root 29 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:00 \_ [ksoftirqd/1]
root 31 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 00:01 0:00 \_ [kworker/1:0H]
root 32 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:00 \_ [watchdog/2]
root 33 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:00 \_ [migration/2]
root 34 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:00 \_ [ksoftirqd/2]
root 36 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 00:01 0:00 \_ [kworker/2:0H]
root 37 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:00 \_ [watchdog/3]
root 38 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:00 \_ [migration/3]
root 39 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:00 \_ [ksoftirqd/3]
root 41 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 00:01 0:00 \_ [kworker/3:0H]
root 42 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:00 \_ [watchdog/4]
root 43 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:00 \_ [migration/4]
root 44 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:00 \_ [ksoftirqd/4]
root 46 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 00:01 0:00 \_ [kworker/4:0H]
root 47 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:00 \_ [watchdog/5]
root 48 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:00 \_ [migration/5]
root 49 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:00 \_ [ksoftirqd/5]
root 51 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 00:01 0:00 \_ [kworker/5:0H]
root 52 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:00 \_ [watchdog/6]
root 53 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:00 \_ [migration/6]
root 54 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:00 \_ [ksoftirqd/6]
root 56 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 00:01 0:00 \_ [kworker/6:0H]
root 57 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:00 \_ [watchdog/7]
root 58 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:00 \_ [migration/7]
root 59 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:00 \_ [ksoftirqd/7]
root 61 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 00:01 0:00 \_ [kworker/7:0H]
root 62 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 00:01 0:00 \_ [khelper]
root 63 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:00 \_ [kdevtmpfs]
root 64 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 00:01 0:00 \_ [netns]
root 65 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 00:01 0:00 \_ [perf]
root 66 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 00:01 0:00 \_ [writeback]
root 67 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 00:01 0:00 \_ [kintegrityd]
root 68 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 00:01 0:00 \_ [bioset]
root 69 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 00:01 0:00 \_ [kblockd]
root 70 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 00:01 0:00 \_ [md]
root 76 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:00 \_ [khungtaskd]
root 77 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:02 \_ [kswapd0]
root 78 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? SN 00:01 0:00 \_ [ksmd]
root 79 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? SN 00:01 0:00 \_ [khugepaged]
root 80 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:00 \_ [fsnotify_mark]
root 81 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 00:01 0:00 \_ [crypto]
root 89 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 00:01 0:00 \_ [kthrotld]
root 92 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 00:01 0:00 \_ [kmpath_rdacd]
root 96 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 00:01 0:00 \_ [kpsmoused]
root 98 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 00:01 0:00 \_ [ipv6_addrconf]
root 117 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 00:01 0:00 \_ [deferwq]
root 149 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:01 \_ [kauditd]
root 289 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:00 \_ [scsi_eh_0]
root 293 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 00:01 0:00 \_ [scsi_tmf_0]
root 294 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 00:01 0:00 \_ [fw_event0]
root 297 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 00:01 0:00 \_ [ata_sff]
root 302 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 00:01 0:00 \_ [events_power_ef]
root 311 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 00:01 0:00 \_ [ttm_swap]
root 314 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:00 \_ [scsi_eh_1]
root 315 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 00:01 0:00 \_ [scsi_tmf_1]
root 316 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:00 \_ [scsi_eh_2]
root 317 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 00:01 0:00 \_ [scsi_tmf_2]
root 318 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:00 \_ [scsi_eh_3]
root 319 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 00:01 0:00 \_ [scsi_tmf_3]
root 320 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:00 \_ [scsi_eh_4]
root 321 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 00:01 0:00 \_ [scsi_tmf_4]
root 322 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:00 \_ [scsi_eh_5]
root 323 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 00:01 0:00 \_ [scsi_tmf_5]
root 324 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:00 \_ [scsi_eh_6]
root 325 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 00:01 0:00 \_ [scsi_tmf_6]
root 335 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 00:01 0:00 \_ [poll_0_status]
root 354 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:02 \_ [jbd2/sda2-8]
root 355 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 00:01 0:00 \_ [ext4-rsv-conver]
root 356 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 00:01 0:00 \_ [ext4-unrsv-conv]
root 533 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? SN 00:01 0:00 \_ [kipmi0]
root 538 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 00:01 0:00 \_ [kvm-irqfd-clean]
root 539 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 00:01 0:00 \_ [edac-poller]
root 562 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 00:01 0:00 \_ [jbd2/sda1-8]
root 563 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 00:01 0:00 \_ [ext4-rsv-conver]
root 564 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 00:01 0:00 \_ [ext4-unrsv-conv]
root 2993 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 00:02 0:00 \_ [kworker/6:1H]
root 5827 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 00:17 0:00 \_ [kworker/0:1H]
root 13124 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 00:44 0:00 \_ [kworker/4:1H]
root 1107 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 02:10 0:00 \_ [kworker/1:1H]
root 11746 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 02:55 0:00 \_ [kworker/2:1H]
root 23038 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< 03:40 0:00 \_ [kworker/5:1H]
root 23267 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 20:52 0:00 \_ [kworker/6:2]
root 24235 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 20:57 0:00 \_ [kworker/6:0]
root 26910 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 21:12 0:00 \_ [kworker/7:1]
root 28768 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 21:22 0:00 \_ [kworker/7:0]
root 32759 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 22:03 0:00 \_ [kworker/0:1]
root 2951 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 22:17 0:00 \_ [kworker/u16:0]
root 4495 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 22:31 0:00 \_ [kworker/u16:2]
root 4783 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 22:34 0:00 \_ [kworker/5:2]
root 5295 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 22:39 0:00 \_ [kworker/5:0]
root 6061 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 22:44 0:00 \_ [kworker/1:1]
root 6062 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 22:44 0:00 \_ [kworker/3:2]
root 6474 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 22:49 0:00 \_ [kworker/2:2]
root 7174 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 22:55 0:00 \_ [kworker/4:1]
root 7175 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 22:55 0:00 \_ [kworker/0:2]
root 7176 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 22:55 0:00 \_ [kworker/2:1]
root 7956 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 23:00 0:00 \_ [kworker/3:1]
root 7957 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 23:00 0:00 \_ [kworker/4:0]
root 7958 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 23:00 0:00 \_ [kworker/1:2]
root 8813 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 23:05 0:00 \_ [kworker/6:1]
root 1 0.0 0.0 41484 3944 ? Ss 00:01 0:08 /usr/lib/systemd/systemd --switched-root --system --deserialize 21
root 428 0.0 0.0 45168 9308 ? Ss 00:01 0:29 /usr/lib/systemd/systemd-journald
root 455 0.0 0.0 118476 1276 ? Ss 00:01 0:00 /usr/sbin/lvmetad -f
root 460 0.0 0.0 43180 1936 ? Ss 00:01 0:01 /usr/lib/systemd/systemd-udevd
root 580 0.0 0.0 116720 1644 ? S<sl 00:01 0:03 /sbin/auditd -n
dbus 603 0.0 0.0 28808 1924 ? Ss 00:01 0:04 /bin/dbus-daemon --system --address=systemd: --nofork --nopidfile -
root 605 0.0 0.0 19288 1216 ? Ss 00:01 0:04 /usr/sbin/irqbalance --foreground
libstor+ 606 0.0 0.0 8528 816 ? Ss 00:01 0:00 /usr/bin/lsmd -d
root 608 0.0 0.1 323556 23296 ? Ssl 00:01 0:00 /usr/bin/python -Es /usr/sbin/firewalld --nofork --nopid
root 609 0.0 0.0 26396 1744 ? Ss 00:01 0:02 /usr/lib/systemd/systemd-logind
root 614 0.0 0.0 210288 5316 ? Ss 00:01 0:00 /usr/sbin/abrtd -d -s
root 615 0.3 0.0 4372 596 ? Ss 00:01 4:47 /sbin/rngd -f
root 616 0.0 0.0 276148 14600 ? Ssl 00:01 0:14 /usr/sbin/rsyslogd -n
root 619 0.0 0.0 130056 2256 ? Ss 00:01 0:00 /usr/sbin/smartd -n -q never
root 623 0.0 0.0 207968 4528 ? Ss 00:01 0:00 /usr/bin/abrt-watch-log -F BUG: WARNING: at WARNING: CPU: INFO: pos
chrony 632 0.0 0.0 115840 1896 ? S 00:01 0:00 /usr/sbin/chronyd
root 635 0.0 0.0 25960 948 ? Ss 00:01 0:00 /usr/sbin/atd -f
root 636 0.0 0.0 126328 1592 ? Ss 00:01 0:00 /usr/sbin/crond -n
root 24821 0.0 0.0 178100 2492 ? S 21:00 0:00 \_ /usr/sbin/CROND -n
root 24823 0.0 0.0 113116 1464 ? Ss 21:00 0:00 \_ /bin/bash /usr/share/clamav/freshclam-sleep
root 24829 0.0 0.0 107892 612 ? S 21:00 0:00 \_ sleep 7852
root 643 0.0 0.0 110032 852 tty1 Ss+ 00:01 0:00 /sbin/agetty --noclear tty1 linux
root 650 0.0 0.0 75532 1840 ? Ss 00:01 0:00 /usr/sbin/saslauthd -m /run/saslauthd -a pam -r
root 651 0.0 0.0 75532 1812 ? S 00:01 0:00 \_ /usr/sbin/saslauthd -m /run/saslauthd -a pam -r
root 652 0.0 0.0 75532 1832 ? S 00:01 0:00 \_ /usr/sbin/saslauthd -m /run/saslauthd -a pam -r
root 653 0.0 0.0 75532 1832 ? S 00:01 0:00 \_ /usr/sbin/saslauthd -m /run/saslauthd -a pam -r
root 654 0.0 0.0 75532 1812 ? S 00:01 0:00 \_ /usr/sbin/saslauthd -m /run/saslauthd -a pam -r
root 715 0.0 0.0 436904 10144 ? Ssl 00:01 0:24 /usr/sbin/NetworkManager --no-daemon
root 932 0.0 0.0 53056 2720 ? Ss 00:01 0:00 /usr/sbin/wpa_supplicant -u -f /var/log/wpa_supplicant.log -c /etc/
polkitd 933 0.0 0.0 530352 12732 ? Ssl 00:01 0:00 /usr/lib/polkit-1/polkitd --no-debug
root 1288 0.0 0.0 82548 3608 ? Ss 00:01 0:00 /usr/sbin/sshd -D
root 8966 0.1 0.0 142928 5524 ? Ss 23:07 0:00 \_ sshd: root@pts/0
root 8978 0.0 0.0 116036 2688 pts/0 Ss 23:07 0:00 \_ -bash
root 9024 0.0 0.0 151328 2080 pts/0 R+ 23:08 0:00 \_ ps auxwf
root 1291 0.0 0.1 553064 16408 ? Ssl 00:01 0:06 /usr/bin/python -Es /usr/sbin/tuned -l -P
root 1423 0.0 0.0 19868 1620 ? Ss 00:01 0:00 /usr/sbin/dovecot -F
dovecot 2515 0.0 0.0 9312 1012 ? S 00:01 0:00 \_ dovecot/anvil
root 2517 0.0 0.0 9440 1192 ? S 00:01 0:00 \_ dovecot/log
root 30898 0.0 0.0 12328 2084 ? S 12:50 0:00 \_ dovecot/config
mysql 2354 0.0 0.0 113252 1608 ? Ss 00:01 0:00 /bin/sh /usr/bin/mysqld_safe --basedir=/usr
mysql 2783 5.1 2.4 2320824 396132 ? Sl 00:01 71:31 \_ /usr/libexec/mysqld --basedir=/usr --datadir=/var/lib/mysql --p
root 2653 0.0 0.0 93212 2200 ? Ss 00:01 0:00 /usr/libexec/postfix/master -w
postfix 2785 0.0 0.0 93384 3888 ? S 00:01 0:00 \_ qmgr -l -t unix -u
postfix 30830 0.0 0.0 93316 3868 ? S 21:42 0:00 \_ pickup -l -t unix -u
root 2737 0.0 0.1 94996 17172 ? Ss 00:01 0:00 /usr/bin/perl /usr/libexec/usermin/miniserv.pl /etc/usermin/miniser
root 2786 0.0 0.1 96044 18328 ? Ss 00:01 0:02 /usr/bin/perl /usr/libexec/webmin/miniserv.pl /etc/webmin/miniserv.
named 2789 0.2 0.2 700972 40852 ? Ssl 00:01 2:58 /usr/sbin/named -u named
root 2814 0.0 0.1 529460 21160 ? Ss 00:01 0:14 /usr/sbin/httpd -DFOREGROUND
apache 2902 0.0 0.0 294816 5388 ? S 00:01 0:00 \_ /usr/sbin/httpd -DFOREGROUND
paksear+ 2939 0.0 0.3 465780 54120 ? S 00:01 1:18 | \_ /bin/php-cgi
sstudies 3358 0.0 0.0 317272 15640 ? S 00:04 0:00 | \_ /bin/php-cgi
paksear+ 8363 0.0 0.3 362248 54260 ? S 00:26 0:57 | \_ /bin/php-cgi
watchne+ 8523 0.0 0.0 317012 15108 ? S 00:27 0:00 | \_ /bin/php-cgi
sstudies 24650 0.0 0.0 317272 15572 ? S 01:30 0:00 | \_ /bin/php-cgi
sstudies 24655 0.0 0.0 317272 15608 ? S 01:30 0:00 | \_ /bin/php-cgi
awaztod+ 1494 0.0 0.0 317004 15144 ? S 02:12 0:00 | \_ /bin/php-cgi
apache 8563 0.0 0.0 531680 11924 ? S 23:04 0:00 \_ /usr/sbin/httpd -DFOREGROUND
apache 8564 0.0 0.0 531680 11924 ? S 23:04 0:00 \_ /usr/sbin/httpd -DFOREGROUND
apache 8568 0.0 0.0 531680 11936 ? S 23:04 0:00 \_ /usr/sbin/httpd -DFOREGROUND
apache 8570 0.0 0.0 531680 11944 ? S 23:04 0:00 \_ /usr/sbin/httpd -DFOREGROUND
apache 8571 0.0 0.0 531680 11928 ? S 23:04 0:00 \_ /usr/sbin/httpd -DFOREGROUND
apache 8572 0.0 0.0 531680 11928 ? S 23:04 0:00 \_ /usr/sbin/httpd -DFOREGROUND
apache 8575 0.0 0.0 531680 11924 ? S 23:04 0:00 \_ /usr/sbin/httpd -DFOREGROUND
apache 8584 0.0 0.0 531680 11912 ? S 23:04 0:00 \_ /usr/sbin/httpd -DFOREGROUND
apache 8588 0.0 0.0 531704 11908 ? S 23:04 0:00 \_ /usr/sbin/httpd -DFOREGROUND
apache 8837 0.0 0.0 531680 11960 ? S 23:05 0:00 \_ /usr/sbin/httpd -DFOREGROUND
root 8994 0.0 0.0 259000 6340 ? Sl 23:07 0:00 /usr/sbin/abrt-dbus -t133
[root@host ~]#

I didn't know of that site... but yup, that's exactly it!

Your RAM usage looks completely normal.

Any RAM you see listed in the " buff/cache" section of the "free" output is actually considered available, it's just that the Linux kernel is making temporary use of it until it's needed for other things.

Status: Active ยป Fixed