How to resolve cache not being released in Linux?

6 months ago

2 minutes

If you notice in Linux that the cache is not releasing causing a decrease in system performance, you can try the following methods to resolve the issue:

Manually release cache: You can manually release cache by executing the following command:
Synchronize and then write the value of 3 to the drop_caches file in the /proc/sys/vm directory.
Adjusting kernel parameters: You can try adjusting kernel parameters to change the behavior of the cache, such as adjusting the vm.dirty_ratio and vm.dirty_background_ratio parameters to control the proportion of dirty pages, or adjusting the vm.vfs_cache_pressure parameter to control the pressure on inodes and dentries, etc.
Utilize third-party tools: You can use third-party tools to manage the system’s cache, such as using preload to optimize cache usage, or using memory management tools like mlock and mlockall to optimize memory allocation.
Check the application: Sometimes, the failure to release the cache may be due to bugs in the application. It is suggested to inspect the code of the application and fix any bugs that may be causing the cache to not release.

In general, it is necessary to consider specific situations when choosing the appropriate solution to ensure that the system’s cache can be released smoothly without affecting system performance.