4.1 Assessing Server RAM

Insufficient physical memory (RAM) in the server is a common cause of a slow network. To determine whether your server has sufficient physical memory installed, check the amount of server memory currently available for disk cache.

4.1.1 Traditional File System

To check the amount of server memory currently available for disk cache, you can use Novell® Remote Manager.

  1. In Novell Remote Manager, click Health Monitor under the Diagnose Server heading in the navigation frame, and then view status of the following:

    • Available Memory

    • Available Logical Space

    • Virtual Memory Performance

  2. If the status is Suspect or Bad, view the details of the problem on by clicking the link for the applicable threshold.

    For example, for Available Memory, click Available Memory on the Health Monitor page. This link takes you to the View Memory Config page where you can access virtually any of the memory information you need.

HINT:If you are unable to add more RAM now, we suggest unloading unneeded NLM™ programs or removing DOS from memory as a short-term fix. Remember that this treats symptoms only and is not a long-term solution.

4.1.2 Novell Storage Services

To check the amount of server memory used for disk cache, use the following commands directly at the System Console prompt or remotely through Novell Remote Manager:

  • nss /status

    Reports on general caching parameters for NSS.

  • nss /cachestats

    Displays statistics for cache buffers used by NSS.

  • nss /resetstats

    Resets the cache stats. Use this command to trace statistics from day to day, especially during busy hours. Keep in mind that running a backup alters the statistics.

  • nss /namecachestats

    Reports on name cache, including filenames and hit rates.