Novell Documentation: NetWare 6

SWAP

Purpose

Use at the server console to display information about swap files, to add or delete swap files, and to specify the parameters of swap files.

Syntax

SWAP [ADD vol_name [parameter = value]] [DEL vol_name] [PARAMETER vol_name parameter = value]

Parameter	Use to
(no parameter)	Display a screen containing information about swap files.
ADD vol_name parameter = value	Create a swap file on the designated volume. You can specify the following optional parameters when you create a swap file: MIN=, MAX=, and MIN FREE=. These parameters specify the minimum and maximum size of the swap file and the minimum free space that must be left on the volume. Values are in millions of bytes. If parameters are not included, the following default values are used: MIN = 2 MAX = Free volume space MIN FREE = 5
DEL vol_name	Delete a swap file from the designated volume. If you are using protected address spaces, the Novell^® JVM for NetWare^® product, or any other application that uses virtual memory, be sure to keep at least one swap file. By default a swap file is created on the Sys volume whenever you start the server. If you do not want a swap file on Sys, place the SWAP DEL command in the startup.ncf file before the command to mount volumes.
PARAMETER = vol_name parameter = value	Change the parameter values for a swap file on the designated volume. You can specify the following parameters: MIN=, MAX=, and MIN FREE=. These parameters specify minimum and maximum size of the swap file and the minimum free space that must be left on the volume. Values are in millions of bytes.

Using SWAP

If a swap file is being used when it is deleted, then the swapped data is moved to another swap file. If there is no other swap file, an error message is displayed and the file is not deleted.

You can create one swap file per volume. The swap file for the Sys volume is created by default; you can delete it if necessary.

Data moved to disk by virtual memory will be stored in any available swap file; it does not matter which volume the swap file is on. Generally, you will place swap files on the fastest volume or the one with the most available space.

You can add a swap file to a volume by executing the SWAP ADD command, even if the volume is not mounted. Once you've added the swap file, the file will be created when you mount the volume.

When you dismount a volume, the swap file is deleted. To keep a swap file on that volume, you must create the swap file again. The exception is the SYS: volume swap file, which is created by default. For convenience, place the commands to create swap files into the AUTOEXEC.NCF file so the files will be created each time the server is started.

Swap files are dynamic; they change size as data is swapped in and out of memory.

Additional Information

Topic	See
Virtual Memory	Virtual Memory