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Article #83

Re: Pagefile size and distribution guidelines desired

#83
From: Carl J Lydick
Date: Tue, 22 Dec 1992 06:18
55 lines
3275 bytes
In article <1992Dec21.092049.1074@beckman.com>, dsroberts@beckman.com writes:
>We managed to work out getting a pair of two two gigabyte disks to replace two
>ra92's for our set of "system" packs.  By system packs, in this case, I mean
>where we put the layered products, page files, etc.  As opposed to user data
>:-).  So, for the first time in a while, we can make our page files bigger. 
>And contiguous.  WHat guidelines do others use for determining the proper size
>for pagefiles?

Try to make your pagefiles big enough that they're never more than 2/3 used.
Or, if you're willing to trust DEC, simply do an AUTOGEN with feedback.

>As we don't have a defragmentor the problem we've run into in
>the past is that if we make them too small we are not later able to make them
>contiguous until we can do an image backup and restore (almost never
>unfortunately).

AUTOGEN will tell you how bit it thinks the files should be.  If it can't
create them, you need to do a BACKUP/RESTORE.

>Currently we have two 100,000 block page files each for our 
>6420 and 6520, and this is a tad small.

Well, based on what you've told us, how were we to know?  You might be running
a system with only one user who only runs stuff he's ported from a CP/M system
with 64K memory.

THE NECESSARY SIZE OF THE PAGEFILES DEPENDS ON HOW MANY USERS YOU'VE GOT AND
HOW LARGE THEIR APPLICATIONS ARE!

Geez!  I'd've thought that would've been obvious!

Use AUTOGEN!

>Another thing I've never seen 
>guidelines on is number of page files.  Does it do any good to put multiple 
>page files for one system on one disk?

Obviously not.  All you achieve that way is to fragment your pagefile!

>If we have multiple page files per 
>system on several disks, but those pagefiles are on the same disks as the 
>pagefiles for other systems, isn't that just as bad?

No.  For each system, you should have at most one page file on each disk. 
Optimally, you should only have page files on local disks.  Once you've got
page files on non-local disks, optimal placement is *HIGHLY* dependent on the
characteristics of your particular cluster.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Carl J Lydick | INTERnet: CARL@SOL1.GPS.CALTECH.EDU | NSI/HEPnet: SOL1::CARL

Disclaimer:  Hey, I understand VAXen and VMS.  That's what I get paid for.  My
understanding of astronomy is purely at the amateur level (or below).  So
unless what I'm saying is directly related to VAX/VMS, don't hold me or my
organization responsible for it.  If it IS related to VAX/VMS, you can try to
hold me responsible for it, but my organization had nothing to do with it.
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References: <1992Dec21.092049.1074@beckman.com>

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From: carl@SOL1.GPS.CALTECH.EDU (Carl J Lydick)
Newsgroups: vmsnet.sysmgt,comp.os.vms
Subject: Re: Pagefile size and distribution guidelines desired
Date: 22 Dec 1992 06:18:46 GMT
Organization: HST Wide Field/Planetary Camera
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Distribution: world
Message-ID: <1h6c06INN9ks@gap.caltech.edu>
References: <1992Dec21.092049.1074@beckman.com>
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