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diff --git a/database/README.md b/database/README.md index 2fcb69b67..143615a0e 100644 --- a/database/README.md +++ b/database/README.md @@ -1,59 +1,54 @@ # Database -Although `netdata` does all its calculations using `long double`, it stores all values using -a [custom-made 32-bit number](../libnetdata/storage_number/). +Although `netdata` does all its calculations using `long double`, it stores all values using a [custom-made 32-bit +number](../libnetdata/storage_number/). -So, for each dimension of a chart, Netdata will need: `4 bytes for the value * the entries -of its history`. It will not store any other data for each value in the time series database. -Since all its values are stored in a time series with fixed step, the time each value -corresponds can be calculated at run time, using the position of a value in the round robin database. +So, for each dimension of a chart, Netdata will need: `4 bytes for the value * the entries of its history`. It will not +store any other data for each value in the time series database. Since all its values are stored in a time series with +fixed step, the time each value corresponds can be calculated at run time, using the position of a value in the round +robin database. -The default history is 3.600 entries, thus it will need 14.4KB for each chart dimension. -If you need 1.000 dimensions, they will occupy just 14.4MB. +The default history is 3.600 entries, thus it will need 14.4KB for each chart dimension. If you need 1.000 dimensions, +they will occupy just 14.4MB. -Of course, 3.600 entries is a very short history, especially if data collection frequency is set -to 1 second. You will have just one hour of data. +Of course, 3.600 entries is a very short history, especially if data collection frequency is set to 1 second. You will +have just one hour of data. -For a day of data and 1.000 dimensions, you will need: 86.400 seconds * 4 bytes * 1.000 -dimensions = 345MB of RAM. +For a day of data and 1.000 dimensions, you will need: `86.400 seconds * 4 bytes * 1.000 dimensions = 345MB of RAM`. -One option you have to lower this number is to use -**[Memory Deduplication - Kernel Same Page Merging - KSM](#ksm)**. Another possibility is to -use the **[Database Engine](engine/)**. +One option you have to lower this number is to use **[Memory Deduplication - Kernel Same Page Merging - KSM](#ksm)**. +Another possibility is to use the **[Database Engine](engine/)**. ## Memory modes Currently Netdata supports 6 memory modes: -1. `ram`, data are purely in memory. Data are never saved on disk. This mode uses `mmap()` and - supports [KSM](#ksm). +1. `ram`, data are purely in memory. Data are never saved on disk. This mode uses `mmap()` and supports [KSM](#ksm). -2. `save`, (the default) data are only in RAM while Netdata runs and are saved to / loaded from - disk on Netdata restart. It also uses `mmap()` and supports [KSM](#ksm). +2. `save`, data are only in RAM while Netdata runs and are saved to / loaded from disk on Netdata + restart. It also uses `mmap()` and supports [KSM](#ksm). -3. `map`, data are in memory mapped files. This works like the swap. Keep in mind though, this - will have a constant write on your disk. When Netdata writes data on its memory, the Linux kernel - marks the related memory pages as dirty and automatically starts updating them on disk. - Unfortunately we cannot control how frequently this works. The Linux kernel uses exactly the - same algorithm it uses for its swap memory. Check below for additional information on running a - dedicated central Netdata server. This mode uses `mmap()` but does not support [KSM](#ksm). +3. `map`, data are in memory mapped files. This works like the swap. Keep in mind though, this will have a constant + write on your disk. When Netdata writes data on its memory, the Linux kernel marks the related memory pages as dirty + and automatically starts updating them on disk. Unfortunately we cannot control how frequently this works. The Linux + kernel uses exactly the same algorithm it uses for its swap memory. Check below for additional information on + running a dedicated central Netdata server. This mode uses `mmap()` but does not support [KSM](#ksm). 4. `none`, without a database (collected metrics can only be streamed to another Netdata). -5. `alloc`, like `ram` but it uses `calloc()` and does not support [KSM](#ksm). This mode is the - fallback for all others except `none`. +5. `alloc`, like `ram` but it uses `calloc()` and does not support [KSM](#ksm). This mode is the fallback for all + others except `none`. -6. `dbengine`, data are in database files. The [Database Engine](engine/) works like a traditional - database. There is some amount of RAM dedicated to data caching and indexing and the rest of - the data reside compressed on disk. The number of history entries is not fixed in this case, - but depends on the configured disk space and the effective compression ratio of the data stored. - This is the **only mode** that supports changing the data collection update frequency - (`update_every`) **without losing** the previously stored metrics. - For more details see [here](engine/). +6. `dbengine`, (the default) data are in database files. The [Database Engine](engine/) works like a traditional + database. There is some amount of RAM dedicated to data caching and indexing and the rest of the data reside + compressed on disk. The number of history entries is not fixed in this case, but depends on the configured disk + space and the effective compression ratio of the data stored. This is the **only mode** that supports changing the + data collection update frequency (`update_every`) **without losing** the previously stored metrics. For more details + see [here](engine/). You can select the memory mode by editing `netdata.conf` and setting: -``` +```conf [global] # ram, save (the default, save on exit, load on start), map (swap like) memory mode = save @@ -69,64 +64,60 @@ Embedded devices usually have very limited RAM resources available. There are 2 settings for you to tweak: 1. `update every`, which controls the data collection frequency -2. `history`, which controls the size of the database in RAM +2. `history`, which controls the size of the database in RAM (except for `memory mode = dbengine`) -By default `update every = 1` and `history = 3600`. This gives you an hour of data with per -second updates. +By default `update every = 1` and `history = 3600`. This gives you an hour of data with per second updates. -If you set `update every = 2` and `history = 1800`, you will still have an hour of data, but -collected once every 2 seconds. This will **cut in half** both CPU and RAM resources consumed -by Netdata. Of course experiment a bit. On very weak devices you might have to use -`update every = 5` and `history = 720` (still 1 hour of data, but 1/5 of the CPU and RAM resources). +If you set `update every = 2` and `history = 1800`, you will still have an hour of data, but collected once every 2 +seconds. This will **cut in half** both CPU and RAM resources consumed by Netdata. Of course experiment a bit. On very +weak devices you might have to use `update every = 5` and `history = 720` (still 1 hour of data, but 1/5 of the CPU and +RAM resources). -You can also disable [data collection plugins](../collectors) you don't need. -Disabling such plugins will also free both CPU and RAM resources. +You can also disable [data collection plugins](../collectors) you don't need. Disabling such plugins will also free both +CPU and RAM resources. ## Running a dedicated central Netdata server -Netdata allows streaming data between Netdata nodes. This allows us to have a central Netdata -server that will maintain the entire database for all nodes, and will also run health checks/alarms -for all nodes. +Netdata allows streaming data between Netdata nodes. This allows us to have a central Netdata server that will maintain +the entire database for all nodes, and will also run health checks/alarms for all nodes. -For this central Netdata, memory size can be a problem. Fortunately, Netdata supports several -memory modes. **One interesting option** for this setup is `memory mode = map`. +For this central Netdata, memory size can be a problem. Fortunately, Netdata supports several memory modes. **One +interesting option** for this setup is `memory mode = map`. ### map -In this mode, the database of Netdata is stored in memory mapped files. Netdata continues to read -and write the database in memory, but the kernel automatically loads and saves memory pages from/to -disk. +In this mode, the database of Netdata is stored in memory mapped files. Netdata continues to read and write the database +in memory, but the kernel automatically loads and saves memory pages from/to disk. -**We suggest _not_ to use this mode on nodes that run other applications.** There will always be -dirty memory to be synced and this syncing process may influence the way other applications work. -This mode however is useful when we need a central Netdata server that would normally need huge -amounts of memory. Using memory mode `map` we can overcome all memory restrictions. +**We suggest _not_ to use this mode on nodes that run other applications.** There will always be dirty memory to be +synced and this syncing process may influence the way other applications work. This mode however is useful when we need +a central Netdata server that would normally need huge amounts of memory. Using memory mode `map` we can overcome all +memory restrictions. -There are a few kernel options that provide finer control on the way this syncing works. But before -explaining them, a brief introduction of how Netdata database works is needed. +There are a few kernel options that provide finer control on the way this syncing works. But before explaining them, a +brief introduction of how Netdata database works is needed. For each chart, Netdata maps the following files: -1. `chart/main.db`, this is the file that maintains chart information. Every time data are collected - for a chart, this is updated. -2. `chart/dimension_name.db`, this is the file for each dimension. At its beginning there is a - header, followed by the round robin database where metrics are stored. +1. `chart/main.db`, this is the file that maintains chart information. Every time data are collected for a chart, this + is updated. +2. `chart/dimension_name.db`, this is the file for each dimension. At its beginning there is a header, followed by the + round robin database where metrics are stored. So, every time Netdata collects data, the following pages will become dirty: 1. the chart file 2. the header part of all dimension files -3. if the collected metrics are stored far enough in the dimension file, another page will - become dirty, for each dimension +3. if the collected metrics are stored far enough in the dimension file, another page will become dirty, for each + dimension -Each page in Linux is 4KB. So, with 200 charts and 1000 dimensions, there will be 1200 to 2200 4KB -pages dirty pages every second. Of course 1200 of them will always be dirty (the chart header and -the dimensions headers) and 1000 will be dirty for about 1000 seconds (4 bytes per metric, 4KB per -page, so 1000 seconds, or 16 minutes per page). +Each page in Linux is 4KB. So, with 200 charts and 1000 dimensions, there will be 1200 to 2200 4KB pages dirty pages +every second. Of course 1200 of them will always be dirty (the chart header and the dimensions headers) and 1000 will be +dirty for about 1000 seconds (4 bytes per metric, 4KB per page, so 1000 seconds, or 16 minutes per page). -Hopefully, the Linux kernel does not sync all these data every second. The frequency they are -synced is controlled by `/proc/sys/vm/dirty_expire_centisecs` or the -`sysctl` `vm.dirty_expire_centisecs`. The default on most systems is 3000 (30 seconds). +Hopefully, the Linux kernel does not sync all these data every second. The frequency they are synced is controlled by +`/proc/sys/vm/dirty_expire_centisecs` or the `sysctl` `vm.dirty_expire_centisecs`. The default on most systems is 3000 +(30 seconds). On a busy server centralizing metrics from 20+ servers you will experience this: @@ -134,62 +125,59 @@ On a busy server centralizing metrics from 20+ servers you will experience this: As you can see, there is quite some stress (this is `iowait`) every 30 seconds. -A simple solution is to increase this time to 10 minutes (60000). This is the same system -with this setting in 10 minutes: +A simple solution is to increase this time to 10 minutes (60000). This is the same system with this setting in 10 +minutes:  -Of course, setting this to 10 minutes means that data on disk might be up to 10 minutes old if you -get an abnormal shutdown. +Of course, setting this to 10 minutes means that data on disk might be up to 10 minutes old if you get an abnormal +shutdown. There are 2 more options to tweak: 1. `dirty_background_ratio`, by default `10`. 2. `dirty_ratio`, by default `20`. -These control the amount of memory that should be dirty for disk syncing to be triggered. -On dedicated Netdata servers, you can use: `80` and `90` respectively, so that all RAM is given -to Netdata. +These control the amount of memory that should be dirty for disk syncing to be triggered. On dedicated Netdata servers, +you can use: `80` and `90` respectively, so that all RAM is given to Netdata. -With these settings, you can expect a little `iowait` spike once every 10 minutes and in case -of system crash, data on disk will be up to 10 minutes old. +With these settings, you can expect a little `iowait` spike once every 10 minutes and in case of system crash, data on +disk will be up to 10 minutes old.  -To have these settings automatically applied on boot, create the file `/etc/sysctl.d/netdata-memory.conf` with these contents: +To have these settings automatically applied on boot, create the file `/etc/sysctl.d/netdata-memory.conf` with these +contents: -``` +```conf vm.dirty_expire_centisecs = 60000 vm.dirty_background_ratio = 80 vm.dirty_ratio = 90 vm.dirty_writeback_centisecs = 0 ``` -There is another memory mode to help overcome the memory size problem. What is **most interesting -for this setup** is `memory mode = dbengine`. +There is another memory mode to help overcome the memory size problem. What is **most interesting for this setup** is +`memory mode = dbengine`. ### dbengine -In this mode, the database of Netdata is stored in database files. The [Database Engine](engine/) -works like a traditional database. There is some amount of RAM dedicated to data caching and -indexing and the rest of the data reside compressed on disk. The number of history entries is not -fixed in this case, but depends on the configured disk space and the effective compression ratio -of the data stored. +In this mode, the database of Netdata is stored in database files. The [Database Engine](engine/) works like a +traditional database. There is some amount of RAM dedicated to data caching and indexing and the rest of the data reside +compressed on disk. The number of history entries is not fixed in this case, but depends on the configured disk space +and the effective compression ratio of the data stored. -We suggest to use **this** mode on nodes that also run other applications. The Database Engine uses -direct I/O to avoid polluting the OS filesystem caches and does not generate excessive I/O traffic -so as to create the minimum possible interference with other applications. Using memory mode -`dbengine` we can overcome most memory restrictions. For more details see [here](engine/). +We suggest to use **this** mode on nodes that also run other applications. The Database Engine uses direct I/O to avoid +polluting the OS filesystem caches and does not generate excessive I/O traffic so as to create the minimum possible +interference with other applications. Using memory mode `dbengine` we can overcome most memory restrictions. For more +details see [here](engine/). ## KSM -Netdata offers all its round robin database to kernel for deduplication -(except for `memory mode = dbengine`). +Netdata offers all its round robin database to kernel for deduplication (except for `memory mode = dbengine`). -In the past KSM has been criticized for consuming a lot of CPU resources. -Although this is true when KSM is used for deduplicating certain applications, it is not true with -netdata, since the Netdata memory is written very infrequently (if you have 24 hours of metrics in -netdata, each byte at the in-memory database will be updated just once per day). +In the past KSM has been criticized for consuming a lot of CPU resources. Although this is true when KSM is used for +deduplicating certain applications, it is not true with netdata, since the Netdata memory is written very infrequently +(if you have 24 hours of metrics in netdata, each byte at the in-memory database will be updated just once per day). KSM is a solution that will provide 60+% memory savings to Netdata. @@ -203,15 +191,20 @@ CONFIG_KSM=y When KSM is enabled at the kernel is just available for the user to enable it. -So, if you build a kernel with `CONFIG_KSM=y` you will just get a few files in `/sys/kernel/mm/ksm`. Nothing else happens. There is no performance penalty (apart I guess from the memory this code occupies into the kernel). +So, if you build a kernel with `CONFIG_KSM=y` you will just get a few files in `/sys/kernel/mm/ksm`. Nothing else +happens. There is no performance penalty (apart I guess from the memory this code occupies into the kernel). The files that `CONFIG_KSM=y` offers include: -- `/sys/kernel/mm/ksm/run` by default `0`. You have to set this to `1` for the kernel to spawn `ksmd`. -- `/sys/kernel/mm/ksm/sleep_millisecs`, by default `20`. The frequency ksmd should evaluate memory for deduplication. -- `/sys/kernel/mm/ksm/pages_to_scan`, by default `100`. The amount of pages ksmd will evaluate on each run. +- `/sys/kernel/mm/ksm/run` by default `0`. You have to set this to `1` for the + kernel to spawn `ksmd`. +- `/sys/kernel/mm/ksm/sleep_millisecs`, by default `20`. The frequency ksmd + should evaluate memory for deduplication. +- `/sys/kernel/mm/ksm/pages_to_scan`, by default `100`. The amount of pages + ksmd will evaluate on each run. -So, by default `ksmd` is just disabled. It will not harm performance and the user/admin can control the CPU resources he/she is willing `ksmd` to use. +So, by default `ksmd` is just disabled. It will not harm performance and the user/admin can control the CPU resources +he/she is willing `ksmd` to use. ### Run `ksmd` kernel daemon @@ -222,7 +215,8 @@ echo 1 >/sys/kernel/mm/ksm/run echo 1000 >/sys/kernel/mm/ksm/sleep_millisecs ``` -With these settings ksmd does not even appear in the running process list (it will run once per second and evaluate 100 pages for de-duplication). +With these settings ksmd does not even appear in the running process list (it will run once per second and evaluate 100 +pages for de-duplication). Put the above lines in your boot sequence (`/etc/rc.local` or equivalent) to have `ksmd` run at boot. @@ -232,4 +226,4 @@ Netdata will create charts for kernel memory de-duplication performance, like th  -[](<>) +[](<>)
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