Cisco PIX 501 - Memory Utilization

[Ramraj Sivagnanam Sivajanam]

Hi There

I've deployed many Cisco PIX 501 v6.3.3 either as normal firewalling feature and/or with VPN features enabled. I noticed in all my deployments, regardless if it's during peak hours or after office hours, the memory utilization is always consistent 11MB utilized over the total of 16MB(memory default size).

Is this normal?

Regards,

Ram

[Anu M Chacko]

Hi Ram,

You can find out what is causing the memory utilization. Check if buffered logging at level 7 is taking up a lot of memory(do a "clear log" and then "sh mem". Are there any captures configured? Remove them if not needed. To check if it is connection related, do a "clear xlate" and then "sh mem"(do this during off-hours).

What is important is to find out if this issue is affecting the traffic through the PIX in any way.

Let me know.

Regards,

Anu

P.S. Please mark this question as answered if it has been resolved. Do rate helpful posts.

[Ramraj Sivagnanam Sivajanam]

Hi Anu

There's no problems with the connections currently. Everything is good. Just for my own knowledge, I'm asking why is the memory utilization 11Mb out of the total 16Mb.

Is this normal? I suspect some devices bahaves in different ways, hence Cisco PIX takes up 11Mb by default.

What do you think about this?

[Anu M Chacko · Accepted solution]

Hi Ram,

The memory utilization limit completely depends on your business needs. I wouldn't say that more than 60% of memory utilzation is completely normal, but if this is not giving you any issues wrt the traffic through the box, then there isn't anything to worry.If the memory utilzation has always been that much, it's fine. But if you suddenly see it increasing to 80% or above, it should be investigated, because it could be some process taking up a lot of memory unnecessarily.

Hope this is clear.

Regards,

Anu

P.S. Please mark this question as answered if it has been resolved. Do rate helpful posts.