memory usage

[pornthip_k]

Dear Sir, I have a question about memory usage. When I use command "show ver", it shows Cisco 2821 (revision 53.51) with 223232K/38912K bytes of memory. When I use command "show process memory", it shows Processor Pool Total:  112570512 Used:  38553352 Free:  74017160       I/O Pool Total:  39845888 Used:    7805776 Free:  32040112 The first one shows 256MB but the last one shows 128MB. Why this 2 command doesn't show the same value? Thanks, Pornthip

[shyshanm]

Hi Pornthip,

The memory displayed in the "show version" is the actual NVRAM size. Normally "startup-config" is stored in the NVRAM. The memory displayed in "show process memory" corresponds to the memory utilized for running-config, routing tables, other processes, etc.

-Shyam.

[tiperry]

Hello,

The memory in this line of the sh ver is the physical DRAM installed.

Cisco 2821 (revision 53.51) with 223232K/38912K bytes of memory.

So in this case 256MB

On boot up, part of the memory is carved out and assigned to the I/O pool. Then IOS decompresses and initializes some data structures. Once this is done the remainder of the memory is assigned to the processor pool. When you issue a show proc mem the 'Total' is what is available after these two processes are complete.

-Tim