PLATFORM-4-ELEMENT_WARNING on 3850 Switch

[fdharmawan]

Hi Guys,

In my environment I have several 3850 switches running in stack mode (2-4 stacks). Recently I just found out that some of my 3850 switches are having the following logs:

Jan 15 11:01:00.487 XYZ: %PLATFORM-4-ELEMENT_WARNING:Switch 1 R0/0: smand: 1/RP/0: Used Memory value 95% exceeds warning level 90%
Jan 15 11:11:10.488 XYZ: %PLATFORM-4-ELEMENT_WARNING:Switch 1 R0/0: smand: 1/RP/0: Used Memory value 95% exceeds warning level 90%

I do not know whether those are recent or not. I checked the memory utilization, it was around 64%. Below is the output, in case I calculated it wrongly.
SW-3850#sh mem
Head Total(b) Used(b) Free(b) Lowest(b) Largest(b)
Processor FFA0495010 885692992 328572340 557120652 555014048 555862820
lsmpi_io FF9B9FF1A8 6295128 6294304 824 824 412

When I googled the warning message, I found CSCvf59313 and the page states that "This enhancement is filed to improve the wording of the above messages to more efficiently provide the data most relevant to the reported problem". If I got this correctly, it is only cosmetic and the memory spike still happens.

Do you guys know how to check individual switch memory utilization? And since I have switches whose stack members vary from 2-4, why are their total memory are the same (885692992 bytes)?

Thank you.

[Georg Pauwen]

Hello,

in order to check individual memory usage on stack members, you have to access the stack member from the Master, e.g.:

3850_Stack_Master#session switch 2

[fdharmawan]

Hi Georg,

The "session switch 2" command, unfortunately there was no such command on my switch. My switches are running on 16.3.5b. But according to the following link https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/switches/lan/catalyst3850/software/release/16-3/command_reference/b_163_consolidated_3850_cr/b_163_consolidated_3850_cr_chapter_010001.html, the command should be available. I wonder why the command was not listed on my switch.

And apparently the memory spike only happens on the master switch. If I issue the "show memory" command, will the output shows the master switch's memory utilization? Or will it show the average memory utilization of all the members?

Thanks.

[rasmus.elmholt · Accepted solution]

Hi

I have seen the same on a stack of 3650 switches on both switches in the stack.
After some time it returns to normal. The switches have been running for a year now without user problems.

To see the memory utilization for switch x type: show platform software process memory switch x r0 all sorted

[fdharmawan]

Hi Rasmus,

Thank you. I will dig deeper into the command and compare it to "show memory" command.

Is it possible to monitor each switch's memory utilization on stack mode?

Thanks.

[rasmus.elmholt]

Hi

Glad I could help.
I don't know of any OID to pull to get memory usage of the individual stack members. But let ud know if you find any,

[saj@msk.com]

Did you resolve this issue? I'm having the same issue on my stacked 3850s.

[fdharmawan]

Hi Saj,

I did resolve the issue by upgrading the IOS to 16.3.7. You might want to check each switch's memory utilization by issuing the following command "show platform software status control-processor brief". It helped me to determine that the master switch had a memory leak.

[JEFF HARPER]

Is it cosmetic?

[fdharmawan]

I do not think so. There is some specific command and it was confirmed the memory utilization was high.