[bf1942] Memory Leaks in Linux server?

[Scott Brooks]

[SNIP]

Linux never really free's memory unless it would have to hit your swap
file.  The basic idea is why waste time freeing memory unless it's
needed.  An example would be when the server changes to the same map. 
The server would go through the whole memory freeing process and then
load up the same map.  Since Linux never really freed the memory, it
will find that map information in the cache, and won't have to read it
off the hard drive again.  It's natural to have the free memory slowly
decrease as programs are running.

If you setup mrtg or rrdtool to graph your memory use, you should see
your free memory slowly drop down to around 5% free, and your swap
should stay the same amount used.  If once your free memory drops to 5%
the swap usage starts climbing, then you probably have a memory leak on
your hands.
-- 
Scott Brooks <blaze at fragz.ca>