Virtual memory management on virtual machines.

[mandar284]

I have a test setup where a VM is installed in two different VMware environment, first on ESX server v4.1, second on Workstation v7.1.1.

Now, it seems the processes running on the VM are handled in different manner.

On ESX server VM, the process upon acquring large amount of virtual memory (in multiples of MB) was killed by the OS, but on other hand, same process was running fine on workstation VM with similar usage of virtual memory.

The VM installed on workstation is clone of the VM on ESX server.

Since the only difference in both the cases is the host, question was raised about the role of host environment in it.

Will the server/host have any control over the memory management of the guest VMs ?

please help if the issue seems to be related with the host setup.

WorkStation setup details:

VMWare Workstation : v7.1.1

Host OS : Win XP

Host Mem : 1 GB

Running VMs : 1

VM details:

OS: CentOS 5.3

Mem : 512 GB

Server Setup details:

ESX server v4.1.0

Mem : 2 GB

Running VMs : 1

VM details:

OS: CentOS 5.3

Mem : 512 GB

-- Thanks

[sudhakar13]

hi,

The information is not clear.

Are you using ESX/ ESXi server?

Is there any other VMs running on your ESX/ESXi Server?

The VMs in ESX/ESXi is managed by Memory Management in order to distribute/ share the Resources over the VM for their best performance. Make sure that you are giving the Recommended Memory Size and install VMware Tools.

VMware Tools reduces the complexity of Cursor / Mouse motion / Screen  resolution.

Reply back to us. We will happy to assist you.

Regards

S.Sudhakar.

[mandar284]

hi,

I am using ESX server v 4.1 with single VM running on it.

The VM is a lighter version of CentOS 5.3 and no VMWare tool are installed on it since there is no grpahical interface installed so the tools were not required.

--Thanks

[idle-jam]

vmware tool is required because not it provide VGA drivers, it also provide memory balloon, transparent page sharing and more. I would suggest you installing it and re read the memory.

[mandar284]

taking in to consideration the role of vmware tool with memory  management (ballooning, transparent paging...) i can install them on the  vm.

but in present scenario both esx server as well as  worstation vm do not have vmware tools installed on it, now the question remains, why is the  vm installed on server giving undesired results with memory and  workstation vm works fine?

[Billho201110141]

I see same point with others, problems is due to the vmware tools.

And FYR, I have installed a windows 2000 on workstation with VMware tools.

Yet, I hit a problem that on opening RDP sessions to the guest machine. It causes high CPU and the console hang.

And turn out, it's found the cause is due to the ToolBox in the VMware tools.

On uninstalling this component, everything resumed.

Thus, i believe the vmware tools @ workstation actually have some problems.