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List:       apache-modperl
Subject:    Re: huge apache+mod_perl processes
From:       André Warnier <aw () ice-sa ! com>
Date:       2010-09-30 8:30:10
Message-ID: 4CA44A92.8010001 () ice-sa ! com
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Eugene Toropov wrote:
> Greetings,
> 
> We have a problem with huge Apache+mod_perl2 processes of 150-200 Mb in size. After \
> apache restart they are usually 40-50 Mb in size, then in a minute grow up to \
> 100-150 Mb and then some time later may grow up to 200 Mb. 

One basic characteristic of Perl's memory management is that, once it has acquired a 
certain amount of memory from the OS under which it runs, it never gives it back to \
the OS. For stand-alone perl scripts, this rarely matters, as when the script \
terminates, the perl  interpreter process also terminates, and the memory it used is \
then returned to the OS. But under apache/mod_perl, the same perl interpreter stays \
alive as long as the apache  process (e.g., an apache child process) in which it runs \
is alive. So over time, if your perl scripts/modules are not a bit careful, the \
amount of memory  used can grow and grow.
Inside of perl itself, the memory used by scripts and modules is normally reclaimed \
and  recycled.  But perl's "garbage collector" can only recycle the memory used by a \
variable  if there are no more references to that variable.


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