-1

After rebooting my machine, sysctl -a gave me different outputs (some of changes like kernel.sched_domain.cpu0.domain0.max_newidle_lb_cost is expected):

16c16
< fs.dentry-state = 37641       15280   45      0       0       0
---
> fs.dentry-state = 407249      384656  45      0       0       0
19,22c19,22
< fs.file-max = 19473815
< fs.file-nr = 624      0       19473815
< fs.inode-nr = 36402   297
< fs.inode-state = 36402        297     0       0       0       0       0
---
> fs.file-max = 19473810
> fs.file-nr = 864      0       19473810
> fs.inode-nr = 285420  308
> fs.inode-state = 285420       308     0       0       0       0       0

But I don't quite understand why fs related settings have changed given I didn't change /etc/sysctl.conf (nor changing sysctl indirectly).

update Especially the dramatic increases in nr_inodes and the total number of directory cache entries (first value in fs.dentry-state). It is not like I have created 390K+ directories after rebooting.

Any idea or suggestion is highly appreciated.

HCSF
  • 245
  • 3
  • 14

1 Answers1

3

Those are parameters that change during runtime and are expected to be different after reboots.

https://www.kernel.org/doc/Documentation/sysctl/fs.txt

The fs.dentry-state — provides the status of the directory cache.

  1. The first number reveals the total number of directory cache entries
  2. the second number displays the number of unused entries.
  3. The third number tells the number of seconds between when a directory has been freed and when it can be reclaimed.
  4. The fourth measures the pages currently requested by the system.
  5. The last two numbers are not used and display only zeros.
  6. Always 0.

The fs.file-nr tuneable displays three parameters:

  1. the total allocated file handles.
  2. the number of currently used file handles (with the 2.4 kernel); or the number of currently unused file handles (with the 2.6 kernel).
  3. the maximum file handles that can be allocated (also found in /proc/sys/fs/file-max).

the first two number parameters will of course change during runtime and after reboot.

The fs.inode-nr contains the nr_inodes and the nr_free_inodes.
Nr_inodes stands for the number of inodes the system has allocated. Nr_free_inodes represents the number of free inodes (?)

HBruijn
  • 77,029
  • 24
  • 135
  • 201
  • Thanks for your answer. I think my question is unclear. I understand some are changed during runtime. Tho, what puzzles me is the significant increases in total number of directory cache entries (i.e. first value in `fs.dentry-state`), and in `nr_inodes`. Let me update the question to clarify. – HCSF Aug 28 '18 at 15:25