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How To Check the Page Cache Usage in Linux System
Page Cache should be familiar to you if you are an application developer or a Linux system administrator. In your work, you may have encountered scenarios related to Page Cache, such as:
- Server load spikes
- High I/O throughput on servers
- Large spikes in business response latency
- Significant increase in average business access latency
These issues are likely caused by improper Page Cache management. Improper management of Page Cache not only increases system I/O throughput but also causes business performance jitter. I have dealt with many such issues in production environments.
In my observation, after these issues arise, both business developers and operations personnel often feel helpless. The reason for this is that their understanding of Page Cache is limited to the concept, and they are not clear about how Page Cache is associated with applications and systems. Therefore, to avoid falling into the pit of Page Cache, you must have a clear understanding of it.
What is Page Cache?
I remember many application developers or operators seeking help from me to solve problems caused by Page Cache. They often ask me whether Page Cache belongs to the kernel or the user space…
