Difference between MemFree and MemAvailable

FortiGate

FortiGate Next Generation Firewall utilizes purpose-built security processors and threat intelligence security services from FortiGuard labs to deliver top-rated protection and high performance, including encrypted traffic.

Article Id 249741

Description

This article describes What is the difference between MemFree and MemAvailable in the outcome of 'get hardware memory' on a FortiAuthenticator

Scope

FortiAuthenticator.

Solution

The outcome of 'get hardware memory' shows details about memory usage, below is a truncated output to show the different memory listings.

# get hard memory
### Memory info
MemTotal: 2045120 kB
MemFree: 277804 kB
MemAvailable: 902488 kB
Buffers: 281252 kB
Cached: 383324 kB
SwapCached: 92 kB
Active: 424232 kB
Inactive: 750248 kB
Active(anon): 45636 kB
Inactive(anon): 525384 kB
Active(file): 378596 kB
Inactive(file): 224864 kB

The difference between MemFree and MemAvailable is as follows:

- MemFree is the total amount of unused physical memory (RAM).

- MemAvailable is the estimated amount of RAM usable for the system and new app to start without caches, it is MemFree + reclaimable memory blocks like those inactive pages, etc.

3204

Contributors

Broad. Integrated. Automated.

The Fortinet Security Fabric brings together the concepts of convergence and consolidation to provide comprehensive cybersecurity protection for all users, devices, and applications and across all network edges.