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.
jcovarrubias
Staff
Staff
Article Id 409479
Description This article describes a memory leak issue in the node process on FortiOS version 7.4.8 that can trigger conserve mode.
Scope FortiGate devices running FortiOS version 7.4.8 and 7.6.3.
Solution

Background:

Conserve mode occurs when memory utilization exceeds the configured value under set memory-use-threshold-red 88, typically caused by insufficient memory capacity, unintended software behaviors, or memory-intensive processes. Long-term monitoring of memory consumption trends is essential for identifying memory leaks and preventing conserve mode activation

 

For more information, see Technical Tip: Memory Management: A Long-Term Strategy to Prevent Conserve Mode.

 

Fortinet identified a memory leak in the NODE on versions 7.4.8  and 7.6.3 that can be identified through regular monitoring using these commands:

 

Identifying the Memory Leak Pattern:

 

Step 1: Monitor process memory consumption.

 

F2 # diag sys top-mem 5

node (2093): 328733kB   <----- Increases.

wad (2198): 192759kB

wad (2199): 106893kB

ipsengine (2445): 97662kB

ipsengine (2444): 95252kB

Top-5 memory used: 821299kB

 

Step 2: Check overall memory utilization.

 

F2 # get sys performance status | grep Mem

Memory: 4041524k total, 2511412k used (62.1%), 1065808k free (26.4%), 464304k freeable (11.5%)  ß Total utilization increases

 

If memory increases consistently over time (several days), it is likely that a memory leak pattern has been identified.

 

Contributing Factors:

 

External management tools such as security fabric, FortiManager etc, that query the FortiGate can trigger increased node process activity.

 

Workaround:

 

Restart the NODE process. Follow these steps to do so:

 

  1. Identify the process ID. This information can be viewed with the following command:

F2 #diagnose sys process pidof node

2093 

         

Or it can be viewed with this command:

 

F2 # diag sys top-mem 5

node (2093) 328733kB 

  

  1. Restart the process with the following parameter:

 

F2 # diag sys kill 11 2093

 

This temporarily resolves the memory leak by releasing the memory that was held by the process.