# Elasticsearch rpm creates file /usr/lib/sysctl.d/elasticsearch.conf, but doesn't apply it, so vm.max\_map\_count remains the default until reboot **URL:** \ **Category:** Elasticsearch\ **Created:** [October 28, 2014, 2:53pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/elasticsearch-rpm-creates-file-usr-lib-sysctl-d-elasticsearch-conf-but-doesnt-apply-it-so-vm-max-map-count-remains-the-default-until-reboot/20463 "2014-10-28T14:53:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Suny1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecc23a/32.png) [@Suny1](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Suny1)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2014, 2:53pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/elasticsearch-rpm-creates-file-usr-lib-sysctl-d-elasticsearch-conf-but-doesnt-apply-it-so-vm-max-map-count-remains-the-default-until-reboot/20463/1 "2014-10-28T14:53:46Z")
Hi. We checked our elasticsearch and OS settings, and found that the system parameter vm.max\_map\_count was too low. It was still the linux default, 65530, but should be increased to 262144. This value is set in /usr/lib/sysctl.d/elasticsearch.conf (and also in /etc/sysconfig/elasticsearch, MAX\_MAP\_COUNT=262144). But we have to call "sysctl -p /usr/lib/sysctl.d/elasticsearch.conf" for this to take effect, or reboot the server. I don't know if anything speaks against doing stuff like this in the rpm's install scripts. If it's OK, please add it. This was the behaviour on RHEL6 and CentOS6 with the rpms elasticsearch.noarch 1.2.1-1 and probably also 1.0.1. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "elasticsearch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [elasticsearch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com](mailto:elasticsearch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com). To view this discussion on the web visit [https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/elasticsearch/521c23f0-5f2c-4479-b224-34f4542f1291%40googlegroups.com](https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/elasticsearch/521c23f0-5f2c-4479-b224-34f4542f1291%40googlegroups.com). For more options, visit [https://groups.google.com/d/optout](https://groups.google.com/d/optout). ---
**Author:** ![jprante](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/jprante/32/44941_2.png) [@jprante](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/jprante)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2014, 3:14pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/elasticsearch-rpm-creates-file-usr-lib-sysctl-d-elasticsearch-conf-but-doesnt-apply-it-so-vm-max-map-count-remains-the-default-until-reboot/20463/2 "2014-10-28T15:14:01Z")
This is a kernel parameter and requires a reboot. It is bad habit to enforce kernel parameter change from an application. This is due to the administrator. Note that increasing vm.max\_map\_count is only required for applications that use many small mmap calls (with mlockall, Elasticsearch does not). A number which is too high will potentially increase memory consumption on the server and reduce performance. Jörg On Tue, Oct 28, 2014 at 3:53 PM, Suny [suny.kim@gmx.net](mailto:suny.kim@gmx.net) wrote: > Hi. We checked our elasticsearch and OS settings, and found that the > system parameter vm.max\_map\_count was too low. It was still the linux > default, 65530, but should be increased to 262144. This value is set in > /usr/lib/sysctl.d/elasticsearch.conf (and also in > /etc/sysconfig/elasticsearch, MAX\_MAP\_COUNT=262144). But we have to call > "sysctl -p /usr/lib/sysctl.d/elasticsearch.conf" for this to take effect, > or reboot the server. I don't know if anything speaks against doing stuff > like this in the rpm's install scripts. If it's OK, please add it. This was > the behaviour on RHEL6 and CentOS6 with the > rpms elasticsearch.noarch 1.2.1-1 and probably also 1.0.1. > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "elasticsearch" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [elasticsearch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com](mailto:elasticsearch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com). > To view this discussion on the web visit > [https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/elasticsearch/521c23f0-5f2c-4479-b224-34f4542f1291%40googlegroups.com](https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/elasticsearch/521c23f0-5f2c-4479-b224-34f4542f1291%40googlegroups.com) > [https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/elasticsearch/521c23f0-5f2c-4479-b224-34f4542f1291%40googlegroups.com?utm\_medium=email&utm\_source=footer](https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/elasticsearch/521c23f0-5f2c-4479-b224-34f4542f1291%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer) > . > For more options, visit [https://groups.google.com/d/optout](https://groups.google.com/d/optout). -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "elasticsearch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [elasticsearch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com](mailto:elasticsearch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com). To view this discussion on the web visit [https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/elasticsearch/CAKdsXoHmyO3QJwakrDMH950pbDevsdbGdNQ86Zzf0k6Ysa9SLQ%40mail.gmail.com](https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/elasticsearch/CAKdsXoHmyO3QJwakrDMH950pbDevsdbGdNQ86Zzf0k6Ysa9SLQ%40mail.gmail.com). For more options, visit [https://groups.google.com/d/optout](https://groups.google.com/d/optout). ---
**Author:** ![Suny1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecc23a/32.png) [@Suny1](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Suny1)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2014, 3:46pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/elasticsearch-rpm-creates-file-usr-lib-sysctl-d-elasticsearch-conf-but-doesnt-apply-it-so-vm-max-map-count-remains-the-default-until-reboot/20463/3 "2014-10-28T15:46:35Z")
Thanks Jörg, your answer is really helpful. I didn't know of the connection between mlockall and max\_map\_count. I agree that the system parameters are the sys ads' job. Still, some documentation on this setting from elasticsearch.org would help, like in which cases it's important, as you explained. BTW, i'm using your post [http://jprante.github.io/2012/11/28/Elasticsearch-Java-Virtual-Machine-settings-explained.html](http://jprante.github.io/2012/11/28/Elasticsearch-Java-Virtual-Machine-settings-explained.html) a lot. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "elasticsearch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [elasticsearch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com](mailto:elasticsearch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com). To view this discussion on the web visit [https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/elasticsearch/ac09e37f-d603-46ca-a499-7fa542e86b06%40googlegroups.com](https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/elasticsearch/ac09e37f-d603-46ca-a499-7fa542e86b06%40googlegroups.com). For more options, visit [https://groups.google.com/d/optout](https://groups.google.com/d/optout). ---
**Author:** ![Suny1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecc23a/32.png) [@Suny1](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Suny1)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2014, 4:30pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/elasticsearch-rpm-creates-file-usr-lib-sysctl-d-elasticsearch-conf-but-doesnt-apply-it-so-vm-max-map-count-remains-the-default-until-reboot/20463/4 "2014-10-28T16:30:20Z")
Unfortunately, the rpms puts its file into the wrong directory. In RHEL, the sysctl reads /etc/sysctl.d, not /usr/lib/sysctl.d/. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "elasticsearch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [elasticsearch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com](mailto:elasticsearch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com). To view this discussion on the web visit [https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/elasticsearch/8c69f6e1-2b23-474a-957a-3cc7bfbd1d55%40googlegroups.com](https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/elasticsearch/8c69f6e1-2b23-474a-957a-3cc7bfbd1d55%40googlegroups.com). For more options, visit [https://groups.google.com/d/optout](https://groups.google.com/d/optout). ---
**Author:** ![Suny1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecc23a/32.png) [@Suny1](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Suny1)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2014, 5:52pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/elasticsearch-rpm-creates-file-usr-lib-sysctl-d-elasticsearch-conf-but-doesnt-apply-it-so-vm-max-map-count-remains-the-default-until-reboot/20463/5 "2014-10-28T17:52:45Z")
Wait. I'd say it doesn't require a reboot in RHEL6, it's a tunable parameter because it sits in /proc/sys/vm/max\_map\_count. In fact, it is activated at service start in the init script sysctl -q -w vm.max\_map\_count=$MAX\_MAP\_COUNT So I'd say things are fine once the service has started. That /usr/lib/sysctl.d/elasticsearch.conf doesn't mean a thing on RHEL6, the MAX\_MAP\_COUNT in /etc/sysconfig/elasticsearch counts. I apologize for the confusion. It was on a customer's server, and i wasn't aware that elasticsearch wasn't running when he queried the system parameters. For my part, learned sth again. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "elasticsearch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [elasticsearch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com](mailto:elasticsearch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com). To view this discussion on the web visit [https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/elasticsearch/ba7bece3-8b61-474a-9e42-b6d5e7e8a216%40googlegroups.com](https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/elasticsearch/ba7bece3-8b61-474a-9e42-b6d5e7e8a216%40googlegroups.com). For more options, visit [https://groups.google.com/d/optout](https://groups.google.com/d/optout). ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2017, 12:53am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/elasticsearch-rpm-creates-file-usr-lib-sysctl-d-elasticsearch-conf-but-doesnt-apply-it-so-vm-max-map-count-remains-the-default-until-reboot/20463/6 "2017-07-06T00:53:22Z")