[vox-tech] can YOU be certified?!?

[ME]

> ME writes:
>  > > Based on observation and the output from the top command, which of the
>  > > following pieces of information tells you that swap space needs to be
>  > > increased?
> 
> <snip>
> 
>  > > c) You hear constant noise from your hard drive.
>  > 
>  > Out of scope from original premise. Hard disk chatter is not from
>  > "top". Also, hard disk noise may offer a false positive with file access
>  > or a find command producing similar results.


On Sun, 21 Jul 2002, Micah Cowan wrote:
> Not really out of scope - based on *observation* and the output from
> the top command. However, if it is the correct answer, I'd consider
> the question a "trick question".

Here we get into arguements of defintions. Is "contant noise" the clicking
and whirring from heavy disk access, or is it the sound of a specific
noise that does not change? If the later, then I can re-create the
"constant noise" of a drive doing heavy swap between two apps with cross
partition copies, or find commands with xargs. If the later, then there is
still risk of false positive.

On a multi-user system such as a file server, "constant noise" can be
produced during tape backups from my servers. Users performng cross
partition copies, can also create a kind of flast clicking too. fiond
commands, database updates/searches, etc.

> As to the false positives - I'm not sure those count as "constant
> noise". But even so, one wouldn't want to increase swap based solely
> on that scrap of evidence - it needs to be combined with looking at
> more concrete information.

I agree that I would not increase swap with any one of these. In this
case, I am looking for the answer they would attribute to be the "right
answer".

Soon, e shall see their right answer.

We can agree that the question is not a very good one and should require
the admin to find more information that is included for any single
question. :-)

-ME

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