A means to detect if region is currently using high virtual memory llGetRegionHVM();
UrsulaMarie Alpha
Scripts owned by estate managers can use new function llGetRegionHVM(); to return true or false
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UrsulaMarie Alpha
Further clarification Part II:
Instead of risking a sim crash this feature can let us the estate managers know that there is an issue with virtual memory and allow us to prioritize a restart of the region and inform our guests. We all know sim crashes are awful since can lead to avatar roll backs, that outfit you changed the textures on via a hud, the progress in some scripts like a headpats counter or it's not mine, all reverted back to some previous state.
Ultimately the issue of HVM not clearing is something I hope the server team works on to maybe add some means of automated clearing of resources, so that our bucket can drain and not reach the overflow/crash point. However, in the meantime this function can easily provide a means of detection of the problem and allow for estate management to take steps to gracefully restart the region to address the resource issue.
For myself specifically, I plan to use this function so that a LSL script can query it every 15 minutes, and once it returns TRUE and their is an issue, it can inform myself and staff of the problem and we can coordinate a restart, could even automate this with corrade bot, where it can determine the current user count, send a region notice, and preform a region restart.
Everyone wins, the region's exposure to crashing is reduced, the staff and guests are aware of what is going on, region restarts can be coordinated and automated via staff and or corrade bot, the burden on linden lab doing manually HVM related restarts is avoided since us the sim owner can become aware of this issue. Unnecessary restarts are also avoided since if there is no issues with HVM on a specific night we don't have to restart blindly. All adds to availability of the region which is most desired.
UrsulaMarie Alpha
Further clarification Part I:
On this since we the estate/region/sim owners don't have access to the virtual memory usage of our regions and to know if it's in "high virtual memory" usage. Internally there is this bucket that fills, but never drains, and once it hits the limit of overflow the sim crashes and that negatively impacts everyone on the region. The only way for this bucket to be drained or reset is to reboot the region.
Ultimately availability of our region is what we desire so that ourselves, family, friends, guests, patrons can visit, use, interact with our virtual setting. The specific region I have that has experienced this issue has about 75k traffic score and has anywhere from 40 users to 70 users visiting and using the region, which is great it's all within a full region's metrics of 100 avatars. However, the traffic of comings and goings is quite a lot higher then 100 avatars is many hundreds per day come and go and all this adds to the so called bucket that can't be drained.
Imagine for a moment that you have some program on your operating system that has a similar issue where the only way to keep using it, is to restart your operating system, or even a phone app that ultimately requires you to restart your phone to use it.
While restarting isn't impossible, it's just not always ideal when availability is the goal and this is where this feature request is important, and sure we all have heard that "restarting the region, is best for high activity" and yes that's fine and we do that when it's in lower user counts on the region, roughly 20 or less in periods when most are sleeping.
Lucia Nightfire
What does "high virtual memory" entail?
What causes it?
UrsulaMarie Alpha
Lucia Nightfire, avatar traffic, after working Alpha Linden in a ticket of mine related to a high traffic region within my estate: The region's memory doesn't clear a component of it, pretty much doesn't garbage collect and restart is the only way to restore is to do a sim restart. The High Virtual Memory usage is not something we can see on our side, thus is why I would like this feature added so that I can automate restarts based on facts vs guessing, Sure we could reboot the sim nightly or something along those lines, but I rather reboot it when it actually needs it vs just doing it blindly. With this function we can query it and determine that the sim is in high usage of the virtual memory then prioritize a reboot sooner to address the resource issues.
The goal is to not have to reboot the sim during peak activity and reboot when the crowds are less, unless the risk of a sim crash is near by due to this specific issue. From what Alpha told me is that if HVM is detected the linden staff may issue a controlled reboot manually to avoid a crash of the region. Is why one of my regions is rebooting multiple times a week vs just on rolling restarts.
The affected region of mine has about hundreds unique avatars passing through it per day, which leads to this problem and without restarting the region it may crash before reaching the following week's rolling restart window. The coming and goings of these avatars exacerbates this specific issue related to the HVM.
Woolfyy Resident
UrsulaMarie Alpha Another longer term solution for LL = move to Rust programming language to better safeguard memory ... Anyway it is something that is changing quickly as the Department Of Defense in the US is banning C/C++ to move to Rust, knowing that most libraries are financed by the army for 3D simulators, IA, VR etc.
UrsulaMarie Alpha
Woolfyy Resident RUST is amazing, i'm very much with you on this!!
Woolfyy Resident
UrsulaMarie Alpha If you want to have fun with a 3P SL viewer under Linux + a Rust DE : Pop!_OS Epoch 1 Alpha 2 is now stable enough to be used as a primary system (as far as you are cautious in what you do with it and preemptively save what you need to)
I just tested it with Firestorm viewer as well as Cool Viewer and (since Alpha 2) use it on a daily basis, as it is the only way to do an efficient feedback.
PS: In both cases there is a lacking library to add for 3P viewers, so ... not for noobs. But who said that Linux or Alpha versions were for noobs :-)
Dominic Acoustic
Yes!