Setting Up Reservation Manager › Post-Installation Administrative Tasks › Set Over Commitment of Memory on ESX Server or Cluster

Set Over Commitment of Memory on ESX Server or Cluster

You can increase the amount of memory used on VMware servers or clusters when the actual memory usage permits it. Doing this lets you deploy more virtual machines.

Overcommitment is specified as a percentage. For example, if an ESX server has 30 GB of physical memory available for the VMs it hosts, an overcommitment of 50 percent would increase the memory to 45 GB.

To set overcommitment of memory on an ESX server or cluster

1. Log in to the Reservation Manager using the CA Server Automation administrator user credentials.

   The home page opens.

2. Click Administer Your Reservation Manager.

   The Administration page opens.

3. Click Manage your resource pools.

   The Resource Pools page opens, and lists existing pools.

4. Double-click a resource pool.

   The Resource Pool details page opens, with the Properties tab displayed.

5. Select the following field and enter a percentage:

   Allow memory overcommitment. Percent:

   Enables over commitment of memory by a percentage that you specify.

   Default: Off, 0%

   Note: A negative value sets undercommitment of memory.

6. Click OK.

   Memory is overcommitted.