OSS + ELC EU 2026

When everything runs smoothly, memory usage is just another metric. But when out-of-memory situations strike, or you are tasked with cutting a workload's RAM in half, it suddenly becomes the most important metric in your system.

While Linux exposes dozens of memory-related counters, answering basic questions is notoriously difficult. Developers and system administrators often struggle to pinpoint exactly how much memory the system is actually using, what the true footprint of a single application is, and how much memory that application can safely consume before causing issues.

In this talk, Richard will demystify Linux memory metrics and break down how the OS organizes memory across kernel and userspace.

Attendees will learn how to accurately read and make sense of Linux memory counters, giving them a better understanding of how internal memory management actually works. The session will also cover practical techniques for debugging memory-related issues and OOM kills, leaving the audience with actionable ways to optimize their application memory footprints.