vSphere DRS Memory Overcommit Trigger Threshold Configuration
0 reputation · 28 Sept 2020, 20:00 UTC
The goal is to identify the exact host memory utilization level at which vSphere DRS treats memory pressure as high enough to trigger automatic reclamation mechanisms such as ballooning, swapping, or VMotion-based load balancing.
Currently, this threshold is not visible in the vSphere Client and is derived internally from a combination of active memory, swapped memory, and host overhead, making it impossible for administrators to set a precise overcommit limit through standard controls; only obscure advanced settings such as Mem.MemMaxMax and Mem.SwapEnable can affect the behavior, but their exact influence on the trigger point remains poorly documented.
What is the specific active memory percentage (or absolute value) that DRS uses as the high memory threshold to start reclamation? How do the advanced options Mem.MemMaxMax and Mem.SwapEnable shift this threshold, and what are their safe adjustment ranges? Can the threshold be exposed or made configurable via existing vSphere APIs or CLI without compromising host stability?