Limit Space for Tables :: SAS® Visual Analytics 7.4: Administration Guide

Introduction

To limit the amount of space that a SAS LASR Analytic Server can use to host tables, set a tables limit. For example, to limit the total amount of data that can be loaded or imported to a general-purpose or public server, you might set a tables limit of 500 megabytes for that server. The limit helps ensure sufficient memory availability for other processes that run on the same machine (or cluster).

Over Capacity

Definition

If the sum of the sizes of loaded tables on a particular server equals or exceeds the server’s tables limit, the server is over capacity. A server that is over capacity accepts requests for activities such as data retrieval and analysis, but rejects requests to load, import, append, or reload tables. In other words, the tables limit does not constrain total memory usage; it constrains only the amount of memory that a particular server can use to host tables.

Note: Memory that is mapped for tables counts toward the limit. Memory that is used for temporary tables does not count toward the limit.

Note: Because the tables limit is enforced only after a server is over capacity, it does not establish an absolute constraint. A load that causes a server to be over capacity succeeds, regardless of the size of the table. Only subsequent loads are prevented.

Feedback

In most cases, a request that is rejected because a server is over capacity generates a message that indicates that the server is over capacity. However, for the following requests, the message indicates that the metadata server denied access to the operation:

autoload
create a table as output from a data query

Tip

For information about how the administrator displays the actual use of memory for tables, tables limits, and over capacity status, see Get Server Information.

How to Set a Tables Limit

To set a server’s tables limit:

From the administrator’s main menu, select LASRManage Servers.
In the Tables Limit column, click a cell, and enter a number.

Note: Any cells that you are authorized to modify have an edit indicator (a small triangle). You must have both the Administer and WriteMetadata permissions for a server to add, update, or remove its tables limit.
To save the change, press Enter (or click anywhere else in the interface).

Note: These instructions affect the VA.MaxTotalMemoryForTables extended attribute.