How to Resolve Memory Leak Problems in a Websphere? |Memory leak detection and analysis in WebSphere Application Server

There are four common categories of memory usage problems in Java:

• Java heap memory leaks
• Heap fragmentation
• Insufficient memory resources
• Native memory leaks

The common causes for Java heap memory leaks are:

• Insertion without deletion into collections
• Unbounded caches
• Un-invoked listener methods
• Infinite loops
• Too many session objects
• Poorly written custom data structures.

Memory usage problems due to insufficient memory resources can be caused by:

• Configuration issues (allocating too little memory for heap).
• System capacity issues(too little physical memory).

Native memory leaks are memory leaks in non-Java cod, for example:

• Type-II JDBC drivers
• fragmentation in the non-heap segment of the Java process's address space.

WebSphere Application Server and higher provides a two-stage solution for detection and analysis of memory leaks

• In the first stage, a lightweight memory leak detection mechanism running within the production WebSphere Application Server uses inexpensive, universally available Java heap usage statistics to monitor memory usage trends, and provides early notification of memory leaks. An automated heap dump generation facility (available in WebSphere Application Server running on IBM JDKs)generates multiple heap dumps that have been coordinated with sufficient memory leakage to facilitate comparative analysis using MDD4J.
• The second stagethe Memory Dump Diagnostic for Java (MDD4J) is used to analyze heap dumps outside the production application server

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Installing SQL Server 2005 for use with WebSphere Portal.

This section provides information on how to install SQL Server 2005 for use with WebSphere Portal.

Before you begin this task, complete the following prerequisites:

• You should have completed reviewing the Planning for SQL Server 2005 topic.
• You must install SQL Server 2005 separately from WebSphere Portal.
• WebSphere Portal requires Microsoft® SQL Server Enterprise Edition 2005 Service Pack 2
• WebSphere Portal requires either the DataDirect Connect for JDBC 3.7 JDBC driver or the Microsoft SQL Server 2005 JDBC Driver.
  • You can obtain the DataDirect Driver from DataDirect Technologies. The JDBC driver consists of two parts: the JDBC driver libraries and JTA libraries. The JDBC driver libraries must be put on the WebSphere Portal system, while the JTA libraries are intended for SQL Server 2005.
  • You can obtain the Microsoft SQL Server 2005 JDBC Driver from Microsoft. See the Microsoft SQL Server product documentation for installation details

The following section provides instructions for installing SQL Server 2005 for use with IBM® WebSphere® Application Server and WebSphere Portal. These steps are the same for both the DataDirect and Microsoft drivers unless noted.

1. Install SQL Server 2005 and all required patches.
2. Select SQL Server Authentication as the authentication mode during the installation.
3. Complete the installation using SQL Server documentation as a guide.
4. Enable TCP/IP connectivity in the SQL Server Configuration Manager.
5. Install the JDBC driver using one of these methods:
   • Installing DataDirect Connect for JDBC drivers on UNIX
   • Installing DataDirect Connect for JDBC drivers on Windows
   • Installing Microsoft SQL Server 2005 JDBC drivers and enabling XA connections
6. Network the connections for MSDTC in the Windows Component Services as described in Microsoft Help and Support.
7. Start SQL Server 2005.

Check the Steps For Installation here 

Source :IBM