The PingFederate installer for Windows runs the memoryoptions utility in an attempt to optimize the Java virtual machine (JVM) heap and garbage collector options based on available system resources at the time of installation. As needed, administrators can rerun the utility or manually edit these options at a later time.

When the PingFederate installer is executed for Windows or a subsequent rerun of the memoryoptions utility, it creates a backup copy of the current jvm-memory.options, if any, detects available system resources at the time, and records the recommended options in the jvm-memory.options file. Changes made as a result of the execution of the utility or a manual edit are activated after a restart of PingFederate. See the following table for information regarding expected behaviors.

PingFederate installation mediums and their expected behaviors from the execution of the memoryoptions utility tool
Installation medium Expected behavior
PingFederate installer for Windows
  • The installer creates a new PingFederate installation.
  • The installer runs the memoryoptions utility, which is designed to determine the recommended Java heap and garbage collector options based on the available resources and to record them in the jvm-memory.options file.
  • The installer configures PingFederate to run as a service.
  • The recommended options are activated as the PingFederate service starts.
PingFederate product distribution ZIP file The default jvm-memory.options file becomes part of the new installation as program and default configuration files are extracted from the PingFederate product distribution .zipfile.
PingFederate as a console application on Windows or as a console application, or a service on Linux
  • The JVM options set in the default jvm-memory.options file are activated as PingFederate starts.
  • The default JVM options are conservative. For most deployment scenarios using various physical or virtual resources, run the memoryoptions utility, which is designed to determine the recommended Java heap and garbage collector options based on the available resources and record them in the jvm-memory.options file.
  • As a result of the execution of the memoryoptions utility or a manual edit of the jvm-memory.options file, the JVM options are activated as PingFederate restarts.
PingFederate as a service on Windows
  • When administrators run the PingFederate service-installation program install-service.bat, located in the <pf_install>/pingfederate/sbin/win-x86-64 directory, to install the PingFederate Windows service manually, the program runs the memoryoptions utility, which is designed to determine the recommended Java heap and garbage collector options based on the available resources and record them in the jvm-memory.options file.

    The service-installation program then runs a helper utility generate-wrapper-jvm-options.bat, located in the <pf_install>/pingfederate/sbin/wrapper directory, to read the JVM options from the jvm-memory.options file and create a resource file that the PingFederate Windows service requires to configure its JVM options.

  • The recommended options are activated as the PingFederate service starts.