privv

Privv is a resource-control term used in OpenVZ and Virtuozzo container virtualization to refer to the private virtual memory resources allocated to an individual container. It forms part of the container’s resource limits, alongside CPU, I/O, and other memory-related constraints. The private virtual memory, sometimes described as private memory, is the portion of a container’s address space designated for the container’s processes and managed by the virtualization layer to help prevent a single container from exhausting host resources or impacting other containers.

Privv limits are configured per container via management tools such as vzctl or by editing the container’s configuration file. They are typically expressed as a memory size. A common parameter is privvsize, which sets the maximum size of the container’s private virtual memory. In operation, if a container attempts to allocate memory beyond its privv limit, the system enforces memory discipline according to the OpenVZ/Virtuozzo policy, potentially triggering memory reclamation or throttling.

Privv is specific to OpenVZ and Virtuozzo and is not a standard Linux kernel resource-control term; modern container platforms implement similar isolation using cgroups with different parameter names. The exact syntax and availability of privv-related settings can vary by version and distribution, so administrators should consult the official OpenVZ/Virtuozzo documentation for their environment.