RLimitMEM Directive

Description: Limits the memory consumption of processes launched by Apache children
Syntax: RLimitMEM bytes|max [bytes|max]
Default: Unset; uses operating system defaults
Context: server config, virtual host, directory, .htaccess
Override: All
Status: Core
Module: core

Takes 1 or 2 parameters. The first parameter sets the soft resource limit for all processes and the second parameter sets the maximum resource limit. Either parameter can be a number, or max to indicate to the server that the limit should be set to the maximum allowed by the operating system configuration. Raising the maximum resource limit requires that the server is running as root, or in the initial startup phase.

This applies to processes forked off from Apache children servicing requests, not the Apache children themselves. This includes CGI scripts and SSI exec commands, but not any processes forked off from the Apache parent such as piped logs.

Memory resource limits are expressed in bytes per process.