Linux Memory Analysis Tutor, Oracle/RHEL

I keep seeing high RAM utilisation on both Oracle Linux and Red Hat Enterprise Linux servers and I want to understand, in depth, what is really happening inside the memory subsystem. More than a quick fix, I need a knowledgeable administrator who can walk me through each layer—kernel, user space, buffers, cache, swap—so I can read the numbers with confidence and spot the true culprits when usage spikes.

Here is what I expect from our collaboration:
• A live, step-by-step session (or series) where we run commands such as free, top, vmstat, sar and others you recommend, interpret every column, and relate the output to the kernel’s behaviour.
• Practical explanations of how Oracle Linux and RHEL may differ in their memory reporting and tuning parameters.
• Hands-on diagnosis of at least one production-like log or sample system so I can see the full investigation workflow—from first symptom to root cause.
• A concise cheat-sheet or notes set that I can keep for future reference.

I already know the basics of Linux administration, but I need your expert guidance specifically on what drives the “high memory utilisation” message, how to separate harmless caching from real pressure, and what tuning levers are safe to use in each distribution.

If you enjoy teaching as much as troubleshooting, please tell me briefly about a similar memory issue you solved and the key tools you relied on. I’m ready to start as soon as we agree on a time.