I leased a new server a few weeks ago and finally got around to moving some applicatons over yesterday and noticed that the server load via "top" was unusually high given that there was nothing running on it. What's a typical load for an idle server? The host says that this is normal. I'm concerned that there's a confirguration problem. The server is a AMD Athlon64 3200 with 1gb of ram and an 80gb sata drive. It's running redhat with whm/cpanel . Should I be concerned? Are the specific questions I should ask?
Well it depends. Would help to see more of the top output for example to see what is running. Is it being used as an email/db server? etc.
Like jbw said, we need more of the 'top' output - maybe there's something wrong happened about zombie process.
Doesn't look normal to me, it must be doing something that doesn't show up in the process list, you could try and paste the output of "ps auxw" or a reboot and see if it goes away.
blinxdk, here's the ps auxw . root@ob [~]# ps auxw USER PID %CPU %MEM VSZ RSS TTY STAT START TIME COMMAND root 1 0.0 0.0 4744 356 ? S Nov09 0:00 init [3] root 2 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? SN Nov09 0:00 [ksoftirqd/0] root 3 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< Nov09 0:00 [events/0] root 4 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< Nov09 0:00 [khelper] root 5 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< Nov09 0:00 [kacpid] root 29 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< Nov09 0:00 [kblockd/0] root 30 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S Nov09 0:00 [khubd] root 44 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< Nov09 0:00 [aio/0] root 43 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S Nov09 4:33 [kswapd0] root 117 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S Nov09 0:00 [kseriod] root 182 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< Nov09 0:00 [ata/0] root 184 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S Nov09 0:00 [scsi_eh_0] root 185 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S Nov09 0:00 [scsi_eh_1] root 202 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S Nov09 0:01 [kjournald] root 1047 0.0 0.0 3600 272 ? S<s Nov09 0:00 udevd root 1300 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< Nov09 0:00 [kauditd] root 1333 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< Nov09 0:00 [kmirrord] root 1334 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S< Nov09 0:00 [kmir_mon] root 1361 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S Nov09 0:00 [kjournald] root 1362 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S Nov09 0:17 [kjournald] root 1363 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S Nov09 0:00 [kjournald] root 1364 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S Nov09 0:01 [kjournald] root 1365 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S Nov09 0:01 [kjournald] root 1603 0.0 0.0 2524 372 ? Ss Nov09 0:01 cpuspeed -d -n root 1816 0.0 0.0 3624 360 ? Ss Nov09 0:02 syslogd -m 0 root 1820 0.0 0.0 2532 320 ? Ss Nov09 0:00 klogd -x root 2011 0.0 0.0 19852 336 ? Ss Nov09 0:00 rpc.idmapd root 2086 0.0 0.0 2536 328 ? Ss Nov09 0:00 /usr/sbin/acpid root 2158 0.0 0.0 21944 352 ? Ss Nov09 0:11 /usr/sbin/sshd root 2171 0.0 0.0 8708 316 ? Ss Nov09 0:00 xinetd -stayalive -pidfile /var/run/xinetd.pid htt 2297 0.0 0.0 3544 212 ? Ss Nov09 0:00 /usr/sbin/htt -retryonerror 0 htt 2298 0.0 0.0 39812 320 ? S Nov09 0:00 htt_server -nodaemon canna 2312 0.0 0.0 29620 340 ? Ss Nov09 0:00 /usr/sbin/cannaserver -syslog -u canna root 2323 0.0 0.0 57104 396 ? Ss Nov09 0:00 crond root 2424 0.0 0.0 37724 372 ? SN Nov09 0:37 cpanellogd - setting up logs for classifi nobody 2444 0.0 0.0 17028 280 ? S Nov09 0:00 entropychat nobody 2448 0.0 0.0 5972 320 ? S Nov09 0:00 /usr/local/cpanel/bin/startmelange dbus 2474 0.0 0.0 9672 320 ? Ss Nov09 0:00 dbus-daemon-1 --system root 2484 0.0 0.0 49896 304 ? Ss Nov09 0:02 rhnsd --interval 240 root 2498 0.0 0.1 18392 1380 ? Ss Nov09 0:01 hald root 2522 0.0 0.0 5772 312 ? Ss Nov09 0:00 /usr/sbin/portsentry -tcp root 2580 0.0 0.0 3396 56 ? Ss Nov09 0:00 /usr/local/urchin/bin/urchinwebd -f /usr/local/urchin/var/urchinwebd. nobody 2581 0.0 0.0 3396 36 ? S Nov09 0:00 /usr/local/urchin/bin/urchinwebd -f /usr/local/urchin/var/urchinwebd. nobody 2582 0.0 0.0 3396 36 ? S Nov09 0:00 /usr/local/urchin/bin/urchinwebd -f /usr/local/urchin/var/urchinwebd. nobody 2583 0.0 0.0 3396 36 ? S Nov09 0:00 /usr/local/urchin/bin/urchinwebd -f /usr/local/urchin/var/urchinwebd. nobody 2584 0.0 0.0 3396 36 ? S Nov09 0:00 /usr/local/urchin/bin/urchinwebd -f /usr/local/urchin/var/urchinwebd. nobody 2585 0.0 0.0 3396 36 ? S Nov09 0:00 /usr/local/urchin/bin/urchinwebd -f /usr/local/urchin/var/urchinwebd. nobody 2626 0.0 0.0 652 136 ? Ss Nov09 0:00 /usr/local/urchin/bin/urchind root 2639 0.0 0.0 2516 264 tty1 Ss+ Nov09 0:00 /sbin/mingetty tty1 root 2640 0.0 0.0 2516 264 tty2 Ss+ Nov09 0:00 /sbin/mingetty tty2 root 2641 0.0 0.0 2516 264 tty3 Ss+ Nov09 0:00 /sbin/mingetty tty3 root 2642 0.0 0.0 2516 264 tty4 Ss+ Nov09 0:00 /sbin/mingetty tty4 root 2643 0.0 0.0 2516 264 tty5 Ss+ Nov09 0:00 /sbin/mingetty tty5 root 2644 0.0 0.0 2516 264 tty6 Ss+ Nov09 0:00 /sbin/mingetty tty6 root 2645 0.0 0.0 2516 264 ttyS0 Ss+ Nov09 0:00 /sbin/mingetty ttyS0 CON9600 vt102 root 15399 0.0 0.1 80672 1724 ? S Nov29 0:02 chkservd named 15892 0.0 0.0 54700 600 ? Ssl Nov29 0:00 /usr/sbin/named -u named classifi 24575 0.0 0.0 37724 376 ? SN Nov30 0:00 cpanellogd - http logs for classifi classifi 24768 0.0 0.0 2380 280 ? SN Nov30 0:00 /usr/local/cpanel/bin/logrunner 1.0 /usr/local/cpanel/3rdparty/bin/an classifi 24769 0.4 67.6 2326112 650384 ? RN Nov30 4:34 /usr/local/cpanel/3rdparty/bin/analog +CIMAGEDIR /images/ +CDOMAINSFI mailman 9131 0.0 0.0 44904 688 ? Ss Nov30 0:00 /usr/bin/python /usr/local/cpanel/3rdparty/mailman/bin/mailmanctl -s mailman 9132 0.0 0.1 42488 1140 ? S Nov30 0:00 /usr/bin/python /usr/local/cpanel/3rdparty/mailman/bin/qrunner --runn mailman 9133 0.0 0.1 42616 1192 ? S Nov30 0:00 /usr/bin/python /usr/local/cpanel/3rdparty/mailman/bin/qrunner --runn mailman 9134 0.0 0.1 42532 1160 ? S Nov30 0:00 /usr/bin/python /usr/local/cpanel/3rdparty/mailman/bin/qrunner --runn mailman 9135 0.0 0.1 42496 1188 ? S Nov30 0:00 /usr/bin/python /usr/local/cpanel/3rdparty/mailman/bin/qrunner --runn mailman 9136 0.0 0.1 42620 1152 ? S Nov30 0:00 /usr/bin/python /usr/local/cpanel/3rdparty/mailman/bin/qrunner --runn mailman 9137 0.0 0.1 42532 1168 ? S Nov30 0:00 /usr/bin/python /usr/local/cpanel/3rdparty/mailman/bin/qrunner --runn mailman 9138 0.0 0.1 42608 1156 ? S Nov30 0:00 /usr/bin/python /usr/local/cpanel/3rdparty/mailman/bin/qrunner --runn mailman 9139 0.0 0.1 42604 1116 ? S Nov30 0:00 /usr/bin/python /usr/local/cpanel/3rdparty/mailman/bin/qrunner --runn mailnull 9209 0.0 0.0 29036 404 ? Ss Nov30 0:00 /usr/sbin/exim -bd -q60m mailnull 9213 0.0 0.0 29036 384 ? Ss Nov30 0:00 /usr/sbin/exim -tls-on-connect -bd -oX 465 root 9224 0.0 0.1 66740 1652 ? Ss Nov30 0:01 /usr/bin/spamd -d --allowed-ips=127.0.0.1 --pidfile=/var/run/spamd.pi root 9245 0.0 0.0 12400 640 ? S Nov30 0:00 antirelayd root 9248 0.0 0.1 67148 1448 ? S Nov30 0:00 spamd child root 9249 0.0 0.1 67148 1432 ? S Nov30 0:00 spamd child root 9268 0.0 0.0 33660 364 ? S Nov30 0:00 cppop - accepting on port 110 root 9475 0.0 0.0 104320 428 ? Ss Nov30 0:00 /usr/local/apache/bin/httpd -DSSL nobody 9481 0.0 0.1 113256 1312 ? S Nov30 0:03 /usr/local/apache/bin/httpd -DSSL nobody 9482 0.0 0.2 113272 2136 ? S Nov30 0:03 /usr/local/apache/bin/httpd -DSSL nobody 9483 0.0 1.2 113260 11696 ? S Nov30 0:06 /usr/local/apache/bin/httpd -DSSL nobody 9484 0.0 0.2 113268 2228 ? S Nov30 0:02 /usr/local/apache/bin/httpd -DSSL nobody 9485 0.0 0.1 122256 1736 ? S Nov30 0:04 /usr/local/apache/bin/httpd -DSSL nobody 9532 0.0 0.1 113252 1676 ? S Nov30 0:02 /usr/local/apache/bin/httpd -DSSL cpanel 11422 0.0 0.0 19544 336 ? Ss 01:08 0:00 /usr/bin/stunnel-4.04local /usr/local/cpanel/etc/stunnel/default/stun root 11445 0.0 0.1 39128 1772 ? S 01:09 0:00 cpsrvd - waiting for connections nobody 12334 0.0 0.1 113264 1828 ? S 04:26 0:05 /usr/local/apache/bin/httpd -DSSL nobody 12335 0.0 0.1 113560 1892 ? S 04:26 0:02 /usr/local/apache/bin/httpd -DSSL root 13091 0.0 0.0 38140 472 ? Ss 05:23 0:00 sshd: root@pts/0 root 13093 0.0 0.0 53976 444 pts/0 Ss 05:23 0:00 -bash root 13190 0.0 0.0 6428 424 ? S 05:27 0:00 /bin/sh /usr/bin/mysqld_safe --datadir=/var/lib/mysql --pid-file=/var mysql 13210 0.0 0.3 55824 3800 ? S 05:27 0:00 /usr/sbin/mysqld --basedir=/ --datadir=/var/lib/mysql --user=mysql -- mysql 13211 0.0 0.3 55824 3800 ? S 05:27 0:00 /usr/sbin/mysqld --basedir=/ --datadir=/var/lib/mysql --user=mysql -- mysql 13212 0.0 0.3 55824 3800 ? S 05:27 0:00 /usr/sbin/mysqld --basedir=/ --datadir=/var/lib/mysql --user=mysql -- mysql 13213 0.0 0.3 55824 3800 ? S 05:27 0:00 /usr/sbin/mysqld --basedir=/ --datadir=/var/lib/mysql --user=mysql -- mysql 13214 0.0 0.3 55824 3800 ? S 05:27 0:00 /usr/sbin/mysqld --basedir=/ --datadir=/var/lib/mysql --user=mysql -- mysql 13215 0.0 0.3 55824 3800 ? S 05:27 0:00 /usr/sbin/mysqld --basedir=/ --datadir=/var/lib/mysql --user=mysql -- mysql 13218 0.0 0.3 55824 3800 ? S 05:27 0:00 /usr/sbin/mysqld --basedir=/ --datadir=/var/lib/mysql --user=mysql -- mysql 13219 0.0 0.3 55824 3800 ? S 05:27 0:00 /usr/sbin/mysqld --basedir=/ --datadir=/var/lib/mysql --user=mysql -- mysql 13220 0.0 0.3 55824 3800 ? S 05:27 0:00 /usr/sbin/mysqld --basedir=/ --datadir=/var/lib/mysql --user=mysql -- mysql 13221 0.0 0.3 55824 3800 ? S 05:27 0:00 /usr/sbin/mysqld --basedir=/ --datadir=/var/lib/mysql --user=mysql -- root 13278 0.0 0.0 59652 844 pts/0 S+ 05:36 0:00 /usr/bin/perl /scripts/easyapache root 13293 0.0 0.0 52764 432 pts/0 S+ 05:36 0:00 sh buildapache.sea root 13345 0.0 0.0 52760 428 pts/0 S+ 05:36 0:00 /bin/sh ./bs root 13347 0.0 0.1 59916 1012 pts/0 S+ 05:36 0:00 /usr/bin/perl ./buildapache root 13357 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 05:36 0:00 [pdflush] root 13425 0.0 0.0 52764 424 pts/0 S+ 05:41 0:00 sh -c ./lxdialog/lxdialog --title "Main Menu" --backtitle "Apache Con root 13426 0.0 0.0 51492 424 pts/0 S+ 05:41 0:00 ./lxdialog/lxdialog --title Main Menu --backtitle Apache Configuratio root 13434 0.0 0.1 38288 1192 ? Ss 05:44 0:00 sshd: root@pts/1 root 13452 0.0 0.1 53976 1240 pts/1 Ss 05:45 0:00 -bash root 13596 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? S 06:13 0:00 [pdflush] root 13614 0.0 0.0 5440 792 pts/1 R+ 06:18 0:00 ps auxw Code (markup):
Whatever it is doing it isn't showing up as a process so I'm guessing it's filesystem io. Get the sysstat package if you don't already have it and run iostat. Look at the %iowait% value, at idle it shouldn't be many percent. Possible it could be related to the buildapache.sea that is running, seems that is some apache upgrade thing from cpanel?
I think it may be the hosting company trying to solve the problem via configuration modifications (but I'm not sure and won't know until after 8:00am EST ).
Ok, Just for comparison this is my iostat output from my celeron 2.4GHz, running apache and spamd: %user %nice %sys %iowait %idle 4.38 0.00 0.65 0.00 94.97
Could well be that the storage for your server is on a busy NFS server. Load is calculated by number of processes waiting in the queue - if disk access is slow then it will show a high value. I've also seen this happen before with the crappy Dell 'raid monitoring' tools they used to ship - I couldn't see these listed in your ps output though, so I don't think this is the cause on this occasion.
I gave up, canceled order and got a machine from different hosting company. I couldn't justify the time it was taking to determine the problem and I was too concerned about putting a high traffic site on a machine that had problems when it was idling. Thanks to all for the suggestions and input
It is something waiting on IO, since the cpu is 99% free. Could be fine actually. Depends on what the processes is doing. This does not happent to be a Centos 4.2 box with cpanel does it?
I had this same problem on a server earlier today. It turned out to be the Dell RAID array which was still building. Once it finished building the load returned to zero Like Shoemoney says, there was probably never anything wrong with it.
Analog is using up a lot of memory. It's probably because you moved over your previous log files too and it's now processing them. Do a ps aux | grep analog and see if analog is still running. Could be a problem with analog configuration.
I disagree. I have had a lot of dedicated servers and the new ones had very low load levels as expected. I have a dual 2.4 GHZ machine with 2gb of ram that has loads in the range shown in the original post - and that server has 50 client sites on it.
I don't know what the problem was but the load on the new dedicated machine is fine. The other one may have resolved itself (or not been an issue) had I been patient - but time is money