High Load problem - Help Required

[Dan Track]

Hi

I've got a server that as a constant load of 5.00. The problem is the
server isn't really doing anything. Its purpose is as a backup server
so it only does something in the evening. What I'd like is help in
developing a strategy, using various tools, to find out whats causing
the problem.

Many thanks for any help.
Dan

[Ed Greshko]

Dan Track wrote:
> Hi
>
> I've got a server that as a constant load of 5.00. The problem is the
> server isn't really doing anything. Its purpose is as a backup server
> so it only does something in the evening. What I'd like is help in
> developing a strategy, using various tools, to find out whats causing
> the problem.

How do you know the constant load is 5?  To find that you must be using a
tool of some sort.  If it is "constant" then "top" should show you something.

[Dan Track]

On 4/30/07, Ed Greshko  wrote:
> Dan Track wrote:
> > Hi
> >
> > I've got a server that as a constant load of 5.00. The problem is the
> > server isn't really doing anything. Its purpose is as a backup server
> > so it only does something in the evening. What I'd like is help in
> > developing a strategy, using various tools, to find out whats causing
> > the problem.
>
> How do you know the constant load is 5?  To find that you must be using a
> tool of some sort.  If it is "constant" then "top" should show you something.

I've used uptime and top. to show the load and processes that are
using the highest memory and cpu. However all the process are nearly
idle, using barely any resource. So I'm lacking in this area and I
thought I'd ask what the steps could be.

Thanks
Dan

[Ed Greshko]

Dan Track wrote:
> > How do you know the constant load is 5?  To find that you must be using a
> > tool of some sort.  If it is "constant" then "top" should show you
> > something.
>
> I've used uptime and top. to show the load and processes that are
> using the highest memory and cpu. However all the process are nearly
> idle, using barely any resource. So I'm lacking in this area and I
> thought I'd ask what the steps could be.

Well, uptime gives you the load averages for the past 1, 5, and 15 minutes.
 So, if all of these are hovering around 5 then "top" should have some clues
as to why....

You can always post what top is showing.  Also, sar is a useful tool.

[Derek Tracy]

On 4/30/07, Ed Greshko  wrote:
> Dan Track wrote:
> > > How do you know the constant load is 5?  To find that you must be using
>
> a
> > > tool of some sort.  If it is "constant" then "top" should show you
> > > something.
> >
> > I've used uptime and top. to show the load and processes that are
> > using the highest memory and cpu. However all the process are nearly
> > idle, using barely any resource. So I'm lacking in this area and I
> > thought I'd ask what the steps could be.
>
> Well, uptime gives you the load averages for the past 1, 5, and 15
> minutes.
> So, if all of these are hovering around 5 then "top" should have some
> clues
> as to why....
>
> You can always post what top is showing.  Also, sar is a useful tool.

You beat me to it.

[Ed Greshko]

Derek Tracy wrote:
> You can always post what top is showing.  Also, sar is a useful tool.
>
>
> You beat me to it.

Sarry about that....  :-)

[Andy Green]

Dan Track wrote:
> Hi
>
> I've got a server that as a constant load of 5.00. The problem is the
> server isn't really doing anything. Its purpose is as a backup server
> so it only does something in the evening. What I'd like is help in
> developing a strategy, using various tools, to find out whats causing
> the problem.

If top doesn't show anything, try looking at

ps -Af

The seventh column is the amount of cpu time the process has eaten.

-Andy

[Aaron Konstam]

On Mon, 2007-04-30 at 11:39 +0100, Dan Track wrote:
> Hi
>
> I've got a server that as a constant load of 5.00. The problem is the
> server isn't really doing anything. Its purpose is as a backup server
> so it only does something in the evening. What I'd like is help in
> developing a strategy, using various tools, to find out whats causing
> the problem.
>
> Many thanks for any help.
> Dan

Load average is tricky. It tells you how many processes are waiting to
be scheduled for CPU time at any time point. You could have 5 processes
waiting for CPU time at any point and they are all blocked for some
reason and will not start. What would be more interesting is how much
CPU time is being used by the processes. If not much then your have to
find out what these stopped processes are supposed to be doing. 
--
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Eureka! -- Archimedes
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Aaron Konstam telephone: [phone] e-mail: [e-mail]