Too many httpd-processes and high cpu usage?

M

Miklo

Verified User
Joined
Sep 26, 2014
Messages
7
Hi,
I run a single Wordpress website on a VPS with the following specs:
  • Processor Name: QEMU Virtual CPU version (cpu64-rhel6)
  • Processor Speed (MHz): 2399.998
  • Total Memory: 8178804 kB
  • Apache 2.4.10
  • DirectAdmin 1.45.4
  • MySQL 5.6.12 Running
  • dovecot 2.2.13 Running
  • pure-ftpd 1.0.36 Running
  • Php 5.5.15 Installed
I have some problems with the website slowing down during times of high traffic. Not Always, but sometimes the server load goes up to 25-30. When I check the Service Monitor I can see that I have quite a few httpd-processes running, the more visitors on my site the more processes.

Also, in Process Monitor I can see that sometimes a few of these httpd-processes are consuming a lot of cpu. See attached image for example, this was taken during a medium traffic period with about 100 visitors online at the site at that moment. processmonitor.jpg

My questions in regard to this are:
1. Is the number of httpd-processes in itself a problem?
2. Is the high cpu-usage a problem, and if so what could be causing it?
3. The high server load problem seem to happen primarily during 8pm-11pm, this is the time when the website gets the most hits so it seems pretty reasonable. Although, the website sometimes gets the same number of hits during other times as well, the server load only seems to be high during those hours in the evening. This seems weird to me, any reasonable explanation for the load to be heavy during only certain hours of the day?

If I can be clearer or provide more information, please ask. Any input more than welcome!
 
Hello,

Switch to nginx+apache, it will solve the issue in most cases: http://forum.directadmin.com/showthread.php?t=49438
Note to check server-statu of apache to find sites, which are under possible flood or bot attack (posting comments, bruteforcing login page, sending spam etc).

If you want a private help please feel free to contact me by PM so I fix your issue.
 
zEitEr said:
Hello,

Switch to nginx+apache, it will solve the issue in most cases: http://forum.directadmin.com/showthread.php?t=49438
Note to check server-statu of apache to find sites, which are under possible flood or bot attack (posting comments, bruteforcing login page, sending spam etc).

If you want a private help please feel free to contact me by PM so I fix your issue.
Click to expand...
Thanks for your suggestion, will look into nginx immediately! May very well contact you for private help.

Regarding checking server-status, what is the best way to do that? Can I do it through DirectAdmin or is it done through SSH (I run Putty for SSH)?
 
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