High server resource loads

[Tonyvic]

I'm on shared hosting running SMF 2.0.2 and sometimes see memory & CPU hitting the max allowed, this then results in ISE 500.
I note on the 'faults graph' for today that there is a 1 hour build-up then another hour to tail off.

Is this likely to be something with the forum set-up, or maybe an outside influence.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Tony

[Arantor]

Mods installed?

[Tonyvic]

Thanks for looking!

Mods installed?

Quite a few, see attached.

[Tonyvic]

Anyone?
A similar thing happened yesterday.

[ziycon]

I looks from the two images there that it occurred at roughly 1pm the first day and 3pm the next time, are there any scheduled tasks running on the server hourly or any cronjobs set to run on the hour?

[Tonyvic]

There's nothing on my site set to run, apart from the standard SMF tasks but they run from 01.00 to 05.00.

Is it a question I should put to the host? The last time I entered a ticket they said I should optimise the database and if that didn't work I should upgrade to a VPS/Dedicated server!

Tony

Edit: Just checked todays graphs - attached.

[青山 素子]

If you're on shared hosting and the problem occurs at a specific time, every day, it's likely related to some scheduled thing on the server itself going on. It's best to send the information you collected to your hosting provider and see if they can determine what is occurring on that schedule.

[Tonyvic]

Thanks for the reply,
Although the times vary 13.00hrs has cropped up a few times. I will contact the host!

Tony

[Tonyvic]

I have been on to the host & they seem to be ignoring my request for help, simply saying I need a VPS or Dedicated server!
There is rarely more than 20 online at any point, less than 63000 posts & 1798 members (Only about 300 active), so it's not the biggest forum in the world.

Yesterdays memory usage was at max for about 7 hours , previously I have only ever seen that for one/two hours.

Is it time to change host again, or is it likely to be a fault in my settings/files.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Tony

[ziycon]

Maybe keep any eye on bots/spiders visiting your site and note what times they arrive 'en masse', this could be a contributing factor. What host are you currently with?

[Tonyvic]

Only three spiders crawl my domain, usually only one at a time. As for Bots, I don't know how to check as my cPanel error log is very often empty although it states:

Last 300 Error Log messages in reverse order:

I asked the host about this and their answer is

The error logs have some limitations on shared server as it is a shared hosting environment.
If you upgrade to VPS or dedicated server we will customize the settings to fulfill your requirements.

The host is EUKhost and I'm on 'cPanel webhosting gold'.

[kat]

Only thing that makes me go  is the portal.

Does that include a shoutbox?

If so, is it set to "Real time"?

Even that's unlikely, though, if it only spikes at certain times.

Your host seem like a bunch of cowboys, if all they do is try to get you to throw more money at them.

[Tonyvic]

Does that include a shoutbox?

Yes, I am using the shoutbox that comes with the portal.

If so, is it set to "Real time"?

I have 'Shoutbox refresh time in seconds' disabled, so I assume that's 'Real time'

The spikes are quite variable in time and amount in a 24 hour period. See attached from yesterday & three days before.

I changed hosts in May as the previous one I used disabled the site a couple of times and told me to dump the Ajax chatroom, as the CPU usage was too much. I changed to the current host after explaining that, and was told they wouldn't disable the site for that reason which they haven't. Because of all the 500 errors due to the chat, I have removed it again.

[ziycon]

Are you still getting the spikes with the ajax chat disabled?

[Tonyvic]

Chat has been disabled for a few weeks but that mainly affected CPU, not memory which seems to be the main problem.

[kat]

Probably a silly question, this...

Do you have any cron-jobs set up?

[Tonyvic]

It was a silly question asking me about cron jobs K@. I didn't even know what they were until I just looked it up  , I notice in the cPanel/Cron jobs section it states 'No cron jobs'

[kat]

Well, it was worth asking.

None of those mods would cause any problems, like that. So, I'm somewhat baffled.

[Night09]

Eliminate the probable and that only leaves the improbable. 

Just before the time when the resources go crazy slip your forum into maintenance mode for an hour or two so as to cut all traffic into your server. This might shed a bit of light on where its originating if all the host is bothered about is a higher package and not whats wrong.

You will have comparable stats then from live and maintenance to see if theres any discrepancy.

[LiroyvH]

That might be a good idea, if maintenace mode 2 is used as to completely disable the forum.

Can't your host tell you which process causes issues...?