Hi. I have occasional very high load on my server. Do you have any ideas what could be the problem? The ps aux shot was taken on 2006-11-13 at 15:49:40. The interesting thing is that most of the postfix and procmail, perl processes hangs there from 15:38. But they dissapear after while and server load goes down again. At the time of high load server has big problems to serve its users. Code: USER PID %CPU %MEM VSZ RSS TTY STAT START TIME COMMAND www-data 15376 0.0 1.6 109256 4992 ? S 14:12 0:01 /usr/sbin/apache2 -k start -DSSL www-data 15377 0.0 1.4 109012 4440 ? S 14:12 0:01 /usr/sbin/apache2 -k start -DSSL www-data 15621 0.0 1.4 107948 4488 ? S 14:13 0:02 /usr/sbin/apache2 -k start -DSSL www-data 16741 0.0 1.6 107212 5096 ? S 14:38 0:00 /usr/sbin/apache2 -k start -DSSL web42_a 17256 0.0 0.3 24144 1120 ? S 14:54 0:00 proftpd: web42_admin - chello217023250106.chello.sk: IDLE postfix 17754 0.0 0.4 16968 1300 ? S 15:09 0:00 trivial-rewrite -n rewrite -t unix -u -c www-data 17824 0.0 1.6 109004 4948 ? S 15:10 0:00 /usr/sbin/apache2 -k start -DSSL www-data 17850 0.3 1.8 107932 5624 ? S 15:10 0:07 /usr/sbin/apache2 -k start -DSSL www-data 17892 0.1 1.6 107140 5020 ? S 15:11 0:02 /usr/sbin/apache2 -k start -DSSL postfix 17998 0.0 0.3 16512 1108 ? S 15:14 0:00 pickup -l -t fifo -u -c postfix 18969 0.0 0.3 16876 1092 ? S 15:38 0:00 local -t unix postfix 18970 0.0 0.3 16876 1092 ? S 15:38 0:00 local -t unix postfix 18971 0.0 0.3 17004 1104 ? S 15:38 0:00 local -t unix postfix 18972 0.0 0.3 16880 1092 ? S 15:38 0:00 local -t unix postfix 18973 0.0 0.3 16880 1092 ? S 15:38 0:00 local -t unix postfix 18974 0.0 0.3 17004 1104 ? S 15:38 0:00 local -t unix postfix 18975 0.0 0.4 16880 1448 ? S 15:38 0:00 local -t unix postfix 18976 0.0 0.3 16880 1092 ? S 15:38 0:00 local -t unix postfix 18977 0.0 0.3 16880 1092 ? S 15:38 0:00 local -t unix postfix 18978 0.0 0.3 16880 1092 ? S 15:38 0:00 local -t unix postfix 18979 0.0 0.4 16880 1328 ? S 15:38 0:00 local -t unix web39_a 18980 0.0 0.1 8556 572 ? Ss 15:38 0:00 /usr/bin/procmail -f- web39_a 18981 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? Z 15:38 0:00 [sh] <defunct> web39_a 18983 0.0 0.0 8556 120 ? S 15:38 0:00 /usr/bin/procmail -f- web39_j 18984 0.0 0.1 8560 572 ? Ss 15:38 0:00 /usr/bin/procmail -f- web39_j 18985 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? Z 15:38 0:00 [sh] <defunct> web39_j 18986 0.0 0.1 8556 608 ? Ss 15:38 0:00 /usr/bin/procmail -f- web39_j 18987 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? Z 15:38 0:00 [sh] <defunct> web39_j 18989 0.0 0.0 8556 120 ? S 15:38 0:00 /usr/bin/procmail -f- web39_m 18990 0.0 0.1 8560 572 ? Ss 15:38 0:00 /usr/bin/procmail -f- web39_s 18998 0.0 0.1 8556 572 ? Ss 15:38 0:00 /usr/bin/procmail -f- web39_t 18999 0.0 0.1 8560 572 ? Ss 15:38 0:00 /usr/bin/procmail -f- web39_j 19000 0.0 0.1 8556 572 ? Ss 15:38 0:00 /usr/bin/procmail -f- web39_j 19001 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? Z 15:38 0:00 [sh] <defunct> web39_j 19004 0.0 0.0 8556 120 ? S 15:38 0:00 /usr/bin/procmail -f- web39_j 19005 0.1 5.4 64012 16732 ? D 15:38 0:00 /usr/bin/perl -T -w /home/admispconfig/ispconfig/tools/spamassassin/usr/bin/spamassassin --prefs-file=/var/www/web39/user/web39_juraj/.user_prefs web39_j 19012 0.0 0.1 8556 572 ? Ss 15:38 0:00 /usr/bin/procmail -f- web39_j 19013 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? Z 15:38 0:00 [sh] <defunct> web39_j 19016 0.0 0.0 8556 120 ? S 15:38 0:00 /usr/bin/procmail -f- web39_j 19017 0.1 3.8 67928 11972 ? D 15:38 0:00 /usr/bin/perl -T -w /home/admispconfig/ispconfig/tools/spamassassin/usr/bin/spamassassin --prefs-file=/var/www/web39/user/web39_janko/.user_prefs postfix 19018 0.0 0.3 16880 1092 ? S 15:38 0:00 local -t unix web39_m 19019 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? Z 15:38 0:00 [sh] <defunct> web39_m 19023 0.0 0.0 8560 120 ? S 15:38 0:00 /usr/bin/procmail -f- web39_m 19024 0.0 5.7 65988 17796 ? D 15:38 0:00 /usr/bin/perl -T -w /home/admispconfig/ispconfig/tools/spamassassin/usr/bin/spamassassin --prefs-file=/var/www/web39/user/web39_mikislavik/.user_prefs web39_t 19025 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? Z 15:38 0:00 [sh] <defunct> web39_t 19029 0.0 0.0 8560 120 ? S 15:38 0:00 /usr/bin/procmail -f- web39_t 19030 0.0 7.0 68356 21528 ? D 15:38 0:00 /usr/bin/perl -T -w /home/admispconfig/ispconfig/tools/spamassassin/usr/bin/spamassassin --prefs-file=/var/www/web39/user/web39_trash/.user_prefs web39_m 19031 0.0 0.1 8560 572 ? Ss 15:38 0:00 /usr/bin/procmail -f- web39_m 19032 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? Z 15:38 0:00 [sh] <defunct> web39_j 19034 0.0 0.0 8560 120 ? S 15:38 0:00 /usr/bin/procmail -f- web39_j 19035 0.0 6.9 66596 21456 ? D 15:38 0:00 /usr/bin/perl -T -w /home/admispconfig/ispconfig/tools/spamassassin/usr/bin/spamassassin --prefs-file=/var/www/web39/user/web39_janko/.user_prefs postfix 19036 0.0 0.3 16880 1092 ? S 15:38 0:00 local -t unix web39_j 19037 0.0 0.1 8556 572 ? Ss 15:38 0:00 /usr/bin/procmail -f- web39_j 19038 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? Z 15:38 0:00 [sh] <defunct> web39_j 19041 0.0 0.0 8556 120 ? S 15:38 0:00 /usr/bin/procmail -f- web39_j 19042 0.1 3.2 68744 10004 ? D 15:38 0:00 /usr/bin/perl -T -w /home/admispconfig/ispconfig/tools/spamassassin/usr/bin/spamassassin --prefs-file=/var/www/web39/user/web39_janko/.user_prefs postfix 19043 0.0 0.3 16880 1092 ? S 15:38 0:00 local -t unix web39_k 19044 0.0 0.1 8556 572 ? Ss 15:38 0:00 /usr/bin/procmail -f- web39_r 19045 0.0 0.1 8560 572 ? Ss 15:38 0:00 /usr/bin/procmail -f- web39_k 19046 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? Z 15:38 0:00 [sh] <defunct> web39_k 19049 0.0 0.0 8556 120 ? S 15:38 0:00 /usr/bin/procmail -f- web39_k 19050 0.0 4.6 69308 14368 ? D 15:38 0:00 /usr/bin/perl -T -w /home/admispconfig/ispconfig/tools/spamassassin/usr/bin/spamassassin --prefs-file=/var/www/web39/user/web39_katka/.user_prefs web39_r 19051 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? Z 15:38 0:00 [sh] <defunct> web39_r 19053 0.0 0.0 8560 120 ? S 15:38 0:00 /usr/bin/procmail -f- web39_r 19054 0.0 4.5 68556 13892 ? D 15:38 0:00 /usr/bin/perl -T -w /home/admispconfig/ispconfig/tools/spamassassin/usr/bin/spamassassin --prefs-file=/var/www/web39/user/web39_roman/.user_prefs web39_s 19055 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? Z 15:38 0:00 [sh] <defunct> web39_m 19059 0.0 0.0 8560 120 ? S 15:38 0:00 /usr/bin/procmail -f- web39_m 19060 0.0 7.8 64816 24168 ? D 15:38 0:00 /usr/bin/perl -T -w /home/admispconfig/ispconfig/tools/spamassassin/usr/bin/spamassassin --prefs-file=/var/www/web39/user/web39_mikislavik/.user_prefs web39_s 19061 0.0 0.0 8556 120 ? S 15:38 0:00 /usr/bin/procmail -f- web39_s 19062 0.1 4.2 68160 12912 ? D 15:38 0:00 /usr/bin/perl -T -w /home/admispconfig/ispconfig/tools/spamassassin/usr/bin/spamassassin --prefs-file=/var/www/web39/user/web39_sona/.user_prefs web39_a 19066 0.0 4.8 63912 14776 ? D 15:38 0:00 /usr/bin/perl -T -w /home/admispconfig/ispconfig/tools/spamassassin/usr/bin/spamassassin --prefs-file=/var/www/web39/user/web39_admin/.user_prefs web39_j 19070 0.1 4.4 69256 13620 ? D 15:38 0:00 /usr/bin/perl -T -w /home/admispconfig/ispconfig/tools/spamassassin/usr/bin/spamassassin --prefs-file=/var/www/web39/user/web39_juraj/.user_prefs postfix 19349 0.0 0.7 33916 2180 ? S 15:42 0:00 smtpd -n smtp -t inet -u -c -s 2 www-data 19378 0.0 1.7 107332 5308 ? S 15:43 0:00 /usr/sbin/apache2 -k start -DSSL www-data 19382 0.0 1.6 106236 4976 ? S 15:43 0:00 /usr/sbin/apache2 -k start -DSSL www-data 19386 0.0 1.9 107160 6000 ? S 15:43 0:00 /usr/sbin/apache2 -k start -DSSL www-data 19387 0.0 2.1 107644 6484 ? S 15:43 0:00 /usr/sbin/apache2 -k start -DSSL postfix 19393 0.0 0.5 16868 1604 ? S 15:43 0:00 cleanup -z -t unix -u -c postfix 19408 0.0 0.5 16880 1624 ? S 15:44 0:00 local -t unix root 19445 0.0 0.3 38476 1180 ? Ss 15:45 0:00 sshd: support [priv] support 19467 0.0 0.3 38616 1000 ? S 15:45 0:00 sshd: support@pts/0 support 19469 0.0 0.5 11632 1564 pts/0 Ss 15:45 0:00 -bash postfix 19563 0.0 0.4 16508 1300 ? S 15:48 0:00 proxymap -t unix -u web39_t 19594 0.0 0.2 8556 800 ? Ss 15:48 0:00 /usr/bin/procmail -f- web39_t 19599 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? Z 15:49 0:00 [sh] <defunct> web39_t 19600 0.0 0.1 8556 308 ? S 15:49 0:00 /usr/bin/procmail -f- web39_t 19601 2.0 12.8 68528 39444 ? D 15:49 0:00 /usr/bin/perl -T -w /home/admispconfig/ispconfig/tools/spamassassin/usr/bin/spamassassin --prefs-file=/var/www/web39/user/web39_trash/.user_prefs postfix 19610 0.0 0.5 16876 1576 ? S 15:49 0:00 local -t unix support 19640 0.0 0.4 7180 1332 pts/0 S+ 15:49 0:00 /bin/bash scripts/systemload.sh support 19643 0.2 0.3 8904 956 pts/0 R+ 15:49 0:00 ps aux root 19653 0.0 0.9 32756 2944 ? D 15:50 0:00 smtpd -n smtp -t inet -u -c -s 2 admispc 19655 0.0 0.2 30640 712 ? S 15:50 0:00 /root/ispconfig/httpd/bin/ispconfig_httpd -DSSL
I seem to be having the same problem. Any remedy? I don't get that many emails. I only have less than 5 email accounts on that server. And perhaps less than 2 spams/day all together.