From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG  Mon Jul 28 14:56:31 2003
Return-Path: <owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG>
Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org
Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125])
	by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 011B437B401
	for <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>;
	Mon, 28 Jul 2003 14:56:31 -0700 (PDT)
Received: from thor.65535.net (thor.65535.net [216.17.104.19])
	by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 8C3EC43FBD
	for <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>;
	Mon, 28 Jul 2003 14:56:30 -0700 (PDT)	(envelope-from rghf@fsck.me.uk)
Received: from localhost.jdshostimg.com ([127.0.0.1] helo=localhost)
	by thor.65535.net with esmtp (Exim 4.20)
	id 19hFy4-000P0h-4z; Mon, 28 Jul 2003 14:55:44 -0700
Date: Mon, 28 Jul 2003 14:55:43 -0700 (PDT)
From: Rus Foster <rghf@fsck.me.uk>
X-X-Sender: rghf@thor.65535.net
To: Jamie <jamie@gnulife.org>
In-Reply-To: <20030728165345.A71147-100000@floyd.gnulife.org>
Message-ID: <20030728145307.B68935@thor.65535.net>
References: <20030728165345.A71147-100000@floyd.gnulife.org>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
cc: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org
Subject: Re: Server spinning out of control...
X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org
X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1
Precedence: list
List-Id: User questions <freebsd-questions.freebsd.org>
List-Unsubscribe: <http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions>,
	<mailto:freebsd-questions-request@freebsd.org?subject=unsubscribe>
List-Archive: <http://lists.freebsd.org/pipermail/freebsd-questions>
List-Post: <mailto:freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>
List-Help: <mailto:freebsd-questions-request@freebsd.org?subject=help>
List-Subscribe: <http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions>,
	<mailto:freebsd-questions-request@freebsd.org?subject=subscribe>
X-List-Received-Date: Mon, 28 Jul 2003 21:56:31 -0000

On Mon, 28 Jul 2003, Jamie wrote:

>
>
>     That is a good idea, thanks. We did check that though. Went through
> each user's accounts checking their .forwards and procmaillrc files.
>
>     We are running spamassassin 2.55, and in the global procmailrc file we
> call spamc which connects to a spamd running on another machine.
>
>     Are you aware of any other system utilities that might be used to
> trace CPU consumption and trap problems? We've taken a lot of stabs in the
> dark with what it could be, and we'd like to try some solid diagnostic
> utils to shed more light.
>
>    - Jamie

I'm not sure if this will work on 3.4 but try the following

have vmstat running so you can see why the load is jumping. It could be
disk I/O issues or memory.

Also you want to track which processes are just starting. Do a google for
freebsd system accouting to see if that can be turned on.

HTH

Rgds

Rus

www: http://jvds.com   | Virtual Servers from just $15/mo
MSNM: support@jvds.com | Totally Customizable Technology
e: rghf@jvds.com       | forums: http://forums.jvds.com
       10% donation to FreeBSD.org on each purchase