rahlquist

I cant help but notice a growing trend of high server loads on several of the PassXX servers. Pas66 has had load spikes into astronomical amounts lately I have seen its higher than 18 several times. Of course thats when its starting to respond again so who knows how high it was when it wasn't responding at all. I have seen several other complaints of servers not responding due to excessively high loads with no comment from Surpass.

During my recent ticket I asked for more detail and they said it was a DDOS attack on a server on the same switch as mine. While that could knock the server off(or keep us from reaching it), I find it unlikely that it would cause the loads to spike so high on Pass66 since its not actually being attacked, though it could be possible that all of the queued requests to it may not be able to get back to the originator. The only problem with this is that if the DDOS is against another box then at least some of these should queued requests should make it back to the originators.

This morning my wife asked me if there was a problem with our hosting because she got only 50 of the usual 300 or so spams she gets every morning. So I checked mine and lo and behold I got 1 email. Now I am not one to complain about spam, but I have used this same address for over 11 years and as such I am used to the fact that I am going to get around 200-450 spam email overnight. 1 email makes me suspect that pass66 was down again.

I would simply like to know why so many users are reporting runaway processes causing server loads to run so high. I'm putting this in a ticket as well.

DewKnight

If you started receiving less spam, and the loads went down, what probably happened is the server was getting hammered with spam emails, and they temporarily put on an RBL blocklist (which many people do not like for numerous reasons).

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rahlquist

That would seriously suck as thats why I left my last host. I know it may sound sill to not want to see a decrease in spam but I have found that most service provider level spam blocking is barely close to accurate. I am seriously spoiled, for years I ran my own server and didnt have to put up with bad decisions based on things like this. My last host started to filter based on spamcop and vehemently denied it. When I noticed I wasnt getting ANY email on the spamcop RBL it seemed pretty clear.

So far the only response I have gotten is yours and my help desk ticket netted me a "The servers are fine now and appear to have been fine for the time you mention" (paraphrased).

Mike

Check my sig for info and contact me directly mike.k (at) surpasshosting.com if you are not receiving the attention you require in your helpdesk tickets.

Thank you for your patience

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Mike
Surpass Special Operations

rahlquist

Thank you Mike I may take you up on that generous offer. For now support is support, they are performing within reasonable times and answering my questions. My main concern is/are the high loads of late and why I would have such a sudden drop in email. I expect spam/email quantities to change over time but a rapid drop of a few hundred a day seems odd.

As I have explained to my previous host I understand I am on a shared box sharing space and load with other sites (419 on pass66 currently from what I see). So I don't expect it to be loads of under 3 100% of the time. Especially with things like all the users setting their cron jobs to rounded 0 minute intervals and all kicking off at once. I'd just like to know if there are changes that are causing overt drama at the center like DDOS attacks lasting for days on end and what will be done to minimize their impact on other sites.

Sorry so verbose but I do like to talk LOL

Mike

Hi
I received your personal email and will do my best to get back in touch with you in 24 hours. If you have any issues with blacklists RBLs, anything abuse realted, please submit a ticket to our Abuse and Security Team via http://desk.surpasshosting.com

Thank you

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Mike
Surpass Special Operations

rahlquist

Mike is there any way yall can closely monitor a servers load for a short time? I am sitting here working on my site and at 9:02 the site started bombing, returning blank pages, checked the server load and it was at 14! It cleared up after a few mins and then at 9:16 it started again, checked the load and it was at 11...

keith_springer_lh

thanks rahlquist for calling this out!


*amen* to your first post!!! and every subsequent...

lonelydreamer

server load now 30 at whatever time i'm posting... i'm not actually on the server, just the nifty monitors

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SH106 - out-burst.org