Problem with Exim - High Load

[vortex2000]

I'm having a major problem with exim on a FC1 machine. Everytime I start exim, the server load almost iimmediately jumps to over 50. This is killing my machine. Does anyone have any idea's? I don't use SpamAssassin, MailScanner, or any anti-spam stuff. The process that runs the server up is mailnull.

Any help is appreciated.

[chirpy]

If it happens when you restart Exim, it could be that you have a huge mail queue. Do you have alarge mail queue, and if so, what's it full of?

[vortex2000]

Well, the queue has about 500 messages in it. There are almost 450 clients so the queue is normal for the server.

[AndyReed]

If you paste a copy of the processes running on your server using ps -aux command, we can help.

[vortex2000]

Here's the ps -aux:

root@server2 [/etc/rc.d/init.d]# ps -aux
USER PID %CPU %MEM VSZ RSS TTY STAT START TIME COMMAND
root 1 0.0 0.0 3244 428 ? S Dec01 0:08 init [3]
root 2 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? SW Dec01 0:00 [keventd]
root 3 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? SW Dec01 0:00 [kapmd]
root 4 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? SWN Dec01 0:00 [ksoftirqd/0]
root 6 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? SW Dec01 0:00 [bdflush]
root 5 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? SW Dec01 0:01 [kswapd]
root 7 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? SW Dec01 0:00 [kupdated]
root 8 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? SW Dec01 0:00 [mdrecoveryd]
root 12 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? SW Dec01 0:07 [kjournald]
root 67 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? SW Dec01 0:00 [khubd]
root 343 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? SW Dec01 0:00 [kjournald]
root 344 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? SW Dec01 0:00 [kjournald]
root 345 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? SW Dec01 0:24 [kjournald]
root 346 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? SW Dec01 0:02 [kjournald]
root 347 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? SW Dec01 0:27 [kjournald]
root 348 0.0 0.0 0 0 ? SW Dec01 0:30 [kjournald]
nobody 8683 0.8 1.2 16004 13144 ? SL Dec01 13:35 proftpd: (accepting connections)
root 8694 0.0 0.0 2708 620 ? S Dec01 0:00 /usr/sbin/smartd
root 8721 0.0 0.1 5088 1304 ? S Dec01 0:01 /usr/sbin/sshd
root 8735 0.0 0.0 3656 840 ? S Dec01 0:00 xinetd -stayalive -pidfile /var/run/xinetd.pid
root 8835 0.0 0.9 17952 9552 ? S Dec01 1:05 /usr/local/apache/bin/httpd -DSSL
root 8910 0.0 0.0 3180 616 ? S Dec01 0:00 crond
root 8919 0.0 0.1 5860 1176 ? S Dec01 0:00 /bin/sh /usr/bin/mysqld_safe --datadir=/var/lib/mysql --pid-fil
mysql 8947 0.0 1.4 33812 14716 ? S Dec01 0:00 /usr/sbin/mysqld --basedir=/ --datadir=/var/lib/mysql --user=my
mysql 8955 0.0 1.4 33812 14716 ? S Dec01 0:00 /usr/sbin/mysqld --basedir=/ --datadir=/var/lib/mysql --user=my
mysql 8956 0.0 1.4 33812 14716 ? S Dec01 0:00 /usr/sbin/mysqld --basedir=/ --datadir=/var/lib/mysql --user=my
mysql 8957 0.0 1.4 33812 14716 ? S Dec01 0:00 /usr/sbin/mysqld --basedir=/ --datadir=/var/lib/mysql --user=my
mysql 8958 0.0 1.4 33812 14716 ? S Dec01 0:00 /usr/sbin/mysqld --basedir=/ --datadir=/var/lib/mysql --user=my
mysql 8959 0.0 1.4 33812 14716 ? S Dec01 0:00 /usr/sbin/mysqld --basedir=/ --datadir=/var/lib/mysql --user=my
mysql 8960 0.0 1.4 33812 14716 ? S Dec01 0:00 /usr/sbin/mysqld --basedir=/ --datadir=/var/lib/mysql --user=my
mysql 8961 0.0 1.4 33812 14716 ? S Dec01 0:00 /usr/sbin/mysqld --basedir=/ --datadir=/var/lib/mysql --user=my
mysql 8962 0.0 1.4 33812 14716 ? S Dec01 0:00 /usr/sbin/mysqld --basedir=/ --datadir=/var/lib/mysql --user=my
mysql 8963 0.0 1.4 33812 14716 ? S Dec01 0:00 /usr/sbin/mysqld --basedir=/ --datadir=/var/lib/mysql --user=my
cpanel 16310 0.0 0.1 34864 1952 ? S Dec01 0:00 /usr/bin/stunnel-4.04local /usr/local/cpanel/etc/stunnel/defaul
dbus 16330 0.0 0.0 2444 736 ? S Dec01 0:00 dbus-daemon-1 --system
root 16370 0.0 0.0 1532 480 ? S Dec01 0:00 /usr/sbin/portsentry -tcp
root 16384 0.0 0.0 1740 356 tty1 S Dec01 0:00 /sbin/mingetty tty1
root 16385 0.0 0.0 3192 356 tty2 S Dec01 0:00 /sbin/mingetty tty2
root 16386 0.0 0.0 3080 352 tty3 S Dec01 0:00 /sbin/mingetty tty3
root 16387 0.0 0.0 2360 356 tty4 S Dec01 0:00 /sbin/mingetty tty4
root 16388 0.0 0.0 3036 352 tty5 S Dec01 0:00 /sbin/mingetty tty5
root 16389 0.0 0.0 3208 356 tty6 S Dec01 0:00 /sbin/mingetty tty6
mailman 7197 0.0 0.2 8448 2612 ? S Dec01 0:00 /usr/bin/python2 /usr/local/cpanel/3rdparty/mailman/bin/mailman
mailman 7201 0.0 0.4 9000 4644 ? S Dec01 0:02 /usr/bin/python2 /usr/local/cpanel/3rdparty/mailman/bin/qrunner
mailman 7202 0.0 0.4 8632 4716 ? S Dec01 0:02 /usr/bin/python2 /usr/local/cpanel/3rdparty/mailman/bin/qrunner
mailman 7203 0.0 0.4 9056 4712 ? S Dec01 0:02 /usr/bin/python2 /usr/local/cpanel/3rdparty/mailman/bin/qrunner
mailman 7204 0.0 0.4 7548 4708 ? S Dec01 0:02 /usr/bin/python2 /usr/local/cpanel/3rdparty/mailman/bin/qrunner
mailman 7205 0.0 0.4 7924 4744 ? S Dec01 0:02 /usr/bin/python2 /usr/local/cpanel/3rdparty/mailman/bin/qrunner
mailman 7206 0.0 0.4 8680 4792 ? S Dec01 0:02 /usr/bin/python2 /usr/local/cpanel/3rdparty/mailman/bin/qrunner
mailman 7207 0.0 0.4 8228 4704 ? S Dec01 0:01 /usr/bin/python2 /usr/local/cpanel/3rdparty/mailman/bin/qrunner
mailman 7208 0.0 0.3 8096 3532 ? S Dec01 0:01 /usr/bin/python2 /usr/local/cpanel/3rdparty/mailman/bin/qrunner
root 7308 0.0 0.5 9532 5200 ? SN Dec01 0:59 cpanellogd - setting up logs for nhayes
root 7312 0.0 0.1 7024 1872 ? S Dec01 0:23 cppop - accepting on port 110
root 7329 0.0 0.1 8216 1924 ? S Dec01 0:05 cpsrvd - waiting for connections
root 31535 0.2 0.2 8456 2084 ? S 09:44 0:51 sshd: root@pts/1
root 31577 0.0 0.1 7196 1396 pts/1 S 09:45 0:00 -bash
root 2304 0.0 0.2 8452 2072 ? S 10:02 0:01 sshd: root@pts/0
root 2312 0.0 0.1 6172 1404 pts/0 S 10:02 0:02 -bash
root 6022 0.0 0.0 3316 568 ? S 10:48 0:13 syslogd -m 0
root 6026 0.0 0.0 2248 384 ? S 10:48 0:00 klogd -x
nobody 14256 0.1 1.2 20236 12628 ? S 12:10 0:17 /usr/local/apache/bin/httpd -DSSL
nobody 14257 0.0 1.2 20680 12956 ? S 12:10 0:12 /usr/local/apache/bin/httpd -DSSL
nobody 14258 0.1 1.2 20256 12668 ? S 12:10 0:19 /usr/local/apache/bin/httpd -DSSL
nobody 14260 0.1 1.2 20652 13100 ? S 12:10 0:25 /usr/local/apache/bin/httpd -DSSL
nobody 14261 0.1 1.2 20216 12540 ? S 12:10 0:21 /usr/local/apache/bin/httpd -DSSL
nobody 14269 0.1 1.2 20372 12768 ? S 12:10 0:19 /usr/local/apache/bin/httpd -DSSL
nobody 14270 0.0 1.1 19396 11768 ? S 12:10 0:12 /usr/local/apache/bin/httpd -DSSL
nobody 14271 0.1 1.2 20224 12652 ? S 12:10 0:18 /usr/local/apache/bin/httpd -DSSL
nobody 14273 0.0 1.2 20244 12640 ? S 12:10 0:14 /usr/local/apache/bin/httpd -DSSL
nobody 14274 0.0 1.2 20364 12724 ? S 12:10 0:14 /usr/local/apache/bin/httpd -DSSL
mysql 18010 0.0 1.4 33812 14716 ? S 12:44 0:00 /usr/sbin/mysqld --basedir=/ --datadir=/var/lib/mysql --user=my
mysql 18109 0.0 1.4 33812 14716 ? S 12:46 0:00 /usr/sbin/mysqld --basedir=/ --datadir=/var/lib/mysql --user=my
mailnull 20621 0.0 0.1 7968 1644 ? S 13:03 0:10 /usr/sbin/exim -bd -q60m
mailnull 20625 0.0 0.1 7744 1584 ? S 13:03 0:00 /usr/sbin/exim -tls-on-connect -bd -oX 465
root 20626 0.0 0.1 7580 1616 ? S 13:03 0:00 /usr/sbin/exim -q
root 20648 0.0 0.1 5000 1616 pts/0 S 13:03 0:00 antirelayd
root 30618 0.0 0.1 7388 1620 ? S 14:03 0:00 /usr/sbin/exim -q
mysql 32049 0.0 1.4 33812 14716 ? S 14:13 0:00 /usr/sbin/mysqld --basedir=/ --datadir=/var/lib/mysql --user=my
mysql 4202 0.0 1.4 33812 14716 ? S 14:57 0:00 /usr/sbin/mysqld --basedir=/ --datadir=/var/lib/mysql --user=my
root 4698 0.0 0.1 8176 1616 ? S 15:03 0:00 /usr/sbin/exim -q
root 9917 3.0 0.1 6476 1248 pts/1 S 15:45 1:04 top
root 11947 0.0 0.1 8168 1616 ? S 16:03 0:00 /usr/sbin/exim -q
root 13478 0.4 0.3 8532 3744 ? S 16:13 0:02 /usr/sbin/exim -q
mailnull 13481 0.0 0.3 8532 3808 ? S 16:13 0:00 /usr/sbin/exim -q
mailnull 13993 0.1 0.3 8772 3524 ? S 16:16 0:00 /usr/sbin/exim -bd -q60m
nhayes 14084 0.0 0.5 9532 5224 ? SN 16:17 0:00 cpanellogd - http logs for nhayes
nhayes 14085 0.0 0.5 9532 5324 ? SN 16:17 0:00 cpanellogd - http logs for nhayes
nhayes 14086 0.0 0.0 1488 380 ? SN 16:17 0:00 /usr/local/cpanel/bin/logrunner 1.0 /usr/local/cpanel/3rdparty/
nhayes 14087 0.0 0.0 3680 404 ? TN 16:17 0:00 /usr/local/cpanel/3rdparty/bin/english/webalizer -N 10 -D /home
root 14219 0.4 0.3 9120 3740 ? S 16:18 0:00 /usr/sbin/exim -q
mailnull 14221 0.0 0.3 9120 3792 ? S 16:18 0:00 /usr/sbin/exim -q
root 14290 0.6 0.3 9120 3784 ? S 16:19 0:00 /usr/sbin/exim -q
mailnull 14294 0.0 0.3 9132 3852 ? S 16:19 0:00 /usr/sbin/exim -q
root 14396 1.4 0.3 8108 3720 ? S 16:20 0:01 /usr/sbin/exim -MCS -MCQ 30618 5 -MC remote_smtp gsmtp185.googl
mailnull 14399 0.0 0.3 8108 3780 ? S 16:20 0:00 /usr/sbin/exim -MCS -MCQ 30618 5 -MC remote_smtp gsmtp185.googl
root 14434 0.0 0.0 3524 772 pts/0 R 16:21 0:00 ps -aux