EasyApache and Guaranteed RAM

[ddeo]

Hi, I am using the default config for Easy Apache (Apache 1 / PHP 4)

Server config:
cPanel 11.24.4-R32486 - WHM 11.24.2 - X 3.9
FEDORA 7 i686 on virtuozzo
Easy::Apache v3.2.0 Build 4561

I want to upgrade to PHP 5 and possibly Apache 2 but when I click Easy Apache it tells me about memory limits:

!! Warning (VZ): You are only only guaranteed 256 Megabytes of ram! 512 Megabytes is recommended. !!
!! Warning (VZ): You are only only guaranteed 74 Megabytes of ram when the system is out of ram! 512 Megabytes is recommended. !!


If I try to upgrade will I break my configuration or is this failsafe? I have read other forums saying I can lower my RAM usage by temporarily turning off some services sucha s FTPd, MySQL, POP, even Apache and run Easy Apache by SSH but I am not comfortable with this now.

can anyone tell me if it is wise to try the upgrade? Meaning if the upgrade doesn't work it will just abort with no changes.

Thanks, Ddeo

 

[Andrew Boring]

Assuming the (vz) is referring to Virtuozzo, it may kill of any processes that causes the VPS to approach it's memory limits, interrupting the build process and leaving you with a broken Apache configuration.

The link below was written for A Small Orange VPS customers specifically, but should work for you too.

http://wiki.asmallorange.com/HOWTOUpdateApache

If you aren't comfortable doing this yourself, you may need to contact your VPS provider for support.

 

[ddeo]

Hi Andrew, thank you very much for your info. I was afraid of breaking something so I will follow the link you provided. It is probably the best option for me.

Thanks, again. Ddeo

 

[Voltar]

You could also configure your profile in WHM and just save it, then build that profile via the command line.

 

[ddeo]

You could also configure your profile in WHM and just save it, then build that profile via the command line.

This is another option. Thanks for your advice. I guess what I am most worried about with either option is the fact that my account is only guaranteed 256MB of Ram and Cpanel is saying that I should have 512MB. My account says that it will "burst" to 1Gig but it will not hold that for the update.

So what I a wondering is will the command line also fail if I only have a limited amount of RAM. Any thoughts? Has anyone else upgraded with less Ram?

Thanks for the help. Ddeo

 

[JawadArshad]

This is another option. Thanks for your advice. I guess what I am most worried about with either option is the fact that my account is only guaranteed 256MB of Ram and Cpanel is saying that I should have 512MB. My account says that it will "burst" to 1Gig but it will not hold that for the update.

So what I a wondering is will the command line also fail if I only have a limited amount of RAM. Any thoughts? Has anyone else upgraded with less Ram?

Thanks for the help. Ddeo

You can temporarily increase the guarenteed RAM of your VPS to compile apache to be on the safe side and revert it back after the build (double vmguarpages value in your case).

 

[ddeo]

You can temporarily increase the guarenteed RAM of your VPS to compile apache to be on the safe side and revert it back after the build (double vmguarpages value in your case).

Hi, I don't think as a vps user I can change any vmguarpages settings. I would think this is a set up that only my host could change.

The only way I know to increase Ram is to pay extra with my host (godaddy) but they don't offer increased Ram on a temporary basis. I would have to sign up for a new account and transfer all of my sites.

I am in a catch 22 because the other non Cpanel VPS plans that godady offers already have Apache 2 and PHP 5 installed. If you opt for Cpanel like i did you getApache 1 and Php 4 installed but Cpanel can upgrade through EasyApache. The problem is the Vps plan only has 256RAM and that is not enough. I tried shutting down some services like Apache, MySQL and Cpanel and then ran the Top command and it still seems there is not enough free memory to do the upgrade.

Let me know if anyone has any ideas. Thanks, Ddeo

 

[Voltar]

I tried shutting down some services like Apache, MySQL and Cpanel and then ran the Top command and it still seems there is not enough free memory to do the upgrade.

Linux uses RAM differently than let's say Windows, you could have 100% RAM usage but not all of it is necessarily used by the kernel and your running applications, a lot of it could be buffers/cached.

 

[ddeo]

Linux uses RAM differently than let's say Windows, you could have 100% RAM usage but not all of it is necessarily used by the kernel and your running applications, a lot of it could be buffers/cached.

Hi Voltar, previous in this thread, Andrew suggested this process:
http://wiki.asmallorange.com/HOWTOUpdateApache

It says that you need at least 150 to 200 MB RAM free to do the update. I only have 256 total the will 'burst??' to 1Gig (not sure how this works).

Do you think after shutting down Apache, MySQL and Cpanel services I will have enough memory to compile everything OK?

Sorry to ask you such a subjective question but I am leaning on your experience. Thanks, Ddeo

 

[Voltar]

I would think that with a 1 GB burst (if I read that correctly) you should be able to recompile without any problems (after all, it had to be compiled when installing cPanel, unless you got a VPS package that already had everything done).

The only other thing that I could think of would be to run easyapache one upon bootup to compile (I believe you could do that with a VPS?). Or even configure the profile in WHM like I mentioned before and build via CLI like so

/scripts/easyapache --profile=profilename --build

( taken from http://www.cpanel.net/support/docs/easyapache.htm )

 

[JawadArshad]

Hi, I don't think as a vps user I can change any vmguarpages settings. I would think this is a set up that only my host could change.

The only way I know to increase Ram is to pay extra with my host (godaddy) but they don't offer increased Ram on a temporary basis. I would have to sign up for a new account and transfer all of my sites.

I am in a catch 22 because the other non Cpanel VPS plans that godady offers already have Apache 2 and PHP 5 installed. If you opt for Cpanel like i did you getApache 1 and Php 4 installed but Cpanel can upgrade through EasyApache. The problem is the Vps plan only has 256RAM and that is not enough. I tried shutting down some services like Apache, MySQL and Cpanel and then ran the Top command and it still seems there is not enough free memory to do the upgrade.

Let me know if anyone has any ideas. Thanks, Ddeo

Yes, the host must do this, I thought you were the host yourself. Well, if you are having any issues in easyapache, you may contact your host's support as most hosts would do such a task for you if you cannot do it on your end or are having issues with parameters set at node level which is under your host's control.

 

[ddeo]

Yes, the host must do this, I thought you were the host yourself. Well, if you are having any issues in easyapache, you may contact your host's support as most hosts would do such a task for you if you cannot do it on your end or are having issues with parameters set at node level which is under your host's control.

Hi JPC, I did contact my host, godaddy, but they sell their VDS plans with the assumption that there is NO tech support. The only thing they will offer is to reprovision the server for me.

This is why I am so paranoid. If this build goes bad then I have to reprovision the server and that may take a while. Does any one know a fool proof way to make sure the build doesn't fail, or if it does it can can be easily reverted back to the old build?

I guess i am a little ticked because I pay extra for Cpanel but they will not support it.. I also wonder if Cpanel will phase out PHP 4 since it is being discontinued. If that is the case how will future Cpanel updates deal with upgrading to PHP 5?

Thanks, Ddeo

 

[cPanelKenneth]

This is why I am so paranoid. If this build goes bad then I have to reprovision the server and that may take a while. Does any one know a fool proof way to make sure the build doesn't fail, or if it does it can can be easily reverted back to the old build?

By default EasyApache will revert to the prior build if something fails in the current build (even if the failure is due to a syntax error in httpd.conf).

Performing the build via the command line si the safest method on RAM constrained systems as then the entire build process resource usage is not swelled by the WHM resource usage.

 

[ddeo]

That is great news. Thank you all for your help. Happy holidays! Ddeo