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Understanding top and load averages

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by czerdrill, Apr 20, 2012.

  1. czerdrill

    czerdrill Well-Known Member

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    I'm just trying to understand the top output as I'm a little confused at what I'm looking at here. I'm running a quad core box, and when I run top the load averages are 7.33, 7.43, 7.10

    From what I understand #cores=max load right? So doesn't this mean that my server is under some pretty bad strain? Or does it mean I have to divide each average by 4 to get the actual results so it would be 1.83, 1.86, 1.78?

    Just trying to understand if I have something to worry about or nothing at all...
     
    #1 czerdrill, Apr 20, 2012
  2. ruzbehraja

    ruzbehraja Well-Known Member

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    To put it simply, Load Average shows you the Number of processes, waiting to use the CPU(s) of your machine.

    This is not a % of the CPU usage.

    The CPU can either be 100% used or 100% unused, it cant be half used or 20% used logically.
    But the Load Average shows you how many processes will be using the CPU shortly.

    CPU Load Average != CPU % Used.

    When you say the your Load Averages are: 7.33, 7.43, 7.10


    Assuming you had a single CPU:
    This means that they are high and if you had a processor 7.33 times faster, it would have done your job instantly.
    The load of 7.33 means you made it work 633% more times than what it could have done.

    If you had 4 CPU's, then you can say that they are being overworked. Ideally it should have been 4.00
    If you had 7 CPU's, then you can say that all are being used at their full potential.

    To check out the actual CPU% used for the day use the command
    Hope this clears your doubt.
     
    #2 ruzbehraja, Apr 21, 2012
    Last edited: Apr 21, 2012
  3. czerdrill

    czerdrill Well-Known Member

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    It does clear my doubt! Thanks for the detailed response!
     
    #3 czerdrill, Apr 21, 2012
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