Mailing List Archive: Wikipedia: Mediawiki

Mediawiki using excessive CPU on shared server

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ftpetracca at gmail

Aug 19, 2009, 3:07 PM

Post #1 of 8 (1829 views)
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Mediawiki using excessive CPU on shared server

I have a shared server account with Lunarpages that I have been using
for the past three years to host a fan wiki for a tv show. Everything
was running smoothly until about a month or so ago. It was a couple of
weeks after I had updated to Mediawiki 1.15 (I had been using 1.13
previously). I got a message from Lunarpages that index.php was using
too much of the server's processor power (spiking from 1.3% - 2.5%
cpu, the allowable limit on the shared server is 1% ).

They disabled the script until I could find a solution. There was a
fatal error that I noticed in my php error log:

[20-Jul-2009 16:57:40] PHP Fatal error: require() [<a
href='function.require'>function.require</a>]: Failed opening required
'{EDIT}//w/includes/parser/LinkHolderArray.php'
(include_path='/{EDIT}/w:/{EDIT}/w/includes:/{EDIT}/w/languages:.:/usr/lib/php:/usr/local/lib/php')
in /{EDIT}//w/includes/AutoLoader.php on line 582

Shortly before the incident, 1.15.1 had come out and it did have some
bugfixes so I upgraded, figuring the error may have been the cause of
the spike. After the upgrade, I noticed no more fatal errors. The
issue seemed to go away for a bit, until I got a notice a couple of
days later of another spike:

Average %CPU usage - 1.35
Average %Memory usage - 0.82
Average %MySQL usage - 0.1

{EDIT} 1.35 0.82 0.1
Top Process %CPU 50.0 [php-cgi]
Top Process %CPU 43.0 [php-cgi]
Top Process %CPU 34.0 /usr/local/php5/bin/php-cgi
/{EDIT}/public_html/w/index.php

Is my wiki just outgrowing the shared host? In the past 6 months my
daily averages have been ~15-31k hits amongst 500-1000 visitors. Any
ideas what I can reasonably expect Mediawiki to support while staying
under my host's 1% load (I'm not sure of their hardware....) Are
there certain questions I should be asking the tech support people to
try to narrow down where the issue lies?

Are there any configuration settings I should know about that could
minimize the load? I've already turned off all the ajax functions.

I really can't afford a dedicated server just for a hobby site, but
I'd hate to have to bring the wiki down. It'd also be a pain to find a
new host since I just this month paid for the next year of hosting.
Thanks for all the help you can offer.

-F.t. Petracca

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iubito at gmail

Aug 20, 2009, 3:28 PM

Post #2 of 8 (1769 views)
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Re: Mediawiki using excessive CPU on shared server [In reply to]

Hi!Just a few ideas. Maybe you could
- enable the file caching for non logged visitors
$wgMainCacheType = CACHE_NONE;
$wgMemCachedServers = array();
$wgUseFileCache = true;
$wgFileCacheDirectory = "{$wgUploadDirectory}/cache";
$wgShowIPinHeader = false;//because html result of page is cached
- disable TeX if you don't need it ($wgUseTeX=false)
- disable ImageMagick? not sure about this, which of php GD or ImageMagick
use more CPU? Maybe im is not accessible on shared host : $wgUseImageMagick
= false
- disable MimeMagick (don't know exactly what it does, I disabled it because
it caused me errors) :
$wgMimeTypeFile= NULL;
$wgMimeInfoFile= NULL;
$wgMimeDetectorCommand = NULL;
$wgVerifyMimeType= false;
- disable category browser : wgUseCategoryBrowser=false;
- disable hint counter : $wgDisableCounters = true;
- make sure you didn't activate some debug features :
$wgDebugDumpSql = false;
$wgShowSQLErrors = false;
...

which extensions and hooks do you use ?

My 2 cents,

Sylvain (on holidays for 10 days)

2009/8/20 Francesco Petracca <ftpetracca [at] gmail>

> I have a shared server account with Lunarpages that I have been using
> for the past three years to host a fan wiki for a tv show. Everything
> was running smoothly until about a month or so ago. It was a couple of
> weeks after I had updated to Mediawiki 1.15 (I had been using 1.13
> previously). I got a message from Lunarpages that index.php was using
> too much of the server's processor power (spiking from 1.3% - 2.5%
> cpu, the allowable limit on the shared server is 1% ).
>
> They disabled the script until I could find a solution. There was a
> fatal error that I noticed in my php error log:
>
> [20-Jul-2009 16:57:40] PHP Fatal error: require() [<a
> href='function.require'> function.require</a>]: Failed opening required
> '{EDIT}//w/includes/parser/LinkHolderArray.php'
> (include_path='/{EDIT}/w:/{EDIT}/w/includes:/{EDIT}/w/
> languages:.:/usr/lib/php:/usr/local/lib/php')
> in /{EDIT}//w/includes/AutoLoader.php on line 582
>
> Shortly before the incident, 1.15.1 had come out and it did have some
> bugfixes so I upgraded, figuring the error may have been the cause of
> the spike. After the upgrade, I noticed no more fatal errors. The
> issue seemed to go away for a bit, until I got a notice a couple of
> days later of another spike:
>
> Average %CPU usage - 1.35
> Average %Memory usage - 0.82
> Average %MySQL usage - 0.1
>
> {EDIT} 1.35 0.82 0.1
> Top Process %CPU 50.0 [php-cgi]
> Top Process %CPU 43.0 [php-cgi]
> Top Process %CPU 34.0 /usr/local/php5/bin/php-cgi
> /{EDIT}/public_html/w/index. php
>
> Is my wiki just outgrowing the shared host? In the past 6 months my
> daily averages have been ~15-31k hits amongst 500-1000 visitors. Any
> ideas what I can reasonably expect Mediawiki to support while staying
> under my host's 1% load (I'm not sure of their hardware....) Are
> there certain questions I should be asking the tech support people to
> try to narrow down where the issue lies?
>
> Are there any configuration settings I should know about that could
> minimize the load? I've already turned off all the ajax functions.
>
> I really can't afford a dedicated server just for a hobby site, but
> I'd hate to have to bring the wiki down. It'd also be a pain to find a
> new host since I just this month paid for the next year of hosting.
> Thanks for all the help you can offer.
>
> -F.t. Petracca
>
> ______________________________ _________________
> MediaWiki-l mailing list
> MediaWiki-l [at] lists
> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/mediawiki-l
>

--
Sylvain Machefert

Tous aux Balkans !
http://www.tousauxbalkans.net
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Platonides at gmail

Aug 20, 2009, 4:11 PM

Post #3 of 8 (1746 views)
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Re: Mediawiki using excessive CPU on shared server [In reply to]

Sylvain Machefert escribi�:
> Hi!Just a few ideas. Maybe you could
> - enable the file caching for non logged visitors
> $wgMainCacheType = CACHE_NONE;
> $wgMemCachedServers = array();
> $wgUseFileCache = true;
> $wgFileCacheDirectory = "{$wgUploadDirectory}/cache";
> $wgShowIPinHeader = false;//because html result of page is cached

It doesn't need to be *file* caching.
Using memcached could work pretty much as well.
Use a bytecode cache.

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emufarmers at gmail

Aug 20, 2009, 6:39 PM

Post #4 of 8 (1746 views)
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Re: Mediawiki using excessive CPU on shared server [In reply to]

On Thu, Aug 20, 2009 at 7:11 PM, Platonides <Platonides [at] gmail> wrote:

> Sylvain Machefert escribi�:
> > Hi!Just a few ideas. Maybe you could
> > - enable the file caching for non logged visitors
> > $wgMainCacheType = CACHE_NONE;
> > $wgMemCachedServers = array();
> > $wgUseFileCache = true;
> > $wgFileCacheDirectory = "{$wgUploadDirectory}/cache";
> > $wgShowIPinHeader = false;//because html result of page is cached
>
> It doesn't need to be *file* caching.
> Using memcached could work pretty much as well.
> Use a bytecode cache.
>
> Memcached is entirely out of the question in most shared hosting
environments. Setting up eAccelerator or APC may be possible if you can get
uncrippled shell access.
http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/User:Aaron_Schulz/How_to_make_MediaWiki_fastis
a good guide to improving MediaWiki's performance, though the most
important part (the bytecode cache) depends on your host offering the right
tools.
Keep in mind that your options aren't just shared hosting and dedicated
hosting; there are reasonable VPSes available for $15-20 (though not through
Lunarpages).
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ftpetracca at gmail

Aug 23, 2009, 9:59 AM

Post #5 of 8 (1719 views)
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Re: Mediawiki using excessive CPU on shared server [In reply to]

I've implemented the file caching for now. Being that I have a lot
more browsing visitors than editors, I think that should make a
noticeable difference. I'm going to keep an eye on the situation and
see if that makes a dent. If not I'll have to look into the other
solutions and see which I could carry out in the shared host
environment. Shell access is available but costs a little extra, and
the list of functions disabled are located here
http://wiki.lunarpages.com/Disabled_JailShell_Commands

FYI, the extensions I'm using are Cite (Version r47190) ,
ParserFunctions (Version 1.1.1), ConfirmEdit (Version r36959) w/
FancyCaptcha.

Thanks for all the suggestions so far, I've learned a lot.

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Platonides at gmail

Aug 24, 2009, 6:50 AM

Post #6 of 8 (1699 views)
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Re: Mediawiki using excessive CPU on shared server [In reply to]

Francesco Petracca wrote:
> I've implemented the file caching for now. Being that I have a lot
> more browsing visitors than editors, I think that should make a
> noticeable difference. I'm going to keep an eye on the situation and
> see if that makes a dent. If not I'll have to look into the other
> solutions and see which I could carry out in the shared host
> environment. Shell access is available but costs a little extra, and
> the list of functions disabled are located here
> http://wiki.lunarpages.com/Disabled_JailShell_Commands

The only command you may miss from that list is 'make', in case you need
to compile something. In that case you may have more luck compiling on a
system similar enough and copying the binary. And if you're going to be
copying binaries, you may not need shell.

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ekompute at gmail

Aug 24, 2009, 10:59 AM

Post #7 of 8 (1700 views)
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Re: Mediawiki using excessive CPU on shared server [In reply to]

Hi Francesco Petracca, you are indeed lucky to have Lunarpages as your
webhost. They didn't kick you out like what Maiahost did to me when they
claimed that I exceeded their 1.5% CPU usage limit for my Maiahost Multiple
Plan.

I was in the midst of writing an article when my website was suddenly
suspended. I immediately contacted Online Chat Help and was told that I
touched 2.6% CPU limit. I then contacted Technical Support and they said I
touched 10%! When I asked for proof because of the discrepancy (2.6% vs
10%), they said they will give me in a few days time. Maybe they need to
adjust something or discuss how to explain away the discrepancy, LOL.

I disabled Dummipedia.org, my biggest website, and offered to disable some
smaller ones, too, but they insisted that I MUST upgrade to VDS or get lost.
I asked them whether it is true that once you touch 1.5%, there is no
turning back, even if I disabled some of my websites and they just said: "We
don't want you here."

And the big joke is I don't even have a total of 500 visitors a day for all
my websites added together. Remember I bought a Maiahost Multiple Plan, not
a Single Plan. My monthly bandwidth transfer was only 5% of the advertised
allocation of 50G (ie. 2,352MB) and I was using Mediawiki Version 1.14, not
1.15.

So Mediawiki users, beware who you choose to host for your websites.
Lunarpages does indeed sound like a very good webhost.

PM Poon

On Mon, Aug 24, 2009 at 9:50 PM, Platonides <Platonides [at] gmail> wrote:

> Francesco Petracca wrote:
> > I've implemented the file caching for now. Being that I have a lot
> > more browsing visitors than editors, I think that should make a
> > noticeable difference. I'm going to keep an eye on the situation and
> > see if that makes a dent. If not I'll have to look into the other
> > solutions and see which I could carry out in the shared host
> > environment. Shell access is available but costs a little extra, and
> > the list of functions disabled are located here
> > http://wiki.lunarpages.com/Disabled_JailShell_Commands
>
> The only command you may miss from that list is 'make', in case you need
> to compile something. In that case you may have more luck compiling on a
> system similar enough and copying the binary. And if you're going to be
> copying binaries, you may not need shell.
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> MediaWiki-l mailing list
> MediaWiki-l [at] lists
> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/mediawiki-l
>

--
PM Poon

* http://dummipedia.org The 5-Minute Concise Encyclopedia
* http://dummipedia.com The Dummipedia Amazon Online Store
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ekompute at gmail

Aug 24, 2009, 11:34 AM

Post #8 of 8 (1697 views)
Permalink

Re: Mediawiki using excessive CPU on shared server [In reply to]

Hi Francesco, you don't have to go for VDS yet. Just go for GoDaddy's
Unlimited Plan for US$14.99 (see if you can get a discount coupon somewhere
but don't go through resellers). I forgot to look for discount coupon and I
paid the full sum, LOL. You can also try Hostgator but I keep hearing about
hitting the inode limit or something.
GoDaddy is not the perfect host, but at least you don't have to close down
your website. Not much technical support (including no help in transferring
your website) but they have a lot of reference materials so I hardly contact
them. In any case, with Mediawiki, most webhosts do not provide any
technical support, always telling the same old story... "this is
third-party software and we don't provide any technical support".

PM Poon

On Tue, Aug 25, 2009 at 1:59 AM, Ekompute .info <ekompute [at] gmail> wrote:

> Hi Francesco Petracca, you are indeed lucky to have Lunarpages as your
> webhost. They didn't kick you out like what Maiahost did to me when they
> claimed that I exceeded their 1.5% CPU usage limit for my Maiahost Multiple
> Plan.
>
> I was in the midst of writing an article when my website was suddenly
> suspended. I immediately contacted Online Chat Help and was told that I
> touched 2.6% CPU limit. I then contacted Technical Support and they said I
> touched 10%! When I asked for proof because of the discrepancy (2.6% vs
> 10%), they said they will give me in a few days time. Maybe they need to
> adjust something or discuss how to explain away the discrepancy, LOL.
>
> I disabled Dummipedia.org, my biggest website, and offered to disable some
> smaller ones, too, but they insisted that I MUST upgrade to VDS or get lost.
> I asked them whether it is true that once you touch 1.5%, there is no
> turning back, even if I disabled some of my websites and they just said: "We
> don't want you here."
>
> And the big joke is I don't even have a total of 500 visitors a day for all
> my websites added together. Remember I bought a Maiahost Multiple Plan, not
> a Single Plan. My monthly bandwidth transfer was only 5% of the advertised
> allocation of 50G (ie. 2,352MB) and I was using Mediawiki Version 1.14, not
> 1.15.
>
> So Mediawiki users, beware who you choose to host for your websites.
> Lunarpages does indeed sound like a very good webhost.
>
> PM Poon
>
> On Mon, Aug 24, 2009 at 9:50 PM, Platonides <Platonides [at] gmail> wrote:
>
>> Francesco Petracca wrote:
>> > I've implemented the file caching for now. Being that I have a lot
>> > more browsing visitors than editors, I think that should make a
>> > noticeable difference. I'm going to keep an eye on the situation and
>> > see if that makes a dent. If not I'll have to look into the other
>> > solutions and see which I could carry out in the shared host
>> > environment. Shell access is available but costs a little extra, and
>> > the list of functions disabled are located here
>> > http://wiki.lunarpages.com/Disabled_JailShell_Commands
>>
>> The only command you may miss from that list is 'make', in case you need
>> to compile something. In that case you may have more luck compiling on a
>> system similar enough and copying the binary. And if you're going to be
>> copying binaries, you may not need shell.
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> MediaWiki-l mailing list
>> MediaWiki-l [at] lists
>> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/mediawiki-l
>>
>
>
>
> --
> PM Poon
>
> * http://dummipedia.org The 5-Minute Concise Encyclopedia
> * http://dummipedia.com The Dummipedia Amazon Online Store
>

--
PM Poon

* http://dummipedia.org The 5-Minute Concise Encyclopedia
* http://dummipedia.com The Dummipedia Amazon Online Store
_______________________________________________
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https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/mediawiki-l

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