---
id: 762d1d05-16b2-43fe-b58b-e488e3982727
---

# High Number of Idle Workers in Apache Server
---

This incident occurs when there is a high number of idle workers in the Apache server. Idle workers are connections that have been established by clients but are not currently processing any requests. When the number of idle workers becomes too high, it can lead to performance issues and potentially impact the server's ability to handle incoming requests. This can lead to slow response times or even server crashes.

### Parameters
```shell
export APACHE_CONFIG_FILE_PATH="PLACEHOLDER"

export MAX_IDLE_WORKERS="PLACEHOLDER"
```

## Debug

### Check the Apache configuration file for the timeout value for idle workers
```shell
sudo grep -i "timeout" ${APACHE_CONFIG_FILE_PATH}
```

### Check the Apache configuration file for the maximum number of idle workers allowed
```shell
sudo grep -i "maxclients" ${APACHE_CONFIG_FILE_PATH}
```

### Check Apache status to see if there are any idle workers
```shell
sudo systemctl status apache2
```

### If the Apache service is running, check the number of idle workers
```shell
sudo apache2ctl fullstatus | grep -i "idle workers"
```

### Check the Apache error log for any errors related to idle workers
```shell
sudo tail -n 100 /var/log/apache2/error.log | grep -i "idle workers"
```

### Check the server's resource usage to see if there are any issues with CPU, memory, or disk I/O
```shell
sudo top
```

### Check the network connections to see if there are any issues with incoming requests
```shell
sudo netstat -an | grep -i "80"
```

### Check if there are any other processes consuming high resources causing Apache to become unresponsive
```shell
sudo top -c
```

## Repair

### Adjust the Apache server configuration to reduce the maximum number of idle workers allowed. This will prevent the server from becoming overloaded with idle connections and help to free up resources for incoming requests.
```shell


#!/bin/bash



# Set the maximum number of idle workers allowed

${MAX_IDLE_WORKERS}



# Edit the Apache server configuration file to update the maximum number of idle workers

sudo sed -i "s/MaxRequestWorkers [0-9]*/MaxRequestWorkers $MAX_IDLE_WORKERS/g" /etc/apache2/apache2.conf



# Restart the Apache server to apply the changes

sudo service apache2 restart


```

This incident occurs when there is a high number of idle workers in the Apache server. Idle workers are connections that have been established by clients but are not currently processing any requests. When the number of idle workers becomes too high, it can lead to performance issues and potentially impact the server's ability to handle incoming requests. This can lead to slow response times or even server crashes.


This incident type is related to the Tomcat server, which is a popular open-source Java application server. It occurs when the available threads in the connection pool are running low, which means that there are not enough resources to serve incoming requests. This can cause delays or even failures in the application's performance, impacting the end-user experience. It is important to monitor and address this issue promptly to ensure that the application runs smoothly and efficiently.


Tomcat Low Available Threads in Connection Pool

In software engineering, a large number of suspended threads in Tomcat is an incident type that occurs when a high number of threads are created but are blocked from executing. This can happen due to a variety of reasons, such as slow database queries, network latency, or resource contention. When this occurs, the system may become unresponsive or slow, causing a degradation in performance or even a complete system failure. It is important to investigate and resolve this issue as quickly as possible to ensure the system can continue to function properly.


Tomcat Large Number of Suspended Threads Incident.

This incident occurs when the Tomcat server is experiencing an unusually high number of active sessions. Active sessions refer to the number of users currently accessing a web application hosted on the Tomcat server. When the number of active sessions exceeds the server's capacity, it can lead to slow response times, unresponsive applications, or even server crashes. This incident requires immediate attention to resolve the issue and prevent any further impact on the web application's performance.


Tomcat High Number of Active Sessions.

Tomcat Connection Pool Exhaustion Incident occurs when the maximum number of connections that a Tomcat server can handle has been reached. This can happen due to an increase in traffic or a sudden surge in user activity. When the connection pool is exhausted, new requests cannot be handled, and the application may become unavailable. This type of incident requires immediate attention to ensure that the application is restored to its normal functioning state.


Tomcat Connection Pool Exhaustion Incident

This incident type occurs when the number of concurrent connections to a MySQL database server exceeds the configured limit of 80%. This can lead to performance degradation or even database server crashes, making the application or system that relies on the database server unavailable for the end-users. This type of incident typically requires immediate attention and resolution to restore normal operation of the affected service.


MySQL too many connections incident

```shell
export APACHE_CONFIG_FILE_PATH="PLACEHOLDER"

export MAX_IDLE_WORKERS="PLACEHOLDER"
```


### Check the Apache configuration file for the timeout value for idle workers

```shell
sudo grep -i "timeout" ${APACHE_CONFIG_FILE_PATH}
```

### Check the Apache configuration file for the maximum number of idle workers allowed

```shell
sudo grep -i "maxclients" ${APACHE_CONFIG_FILE_PATH}
```

### Check Apache status to see if there are any idle workers

```shell
sudo systemctl status apache2
```

### If the Apache service is running, check the number of idle workers

```shell
sudo apache2ctl fullstatus | grep -i "idle workers"
```

### Check the Apache error log for any errors related to idle workers

```shell
sudo tail -n 100 /var/log/apache2/error.log | grep -i "idle workers"
```

### Check the server's resource usage to see if there are any issues with CPU, memory, or disk I/O

```shell
sudo top
```

### Check the network connections to see if there are any issues with incoming requests

```shell
sudo netstat -an | grep -i "80"
```

### Check if there are any other processes consuming high resources causing Apache to become unresponsive

```shell
sudo top -c
```


### Adjust the Apache server configuration to reduce the maximum number of idle workers allowed. This will prevent the server from becoming overloaded with idle connections and help to free up resources for incoming requests.

```shell


#!/bin/bash



# Set the maximum number of idle workers allowed

${MAX_IDLE_WORKERS}



# Edit the Apache server configuration file to update the maximum number of idle workers

sudo sed -i "s/MaxRequestWorkers [0-9]*/MaxRequestWorkers $MAX_IDLE_WORKERS/g" /etc/apache2/apache2.conf



# Restart the Apache server to apply the changes

sudo service apache2 restart


```


High Number of Idle Workers in Apache Server

Overview

Parameters

Debug

Check the Apache configuration file for the timeout value for idle workers

Check the Apache configuration file for the maximum number of idle workers allowed

Check Apache status to see if there are any idle workers

If the Apache service is running, check the number of idle workers

Check the server's resource usage to see if there are any issues with CPU, memory, or disk I/O

Check the network connections to see if there are any issues with incoming requests

Check if there are any other processes consuming high resources causing Apache to become unresponsive

Repair

Adjust the Apache server configuration to reduce the maximum number of idle workers allowed. This will prevent the server from becoming overloaded with idle connections and help to free up resources for incoming requests.

Learn more

Related Runbooks

Tomcat Low Available Threads in Connection Pool

Tomcat Large Number of Suspended Threads Incident.

Tomcat High Number of Active Sessions.

Tomcat Connection Pool Exhaustion Incident

Support