---
id: d718ade6-7e1f-45b5-822c-06123dcb4039
---
# Too many processes running on the host
---

If there are too many processes running on hosts, it could lead to performance issues and resource constraints. You may want to review and prioritize the running processes, terminating unnecessary ones, or optimizing resource allocation to improve system performance. Monitoring tools can help identify resource-intensive processes and their impact on the system.

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

## Debug

### The maximum number of processes the user can create.
```shell
ulimit -u
```

### Check the amount of used memory by each process
```shell
ps aux --sort=-%mem | head
```

### Count the number of process running on the host
```shell
ps -e | wc -l
```

### Check for fork bombs
```shell
pstree -p
```

### Killing process that match a certain regex pattern
```shell
#!/bin/bash



# Use pkill with the -f option to match against the full command line

pkill -f ${REGEX_PATTERN}



# Check if any matching processes were terminated

if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then

  echo "Processes matching pattern '$regex_pattern' were terminated."

else

  echo "No processes found matching the pattern '$regex_pattern'."

fi
```


If there are too many processes running on hosts, it could lead to performance issues and resource constraints. You may want to review and prioritize the running processes, terminating unnecessary ones, or optimizing resource allocation to improve system performance. Monitoring tools can help identify resource-intensive processes and their impact on the system.


The Host Out of Memory (OOM) Incident occurs when a server or system runs out of memory, causing it to crash or become unresponsive. This can be caused by various factors, such as an unexpected surge in traffic or insufficient resources allocated to the system. Resolving this type of incident requires identifying the root cause of the memory issue and taking appropriate measures such as optimizing system resources or increasing memory capacity.


Host Out of Memory (OOM) Incident

This incident type refers to an increase in the number of errors per second on a Tomcat server, which could indicate an issue with the server itself, the host, a deployed application, or an application servlet. This could include errors generated when the Tomcat server runs out of memory, can't find a requested file or servlet, or is unable to serve a JSP due to syntax errors in the servlet codebase. This incident type requires immediate attention to diagnose and address the underlying issue.


Increase of the errors/second rate for Tomcat server

This incident type refers to the situation where the Tomcat server is utilizing more memory than it should, causing system instability and performance issues. This can happen due to a variety of factors such as memory leaks, improper configuration, or application code issues. It is important to address this incident promptly to prevent system failures and ensure optimal application performance.


Excessive memory usage by Tomcat.

This incident type typically refers to a situation where there is an anomaly in the Tomcat max processing time on a host. The maximum amount of time it takes for the server to process one request, from the time an available thread starts processing the request to the time it returns a response, has exceeded the expected threshold. This could indicate that a JSP page isn’t loading or an associated process (such as a database query) is taking too long to complete.


Anomalous max processing time for Tomcat host

A DoS (Denial of Service) attack on a Tomcat server occurs when attackers flood the server with an overwhelming amount of traffic, causing the server to become unresponsive and unable to handle legitimate requests. This attack results in service disruptions, making the server unavailable to users. The goal of the DoS attack is to make the targeted service unavailable to its users, causing inconvenience or financial losses to the organization that operates the server.


DoS Attack on Tomcat Server

```shell
export REGEX_PATTERN="PLACEHOLDER"
```


### The maximum number of processes the user can create.

```shell
ulimit -u
```

### Check the amount of used memory by each process

```shell
ps aux --sort=-%mem | head
```

### Count the number of process running on the host

```shell
ps -e | wc -l
```

### Check for fork bombs

```shell
pstree -p
```

### Killing process that match a certain regex pattern

```shell
#!/bin/bash



# Use pkill with the -f option to match against the full command line

pkill -f ${REGEX_PATTERN}



# Check if any matching processes were terminated

if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then

  echo "Processes matching pattern '$regex_pattern' were terminated."

else

  echo "No processes found matching the pattern '$regex_pattern'."

fi
```


Too many processes running on the host

Overview

Parameters

Debug

The maximum number of processes the user can create.

Check the amount of used memory by each process

Count the number of process running on the host

Check for fork bombs

Killing process that match a certain regex pattern

Learn more

Related Runbooks

Host Out of Memory (OOM) Incident

Increase of the errors/second rate for Tomcat server

Excessive memory usage by Tomcat.

Anomalous max processing time for Tomcat host

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