MODX site got taken down by hosting for excessive performance problems, help!

53 Posts

messyp Reply #11, 14 years, 1 month ago

Thanks Susan will do that...

I managed to get access logs but only for 16th/17th and seems the problem happened on the 15th...

They are attached but not sure if this is relevant unless the same request is still happening

I noticed that on request from a bot seems to keep occuring for the snippet css star rating but not sure if that is relevant...

ama HTTP/1.1" 302 1003 "-" "Mozilla/5.0 (compatible; Ezooms/1.0; [email protected])"
208.115.113.85 - - [17/Sep/2012:01:14:24 -0600] "GET /usa/al/boaz-outlet-center-boaz-alabama/?vote=1&star_id=BoazeOutletfCenteri%7CnBoaz,dAlabama&vote=4&star_id=BoazdOutlet=Center=%7CyBoaz,rAlabama&vote=4&star_id=BoazoOutletNCenterk%7C1Boaz,CAlabama HTTP/1.1" 302 883 "-" "Mozilla/5.0 (compatible; Ezooms/1.0; [email protected])"
208.115.113.85 - - [17/Sep/2012:01:14:24 -0600] "GET /usa/al/boaz-outlet-center-boaz-alabama/?vote=1&star_id=Boaz2Outlet0Center1%7C7Boaz,2Alabama&vote=4&star_id=Boaz%25OutletiCenter3%7C2Boaz,uAlabama&vote=3&star_id=BoazDOutleteCenterc%7CtBoaz,cAlabama&vote=2&star_id=Boaz1OutletlCenterr%7CsBoaz,7Alabama HTTP/1.1" 302 999 "-" "Mozilla/5.0 (compatible; Ezooms/1.0; [email protected])"
208.115.113.85 - - [17/Sep/2012:01:14:25 -0600] "GET /usa/al/boaz-outlet-center-boaz-alabama/?vote=5&star_id=BoazpOutletoCentere%7C-Boaz,&Alabama&vote=1&star_id=BoaziOutlettCentere%7C/Boaz,eAlabama&vote=2&star_id=Boaz=OutletiCentern%7CaBoaz,=Alabama HTTP/1.1" 302 887 "-" "Mozilla/5.0 (compatible; Ezooms/1.0; [email protected])"
208.115.113.85 - - [17/Sep/2012:01:14:25 -0600] "GET /usa/al/boaz-outlet-center-boaz-alabama/?vote=4&star_id=BoazpOutletoCentere%7C-Boaz,&Alabama&vote=4&star_id=Boaz8Outlet5CenterA%7CBBoaz,0Alabama&vote=1&star_id=BoaznOutlet2Centere%7CtBoaz,.Alabama&vote=2&star_id=BoazaOutlet2Centerh%7C%25Boaz,2Alabama HTTP/1.1" 302 1022 "-" "Mozilla/5.0 (compatible; Ezooms/1.0; [email protected])"
208.115.113.85 - - [17/Sep/2012:01:14:26 -0600] "GET /usa/al/boaz-outlet-center-boaz-alabama/?vote=4&star_id=BoazpOutletoCentere%7C-Boaz,&Alabama&vote=3&star_id=Boaz8Outlet5CenterA%7CBBoaz,0Alabama&vote=1&star_id=BoazIOutletoCentere%7CTBoaz,rAlabama&vote=5&star_id=Boaz%25OutletBCenterA%7CDBoaz,DAlabama HTTP/1.1" 302 1003 "-" "Mozilla/5.0 (compatible; Ezooms/1.0; [email protected])"
208.115.113.85 - - [17/Sep/2012:01:14:26 -0600] "GET /usa/al/boaz-outlet-center-boaz-alabama/?vote=2&star_id=BoazeOutletfCenteri%7CnBoaz,dAlabama&vote=3&star_id=Boaz2OutletcCenter2%7C+Boaz,%25Alabama&vote=2&star_id=Boaz4OutletcCenterd%7CFBoaz,JAlabama HTTP/1.1" 302 887 "-" "Mozilla/5.0 (compatible; Ezooms/1.0; [email protected])"
208.115.113.85 - - [17/Sep/2012:01:14:27 -0600] "GET /usa/al/boaz-outlet-center-boaz-alabama/?vote=1&star_id=BoazpOutletoCentere%7C-Boaz,&Alabama&vote=5&star_id=BoazBOutlet2Center%25%7C2Boaz,6Alabama&vote=2&star_id=BoazdOutlet5Centery%7CnBoaz,iAlabama&vote=4&star_id=BoazYOutletoCenterE%7C5Boaz,rAlabama HTTP/1.1" 302 1003 "-" "Mozilla/5.0 (compatible; Ezooms/1.0; [email protected])"

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24,524 Posts

sottwell Reply #12, 14 years, 1 month ago

I don't think that would make a lot of difference in this case; the source seems to be a problem with SESSION handling. Exactly what caused the problem is the question. Somebody trying to access the site with a corrupted cookie on their computer?

Another thing you could do is switch to using the more common file storage for sessions. Since they've locked you out of your Manager, you'll have to use direct database access, again using the hosting control panel's phpMyAdmin. In the modx_system_settings table, find the entry for "session_handler_class". In the value field, remove the modSessionHandler text. Leaving this empty will cause MODx to use the default PHP session handler, usually files in the server's /tmp directory.

In the Manager, this setting can be changed in the system setting of the same name. Just empty the field to use the default PHP session handler.

Studying MODX in the desert - http://sottwell.com
Tips and Tricks from the MODX Forums and Slack Channels - http://modxcookbook.com
Join the Slack Community - http://modx.org

53 Posts

messyp Reply #13, 14 years, 1 month ago

Thanks i have emptied the database session table but it only had 29 records. I am able to temporarily get into the manager so have changed to the default PHP session handler.

I will also follow ficklelife's advice about getCache

The question is though will this happen again as we are not clear what caused it, my host has stated that I will get an all out ban if it does (yes - I clearly will need to start looking a new host but still very confused as to why this has happened in the first place)

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24,524 Posts

sottwell Reply #14, 14 years, 1 month ago

Well, something was messing up the session storage in the database. It won't happen again with session storage in the file system using the default PHP session handlers. But what that "something" was is still the mystery.

Studying MODX in the desert - http://sottwell.com
Tips and Tricks from the MODX Forums and Slack Channels - http://modxcookbook.com
Join the Slack Community - http://modx.org

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2,213 Posts

AMDbuilder Reply #15, 14 years, 1 month ago

It sounds like your current host may have soft limits in place, so you can use over X number of connections, provided the resources aren't otherwise used. Your site isn't normally a problem unless a bunch of other users max out the resources, in which case you stand out.

I would highly recommend getCache as well, we have used it on several projects with great success. In regards to the hosting, I would suggest looking around, there are some nice options out there. If you don't mind a slightly bias suggestion, SkyToaster is very MODX friendly. I can get you a month free if you want to take things for a spin.

Regardless, let us know how getCache works out for you.

Patrick | Server Wrangler
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