High CPU utilization on SQL2005 server

[Hubert_Cumberda]

We run VMWare ESX3.5i infrustructure. We have 3 physical ESX servers, each with dual quad core xeon processors and 24GB of RAM.

Our SQL2005 server is running Windows Server 2003 Standard and has the max amound of RAM (3.7GB)

It has a single vCPU which is set to unlimited and it has a custom amount of shares higher than any other server, which gives it something like 18% of resources of CPU

We are having an ongoing issue in that thr CPU on the SQL server will get stuck on 100% for a number of minutes. This occurs for tasks that do not require a lot of processor power.

It is running about 7 databases, but the biggest database is only about 1.5GB and it is not under frequent use, but when it does get used the CPU jumps up to 100%

Has anyone else experienced this issue and could possible give me some pointers?

[Dave_Mishchenko]

I've moved your post to the performance forum. Below are some similar threads to look at. One of the threads will mentions using esxtop. If you have installed the RCLI VM appliance you can access resxtop which will provide the same tool. Are you able to isolate the CPU hosts to certain queries or other processes?

http://communities.vmware.com/message/967788#967788

http://communities.vmware.com/message/922213#922213

[rakem]

I have attached some screen shots of esxtop while the cpu of the SQL server was at 100%

I was just running some reports on a database to get this to happen, could someone please check them out as i'm having trouble interpreting them

[rakem]

few more screen shots.

[kjb007]

Do you have the vm tools installed? I would try a reinstall of the tools first.

You will also have to post the vm info when running esxtop. Run esxtop. Note the number on the left side of the esxtop output next to the vm in question. Press e for expand, and type in the id for the vm. Post that. Also, type V and post vm disk statistics.

-KjB

[rakem]

I have reinstalled VMWare tools, still get the same issue.

I'm having some trouble finding the vm info you requested. How do i know which number of the left hand side is the VM in question?

thanks

[kjb007]

When you run esxtop, it should have the running vm names in the list. The names should correllate to the vm names.

-KjB

[MetronAthenePhi]

Where are you measureing 100% CPU from. Is this from the performance data from within the Windows OS? If so this figure is VERY inaccurate.

Assuming you have access to Virtual Center have a look on the performance tab for the ESX server and the VM in question, and see what the actual utilisation is.

[chandlm]

I assume it is actually the SQL services taking up all of the processor, but can you verify that? I'd also make sure you don't have high disk queue lengths, etc. to make sure it isn't something else causing the CPU issue. I haven't run SQL2005 in production (on a VM) yet but I've had similar problems with SQL 2000 in the past.

[rakem]

When the performance data inside windows reports 100% CPU utilization, the performance tab in Virtual Center also reports 100%

I have heard a lot of people say that the perfomance data inside windows in inaccurate but i regulary monitor the Virtual Center performance as well as the windows performance and they are identical.

It is the SQL service that hogs the processor, Disk utilization spikes occasionally but it is not related to CPU as when the CPU sits ar 100 the disk queue is normally very low.