Mysql performance problem & Failed DIMM

Posted by murdoch on Server Fault See other posts from Server Fault or by murdoch
Published on 2011-03-14T21:01:45Z Indexed on 2011/03/15 0:12 UTC
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Hi

I have a dedicated mysql database server which has been having some performance problems recently, under normal load the server will be running fine, then suddenly out of the blue the performance will fall off a cliff. The server isn't using the swap file and there is 12GB of RAM in the server, more than enough for its needs.

After contacting my hosting comapnies support they have discovered that there is a failed 2GB DIMM in the server and have scheduled to replace it tomorow morning.

My question is could a failed DIMM result in the performance problems I am seeing or is this just coincidence?

My worry is that they will replace the ram tomorrow but the problems will persist and I will still be lost of explanations so I am just trying to think ahead.

The reason I ask is that there is plenty of RAM in the server, more than required and simply missing 2GB should be a problem, so if this failed DIMM is causing these performance problems then the OS must be trying to access the failed DIMM and slowing down as a result. Does that sound like a credible explanation?

This is what DELLs omreport program says about the RAM, notice one dimm is "Critical"

Memory Information

Health : Critical

Memory Operating Mode

Fail Over State                     : Inactive
Memory Operating Mode Configuration : Optimizer

Attributes of Memory Array(s)
Attributes     : Location
Memory Array 1 : System Board or Motherboard

Attributes     : Use
Memory Array 1 : System Memory

Attributes     : Installed Capacity
Memory Array 1 : 12288  MB

Attributes     : Maximum Capacity
Memory Array 1 : 196608  MB

Attributes     : Slots Available
Memory Array 1 : 18

Attributes     : Slots Used
Memory Array 1 : 6

Attributes     : ECC Type
Memory Array 1 : Multibit ECC

Total of Memory Array(s)
Attributes : Total Installed Capacity
Value      : 12288  MB

Attributes : Total Installed Capacity Available to the OS
Value      : 12004  MB

Attributes : Total Maximum Capacity
Value      : 196608  MB

Details of Memory Array 1
Index          : 0
Status         : Ok
Connector Name : DIMM_A1 
Type           : DDR3-Registered
Size           : 2048  MB

Index          : 1
Status         : Ok
Connector Name : DIMM_A2 
Type           : DDR3-Registered
Size           : 2048  MB

Index          : 2
Status         : Ok
Connector Name : DIMM_A3 
Type           : DDR3-Registered
Size           : 2048  MB

Index          : 3
Status         : Critical
Connector Name : DIMM_B1 
Type           : DDR3-Registered
Size           : 2048  MB

Index          : 4
Status         : Ok
Connector Name : DIMM_B2 
Type           : DDR3-Registered
Size           : 2048  MB

Index          : 5
Status         : Ok
Connector Name : DIMM_B3 
Type           : DDR3-Registered
Size           : 2048  MB

the command free -m shows this, the server seems to be using more than 10GB of ram which would suggest it is trying to use the DIMM

             total       used       free     shared    buffers     cached
Mem:         12004      10766       1238          0        384       4809
-/+ buffers/cache:       5572       6432
Swap:         2047          0       2047

iostat output while problem is occuring

avg-cpu:  %user   %nice %system %iowait  %steal   %idle
          52.82    0.00   11.01    0.00    0.00   36.17

Device:            tps   Blk_read/s   Blk_wrtn/s   Blk_read   Blk_wrtn
sda              47.00         0.00       576.00          0        576
sda1              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda2              1.00         0.00        32.00          0         32
sda3              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda4              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda5             46.00         0.00       544.00          0        544

avg-cpu:  %user   %nice %system %iowait  %steal   %idle
          53.12    0.00    7.81    0.00    0.00   39.06

Device:            tps   Blk_read/s   Blk_wrtn/s   Blk_read   Blk_wrtn
sda              49.00         0.00       592.00          0        592
sda1              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda2              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda3              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda4              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda5             49.00         0.00       592.00          0        592

avg-cpu:  %user   %nice %system %iowait  %steal   %idle
          56.09    0.00    7.43    0.37    0.00   36.10

Device:            tps   Blk_read/s   Blk_wrtn/s   Blk_read   Blk_wrtn
sda             232.00         0.00     64520.00          0      64520
sda1              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda2            159.00         0.00     63728.00          0      63728
sda3              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda4              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda5             73.00         0.00       792.00          0        792

avg-cpu:  %user   %nice %system %iowait  %steal   %idle
          52.18    0.00    9.24    0.06    0.00   38.51

Device:            tps   Blk_read/s   Blk_wrtn/s   Blk_read   Blk_wrtn
sda              49.00         0.00       600.00          0        600
sda1              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda2              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda3              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda4              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda5             49.00         0.00       600.00          0        600

avg-cpu:  %user   %nice %system %iowait  %steal   %idle
          54.82    0.00    8.64    0.00    0.00   36.55

Device:            tps   Blk_read/s   Blk_wrtn/s   Blk_read   Blk_wrtn
sda             100.00         0.00      2168.00          0       2168
sda1              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda2              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda3              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda4              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda5            100.00         0.00      2168.00          0       2168

avg-cpu:  %user   %nice %system %iowait  %steal   %idle
          54.78    0.00    6.75    0.00    0.00   38.48

Device:            tps   Blk_read/s   Blk_wrtn/s   Blk_read   Blk_wrtn
sda              84.00         0.00       896.00          0        896
sda1              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda2              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda3              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda4              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda5             84.00         0.00       896.00          0        896

avg-cpu:  %user   %nice %system %iowait  %steal   %idle
          54.34    0.00    7.31    0.00    0.00   38.35

Device:            tps   Blk_read/s   Blk_wrtn/s   Blk_read   Blk_wrtn
sda              81.00         0.00       840.00          0        840
sda1              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda2              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda3              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda4              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda5             81.00         0.00       840.00          0        840

avg-cpu:  %user   %nice %system %iowait  %steal   %idle
          55.18    0.00    5.81    0.44    0.00   38.58

Device:            tps   Blk_read/s   Blk_wrtn/s   Blk_read   Blk_wrtn
sda             317.00         0.00    105632.00          0     105632
sda1              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda2            224.00         0.00    104672.00          0     104672
sda3              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda4              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda5             93.00         0.00       960.00          0        960

avg-cpu:  %user   %nice %system %iowait  %steal   %idle
          55.38    0.00    7.63    0.00    0.00   36.98

Device:            tps   Blk_read/s   Blk_wrtn/s   Blk_read   Blk_wrtn
sda              74.00         0.00       800.00          0        800
sda1              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda2              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda3              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda4              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda5             74.00         0.00       800.00          0        800

avg-cpu:  %user   %nice %system %iowait  %steal   %idle
          56.43    0.00    7.80    0.00    0.00   35.77

Device:            tps   Blk_read/s   Blk_wrtn/s   Blk_read   Blk_wrtn
sda              72.00         0.00       784.00          0        784
sda1              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda2              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda3              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda4              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda5             72.00         0.00       784.00          0        784

avg-cpu:  %user   %nice %system %iowait  %steal   %idle
          54.87    0.00    6.49    0.00    0.00   38.64

Device:            tps   Blk_read/s   Blk_wrtn/s   Blk_read   Blk_wrtn
sda              80.20         0.00       855.45          0        864
sda1              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda2              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda3              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda4              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda5             80.20         0.00       855.45          0        864

avg-cpu:  %user   %nice %system %iowait  %steal   %idle
          57.22    0.00    5.69    0.00    0.00   37.09

Device:            tps   Blk_read/s   Blk_wrtn/s   Blk_read   Blk_wrtn
sda              33.00         0.00       432.00          0        432
sda1              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda2              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda3              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda4              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda5             33.00         0.00       432.00          0        432

avg-cpu:  %user   %nice %system %iowait  %steal   %idle
          56.03    0.00    7.93    0.00    0.00   36.04

Device:            tps   Blk_read/s   Blk_wrtn/s   Blk_read   Blk_wrtn
sda              41.00         0.00       560.00          0        560
sda1              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda2              2.00         0.00        88.00          0         88
sda3              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda4              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda5             39.00         0.00       472.00          0        472

avg-cpu:  %user   %nice %system %iowait  %steal   %idle
          55.78    0.00    5.13    0.00    0.00   39.09

Device:            tps   Blk_read/s   Blk_wrtn/s   Blk_read   Blk_wrtn
sda              29.00         0.00       392.00          0        392
sda1              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda2              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda3              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda4              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda5             29.00         0.00       392.00          0        392

avg-cpu:  %user   %nice %system %iowait  %steal   %idle
          53.68    0.00    8.30    0.06    0.00   37.95

Device:            tps   Blk_read/s   Blk_wrtn/s   Blk_read   Blk_wrtn
sda              78.00         0.00      4280.00          0       4280
sda1              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda2              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda3              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda4              0.00         0.00         0.00          0          0
sda5             78.00         0.00      4280.00          0       4280

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