Steps to Troubleshoot High CPU Usage on a Linux Server

When troubleshooting high CPU usage on a Linux server, the following steps can help identify and resolve the issue:

1. Check CPU Usage: Use the top or htop command to identify which processes are consuming the most CPU resources.
2. Identify Problematic Processes: Look for specific processes that are causing high CPU usage and note their PIDs.
3. Analyze System Resources: Check memory usage, disk I/O, and network activity to determine if other system resources are contributing to the issue.
4. Kill Problematic Processes: Use the kill command to terminate any unnecessary or rogue processes that are consuming high CPU.
5. Check System Logs: Review system logs such as syslog or journalctl for any errors or warnings related to high CPU usage.
6. Monitor Performance: Utilize tools like sar or vmstat to monitor system performance over time and identify patterns of high CPU usage.
7. Update Software: Ensure that your Linux server's software, including kernel and applications, are up to date to address any known performance issues.
8. Optimize Configuration: Adjust system configurations, such as tweaking kernel parameters or optimizing application settings, to improve CPU performance.

By following these steps, you can effectively troubleshoot and mitigate high CPU usage issues on a Linux server.