[GENERAL] PostgreSQL: CPU utilization creeping to 100%

[David Noel]

On 4/2/13, Kevin Grittner <kgrittn at ymail.com> wrote:
> David Noel <david.i.noel at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> 'select * from pg_stat_activity' shows that the queries are not
>> waiting, and are in the idle state.
>
> The process is idle or the process is running the query?  If the
> latter, what do you mean when you say "the queries ... are in the
> idle state"?

select * from pg_stat_activity returns a table containing a column
labeled "state". When the postgres process is at 100% utilization and
the application has hung, this query returns the value "idle" in that
field. When things are running properly, as they are for the moment
now, the value is "active".