[GENERAL] PostgreSQL: CPU utilization creeping to 100%

[Kevin Grittner]

David Noel <david.i.noel at gmail.com> wrote:
> 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".

When a connection shows "idle", the related process should be
showing zero CPU usage.  Are you seeing something different?  If
so, is the transaction or query start time changing from one sample
to the next?

--
Kevin Grittner
EnterpriseDB: http://www.enterprisedb.com
The Enterprise PostgreSQL Company