So got the below earlier to day...

Around that time the logs show a ramp in processes(600) and associated memory (1.2g), cpu usage load average (80) untill the server gave out.

Server had to be hard reset by host as there was no ssh or plesk panel access.

Fast CGI is configured as below and is setup for one high use site. As I understand it FcgidMaxProcesses 20 should protect against what happen but has not.

I've read many forums with differing answers and references to many different fcgi directives, but have found nothing conclusive. Any one got some definitive answers on how to stop this sort of server process ramping and subsequent server failure?

If you need more info let me know.

Cheers Andy

 /var/log/apache2/error_log
[Thu May 17 07:40:47 2012] [warn] mod_fcgid: process 17651 graceful kill fail, sending SIGKILL
[Thu May 17 07:40:47 2012] [warn] mod_fcgid: process 17650 graceful kill fail, sending SIGKILL
[Thu May 17 07:40:47 2012] [warn] mod_fcgid: process 17649 graceful kill fail, sending SIGKILL
[Thu May 17 07:40:47 2012] [warn] mod_fcgid: process 17644 graceful kill fail, sending SIGKILL
[Thu May 17 07:40:47 2012] [warn] mod_fcgid: process 17643 graceful kill fail, sending SIGKILL
[Thu May 17 07:40:47 2012] [warn] mod_fcgid: process 17638 graceful kill fail, sending SIGKILL
[Thu May 17 07:40:47 2012] [warn] mod_fcgid: process 17633 graceful kill fail, sending SIGKILL
[Thu May 17 07:40:47 2012] [warn] mod_fcgid: process 17627 graceful kill fail, sending SIGKILL
[Thu May 17 07:40:47 2012] [warn] mod_fcgid: process 17622 graceful kill fail, sending SIGKILL
[Thu May 17 07:40:51 2012] [warn] mod_fcgid: process 17674 graceful kill fail, sending SIGKILL
[Thu May 17 07:40:51 2012] [warn] mod_fcgid: process 17673 graceful kill fail, sending SIGKILL
[Thu May 17 07:40:51 2012] [warn] mod_fcgid: process 17672 graceful kill fail, sending SIGKILL
[Thu May 17 07:40:51 2012] [warn] mod_fcgid: process 17667 graceful kill fail, sending SIGKILL
[Thu May 17 07:40:51 2012] [warn] mod_fcgid: process 17666 graceful kill fail, sending SIGKILL
[Thu May 17 07:40:51 2012] [warn] mod_fcgid: process 17665 graceful kill fail, sending SIGKILL
[Thu May 17 07:40:51 2012] [warn] mod_fcgid: process 17664 graceful kill fail, sending SIGKILL
[Thu May 17 07:40:51 2012] [warn] mod_fcgid: process 17659 graceful kill fail, sending SIGKILL
[Thu May 17 07:40:51 2012] [warn] mod_fcgid: process 17658 graceful kill fail, sending SIGKILL
[Thu May 17 07:40:51 2012] [warn] mod_fcgid: process 17657 graceful kill fail, sending SIGKILL
[Thu May 17 07:40:51 2012] [warn] mod_fcgid: process 17656 graceful kill fail, sending SIGKILL
[Thu May 17 07:40:51 2012] [warn] mod_fcgid: process 17651 graceful kill fail, sending SIGKILL

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<IfModule mod_fcgid.c>

<IfModule !mod_fastcgi.c>
    AddHandler fcgid-script fcg fcgi fpl
</IfModule>
  FcgidIPCDir /var/lib/apache2/fcgid/sock
  FcgidProcessTableFile /var/lib/apache2/fcgid/shm

  FcgidIdleTimeout 40
  FcgidProcessLifeTime 30
  FcgidMaxProcesses 20
  FcgidMaxProcessesPerClass 20
  FcgidMinProcessesPerClass 0
  FcgidConnectTimeout 30
  FcgidIOTimeout 120
  FcgidInitialEnv RAILS_ENV production
  FcgidIdleScanInterval 10
  FcgidMaxRequestLen 1073741824
</IfModule>