"200 concurrent mysql connections at the same time"

I find it hard to believe that there are 200 users on at the same time, but maybe I underestimate the number of lurkers. Also, I don't know anything about what constitutes a mysql connection. Is the code opening multiple connections for one user before closing any of them? Can anyone explain the concept in English?

I would guess that every pageview constitutes at least one MySQL connection, but ita would know for sure.

We have around 1000 registered users total. twenty percent of our users on line simulataneiously would be a lot.

And yeah we should be able not only limit it to one connection per user logged on, but actually open (say) fifty connection permanently and then share them among users queuing requests.

No, it's not users. I had a definition around somewhere, I think, from before we moved in. I'm not sure if it was at WX or PF.

Is the code opening multiple connections for one user before closing any of them?

It sounds like it is, to me. Then again, I've never looked at the code and probably wouldn't be able to tell even if I had.

I would guess that every pageview constitutes at least one MySQL connection

That's what I thought. But once the page is downloaded, the connection should be closed. I thought that "200 concurrent mysql connections at the same time" would mean that 200 requests for pages are being made at the same time. Which I find hard to believe.

I understand we probably have multiple queries per page view. But there is no reason they can't be done sequentially using the same connection. That would limit it to one connection per user.

And as I said we could actually have queries use a static pool of connections - using less than one connection per user. BEfore getting that drastic it ought to be comparatively easy to limit us to one connection per user.

It's possible that there is a bug in the code where MySQL connections aren't properly closed in all circumstances, causing them to accumulate.

This would be consistent with the pattern we've been seeing, where the server gets slower and slower, and finally crashes, but when it comes back up again it is fast again.

No, it's not users.

I understand that Kristen. But I wouldn't expect more than one connection per user at any point in time. Unless I misunderstand what a connection is....

t edit Or what Tom said. I hope he's right cause.... easy fix.

That's what I thought. But once the page is downloaded, the connection should be closed.

That'd be my guess too.

I thought that "200 concurrent mysql connections at the same time" would mean that 200 requests for pages are being made at the same time. Which I find hard to believe.

That would also be my guess, and it does sound a bit excessive. Especially since I thought we were a little quieter than usual today.

And I suspect we are closing connections once the page is loaded. But if we use a bunch of connections to load a page, and a bunch of people post or read at the same time, I can see how we could get up there.

We really ought to (and can easily ) limit it to one connection per page load.