Esxi CPU usage dropps suddenly, and VMs performance are affected
Article ID: 411501
Updated On:
Products
Issue/Introduction
End user reported that on one of the Esxi host, the Esxi host CPU usage dropped suddenly:
Environment
Esxi 7.0.x
Esxi 8.0.x
Cause
1) Check power management settings in BIOS :
In physical server BIOS, the system profile setting is: Performance by Watt (OS) , it means : OS( Esxi ) handles the power management.
2)
In vCenter Web GUI, choose the Esxi host, in right pane, click on 'Overview' under the 'Hardware' section.
Ensure the 'Active policy' in 'Power Management' is 'High performance'
3) ssh to Esxi
Run esxtop, press p, it shows the C state and P state , we can see most of the CPU cores in P13 state, this is abnormal.
When it is 'high performance', the P stat should be P0, not P13.
Example output:
3:28:43am up 13 days 15:40, 1371 worlds, 0 VMs, 0 vCPUs; CPU load average: 0.02, 0.02, 0.02
Power Usage: 193W, Power Cap: N/A
PSTATE MHZ: 2501 2500 2400 2300 2200 2100 2000 1900 1700 1600 1500 1400 1300 1200 1100 1000
CPU %USED %UTIL %C0 %C1 %C2 %P0 %P1 %P11 %P12 %P13 %P14 %P15
0 0.4 1.1 1 99 0 0 0 0 0 100 0 0
1 0.0 0.0 0 100 0 0 0 0 0 100 0 0
2 0.0 0.2 0 100 0 0 0 0 0 100 0 0
3 0.1 0.2 0 100 0 0 0 0 0 100 0 0
4 0.1 0.2 0 100 0 0 0 0 0 100 0 0
5 0.0 0.0 0 100 0 0 0 0 0 100 0 0
6 0.0 0.0 0 100 0 0 0 0 0 100 0 0
7 0.0 0.0 0 100 0 0 0 0 0 100 0 0
8 0.0 0.0 0 100 0 0 0 0 0 100 0 0
9 0.0 0.1 0 100 0 0 0 0 0 100 0 0
10 0.1 0.2 0 100 0 0 0 0 0 100 0 0
11 0.2 0.8 1 99 0 0 0 0 0 100 0 0
12 0.1 0.2 0 100 0 0 0 0 0 100 0 0
13 8.5 17.8 18 82 0 0 0 0 0 100 0 0
14 0.0 0.0 0 100 0 0 0 0 0 100 0 0
15 0.0 0.0 0 100 0 0 0 0 0 100 0 0
16 0.1 0.3 0 100 0 0 0 0 0 100 0 0
17 0.5 1.2 1 99 0 0 0 0 0 100 0 0
18 0.0 0.1 0 100 0 0 0 0 0 100 0 0
19 0.0 0.1 0 100 0 0 0 0 0 100 0 0
20 0.0 0.1 0 100 0 0 0 0 0 100 0 0
21 0.8 1.6 2 98 0 0 0 0 0 100 0 0
22 0.0 0.1 0 100 0 0 0 0 0 100 0 0
23 0.0 0.1 0 100 0 0 0 0 0 100 0 0
24 0.0 0.0 0 100 0 0 0 0 0 100 0 0
25 0.0 0.0 0 100 0 0 0 0 0 100 0 0
26 0.3 1.1 1 99 0 0 0 0 0 100 0 0
27 0.0 0.1 0 100 0 0 0 0 0 100 0 0
28 0.0 0.1 0 100 0 0 0 0 0 100 0 0
29 0.0 0.0 0 100 0 0 0 0 0 100 0 0
30 0.0 0.1 0 100 0 0 0 0 0 100 0 0
Resolution
1) It should be an issue with the physical CPU core .Please contact hardware vendor to check it.
2) For this case, cold shutdown Esxi host, then power on the Esxi, CPU P states are back to P0, monitor the Esxi host.
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