Issue Multiple PHP-FPM master processes

[John W]

Server operating system version

CentOS 7.9

Plesk version and microupdate number

Plesk Obsidian 18.0.68 Update #2

It started over the weekend when my server spun up multiple PHP-FPM master processes. Even though the server load on average is below 2, the PHP response is really slow, taking a minute to load a basic WordPress page. Any idea what's causing it? I already restarted the service and server to no avail. Updated/patched PHP 8.2 didn't help. Upgraded and switched subscriptions to PHP 8.3, now multiple master processes for PHP 8.3 have spun up. TIA.

 

[Raul A.]

Do you use Dedicated PHP-FPM for any website?

 

[John W]

Do you use Dedicated PHP-FPM for any website?

Nope.

 

[Sebahat.hadzhi]

@John W can you check /var/log/plesk-php83-fpm/error.log please and let us know if anything is logged there?

 

[John W]

@John W can you check /var/log/plesk-php83-fpm/error.log please and let us know if anything is logged there?

The only thing that stands out is "server reached max_children". I've increased it from 10 to 20, but it didn't help.

 

[John W]

I double-checked all my sites, they're set to pm.max_children=20. The following error kept coming up:
WARNING: [pool plesk-php83-fpm.plesk-service.localdomain] server reached max_children setting (2), consider raising it

Any idea where that's located? Thanks.