Can someone give me their best definition of a "stale process".

For example, grepping for apache, everything looks normal but apache isnt doing what it normally does. But after you restart it, it begins to function properly again.

Thanks,

where did you see the term "stale process"?
maybe a sleeping process or a zombie process?

a stale process is not a state of a process. it's a policy for waiting on a specific condition. the process waits until a file with the name of its pid doesn't exist.

i don't think you can say any process can be a stale process

update: i'm not sure it has to be the process's pid

I appreciate the input but ill have to disagree with you there. I have seen and heard the term stale process, i have seen it apply to apache where a ps -auwx|grep apache ( or httpd) looks normal but the site hangs and a telnet to the ip on port 80 reports nothing. A restart of apache has everything responding properly again.

I was looking for an exact definition, maybe someone can help define it better?

Thanks

There's is no state in the kernel that means "stale". This is layman's terms for "stuck", "hung", and appears not to be doing anything useful.

It sounds like you're more concerned with why apache isn't responding. Perhaps we can focus on that. What is the data you see that fits your description?

mr c

it is true that it isn't a kernel term, but it is not a layman's term for stuck or hang. it is much more specific.
a stale event, as i understand it, waits on a specific event that i've described earlier.
it's not necessarily in a deadlock and i don't think it has to be blocked(in a kernel sense). but it is waiting.

If the goal is to discuss a definition, so be it, and I'll move on.

However, if the goal is to resolve a problem, please stop haggling over terms, or speculating about what is going on inside the kernel, and instead please let us focus on the problem. We need to see evidence and configuration for apache and system security measures.

All we know is the OP reporting that:

1) the site hangs
2) telnet to the ip does nothing

We need to understand (see):
1) the output of ps -elf for the apache processes.
2) how your apache is configured
3) how your security measures are configured(selinux, iptables, apparmor, etc.)