load average?

ampex189 · 03-06-2005, 06:45 PM

When you use

Code:

uptime

it tells you the current time, the uptime, the number of users logged on, and the load average for 1min, 5min, and 15min. What my question is, what do the numbers for load average mean? ie: mine are currently 5.78, 3.17, and 2.27. The first time I used this command, I though these numbers were the percentage that the processor was running at, but how can it run at 578%?

Ampex189

Tinkster · 03-06-2005, 07:14 PM

Code:

from man 3 getloadavg
DESCRIPTION
     The getloadavg() function returns the number of processes in the system
     run queue averaged over various periods of time.  Up to nelem samples are
     retrieved and assigned to successive elements of loadavg[].  The system
     imposes a maximum of 3 samples, representing averages over the last 1, 5,
     and 15 minutes, respectively.

It's a way to determine how well the box keeps up
with its work, how many processes need to be waiting
until it's their turn... it's not exactly a measurement of CPU
usage, it also involves IO-waits ...

Cheers,
Tink

ampex189 · 03-06-2005, 07:17 PM

ahhhhh ok, cool thanks Tink

Ampex189