Monitor apache Virtualhosts real-time activity with apache-top

Basic tools such as top for viewing load and Apache processes may be insufficient for managing a web server with virtual hosts. If Apache uses many resources, they do not show which virtual host consumes the most. Apache therefore provides status_module to monitor each virtual host and display its resource use on a web page. Administrators who find a web interface inconvenient can use apache-top.py to display the status in a console, with output similar to top. Apache-top.py is a Python script for monitoring /server-status through a top-like interface, letting administrators monitor without opening a browser. It displays the PID of each Apache process, its virtual host, and its request. Installing status_module

1. Edit /etc/http/conf/httpd.conf and check the following settings:

   • Enable the Status module.

     LoadModule status_module modules/mod_status.so

   • Set ExtendedStatus to On.

     ExtendedStatus On

   • Set the monitoring URL and access permissions.

     
     <Location /server-status>
         SetHandler server-status
         Order deny,allow
         Deny from all
         Allow from 127.0.0.0/8
     </Location>

2. Restart apache service

   [root@ezylinux ~]# service httpd restart

Using Apache-top.py Download apache-top.py with:

[root@ezylinux ~]# wget http://www.fr3nd.net/stuff/projects/apache-top/apache-top.py

Monitoring command:

[root@ezylinux ~]# apache-top.py -u http://127.0.0.1/server-status

The program displays output like the example below: