How to avoid Apache "options * http/1.0"

Question

I have apache server on a VPS. Sometimes the cpu loads is skyrocketing (more than 15), while there are no many visitors to the website (invision board forum).

I checked the apache status, it shows a lot of

vps.mydomain.com OPTIONS * HTTP/1.0

each on of these entries is eating part of CPU.

Apache version is latest 2.2.16. I read that it should be redirected. But I don't understand how and why should I redirect it than "prevent" it.

Solution

You shouldn't prevent it or redirect it, but basically it performs 2 tasks - it will close the worker down i.e. when apache sees a worker has reached MaxRequestsPerChild it will do the internal dummy connection - so increasing (or removing) MaxRequestsPerChild will lower the number your seeing.

It is also used to wake spare/sleeping workers - so adjusting Max/MinSpareServers will also reduce the number.

Oh and as its a VPS, i would be talking to the VPS company as it could simply be another tenant on that server is causing your load to rocket by hogging CPU or I/O

But yeah - don't block it, and don't try to redirect it ;)

Comments

[Yousf]

Redirect is mentioned here: wiki.apache.org/httpd/InternalDummyConnection

[Geraint Jones]

Being in a Wiki doesn't necessarily make it a smart thing to do, if it was in the official docs that would be another matter... ;-)

[isalgueiro]

In 2.2.6 and earlier, in certain configurations, these requests may hit a heavy-weight dynamic web page and cause unnecessary load on the server. You can avoid this by using mod_rewrite to respond with a redirect when accessed with that specific User-Agent or IP address. seems like a good reason to do a redirect IMHO