[users@httpd] Why the sudden need to raise MaxClients?

[dan+apache-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

We are using Apache 2.0.54 on Debian GNU/Linux (standard Debian  
packages). The server had been running for several months with  
absolutely no problems. A couple of days ago, Apache started slowing  
down, then would eventually stop responding completely. The only way  
to fix it was to restart Apache. It got to the point that Apache  
would only stay functional for a few seconds at a time. Watching the  
Apache logs revealed no unusual activity before the lockup.

I discovered the MaxClients setting, which in Debian defaults to 20  
for the prefork MPM. I raised it to 100, and the problem went away. I  
believe the default for this value is normally 256.

What would cause this problem all of the sudden? My first thought was  
a DOS attack. Am I on the right track?

--df


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