Should my server be this easy to bring down?

[lyskl]

I have hosting with dreamhost PS (private server). I have 1gb of ram on my server. Now, if I open up say 20-30 tabs in my browser and keep clicking "refresh all tabs". Then it brings my site down.
My site is a pretty popular site and I'm shocked that I can do this so easily.
What do you suggest I do to fix this?

[lyskl]

To clarify, what happens is the server runs out of RAM and gets a 503 error. Its fine a few seconds later. But still, one person could constantly do this and keep my site offline for a long time.

[caribguy]

Sounds like you need to look at optimizing your configuration. If using Apache (you didn't specify), take a look at these settings in httpd.conf to make sure they're sensible and lower as needed:

Timeout
MaxClients
MaxSpareServers
MaxRequestsPerChild
ThreadsPerChild
ServerLimit
MaxSpareThreads

[lyskl]

Unforunately Dreamhost won't let me edit those settings. I guess I could ask though.

[g1smd]

That's how DDoS works, but in this case it was just DoS - nothing Distributed about it.

Looks like you need more capacity to serve requests, as noted above.

[jeffatrackaid]

I think that PS is actually a virtual server. Likely Virtuozzo powered. They have strict limits on RAM usage. You may need to considered a dedicated server or a larger virtual private server with root level access to you can monitor and tweak the settings.

[jecasc]

Are you sure the site is down and it is not simply some AntiDOS measures that kick in - only blocking request from your IP? Some CMS and shopping carts have built in bandwith control. They count the number of requests from one IP in a given period of time, and when the limit is exceeded they return a 503.

[eeek]

Unforunately Dreamhost won't let me edit those settings.

You have a private server and you can't edit the config files? I'd go somewhere else.

I think that PS is actually a virtual server. Likely Virtuozzo powered. They have strict limits on RAM usage.

But if they sold him 1Gb, he should be getting that and that much memory should easily handle his little test.