Workflow service consuming all CPU

We are running PlanetPress Workflow 8 on a virtual machine with 4 virtual CPUs, 12 GB memory, and a RAID 10 NVME shared by a few other VMs. Recently Workflow started continuously consuming all available CPU and the machine CPU is always at 100%. There are about 10 jobs that are on ASAP 4 second polling interval watching folders for new files and 20 jobs watching for SMTP input. There can be multiple hours where none of the jobs run and the CPU is still maxed out.

I tried disabling most of the jobs and the CPU is still maxed out. What else can we try to address this?

Are you using either the Create PDF, PlanetPress Image or Digital Action plugins?

Each of these will require a PPAlambic instance, which is the RIP we use to generate the PDF. Now if your Workflow settings for that are too high for your current hardware configuration, it might be why it is happening.

To check on these settings, go to the big red W button in your Workflow Configuration (found in the upper left corner)->Preferences->Messenger->PlanetPress Alambic.

With your number of CPU, I would set it to be maxed at 3 instances of PPAlambic.

Also you might want to check if some recent updates of your Anti-virus isn’t causing it to scan everything that is happening with Workflow processes.

If you find it the case, add all Workflow processes related folders to the exclusions list of your AV.

When I click on preferences in workflow Configuration nothing happens. Do you have any ideas what I can try to get the preferences to open?

If you click Preferences and nothing happens, it most likely means that there is a problem with your current installation.

I suggest you open a technical support ticket through our website. A technician will remote in and help you with that.

I repaired the Workflow installation and was able to access preferences and make the recommended changes. I have also removed antivirus from the computer. There are several jobs that look for SMTP Input. One job I have looked at is taking 7 minutes of elapsed time for the SMTP Input plugin to complete. What might be causing this to take so long?

At this point, I reiterate my previous answer. I suggest you open a technical support ticket through our website. A technician will remote in and help you with that.