CPU is the central processing unit of a server that executes tasks and processes data to keep websites and applications operational.
Your hosting account comes with access to a set quantity of server CPU resources dependant on the type of subscription. You can view the CPU usage of your hosting account from your hosting control panel.
1. Log in to your hosting control panel
2. Click on the Resource Usage button
3. Click on the Current Usage tab
4. Locate the CPU Usage graph
5. On the CPU Usage graph, you will see a green line indicating average use and a red line where the CPU limit is demarcated for your hosting plan. Any lines above the red limit line denote instances where CPU resources were exceeded on the hosting account.
You can modify the timeframe of the CPU usage by adjusting the Timeframe and Time Unit drop downs.
Understanding how your CPU resources are being used can help you better manage your website. If your CPU usage is consistently above the limit line, it will result in slower load times for your visitors or even in your appearing down due to exhausted resource usage.
If you notice high CPU usage, consider the following actions:
- Optimize: Reduce the number of plugins, compress images, use efficient code, or employ a caching solution to decrease CPU load. You can use the steps outlined here: Fix a slow website
- Isolate: If you have many websites hosted on the same hosting plan, they pull from only one set of CPU resources. Consider isolating website(s) onto their own separate hosting accounts to provide more CPU access to each one.
- Upgrade: If you’d like to keep all of your websites on a single hosting plan and simply want them to have access to increased CPU resources, consider an upgrade to a hosting plan with more resources.
Remember that efficient use of resources is key to maintaining fast connectivity for your websites. Regularly viewing and understanding your CPU usage is good practice.