Ignition 7.8.3, Windows Server 10, Enterprise.
We are having PLC connection issues that are causing the CPU utilization to gradually increase and eventually cause loss of functionality.
It has been noticed that logging onto the server and launching the Resource Monitor causes the CPU utilization to decrease significantly back to “normal”.
Can anyone provide any insight into why we might be seeing this?
Thanks,
Mack
PLC?
PLC firmware?
IA driver for PLC?
Tag count?
Scan class?
There’s no such thing AFAIK as Windows Server 10, I think you mean Windows 10 Enterprise, a desktop not server version, right?
Host or VM?
Cores?
RAM in host or VM?
RAM assigned to Ignition?
VM
12 cores, 3 sockets
32 gig ram in VM
4 gig assigned to Ignition
memory usage of ignition is less than 2 gigs.
Many PLCs as old as PLC5 with DH+ to as new as Clx purchased two years ago.
System has been running for 5+ years. No significant changes in the last 2 years.
Mistake on the OS. Real OS is Windows 12 R2.
Well, in my experience of Windows, that's just a feature of it with any program! Starts playing up, open task manager and it gets frightened that you're gonna start killing processes 
You're going to have to start digging into more diagnostic tools when it happens (try not opening task manager). However the bad news is, you're on an unsupported version of Ignition, which doesn't have as good metrics as even 7.9 which as an LTS version is still in support. Your OS is also likely out of, or nearly out of, official support, unless your MSP has an SLA with Microsoft for extended support.
When you do open task manager, is the java process that Ignition runs under the one that is flatlining the CPU? Is your DB on the same VM?
Task manager does indicate that Java is using most of the CPU.
DB is on the same VM.
Since installation (5+ years ago) the VM has had 4 CPUs, Monday this was changed to 12 cores/3 sockets.
There is definitely a PLC comm issue that we are investigating. We hoping that understanding why launching the Resource Monitor clears up the issue could help us find the PLC issue.
Is there any budget to upgrade? Note IA are offering a years free support ATM if you avail of this. I wouldn’t go 7.8.3 to 8.1.12 though, I would go through 7.9.18 as an intermediate step.
Note too you can upgrade, for free, to the latest version of 7.8, which is 7.8.5, but it’s likely to not help much.
Use the GCU (Gateway Command Utility) to get a log export next time the issue happens. Upload here.
Maybe @Kevin.Herron can advise if there are any loggers that can be turned to trace on a 7.8.3 install too.
We are already under support and IA has been very helpful with this situation. I have been told there are factory computer OS issues (java version) that prevent upgrading to 7.9.
I upgraded a customer from 7.8.4 to 7.9.x on Win 2012 R2 several years back, no issues.
Replace the computer. Don't stay on a non-LTS version. For any reason.
Seriously.