cpu at 100%

[jma]

We are using a WS-6-MINI to add extra ports to our Cisco gateway. The CPU usage is at 100% all the time as soon as used bandwidth is around 200 Mbps. Is this to be expected? And should we consider this a problem as there is still memory left?

[sirhc]

This is a Switch Core which means the CPU you are referring to is only there to run the web UI and CLI and some Daemons.

I have explained many times that the CPU your looking at has nothing to do with switch traffic, here are a couple of posts discussing this:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1993&p=14719&hilit=+cpu+switch+core#p14719
viewtopic.php?f=17&t=1633&p=12136&hilit=+cpu+switch+core#p12136

Please upgrade your firmware!!

Always state what firmware version you are using, and if your firmware is not the latest version when experiencing a problem then first upgrade the firmware to the latest available and verify your issue is still an issue.

If you're still seeing high CPU utilization after upgrading the firmware then can you please debug the situation with Standard debugging practices to determine what service (Daemon) is using the CPU?

So disable all nonessential service on the Device/Configuration Tab such as:
SMTP - Email alerts
SNMP
TFTP backup
Discovery protocols - UDP, CDP, LLDP
Discovery Tab
SSH - Use web UI during this time

After disabling all that and anything else you can you may need to reboot the switch then if the CPU load is normal then enable 1 at a time until you find the cause.

[jma]

@sirhc : Thank you for your comprehensive answer. I had searched the forum but obviously missed the links you have mentioned. I understand. There are no nonessential services active on the switch.
I see the firmware version on that particular switch is 1.4.2.
I'll do a firmware upgrade this night as I don't want to interrupt the service for clients now.

[sirhc]

If you're running v1.4.2 that means you did not upgrade the firmware as suggested on the piece of paper that was laying on top of the switch when you unboxed it as v1.4.2 was the version installed on the unit when it was manufactured.

What services listed below are currently running on the switch?

NTP
SMTP
SNMP
UDP Discovery
CDP Discovery
LLDP Discovery
Discovery Tab
TFTP Backup

When doing an upgrade the switch will stop passing traffic for about 30 seconds as it will not power cycle the radios and only stops passing traffic during the reloading of the firmware all the while keeping the POE turned ON so that the radios do not need to reboot.

viewtopic.php?f=17&t=1722&p=13126&hilit=+upgrade+POE+seconds#p13126

[jma]

I know about the 30 seconds but I still prefer to do the upgrade this night because the switch is in our server center, half an hour ride from where I am and a couple of hundred clients would lose their internet connection if something went wrong.

From all the services that you have mentioned, only NTP is active.