Overall CPU Usage

Email Security appliances are optimized to use idle CPU resources to improve message throughput. High CPU usage may not indicate a system capacity problem. If the high CPU usage is coupled with consistent, high-volume memory page swapping, you may have a capacity problem.

Note

This graph also indicates a threshold for CPU usage that is a visual reference only. To adjust the position of this line, see Adjusting the Reference Threshold in System Health Graphs for Email Security Appliances. You can configure your Email Security appliances to send you alerts that will suggest actions that you can take to address capacity issues.

This page also shows a graph that displays the amount of CPU used by different functions, including mail processing, spam and virus engines, reporting, and quarantines. The CPU-by-function graph is a good indicator of which areas of the product use the most resources on your system. If you need to optimize your appliance, this graph can help you determine which functions may need to be tuned or disabled.