TCP #27: How To Troubleshoot High CPU Utilization on Amazon Aurora Postgres Database?
This simple runbook will save you hours of effort.
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Recently, my team was investigating a spike in CPU utilization on the Amazon Aurora Postgres database.
It took one of my team members 2 business days to perform a thorough root cause analysis.
This got me thinking.
Next time, if such an issue happens, another team member will have to spend roughly the same or more time investigating this.
Why not create something that provides a step-by-step guide on investigating such issues?
Enter Runbooks.
In today’s newsletter issue, I will explain:
What is a Runbook
Benefits of having runbooks for DevOps and SRE teams
Types of Runbooks
Runbook example for troubleshooting a real-world issue
Let’s dive in.
What is a Runbook?
A runbook is a detailed, step-by-step guide that outlines procedures for handling specific operational tasks, troubleshooting, or resolving incidents in IT systems.
It is primarily used by DevOps, Site Reliability Engineers (SREs), system administrators, and other IT professionals to ensure consistent and efficient operations.
Why Runbooks are Important?
A runbook is essential for several reasons, especially in Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) and DevOps teams:
1. Consistency in Troubleshooting
A runbook ensures that all engineers follow the same steps when investigating an issue. This consistency helps maintain operational stability and avoids ad hoc or ineffective troubleshooting.
2. Reduction in Response Time
Time is critical during incidents. A well-structured runbook provides engineers with a predefined process to quickly diagnose and resolve issues, minimizing downtime and user impact.
3. Knowledge Sharing
Runbooks capture institutional knowledge. New team members or engineers unfamiliar with a specific system can follow the documented steps without deep prior knowledge, making onboarding and knowledge transfer smoother.
4. Error Reduction
Following a detailed and validated procedure makes engineers less likely to make mistakes during high-pressure incidents. The runbook reduces guesswork and ensures that steps are followed correctly.
5. Accountability and Documentation
A runbook provides a clear record of how incidents are handled, ensuring that all actions are documented. This is crucial for post-incident reviews, audits, or communication with stakeholders.
6. Scalability
As teams grow or shift, runbooks allow for the repeatability of complex procedures without requiring deep expertise from every team member. This makes scaling processes across multiple teams and regions much easier.
7. Prevention of Future Incidents
Runbooks often include preventative measures, helping engineers not only fix issues but also prevent them from occurring again. This proactive approach improves the overall reliability of systems.
8. Alignment with SLAs and Compliance
Many teams operate under strict Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and compliance requirements. A runbook ensures that incidents are handled per these obligations, helping teams meet performance targets and regulatory requirements.
Types of Runbooks
Operational Runbooks: For routine tasks, like backups, system upgrades, or deployments.
Incident Response Runbooks: These are used for troubleshooting and resolving system failures or issues, such as high CPU utilization, network outages, or database errors.
Real-world Runbook to Troubleshoot High CPU Utilization on Amazon Aurora Postgres Database
Here’s what a runbook looks like to investigate and troubleshoot a real-world issue:
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