Odd interactions with a provider

terrorgen

Few days ago one of my VPS provider reached out to me saying I am using a lot of CPU resources and reduced my CPU limits.

Odd because I haven't touched that VPS for months besides doing regular updates.

So I logged into the VPS and checked the load. Nothing out of the ordinary. 15 minute load average is 0.9 or so. My CPU allocation is 2 cores.

Their control panel does not have info on the history of CPU load so I asked them what triggered their response and outreach. Surely the have some tools monitoring CPU load and found me using an unusual amount of CPU, right?

Instead they were beating around the bush and say if I really want to know, I should install system monitoring tools myself inside the VPS and they are unable to know what's running inside the VPS since this is not a managed service. (BS, not the question I asked) then proceeded to ask me what I am running in the VPS.

After I gave them the services I run (which hardly uses any CPU resources at all) they gave me my 2x CPU allocation back "because I am cooperative".

This whole interaction seems odd to me. They accused me of something and unwilling to show proof. Am I being crazy? Are the providers in their right to ask their clients what they are running in their VPS? There is nothing in their TOS that they can do this. TOS mentioned "fair share" for shared resource usage.

Update:

RackNerd

yoursunny

The "fair share" may mean anything between 1% and 80%.
That's why you clarify the expectations before you order.

cybertech

which provider? asking for a friend.

Jab

This is most likely just going according to a script by low level outsourced support?
Most issues they handle are likely "I had easy password"

skorous

@terrorgen said:
Few days ago one of my VPS provider reached out to me saying I am using a lot of CPU resources and reduced my CPU limits.

Odd because I haven't touched that VPS for months besides doing regular updates.

So I logged into the VPS and checked the load. Nothing out of the ordinary. 15 minute load average is 0.9 or so. My CPU allocation is 2 cores.

Their control panel does not have info on the history of CPU load so I asked them what triggered their response and outreach. Surely the have some tools monitoring CPU load and found me using an unusual amount of CPU, right?

Instead they were beating around the bush and say if I really want to know, I should install system monitoring tools myself inside the VPS and they are unable to know what's running inside the VPS since this is not a managed service. (BS, not the question I asked) then proceeded to ask me what I am running in the VPS.

After I gave them the services I run (which hardly uses any CPU resources at all) they gave me my 2x CPU allocation back "because I am cooperative".

This whole interaction seems odd to me. They accused me of something and unwilling to show proof. Am I being crazy? Are the providers in their right to ask their clients what they are running in their VPS? There is nothing in their TOS that they can do this. TOS mentioned "fair share" for shared resource usage.

They can ask anything they want just as I'm free to ignore them. The inability or unwillingness to tell me my transgression is more troubling. Telling me it is "high" without any sort of reference point is silly. You have to have a policy, tell me what it is I've broken.

You say you're using hardly any resources but a load average of 1.0 on a fifteen minute average is probably 40-50%ish of both cores. That's higher than I'm usually comfortable with (shooting for 35%).

I'm also curious, which provider is this?

armandorg

I've had the same situation with a provider once. Maybe it's a method to start paying more and upgrade your services/vps with them.

jmaxwell

@cybertech said:
which provider? asking for a friend.

Yes. Name them without naming them. Or just dm.

somik

@jmaxwell said:

@cybertech said:
which provider? asking for a friend.

Yes. Name them without naming them. Or just dm.

@terrorgen NAME AND SHAME!

The email you received is a very common one for two types of providers:
1. They are fishing for people who are willing to "pay" more to keep their services by saying "since you are abusing, pay up" or just straight up terminating their service while they still have yearly subscription.
2. Their oversold server's resource usage is high so they are randomly limiting VPS to find which one reduces their server load, so they can sell more.

Either way, most people will just move out from these types of providers who blame people without proof.

terrorgen

See spoiler in the OP

somik

@terrorgen said:
See spoiler in the OP

LowEndBox's top provider? Sounds legit

I mean anyone who has been on LES/LET has been burnt by LEB at least once!

Neoon

Sounds like a bug or error, same what Virmach did, the system they was buggy, which they used to throttle users.
This is the problem with VPS's, if they don't state how much you can use or is allocated, they can practically throttle you without any consequences.

They could even swap you to different hardware, which may be worse or better.

somik

@Neoon said:
Sounds like a bug or error, same what Virmach did, the system they was buggy, which they used to throttle users.

Hope so! And hope they figure out it's a bug and not an abuse...

AuroraZero

Seems my nose is not broken and it works as well as ever.

Janevski

@terrorgen said: After I gave them the services I run (which hardly uses any CPU resources at all) they gave me my 2x CPU allocation back "because I am cooperative".

You know how suspects are resisting arrest by the police?
Well, you were not resistng, so in the eyes of the authority, you sparked a glimmer of hope for the humanity and empathy.
Wether you were right or wrong, it doesn't matter, all it matters is that the provider is right, always.
And now i know their name so i can avoid them.

cybertech

im surprised they do that, especially since they have been dishing out double bandwidth like its free.