Troubleshooting High Database Load on PrestaShop: A Practical Guide

Diagnosing and Resolving High Database Request Volume in PrestaShop

This insight summarizes a PrestaShop forum thread where a user, stoverpd, reported receiving notifications about excessive database requests on their PrestaShop store. The hosting provider indicated that the database artdoma657.mysql.db was regularly exceeding the request limits, leading to potential slowdowns and temporary unavailability. The user sought advice on identifying the cause and implementing solutions.

Initial Troubleshooting Steps

The initial responses focused on identifying potential causes, such as:

• Suspect Traffic and Bots: Checking server access logs for unusual activity or bot traffic.
• Module Conflicts: Disabling custom modules and the search database to pinpoint resource-intensive modules.

ComGrafPL suggested analyzing the store using a tool linked in another forum thread related to hacked PrestaShop payment pages, implying a possible security issue contributing to the load. The user confirmed using only standard modules and having limited technical expertise.

Practical Solutions and Suggestions

Several solutions and suggestions emerged from the discussion:

• Module Optimization: Mediacom87 pointed out that the native PrestaShop faceted search module can be problematic and suggested alternatives to avoid issues. They linked to an article discussing the module's impact on SEO and potential performance bottlenecks.
• Database Cleaning: The user mentioned cleaning the database, which is a general maintenance task that can sometimes alleviate performance issues.
• Server-Side Analysis: ComGrafPL advised checking server-side access logs for bot activity.
• Migration to Newer Version: BenoitAdam shared an experience where migrating a client from PrestaShop 1.7 to 8 resolved a similar issue, suggesting potential improvements in newer versions.

Addressing Bot Traffic with Cloudflare

Further investigation revealed a potential issue with bot traffic. The user identified a recurring IP address in the connections table. ComGrafPL recommended using Cloudflare to manage and filter bot traffic by adding specific rules. This involves connecting the domain to Cloudflare and configuring rules to block or challenge suspicious IP addresses.

Domain Name Correction and Cleaner Script

The user initially encountered issues using a cleaner script due to a typo in the domain name (ardomi.com instead of artdomi.com). This highlights the importance of careful attention to detail when implementing technical solutions. The correct URL was https://artdomi.com/cleaner.php.

Outcome

The thread provided several actionable steps for troubleshooting high database load in PrestaShop, including identifying problematic modules, analyzing server logs for bot activity, and using Cloudflare to mitigate bot traffic. While the user's technical skills were limited, the community offered valuable guidance and practical solutions.