server-gurus, need your help - random fsockopen prob

[nico-t]

My host has a random fsockopen error now and then. They try to find a solution to it, i thought maybe some of you know how to fix this.
Here are the details of the problem their support emailed me just yet:

The PHP problem we talked about is caused by having a higher number of open file descriptors in use. Basically the apache web server is using one file descriptor for each open log file. Since some of our virtual servers (including the one you are hosted on) are hosting a larger number of domain names we had to compile the web servers with a file descriptor limit above 1024. PHP's fsockopen and other function are using a select() call which only support an array of up to 1024 open file descriptors. If more then the 1024 are in use the select() call will run into random memory corruption errors and kill the running apache process (error code 11). This problem seems to be affecting the whole PHP 4.3 build and has only been fixed in the PHP 5.1 HEAD release. This bug could be fixed by using the poll() function and comparing the open file descriptors against the compiled FD_SETSIZE limit (which is not to easy on all operating systems). We are still investigating ways to work around or fix this problem.

HELP THEM AND ME PLS!

[toddler]

from the looks of their response, they know what they're talking about. Your best solution is to buy a dedicated host.

[Fuckin Bill]

Yeah, I gotta agree. The only options you're going to have if they're correct are to either get up to PHP5 to fix the bug, or change the code in whatever app you are running. Either way it's probably not going to be pretty. You should ask them to move you onto a less crowded server, or get your own.

[nico-t]

yeah this shit is pretty fucked up, i hate this.... especially when i have to get another host, will take time and shit... i just hope they will find a way soon..

[chaze]

No reputable host will run php 5 on a shared server yet.

Fix the script.

[Fuckin Bill]

He shouldn't have to fix the script. It's a bug in PHP, which isn't his fault, and he wouldn't be having a problem if his host didn't have so many sites clustered on a single server.

The real problem is that the host has too many people on one machine and they're pushing the normal limits of open files.

If I were you I'd ask about either a dedicated machine or semi-dedicated where the number of clients is limited to a small number and you won't run into the same problems.

[nico-t]

He shouldn't have to fix the script. It's a bug in PHP, which isn't his fault, and he wouldn't be having a problem if his host didn't have so many sites clustered on a single server.

The real problem is that the host has too many people on one machine and they're pushing the normal limits of open files.

If I were you I'd ask about either a dedicated machine or semi-dedicated where the number of clients is limited to a small number and you won't run into the same problems.

sounds fair enough...they seem to only have virtual and dedicated, ill hit em up on icq about semi-dedicated.