What is the first step to troubleshoot a database server that stops responding during heavy traffic?

The optimal first step in troubleshooting a database server that stops responding during heavy traffic is to check the application logs. This is because application logs provide critical information about the database operations, queries being executed, and any potential errors or exceptions occurring during that heavy traffic. By reviewing these logs, you can identify specific issues within the application itself, such as long-running queries, resource bottlenecks, or failed transactions which might be causing the server to become unresponsive.

Monitoring the application logs during periods of heavy traffic can also reveal patterns or anomalies in usage that could indicate whether the issue is related to performance limitations of the server, resource contention, or even specific application logic flaws. Gathering this data is essential before moving on to other logs as it directly relates to the functionality of the database service itself.

Other logs and reports mentioned may contain useful information but are not as directly connected to the immediate operational status of the database during high traffic. For instance, checking the security log is important for audits and monitoring unauthorized access, whereas debug reports are more suited for development purposes and diagnosing specific code-level issues but may not provide a quick insight into performance-related problems. POST error logs are primarily concerned with hardware initialization issues that occur at boot time and are unlikely to give relevant information