# Stop a chef server

**URL:** <https://discourse.chef.io/t/stop-a-chef-server/9391>\
**Category:** Chef Infra (archive)\
**Created:** [September 12, 2016, 4:26am UTC](https://discourse.chef.io/t/stop-a-chef-server/9391 "2016-09-12T04:26:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![mukherjee\_mk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f07891/32.png) [@mukherjee\_mk](https://discourse.chef.io/u/mukherjee_mk)\
**Post date:** [September 12, 2016, 4:26am UTC](https://discourse.chef.io/t/stop-a-chef-server/9391/1 "2016-09-12T04:26:39Z")

</div>

Hi,  
I was trying to install, start and then stop the chef server which I installed on an AWS platform. As part of the installation, I also installed chef-manage.

Now, when I try to stop the chef-server, I see chef-processes still running which I am unable to kill. I tried these commands to stop the server -

- chef-server-ctl stop
- chef-manage-ctl stop

The commands executed without error, but I still see chef-specific processes on the server.  
ps -ef | grep chef  
root 8583 3541 0 04:20 pts/1 00:00:00 grep --color=auto chef  
root 21772 1 0 04:06 ? 00:00:00 /opt/chef-manage/embedded/bin/svlogd -tt /var/log/chef-manage/worker  
opscode 21776 1 0 04:06 ? 00:00:05 sidekiq 2.5.2 chef-manage [0 of 25 busy]  
root 21784 1 0 04:06 ? 00:00:00 runsvdir -P /opt/chef-manage/service log: ng: unable to lock directory: /var/log/chef-manage/worker: temporary failure?svlogd: fatal: no functional log directories.?svlogd: warning: unable to lock directory: /var/log/chef-manage/worker: temporary failure?svlogd: fatal: no functional log directories.?svlogd: warning: unable to lock directory: /var/log/chef-manage/worker: temporary failure?svlogd: fatal: no functional log directories.?  
root 21785 5855 0 04:06 ? 00:00:00 runsv opscode-erchef  
root 21786 5855 0 04:06 ? 00:00:00 runsv opscode-chef-mover  
opscode 21787 21785 0 04:06 ? 00:00:00 svlogd -tt /var/log/opscode/opscode-erchef  
opscode 21788 21786 0 04:06 ? 00:00:00 svlogd -tt /var/log/opscode/opscode-chef-mover  
root 21797 21791 0 04:06 ? 00:00:00 /opt/chef-manage/embedded/bin/svlogd -tt /var/log/chef-manage/redis  
root 22983 21789 0 04:07 ? 00:00:00 /opt/chef-manage/embedded/bin/svlogd -tt /var/log/chef-manage/web

I also tried the the uninstall commands, but with no success -

- chef-server-ctl stop
- chef-manage-ctl stop

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Tensibai](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.chef.io/tensibai/32/29_2.png) [@Tensibai](https://discourse.chef.io/u/Tensibai)\
**Post date:** [September 12, 2016, 12:12pm UTC](https://discourse.chef.io/t/stop-a-chef-server/9391/2 "2016-09-12T12:12:46Z")

</div>

Chef server is run under runit, it is normal there’s still the top runit service in the process list.

If you run `chef-server-ctl status` you’ll see all services with a state `stopped`  
If you stop it for a backup, there’s a `chef-server-ctl backup` command which is here exactly for that.

Without more details about what you’re trying to do while stopping the chef-server it’s hard to give better advice.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![mukherjee\_mk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f07891/32.png) [@mukherjee\_mk](https://discourse.chef.io/u/mukherjee_mk)\
**Post date:** [September 13, 2016, 2:09am UTC](https://discourse.chef.io/t/stop-a-chef-server/9391/3 "2016-09-13T02:09:09Z")

</div>

Thanks Tensibai!

Just to provide some context, I am hosting a ‘chef server’ on an AWS instance. For some reasons, I had to stop the instance and bring it back again. When I did that, I noticed some chef-services running on the server

```
ps -ef | grep chef
root 1896 1881 0 01:17 ? 00:00:00 runsv opscode-erchef
root 1904 1881 0 01:17 ? 00:00:00 runsv opscode-chef-mover
opscode 1920 1896 0 01:17 ? 00:00:00 svlogd -tt /var/log/opscode/opscode-erchef
opscode 1922 1904 0 01:17 ? 00:00:00 svlogd -tt /var/log/opscode/opscode-chef-mover
opscode 1928 1896 6 01:17 ? 00:00:05 /opt/opscode/embedded/service/opscode-erchef/erts-6.4/bin/beam.smp -Bd -K true -A 5 -- -root /opt/opscode/embedded/service/opscode-erchef -progname opt/opscode/embedded/service/opscode-erchef/bin/oc_erchef -- -home /var/opt/opscode/opscode-erchef -- -noshell -noshell -noinput -boot /opt/opscode/embedded/service/opscode-erchef/releases/12.8.0/oc_erchef -mode embedded -config /opt/opscode/embedded/service/opscode-erchef/sys.config -boot_var ERTS_LIB_DIR /opt/opscode/embedded/service/opscode-erchef/erts-6.4/../lib -name erchef@127.0.0.1 -setcookie erchef -smp enable -pa lib/patches -- foreground
opscode 1930 1904 4 01:17 ? 00:00:04 /opt/opscode/embedded/service/opscode-chef-mover/erts-6.4/bin/beam.smp -Bd -K true -A 5 -- -root /opt/opscode/embedded/service/opscode-chef-mover -progname opt/opscode/embedded/service/opscode-chef-mover/bin/mover -- -home /var/opt/opscode/opscode-chef-mover -- -noshell -noshell -noinput -boot /opt/opscode/embedded/service/opscode-chef-mover/releases/12.8.0/mover -mode embedded -config /opt/opscode/embedded/service/opscode-chef-mover/sys.config -boot_var ERTS_LIB_DIR /opt/opscode/embedded/service/opscode-chef-mover/erts-6.4/../lib -name mover@127.0.0.1 -setcookie mover -- foreground
497 2765 1932 0 01:17 ? 00:00:00 postgres: opscode_chef opscode_chef 127.0.0.1(49535) idle
497 2766 1932 0 01:17 ? 00:00:00 postgres: opscode_chef opscode_chef 127.0.0.1(47282) idle
497 2767 1932 0 01:17 ? 00:00:00 postgres: opscode_chef opscode_chef 127.0.0.1(43618) idle
497 2768 1932 0 01:17 ? 00:00:00 postgres: opscode_chef opscode_chef 127.0.0.1(41646) idle
497 2769 1932 0 01:17 ? 00:00:00 postgres: opscode_chef opscode_chef 127.0.0.1(54743) idle
497 2969 1932 0 01:18 ? 00:00:00 postgres: opscode_chef opscode_chef 127.0.0.1(38905) idle
497 2970 1932 0 01:18 ? 00:00:00 postgres: opscode_chef opscode_chef 127.0.0.1(57844) idle
497 2971 1932 0 01:18 ? 00:00:00 postgres: opscode_chef opscode_chef 127.0.0.1(55156) idle
497 2972 1932 0 01:18 ? 00:00:00 postgres: opscode_chef opscode_chef 127.0.0.1(33066) idle
497 2973 1932 0 01:18 ? 00:00:00 postgres: opscode_chef opscode_chef 127.0.0.1(54376) idle
497 2974 1932 0 01:18 ? 00:00:00 postgres: opscode_chef opscode_chef 127.0.0.1(55774) idle
497 2975 1932 0 01:18 ? 00:00:00 postgres: opscode_chef opscode_chef 127.0.0.1(53504) idle
497 2976 1932 0 01:18 ? 00:00:00 postgres: opscode_chef opscode_chef 127.0.0.1(37414) idle
497 2978 1932 0 01:18 ? 00:00:00 postgres: opscode_chef opscode_chef 127.0.0.1(38371) idle
497 2979 1932 0 01:18 ? 00:00:00 postgres: opscode_chef opscode_chef 127.0.0.1(45048) idle
497 2981 1932 0 01:18 ? 00:00:00 postgres: opscode_chef opscode_chef 127.0.0.1(42955) idle
497 2982 1932 0 01:18 ? 00:00:00 postgres: opscode_chef opscode_chef 127.0.0.1(59671) idle
497 2983 1932 0 01:18 ? 00:00:00 postgres: opscode_chef opscode_chef 127.0.0.1(41183) idle
497 2984 1932 0 01:18 ? 00:00:00 postgres: opscode_chef opscode_chef 127.0.0.1(44613) idle
497 2985 1932 0 01:18 ? 00:00:00 postgres: opscode_chef opscode_chef 127.0.0.1(38537) idle
497 2986 1932 0 01:18 ? 00:00:00 postgres: opscode_chef opscode_chef 127.0.0.1(55877) idle
497 2987 1932 0 01:18 ? 00:00:00 postgres: opscode_chef opscode_chef 127.0.0.1(46699) idle
497 2990 1932 0 01:18 ? 00:00:00 postgres: opscode_chef opscode_chef 127.0.0.1(57717) idle
497 2991 1932 0 01:18 ? 00:00:00 postgres: opscode_chef opscode_chef 127.0.0.1(53013) idle
497 2992 1932 0 01:18 ? 00:00:00 postgres: opscode_chef opscode_chef 127.0.0.1(43308) idle
opscode 2993 1928 0 01:18 ? 00:00:00 ruby /opt/opscode/embedded/service/opscode-erchef/lib/chef_objects-12.8.0/priv/depselector_rb/depselector.rb
opscode 2995 1928 0 01:18 ? 00:00:00 ruby /opt/opscode/embedded/service/opscode-erchef/lib/chef_objects-12.8.0/priv/depselector_rb/depselector.rb
opscode 2997 1928 0 01:18 ? 00:00:00 ruby /opt/opscode/embedded/service/opscode-erchef/lib/chef_objects-12.8.0/priv/depselector_rb/depselector.rb
opscode 2999 1928 0 01:18 ? 00:00:00 ruby /opt/opscode/embedded/service/opscode-erchef/lib/chef_objects-12.8.0/priv/depselector_rb/depselector.rb
opscode 3001 1928 0 01:18 ? 00:00:00 ruby /opt/opscode/embedded/service/opscode-erchef/lib/chef_objects-12.8.0/priv/depselector_rb/depselector.rb
root 3074 3054 0 01:19 pts/0 00:00:00 grep --color=auto chef

```

I was hoping to issue a single command to bring down these services. I was expecting `chef-server-ctl stop` to help with this, but apparently it isnt.

the output of the `chef-server-ctl status` command is -

```
run: bookshelf: (pid 1925) 257s; run: log: (pid 1918) 257s
run: nginx: (pid 1924) 257s; run: log: (pid 1914) 257s
run: oc_bifrost: (pid 1927) 257s; run: log: (pid 1921) 257s
run: oc_id: (pid 1912) 257s; run: log: (pid 1907) 257s
run: opscode-erchef: (pid 1928) 257s; run: log: (pid 1920) 257s
run: opscode-expander: (pid 1917) 257s; run: log: (pid 1908) 257s
run: opscode-solr4: (pid 1923) 257s; run: log: (pid 1913) 257s
run: postgresql: (pid 1932) 257s; run: log: (pid 1929) 257s
run: rabbitmq: (pid 1915) 257s; run: log: (pid 1909) 257s
run: redis_lb: (pid 1926) 257s; run: log: (pid 1919) 257s

```

I issued a ‘chef-server-ctl stop’ command for each of these services and now we have all the services down.

```
chef-server-ctl status
down: bookshelf: 2428s, normally up; run: log: (pid 1918) 2810s
down: nginx: 2419s, normally up; run: log: (pid 1914) 2810s
down: oc_bifrost: 2344s, normally up; run: log: (pid 1921) 2810s
down: oc_id: 2334s, normally up; run: log: (pid 1907) 2810s
down: opscode-erchef: 2327s, normally up; run: log: (pid 1920) 2810s
down: opscode-expander: 2319s, normally up; run: log: (pid 1908) 2810s
down: opscode-solr4: 4s, normally up; run: log: (pid 1913) 2810s
down: postgresql: 2457s, normally up; run: log: (pid 1929) 2810s
down: rabbitmq: 16s, normally up; run: log: (pid 1909) 2951s
down: redis_lb: 6s, normally up; run: log: (pid 1919) 2951s

```

However, when I grep for the chef keyword in the process list, I still see some services running.

```
ps -ef | grep chef
root 1896 1881 0 01:17 ? 00:00:00 runsv opscode-erchef
root 1904 1881 0 01:17 ? 00:00:00 runsv opscode-chef-mover
opscode 1920 1896 0 01:17 ? 00:00:00 svlogd -tt /var/log/opscode/opscode-erchef
opscode 1922 1904 0 01:17 ? 00:00:00 svlogd -tt /var/log/opscode/opscode-chef-mover
opscode 1930 1904 0 01:17 ? 00:00:04 /opt/opscode/embedded/service/opscode-chef-mover/erts-6.4/bin/beam.smp -Bd -K true -A 5 -- -root /opt/opscode/embedded/service/opscode-chef-mover -progname opt/opscode/embedded/service/opscode-chef-mover/bin/mover -- -home /var/opt/opscode/opscode-chef-mover -- -noshell -noshell -noinput -boot /opt/opscode/embedded/service/opscode-chef-mover/releases/12.8.0/mover -mode embedded -config /opt/opscode/embedded/service/opscode-chef-mover/sys.config -boot_var ERTS_LIB_DIR /opt/opscode/embedded/service/opscode-chef-mover/erts-6.4/../lib -name mover@127.0.0.1 -setcookie mover -- foreground
root 3836 3054 0 02:04 pts/0 00:00:00 grep --color=auto chef

```

If I try to kill these processes, they tend to spawn new ones in its place.

What am I missing? Is there a way to cleanly stop a chef server?

Thanks for the help!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Tensibai](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.chef.io/tensibai/32/29_2.png) [@Tensibai](https://discourse.chef.io/u/Tensibai)\
**Post date:** [September 13, 2016, 3:52pm UTC](https://discourse.chef.io/t/stop-a-chef-server/9391/4 "2016-09-13T15:52:20Z")

</div>

When you see all services down, your chef server is stopped.

The remaining processes in the process list are runit processes (supervisor for the services).  
This mailing list is not the place to write a full tutorial about runit, the doc about it is abundant on the web.

I still don’t understand why the processes did bother you at first. It sounds healthy that the services restart automatically on boot, that’s what services are supposed to do.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![mukherjee\_mk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f07891/32.png) [@mukherjee\_mk](https://discourse.chef.io/u/mukherjee_mk)\
**Post date:** [September 20, 2016, 10:36am UTC](https://discourse.chef.io/t/stop-a-chef-server/9391/5 "2016-09-20T10:36:04Z")

</div>

Thanks and apologies for a delayed reply.

I was hoping to find a way to get the runit services to be down as well. Thats where the confusion was. Thanks for pointing me to the right direction. We are good now!

Mrinal