How to Restart the Web-related Processes
170027
Created On 01/21/20 01:15 AM - Last Modified 05/12/25 07:25 AM
Objective
PAN-OS has multiple web-related processes and we can restart these processes by CLI in some cases(ex. WebGUI is sluggish or unresponsive, These processes are consuming excessive memory, Global Protect Portal/Gateway not working, etc..). This article shows how to restart these processes and how to confirm the restart.
Note: Typically restarting these processes are non-impacting. However, these are always encouraged to perform during non-peak hours or during a maintenance window. Refer Important Information prior running any debug commands.
Environment
- PAN-OS 8.1 and above.
- Palo Alto Firewall.
Procedure
1. Here are web-related processes.
> debug software restart process web-backend
> debug software restart process web-server
> debug software restart process sslvpn-web-server (this was replaced to gpsvc since PAN-OS 10.2)
We can see restart information to run 'debug software restart process ?' command as follow:
admin@PA> debug software restart process ?
<snip>
web-backend Management web server backend process
web-server Management web server process
sslvpn-web-server SSL VPN Web server process
(post 10.2)
gpsvc GlobalProtect service process
2. Check process pid which you want to restart before restarting the process to enter the CLI command:
[web-backend process]
admin@PA> show system software status | match web_backend
Process web_backend running (pid: 3689)
[web-server process]
admin@PA> show system software status | match websrvr
Process websrvr running (pid: 3686)
[sslvpn-web-server process]
admin@PA> show system software status | match sslvpn
Process sslvpn running (pid: 3699)
(post 10.2) [gpsvc process]
admin@PA> show system software status | match gpsvc
Process gpsvc running (pid: 7051)
3. Restart process which you want to restart to enter the CLI command:
[web-backend process]
admin@PA> debug software restart process web-backend
Process web_backend was restarted by user admin
[web-server process]
admin@PA> debug software restart process web-server
Process websrvr was restarted by user admin
[sslvpn-web-server process]
admin@PA> debug software restart process sslvpn-web-server
Process sslvpn was restarted by user admin
(post 10.2) [gpsvc process]
admin@PA> debug software restart process gpsvc
Process gpsvc was restarted by user admin
4. Check the process pid was changed to enter the CLI command:
[web-backend process]
admin@PA> show system software status | match web_backend
Process web_backend running (pid: 15924)
[web-server process]
admin@PA> show system software status | match websrvr
Process websrvr running (pid: 16083)
[sslvpn-web-server process]
admin@PA> show system software status | match sslvpn
Process sslvpn running (pid: 16276)
(post 10.2) [gpsvc process]
admin@PA> show system software status | match gpsvc
Process gpsvc running (pid: 27285)
5. You can also see the restarting behavior to check masterd.log as follow:
[web-backend process]
admin@PA> tail mp-log masterd.log
2020-01-21 12:24:09.152 +0900 INFO: web_backend: received user restart
2020-01-21 12:24:09.152 +0900 INFO: web_backend: User restart reason - triggered by CLI
2020-01-21 12:24:09.152 +0900 INFO: web_backend: received user stop
2020-01-21 12:24:19.781 +0900 INFO: web_backend: exited, Core: False, Exit code: 0
2020-01-21 12:24:19.996 +0900 INFO: web_backend: process running with pid 15924
[web-server process]
admin@PA> tail mp-log masterd.log
2020-01-21 12:25:43.737 +0900 INFO: websrvr: received user restart
2020-01-21 12:25:43.737 +0900 INFO: websrvr: User restart reason - triggered by CLI
2020-01-21 12:25:43.737 +0900 INFO: websrvr: received user stop
2020-01-21 12:25:43.749 +0900 INFO: websrvr: exited, Core: False, Exit code: 0
2020-01-21 12:25:43.862 +0900 INFO: websrvr: process running with pid 16083
[sslvpn-web-server process]
admin@PA> tail mp-log masterd.log
2025-05-11 23:53:19.098 -0700 INFO: gpsvc: received user restart
2025-05-11 23:53:19.099 -0700 INFO: gpsvc: User restart reason - triggered by CLI
2025-05-11 23:53:19.099 -0700 DEBUG: gpsvc: received user stop
2020-01-21 12:27:28.619 +0900 INFO: sslvpn: received user restart
2020-01-21 12:27:28.619 +0900 INFO: sslvpn: User restart reason - triggered by CLI
2020-01-21 12:27:28.619 +0900 INFO: sslvpn: received user stop
2020-01-21 12:27:28.749 +0900 INFO: sslvpn: exited, Core: False, Exit code: 0
2020-01-21 12:27:28.965 +0900 INFO: sslvpn: process running with pid 16276
(post 10.2) [gpsvc process]
admin@PA> less mp-log md_apps.log
2025-05-11 23:53:19.096 -0700 Process gpsvc received user event restart triggered by CLI
2025-05-11 23:53:19.102 -0700 Process gpsvc action stop heartbeat def-hb
2025-05-11 23:53:19.354 -0700 Process pid '7051' tag 'gpsvc' died with status '0'
2025-05-11 23:53:19.354 -0700 Process gpsvc exited with exit code of 0; core dumped: no
<---omit--->
2025-05-11 23:53:19.477 -0700 Process pid '27285' tag 'gpsvc' successfully started
Additional Information
You can also refer below how to restart Management server(mgmtsrvr) process.
How to Restart the Management server mgmtsrvr" Process - WebGUI"