Load Average, cpu idel and performance

RHEL ES 4

I have a system whose load average as measured through top is at busy
times - 1000 - 1800 on Saturdays - consitently between 5 and 10. This is on
a 2 cpu server with multithreading (so /proc/cpuinfo shows 4 "processsors").
My understanding of the definition of Load Average leads me to believe that
between those perriods the server should be 100% busy (the average number of
processes requiring attention is greater than the number of processors
available, but even at the busiest times I just see the pattern below.

Obviously I'm missing something, or trying to be too simplistic in this very
complex area. Any observations please?

Also, if the best newsgroup for "performance" questions, or is there a
better newsgroup or other forum? I have full RH support but don;t really
have a pointed enough question I feel.

thanks
Neil

11:00:01 CPU %user %nice %system %iowait %steal
%idle
11:10:01 all 27.19 0.00 6.90 0.33 0.00
65.58
11:20:01 all 31.71 0.00 7.76 0.33 0.00
60.20
11:30:01 all 34.23 0.00 9.74 0.31 0.00
55.72
11:40:01 all 33.79 0.00 9.09 0.37 0.00
56.74
11:50:01 all 37.43 0.00 9.77 0.38 0.00
52.42
12:00:01 all 36.07 0.00 9.81 0.37 0.00
53.75
12:10:01 all 41.13 0.00 11.71 0.29 0.00
46.87
12:20:01 all 48.17 0.00 14.75 0.23 0.00
36.85
12:30:01 all 47.23 0.00 13.84 0.26 0.00
38.67
12:40:01 all 49.23 0.00 14.48 0.29 0.00
36.00
12:50:01 all 52.57 0.00 15.83 0.28 0.00
31.31
13:00:01 all 50.58 0.00 15.16 0.24 0.00
34.02
13:10:01 all 43.54 0.00 12.56 0.35 0.00
43.56
13:20:01 all 39.36 0.00 10.56 0.36 0.00
49.72
13:30:01 all 47.03 0.00 13.72 0.31 0.00
38.95
13:40:01 all 44.61 0.00 13.16 0.29 0.00
41.94
13:50:02 all 47.78 0.00 14.45 0.28 0.00
37.49
14:00:01 all 39.78 0.00 11.41 0.31 0.00
48.50
14:10:01 all 45.43 0.00 13.18 0.31 0.00
41.08
14:20:01 all 35.93 0.00 9.21 0.37 0.00
54.49
14:30:01 all 52.43 0.00 15.73 0.22 0.00
31.62
14:40:01 all 40.75 0.00 12.05 0.28 0.00
46.92




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