## MaxSpareServers

Syntax: MaxSpareServers number
Default: `MaxSpareServers 10`
Context: server config
Status: core

The MaxSpareServers directive sets the desired maximum number of idle child server processes. An idle process is one which is not handling a request. If there are more than MaxSpareServers idle, then the parent process will kill off the excess processes.

Tuning of this parameter should only be necessary on very busy sites. Setting this parameter to a large number is almost always a bad idea.

This directive has no effect when used with the Apache Web server on a Microsoft Windows platform.

See also MinSpareServers and StartServers.