Best Linux System Performance Apps

When most of us make the move over to Linux it is about two things- control of the system and raw power. How do you know if you are getting as much as you can from your Linux system? A performance application of course. How do you know which ones are the best? Well, today we are going to look at some of the best Linux system performance apps you can get your hands on.

AIM9

The AIM Independent Resource Benchmark creates exercises and times for each component of your UNIX system. Each of them is run independently, for a total of 58 subtests. Then it will provide you with absolute processing rates. The results are expressed in operations per second, I/O transfers, function calls, and UNIX system calls.

top

This application gives you a real time look at your system. Good for identifying the dreaded and annoying system bottlenecks, scourge of many a system admin.

iostat

This software gives you the basics on your disk utility and your CPU loads. The output can be a bit cryptic, but it is worth trying.

tcpdump

If you suspect that a performance issue it related someone who is accessing the network without permission then this is the tool for you. Sure, it sounds like it is only for servers, but it can be of use to a skilled home user as well.

Now that you know about some of the best system performance apps that you can get, there is no reason not be running at peak efficiency.

A good question these tools are all focused on benchmarks and monitoring because a lot of your major system performance issues will be revealed by them. These tools will be able to help you to:

• Find an intruder on your network. The solution here, is to boot him off, and if possible get him arrested.
• Know which hardware or software are taking up the lions share of your resources. That way you can either shut them down when they are not in use or replace them.
• Figure out how your system ranks compared to standards. After all, sometimes it may simply be a perception issue. Hard numbers do not lie.