Monitor System Performance in Linux

To monitor system performance in Linux, you can use several built-in command-line tools and techniques:

1. top Command

The top command provides a real-time, dynamic view of system processes and resource usage[1][4]. It displays information on CPU, memory, and running processes. To use it:

top

2. htop Command

htop is an enhanced version of top with a more user-friendly interface[4]. Install it using:

sudo apt-get install htop

Then run it with:

htop

3. vmstat Command

vmstat monitors virtual memory statistics, including swap usage and system operations[4][7]. Use it with:

vmstat 5

This will display updates every 5 seconds.

4. iostat Command

iostat provides CPU statistics and input/output statistics for devices and partitions[4][7]. Run it with:

iostat 5

5. free Command

The free command shows memory usage information[4]. Use it with the -h flag for human-readable output:

free -h

6. sar Command

The System Activity Reporter (sar) is useful for monitoring CPU performance over time[10]. Use it with:

sar -u 5

This will show CPU utilization updated every 5 seconds.

If not installed in your distribution you will need to install the sysstat package:

sudo apt-get install sysstat

7. netstat Command

netstat displays network connections and routing tables[4]. Use it to monitor network activity:

netstat -a

Best Practices

Establish baseline performance metrics for your system[9].
Set up alerts for critical thresholds[15].
Regularly review and adjust monitoring parameters[9].
Use a combination of real-time monitoring and historical data analysis[1].
Consider using more advanced monitoring tools like Sematext or Monitorix for comprehensive system oversight[5][8].

By using these tools and following best practices, you can effectively monitor and maintain optimal performance of your Linux system.

Citations:
[1] https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/linux-system-monitoring-commands-and-tools/
[2] https://serverauth.com/posts/linux-performance-monitoring-a-comprehensive-guide
[3] https://signoz.io/guides/linux-server-monitoring/
[4] https://gcore.com/learning/linux-system-monitoring-command-line/
[5] https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/367302/best-good-tool-for-monitoring-a-server-with-web-interface
[6] https://www.linuxjournal.com/content/system-performance-monitoring-and-tuning-guide
[7] https://www.site24x7.com/learn/linux/monitor-linux-server-performance.html
[8] https://betterstack.com/community/comparisons/linux-monitoring-tools/
[9] https://www.ceos3c.com/linux/linux-system-monitoring-essential-tools-and-best-practices/
[10] https://phoenixnap.com/kb/check-cpu-usage-load-linux
[11] https://www.site24x7.com/help/server-metrics/linux-server-monitor.html
[12] https://www.tecmint.com/command-line-tools-to-monitor-linux-performance/
[13] https://serverfault.com/questions/328131/what-metrics-should-i-monitor-on-my-linux-server
[14] https://www.site24x7.com/learn/linux/top-commands-for-sysadmins.html
[15] https://cyberpanel.net/blog/linux-server-monitoring
[16] https://docs.redhat.com/en/documentation/red_hat_enterprise_linux/8/html-single/monitoring_and_managing_system_status_and_performance/index