[AIX] Optimizing AIX 5L performance: Monitoring your CPU

Optimizing AIX 5L performance

 

CPU monitoring with lparstat, vmstat, sar, procmon, and nmon

 

About this series

This three-part series focuses on the various aspects of Central Processing Unit (CPU) performance and monitoring. The first installment of the series provides an overview of how to efficiently monitor your CPU, discusses the methodology for performance tuning, and gives considerations that can impact performance, either positively or negatively. Though the first part of the series goes through some commands, the second installment focuses much more on the detail of actual CPU systems monitoring, along with analyzing trends and results. The third installment focuses on proactively controlling thread usage and other ways to tune your CPU to maximize performance. Throughout this series, I'll also expound on various best practices of AIX® CPU performance tuning and monitoring.

 

Optimizing AIX 5L performance: Monitoring your CPU, Part 1

Just when you thought it was going to be an ordinary day, you receive a phone call and hear the worst six words dreaded by most AIX(R) administrators. Which of course is, "Why is the system so slow?" If you have done your homework, the answer to that question is relatively simple.

Optimizing AIX 5L performance: Monitoring your CPU, Part 2

Identify which AIX® tools to use to monitor your Central Processing Unit (CPU) for a given situation and find out why some tools might be better than others.Part 1of this series discussed the tuning methodology and the importance of having procedures for CPU performance tuning. It also briefly introduced some performance tools to use as a part of your tuning repertories, gave an overview of the POWER CPU, and discussed how the architectural improvements of the evolution of the POWER Chip have contributed to the hardware improvements of the System p™ product line.

Optimizing AIX 5L performance: Monitoring your CPU, Part 3

Part 3 of thisseriesfocuses on arguably the least understood area of Central Processing Unit (CPU) performance tuning: controlling thread usage and CPU binding. This article addresses key tools and utilities you can use to analyze threads and administrate your processes.