Measuring performance with the perf kernel tool
Inside Job
The kernel supports performance analysis with built-in tools via the Linux performance counters subsystem. perf is easy to use and offers a detailed view of performance data.
Making systems faster is a core part of business. Optimizing resources in data centers can save energy, space, and costs, and, out in the real world, a faster start-up time can improve the user experience for an entertainment system in the living room or even a car in the driveway.
In complex systems with many components, performance problems can stem from many different causes. On the hardware side, the CPU, RAM, the bus load, the memory system (block I/O), or the network can contribute to performance issues. On the software side, the operating system, the execution environment of the programming language, libraries, or the application itself can create bottlenecks. The fact that these components also often influence each other makes things more difficult. Although the systems work without any problems on their own, their interaction leads to friction.
To identify the root cause in the interaction of all these components requires the observer to take a bird's eye view and also have detailed knowledge of all the components. Not many IT professionals combine these skills, thus making performance optimization an exciting but challenging activity.
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