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System Performance Tuning 2nd Edition
System Performance Tuning answers one of the most
fundamental questions you can ask about your computer: How
can I get it to do more work without buying more hardware?
In the current economic downturn, performance tuning takes
on a new importance. It allows system administrators to make
the best use of existing systems and
minimize the purchase
of new equipment. Well-tuned systems save money and time
that would otherwise be wasted dealing with slowdowns and
errors. Performance tuning always involves compromises;
unless system administrators know what the compromises are,
they can't make intelligent decisions.
Tuning is an essential skill for system administrators who
face the problem of adapting the speed of a computer system
to the speed requirements imposed by the real world. It
requires a detailed understanding of the inner workings of
the computer and its architecture. System Performance Tuning
covers two distinct areas: performance tuning, or the art of
increasing performance for a specific application, and
capacity planning, or deciding what hardware best fulfills a
given role. Underpinning both subjects is the science of
computer architecture. This book focuses on the operating
system, the underlying hardware, and their interactions.
Topics covered include:
Real and perceived performance problems, introducing
capacity planning and performance monitoring (highlighting
their strengths and weaknesses).
An integrated description of all the major tools at a system
administrator's disposal for tracking down system
performance problems.
Background on modern memory handling techniques, including
the memory-caching filesystem implementations in Solaris and
AIX. Updated sections on memory conservation and computing
memory requirements.
In depth discussion of disk interfaces, bandwidth capacity
considerations, and RAID systems.
Comprehensive discussion of NFS and greatly expanded
discussion of networking.
Workload management and code tuning.
Special topics such as tuning Web servers for various types
of content delivery and developments in cross-machine
parallel computing
For system administrators who want a hands-on introduction
to system performance, this is the book to recommend.
FEATURES:
. Topics covered include:
* Real and perceived performance problems, introducing capacity planning and performance monitoring (highlighting their strengths and weaknesses).
* An integrated description of all the major tools at a system administrator's disposal for tracking down system performance problems.
* Background on modern memory handling techniques, including the memory-caching filesystem implementations in Solaris and AIX. Updated sections on memory conservation and computing memory requirements.
* In depth discussion of disk interfaces, bandwidth capacity considerations, and RAID systems.
* Comprehensive discussion of NFS and greatly expanded discussion of networking.
* Workload management and code tuning.
* Special topics such as tuning Web servers for various types of content delivery and developments in cross-machine parallel computing.
CONTENTS:
Preface
1. An Introduction to Performance Tuning
An Introduction to Computer Architecture
Principles of Performance Tuning
Static Performance Tuning
Concluding Thoughts
2. Workflow Management
Workflow Characterization
Workload Control
Benchmarking
Concluding Thoughts
3. Processors
Microprocessor Architecture
Caching
Process Scheduling
Multiprocessing
Peripheral Interconnects
Processor Performance Tools
Concluding Thoughts
4. Memory
Implementations of Physical Memory
Virtual Memory Architecture
Paging and Swapping
Consumers of Memory
Tools for Memory Performance Analysis
Concluding Thoughts
5. Disks
Disk Architecture
Interfaces
Common Performance Problems
Filesystems
Tools for Analysis
Concluding Thoughts
6. Disk Arrays
Terminology
RAID Levels
Software Versus Hardware
A Summary of Disk Array Design
Software RAID Implementations
RAID Recipes
Concluding Thoughts
7. Networks
Network Principles
Physical Media
Network Interfaces
Network Protocols
NFS
CIFS via Unix
Concluding Thoughts
8. Code Tuning
The Two Critical Approaches
Techniques for Code Analysis
Optimization Patterns
Interacting with Compilers
Concluding Thoughts
9. Instant Tuning
Top Five Tuning Tips
Instant Tuning Recipes
Index
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