How do you prevent common system performance degradation?

1 Monitor system metrics

The first step to prevent system performance degradation is to monitor the key metrics of your system, such as CPU, memory, disk, network, and application usage. You can use various tools, such as top , vmstat , iostat , netstat , or ps , to check the system status and identify any anomalies or issues. You can also set up alerts and notifications to inform you of any potential problems or thresholds that are exceeded.

2 Optimize system resources

The second step to prevent system performance degradation is to optimize the use of system resources, such as CPU, memory, disk, network, and application. You can do this by tuning the system parameters, such as kernel settings, scheduler options, memory management, file system options, or network protocols, to suit your system's workload and environment. You can also use tools, such as htop , free , df , du , ping , or traceroute , to analyze the resource consumption and allocation and find any inefficiencies or wastages.

3 Secure system access

The third step to prevent system performance degradation is to secure the access to your system, both internally and externally. You can do this by enforcing strong authentication and authorization policies, such as passwords, keys, certificates, or tokens, to limit who can access your system and what they can do. You can also use tools, such as ssh , firewall , iptables , fail2ban , or auditd , to protect your system from unauthorized or malicious connections and activities and log any suspicious or abnormal events.

4 Update system software

The fourth step to prevent system performance degradation is to update the software on your system, such as the operating system, the applications, the libraries, or the drivers. You can do this by applying the latest patches, fixes, or upgrades that are available from the software vendors or developers. You can also use tools, such as apt , yum , rpm , pip , or npm , to manage the software packages and dependencies and ensure that they are compatible and secure.

5 Backup system data

The fifth step to prevent system performance degradation is to backup the data on your system, such as the files, databases, logs, or configurations. You can do this by creating regular copies of your data and storing them in a safe and reliable location, such as a remote server, a cloud service, or a removable device. You can also use tools, such as rsync , tar , gzip , mysqldump , or pg_dump , to perform the backup operations and compress or encrypt the data if needed.

6 Test system performance

The sixth step to prevent system performance degradation is to test the performance of your system, such as the speed, throughput, latency, or availability. You can do this by simulating various scenarios, such as normal, peak, or stress loads, and measuring the system's response and behavior. You can also use tools, such as ab , wrk , ping , curl , or nmap , to conduct the performance tests and collect the results and statistics.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?