Performance Monitoring

Is Your Computer Running Slowly?

Best Practice (Litmus Test)

Professionals always monitor the 'big four' resource counters: memory, disk CPU and network.

Amateurs fixate on one resource.  For example disk activity, thus they miss the big picture where memory shortage is the true problem.

The Art and Science of Performance Monitoring

Every computer, and every network has bottlenecks.  For maximum gain in performance seek out, then remove the biggest bottleneck.  In your quest to improve your network always consider adding more RAM.  Other tactics include re-distributing services so that you even out resource consumption amongst your servers.

Guy recommends: The SolarWinds ipMonitor

I am attracted to ipMonitor because it inhabits that zone of part work, part play; Guy just could not put the dashboard away.  This excellent performance monitor will get you started in the quest to remove bottlenecks on your network.  SolarWinds provides this fully-functioning product free for 21 days.  So download and install ipMonitor, then start scrutinizing your computers CPU, memory and disk performance. 

Installing ipMonitor is a breeze, but learn from gung-ho Guy's mistake and install SNMP on each computer that you wish to monitor.  What sealed my unreserved recommendation of SolarWinds is their support team, you will get expert help even when you are evaluating the ipMonitor.

Download SolarWinds ipMonitor (21 days eval)

Performance Monitor Tactics Used By Professionals

Baseline

Monitor the servers on your network during a quiet time, overnight, weekend or holiday.  The benefit is that you will have a baseline to compare activity when users start arriving in the morning rush hour.

Self-heal and auto-correction

Professionals use knowledge derived from performance monitoring to configure services to restart on failure.  All that amateurs can do is reboot the server and hope for the best.

Alerts

Professionals set alerts on key counters so that they know of problems before the become serious.  Amateurs only react to problems.

Capacity Planning

Professionals have a good idea of the effect of adding another 50 users to the network,  amateurs haven't a clue on the impact on resources.

Task Manager

If you have not got time to run performance monitor, call for the Task Manager, and then examine the Process tab.  Professionals sort by the 'Memory' tab.

Train Signal has now released their Windows Server 2008 Training Course.  As an MCT trainer, I am a huge advocate of Train Signal’s products. What particularly impresses is me is the demonstrations.  If you are looking for a complete DETAILED coverage of Windows Server 2008, then I highly recommend that you give this course a try.  I have reviewed their 6 hours plus of videos myself, and I guarantee that you will not be disappointed!

Watch a Windows Server 2008 Training Video Demo.

More help for detecting bottlenecks

• Memory
• Processor
• Disk
• Network
• Network Monitoring with ipMonitor
• NetFlow Network Monitoring
• Windows Network Monitor
• Free NetFlow Traffic Analyzer

Sign up to my new Ezine and get a free Best Practice ebook. 

 *