FreeBSD6 Unleashed

Chapter 15. Performance Monitoring, Process Control, and Job Automation

IN THIS CHAPTER

• Performance Monitoring with top

• Process Monitoring with ps

• Terminating Misbehaving Processes

• Making Processes “Nice”

• Automating Processes with the cron Scheduler Daemon

• Creating Jobs to Run One Scheduled Time with the at Command

• Controlling Access to the cron and at Commands

• Using the Periodic Task Scheduler

One of the fundamental differences between a desktop operating system such as Windows and a server operating system like FreeBSD is process control. FreeBSD lets you control every single process on your system, whether trivial or crucial. Windows, by comparison, gives you control over only certain application processes—and very limited control at that. The only ...