Systems Performance, 2nd Edition

Chapter 1

Introduction

Computer performance is an exciting, varied, and challenging discipline. This chapter introduces you to the field of systems performance. The learning objectives of this chapter are:

• Understand systems performance, roles, activities, and challenges.

• Understand the difference between observability and experimental tools.

• Develop a basic understanding of performance observability: statistics, profiling, flame graphs, tracing, static instrumentation, and dynamic instrumentation.

• Learn the role of methodologies and the Linux 60-second checklist.

References to later chapters are included so that this works as an introduction both to systems performance and to this book. This chapter finishes with case studies to show how ...