CompTIA Server+ (SK0-005)Server AdministrationMedium
A server administrator is troubleshooting a performance issue on a Linux web server. Users are reporting slow page load times, and the server appears to be under heavy load. The administrator suspects a process is consuming excessive CPU resources. Which command should the administrator use to identify the top CPU-consuming processes in real-time?
- Atop
- Bnetstat -tulnp
- Cls -l
- Ddf -h
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: A. top
The 'top' command provides a dynamic, real-time view of running processes, displaying CPU usage, memory usage, and other system information, making it ideal for identifying resource-intensive processes.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. netstat -tulnp shows network connections, listening ports, and associated processes, not primarily CPU usage.
- C. ls -l lists directory contents in long format, unrelated to process monitoring.
- D. df -h reports disk space usage, not CPU or process activity.
Linux 'top' Command
A command-line utility that provides a dynamic, real-time view of a running Linux system.
- Displays process CPU and memory usage.
- Can be sorted by various metrics.
- Useful for identifying performance bottlenecks.
Memory trick: Top shows the 'top' performers (or misbehavers) on your server's stage.