Author: paul.deluca

How do I monitor Linux system performance using top?

The top program provides a dynamic, real-time view of the actual process activity on a server. By default, it displays the most CPU-intensive tasks running on the server and updates the list every five seconds.

Commonly Used Hot Keys

The top command provides several useful hot keys:

Hot Key Usage
c Display full command-line arguments for each process. Useful for identifying specific phantoms and java processes.
m Displays memory information off and on.
A Sorts the display by top consumers of various system resources. Useful for quick identification of performance-hungry tasks on a system.
o Enables you to interactively select the ordering within top.
k Issues kill command.

Resources:

Can Dell monitor my servers for hardware errors?

Yes. If you have an active Dell ProSupport contract, you may sign up for Dell Proactive Support.

Getting started with Dell™ Proactive Systems Management is a snap. And it’s available — free of charge — for qualified Dell systems covered by a current ProSupport contract.

What You’ll Need First

Before you proceed, please make sure you have the following:

  1. Your Dell MyAccount or Premier username and password; go to My Account Login to verify that you have a Dell My Account established
  2. The service tag number of a Dell server covered under an active Dell ProSupport™ contract
  3. A Windows® virtual machine or server on which to run the Proactive Systems Management proxy
  4. Administrative credentials (i.e., usernames and passwords) for the systems you plan to monitor
  5. Dell OpenManage™ Server Administrator (OMSA) installed on the systems you plan to monitor; go to www.support.dell.com for more information or to download OMSA

Quick and Simple Setup

  1. Confirm that you are a ProSupport customer.
  2. Set up a customer account.
  3. Configure the Proactive Systems Management Web portal.
  4. Download the Proactive Systems Management proxy.
  5. Identify the systems to be monitored.

Questions?

If you have technical questions about Proactive Systems Management, please refer to the Deployment Guide or the Frequently Asked Questions document.

For additional assistance, please call Dell Technical Support in your country and request support for Proactive Systems Management.

How do I remove a Linux Eterm user via the GUI?

Warning: As always, please exercise caution when performing system maintenance, especially when initiating processes that can potentially delete data.

To remove a Linux Eterm user using the GUI:

  • System -> Administration -> Users and Groups
  • Select the user from the list
  • Select the Delete button
  • Verify that the dialog box says “I won’t delete username’s home directory (‘/u2/eclipse’)” before selecting Yes to proceed

Warning: if prompted to remove the shared home directory as shown in the dialog box below, uncheck the box before clicking Yes. Failure to do so will result in the removal of the entire Eclipse database directory (/u2/eclipse).

For your convenience, here is a screencast that covers the entire process for locking or removing a user:

If you prefer to use the command line, please see this page for instructions.

How do I remove a Linux Eterm user via the command line?

Warning: As always, please exercise caution and follow best practices when performing system maintenance, especially when initiating processes that can potentially delete data.

Easy Procedure: Remove a User (Recommended)

  • Log into your server as root
  • Remove the user (where username is the user you wish to remove):
userdel username

If you prefer the graphical interface, you may perform the same function via the GUI.

Advanced Procedure: Remove a User and Home Directory

The above command does not remove the user’s home directory, because it often contains important database files. If you would like to remove both a user and their home directory, you must first verify that your users are not configured to use the database directory as their home directory:

  • Log into the server as root
  • Verify the user’s home directory (where username is the user whose home directory you are checking):
echo ~username
  • If the output displays /u2/eclipse or anything other than /home/username, do not continue. This user’s home directory is the shared database directory. You must use the procedure above to remove only the user. Contact Eclipse Support with any questions.
  • If the output displays /home/username, you may proceed with the procedure and remove the user and their home directory:
userdel -r username