System Tuning

Web Server Tuning: Performance and Reliability A well tuned web server serves users quickly and with fewer problems. Tuning touches three layers: the operating system, the server software, and how content travels over the network. Start with a simple baseline and measure changes with consistent tests. Understanding the workload Know your workload before you tune. Collect data on requests per second, response times, error rates, and the mix of static versus dynamic content. Look for peak hours and longer tail latency. Set clear targets, for example: 95% of requests under 200 ms and an acceptable error rate below 1%. Use gentle load tests that resemble real traffic, not just synthetic bursts. ...

Operating System Schedulers and Performance Tuning Operating systems decide who runs when. The scheduler balances responsiveness, fairness, and throughput. Small tweaks can make interactive apps feel snappier and help busy servers stay responsive without wasting CPU time. How schedulers work Most systems separate foreground tasks from background work. Linux uses the Completely Fair Scheduler (CFS), which uses virtual runtimes to allocate CPU time fairly over the long run. Windows uses a mix of ready queues and priorities, with real-time tasks able to preempt others. In both cases, the aim is to minimize long waits and prevent any single task from starving others. Fairness is supported by aging, where low‑priority tasks slowly gain ground as time passes. ...