10 Essential Linux Server Tools
By Tavis J. Hampton
Running a Linux dedicated server can be a bit daunting at first. Even with a web-based control panel, you will still need to access the server from the command line (at least on occasion), and maintenance, security, and monitoring can take up a considerable amount of your time.
The good news about Linux is that it comes with awesome command-line tools to help make life easier for system administrators. In no particular order, here are ten essential tools that you should definitely make use of in your routine server maintenance.
1. top
When it comes to learning information about your server, top is on top. Typing those three letters gives you instant details on memory usage, CPU load, running tasks, swap space, memory cache, and a list of the most active running processes, detailing their CPU and memory usage and command names. The "load average" feature also gives snapshots of the server's usage over the past 1, 5, and 15 minute intervals.
2. ps
While top gives you an overview of the most active running processes, the ps command only shows you the processes you want to see. Better still, you can use it to view all processes, including relevant resource usage information, process ID (PID), and command name.
3. dmesg
This simple command reveals the information stored in the kernel message log. Most information in this log is derived from boot messages and/or errors, but some active kernel message may occur during regular operation. If you are experiencing serious problems, this may be a good place to investigate.
4. who
This feature is particularly useful if you have multiple users accessing your server. By typing this command, you can see which users are currently logged in. If you happen to find a user logged in who should not be, you might have a security breach. This makes "who" indispensable for user access spot checks.
5. cron
Cron is a system daemon that periodically executes commands at the times you specify. This is an easy way to automate tasks on a Linux dedicated server. Some systems also have preconfigured cron directories, such as cron.daily, cron.weekly, and cron.monthly. Just drop scripts into the folder to execute them at the specified intervals.
6. rsync
Rsync can be many things, but for a server, it is best used as a backup tool. With it, you can automatically backup, archive, compress, and transfer your data over a secure connection to the location of your choice, whether it is local or remote.
7. tar/gz
Tar is the preferred archive method for most Linux system administrators, and Gzip is the preferred method for compression. Together, you can archive and compress files into the .tar.gz file format. Programs like rsync will use this method for backups, and many software packages and scripts come compressed in tar/gz.
8. chmod
File permissions can make or break your server. With chmod, you can easily change permissions for one or many files and directories. With a single command string, chmod can secure your files and make sure only the appropriate users can access them.
9. kill / killall
It sounds violent, and frankly, when programs are misbehaving, a little violence may be just what the server needs. With the kill command, you can end nasty processes that have decided not to die on their own or that have taken over your system. The word "kill" followed by the process ID will normally end a single process' life. To kill all processes associated with a particular command, use killall.
10. grep
Grep is the definitive search tool for Linux. It can find any file or anything inside of a file or several files. It can trim long command output so that your commands give you only the information you need. The list of things grep can do could fill an article all by itself.
No single tool or command can make running a server easy, but with the right tools in your arsenal, you should have no trouble getting the job done. When you manage remote dedicated servers, like those provided by 34SP.com, it is necessary to have secure shell (SSH) access, and the aforementioned tools come in handy when working from the command line. For more information about any of the tools listed above, simply type "man" followed by the command name, directly from the Linux shell.
About the author, Tavis J. Hampton -
Tavis J. Hampton is a librarian and writer with a decade of experience in information technology, web hosting, and Linux system administration. He currently works for LanternTorch.Net, which offers writing, editing, tech training, and information architecture services.
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(Published 11/30/2010, )
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