Chapter 8. Utility Tools: Performance Tool Helpers

This chapter provides informatiopn about the utilities available on a Linux system that can enhance the effectiveness and usability of the performance tools. The utility tools are not performance tools themselves, but when used with the performance tools, they can help automate tedious tasks, analyze performance statistics, and create performance tool-friendly applications.

After reading this chapter, you should be able to

• Automate the display and collection of periodic performance data (bash, watch).

• Record all commands and output displayed during a performance investigation (tee, script).

• Import, analyze, and graph performance data (gnumeric).

• Determine the libraries that an application is using (ldd).

• Determine which functions are part of which libraries (objdump).

• Investigate runtime characteristics of an application (gdb).

• Create performance tool/debugging-friendly applications (gcc).