Accelerating a server

[Steve G.]

I have a server that is sometimes sluggish. While I suspect the main problem
is DNS and routing issues with my provider's infrastructure, in particular
responding to DNS requests and routing, I am not sure. So here are some
questions to the server experts on the team:

1. How do I identify the bottleneck in server performance? Is the problem
with my networking card, CPU, memory, HD I/O, or the networking
infrastructure outside the home.

2. Is there a tool for monitoring or testing load and performance without
disabling or slowing down the server for long periods of time? I use
Linux/Apache/PHP (no MySQL at this time, since I disabled WordPress due to
all the fracking comment spam I was having to manually delete), but I am
also interested in tools to do the same in Windows.

3. If I had to do one thing to improve my hardware, which should it be?
RAID? SD drive? Faster CPU? 32 to 64 bus? More/Faster memory? Obviously cost
is a consideration.

4. Is there any general advice on improving performance by removing
background programs, etc.?

Thanks,

Z.

-- 
Check out my web site - www.words2u.net
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