ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces some essential concepts related to performance measurement and strategies and techniques for computer system measurement. It also presents some useful tools for performance data collection of computer systems. The chapter discusses counters and timers, which are fundamental instruments for computer performance measuring. It discusses the program profiling process and types and introduces some profiling tools. It presents some system and process measuring tools for the Linux operating system. The resolution of the measurement system affects its precision and its accuracy. There are many types of performance metrics that the people may wish to measure. Since the most fundamental metrics in a computer-based system is event counting, the most basic measuring tool in a computer's performance measurement is a counter. Profiling methods are generally classified as deterministic or statistical profiling. The command date is a widely used tool in Linux-based systems.
