Unlock the Power of Linux Process Monitoring and Optimization via /proc and Build Custom Automation Scripts For The Same

What you'll learn

Learn about the significance of the procfs (/proc) interface on Linux

Learn how to gather process information via procfs

Learn how to monitor / track memory, CPU and I/O usage of a process via procfs

Learn how to check if a process is CPU-bound or I/O bound

Learn how to gather major fault / minor fault statistics, process priority, last CPU executing the process and scheduler statistics

Learn how to get details of files open by the process, shared libraries mapped into process memory, and process memory map

Learn about OOM score of a process and how to adjust them for specific use-case requirements

Learn how to gather CGroup and Namespace details of a process

Learn how to gather kernel stack info for a process, process physical memory mapping and thread information

Learn how to build custom scripts / tools for monitor processes

Requirements

Basic knowledge of Linux command-line that includes the shell, basic linux command for managing files and processes

Knowledge of OS concepts and the Linux architecture covered in my course "Introduction to Linux Kernel Development" is preferred

A working Linux environment with command-line interface using the bash shell or equivalent with administrative access ('root' user / sudo access)

Description

Linux Process Monitoring and Diagnostics using the /proc Interface is a comprehensive course designed for system administrators, developers, and anyone looking to gain a deeper understanding of Linux process management. This course focuses on the /proc filesystem (procfs), an essential interface for monitoring, diagnosing, and analyzing Linux processes and system performance.Throughout the course, you'll learn how to explore and utilize procfs to gather critical process-specific information, including CPU and memory usage, file descriptors, I/O statistics, and thread details. We'll also cover system-wide statistics like CPU load, memory allocation, disk I/O, and network performance, all accessible via the /proc interface.Beyond monitoring, you'll dive into advanced topics like resource limits, scheduler statistics, and how to troubleshoot stuck processes using procfs. Real-time monitoring tools like top, slabtop, htop, ps, lsof, fuser, and many more command-line tools will be integrated into your workflow to give you hands-on experience with dynamic system diagnostics.By the end of the course, you'll have the skills to write custom scripts for process monitoring and diagnostics, automate system monitoring tasks, and interpret complex process data. Whether you're managing servers, debugging applications, or optimizing system performance, this course equips you with essential tools and knowledge for mastering Linux process internals.

Overview

Section 1: Course Introduction

Lecture 1 Introduction to the Course

Section 2: Introduction to Linux Process Monitoring

Lecture 2 Overview of Linux Process Management

Lecture 3 The Role of /proc filesystem (procfs) in Process Monitoring

Section 3: Command-Line Tools and Utilities for Process Monitoring

Lecture 4 Effective use of the ps command

Lecture 5 Using the top utility

Lecture 6 Modern alternatives to top utility: htop and others

Lecture 7 Miscellaneous Tools for Process and System Monitoring

Section 4: Understanding the /proc Filesystem (procfs)

Lecture 8 Mounting and Exploring /proc

Lecture 9 Navigating procfs: Key Directories and Files

Section 5: Process-Specific Information in /proc

Lecture 10 Anatomy of the /proc// Directory

Lecture 11 Gathering basic information and statistics of a process

Lecture 12 Monitoring memory statistics of a process

Lecture 13 Monitoring CPU statistics of a process

Lecture 14 Monitoring I/O statistics of a process

Lecture 15 Gathering Thread-Related statistics via /proc//task

Lecture 16 Gathering file-related statistics of a process

Lecture 17 Finding the OOM-score of a process and adjusting them

Section 6: System-wide Monitoring via /proc

Lecture 18 Monitoring System-Wide CPU Usage Statistics

Lecture 19 Monitoring Interrupt Statistics and Managing IRQ affinity

Lecture 20 Monitoring System-Wide Memory Statistics

Lecture 21 Monitoring Disk I/O Statistics

Lecture 22 Monitoring Network Interface Statistics (Overview)

Section 7: Conclusion and Further Reading

Lecture 23 Summary of Key Concepts and Further Exploration

Linux System Administrators, DevOps engineers, Developers, Security Analysts and Systems Engineers,Linux Enthusiasts and Beginners inclined towards learning Linux features in-depth