Linux iostat Command Explained
The iostat command is used to monitor the disk input/output (I/O) activity of the system. It provides real-time statistical information about disk usage and disk performance.
The following information can be obtained using the iostat command:
- CPU utilization: displays the average load, idle time, and percentages of user/system/wait time for the system and each CPU core.
- Device utilization: displays the activity of each physical device (hard drive, SSD, etc.), including read/write requests, block transfer rate, and the number of I/O operations.
- I/O wait time: Displays the average time it takes for a device to process I/O requests, including wait time, service time, and queue length.
- Disk Capacity: Displays the total capacity, usage, and available space for each device.
The iostat command is highly beneficial for analyzing system performance issues, monitoring disk activity, and optimizing disk performance. It can assist in identifying disk bottlenecks, understanding disk usage on the system, and determining if a disk upgrade or optimization is necessary.
