Prevent server crashes by monitoring performance issues in advance

As an administrator, one of the most valuable skills you can develop is the ability to analyze and optimize each server’s performance. Windows Server 2003 includes an excellent utility for analyzing your server’s performance: System Monitor. You’ll find System Monitor invaluable for determining exactly what’s going on inside a server. You can even schedule it to run at regular intervals to hopefully head off problems before they arise.

To define a schedule for capturing performance data:

1. Select the Schedule tab.
2. Specify a schedule for when you want to capture the performance data.
3. Click OK to save your changes.

Just remember, it’s best if you record performance information on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday when your network is under its most typical workload. As you probably already know, more people are absent from work on Mondays and Fridays.