️ Essential Command-Line Tools for Server Administrators

Introduction

For server administrators, mastering command-line tools is essential for monitoring, troubleshooting, and managing servers efficiently. Whether you’re handling Linux or Windows Server, the right CLI tools can:

• ✅ Optimize system performance
• ✅ Improve security & troubleshooting
• ✅ Streamline server management

1. Essential Linux Command-Line Tools

System Monitoring & Performance

htop – Interactive Process Manager

A more advanced version of `top`, `htop` provides a real-time view of CPU, memory, and process usage.

Installation:

sudo apt install htop   # Debian/Ubuntu
sudo yum install htop   # RHEL/CentOS

Usage:

htop

glances – Comprehensive System Monitoring

sudo apt install glances
glances

Networking & Security

netstat / ss – Network Statistics

Check open ports & active connections:

netstat -tulnp   # Shows listening ports
ss -tulnp        # Faster alternative

tcpdump – Packet Capture

Installation:

sudo apt install tcpdump

Capture traffic on an interface:

sudo tcpdump -i eth0

File & Disk Management

df & du – Disk Usage Analysis

Check free disk space:

df -h

Find largest files in a directory:

du -ah /var/log | sort -rh | head -10

️ 2. Essential Windows Server Command-Line Tools

System Monitoring & Performance

Tasklist – View Running Processes

List all running processes:

tasklist

Get-Process (PowerShell Alternative)

Get detailed process info:

Get-Process | Sort-Object -Property CPU -Descending | Select-Object -First 10

Networking & Security

netstat – Check Open Ports & Connections

List active network connections:

netstat -ano

nslookup – DNS Troubleshooting

Check DNS resolution:

nslookup example.com

File & Disk Management

Get-Volume – Check Disk Usage

List all storage volumes:

Get-Volume

robocopy – Advanced File Copying

Copy files & keep permissions intact:

robocopy C:Source D:Backup /E /COPYALL

Remote Server Management

PowerShell Remoting (Enable-PSRemoting)

Enable PowerShell remote access:

Enable-PSRemoting -Force

Run commands on a remote machine:

Invoke-Command -ComputerName Server01 -ScriptBlock { Get-Process }

Final Thoughts: Mastering CLI for Server Administration

Key Takeaways:

• ✔️ Linux Admins: Use `htop`, `glances`, `netstat`, and `rsync` for monitoring & automation.
• ✔️ Windows Admins: Use `Get-Process`, `netstat`, `robocopy`, and `PowerShell remoting` for efficiency.
• ✔️ Security & Networking: Master `SSH`, `netstat`, and `tcpdump` to secure & monitor servers.
• ✔️ Remote Management: Use `screen`, `tmux`, and `PowerShell Remoting` for persistent sessions.

⚡ Command-line mastery = Faster troubleshooting & better server management!