Server Resource Monitoring with htop and glances

By Admin · Feb 24, 2026 · Updated Apr 24, 2026 · 6 views · 3 min read

Server Resource Monitoring with htop and glances is a common requirement for VPS administrators. This guide provides practical instructions that you can follow on Ubuntu 22.04/24.04 or Debian 12, though most steps apply to other distributions as well.

Prerequisites

Basic familiarity with the Linux command line
Root access to the server
Root or sudo access to the server
A registered domain name (for public-facing services)
SSH client on your local machine

Initial Setup

After applying these changes, monitor the server's resource usage for at least 24 hours to ensure stability. Tools like htop, iostat, and vmstat can provide real-time insights into system performance.


# Systemd service management
sudo systemctl status nginx
sudo systemctl enable --now nginx
sudo systemctl restart nginx

# View service logs
sudo journalctl -u nginx -f --since "10 minutes ago"

# List all running services
systemctl list-units --type=service --state=running

These commands should be run as root or with sudo privileges. If you're using a non-root user, prefix each command with sudo.

Scale vertically before scaling horizontally
Implement caching at every appropriate layer
Profile before optimizing - measure first
Start with the minimum required resources
Use connection pooling for database connections

Configuration Steps

For production deployments, consider implementing high availability by running multiple instances behind a load balancer. This approach provides both redundancy and improved performance under heavy load.


# Server resource monitoring
htop                          # Interactive process viewer
iostat -x 1 5                 # Disk I/O stats (5 samples)
vmstat 1 5                    # Virtual memory stats
ss -tlnp                      # Open listening ports
netstat -an | wc -l           # Total connections

The configuration above sets the recommended values for a VPS with 2-4GB of RAM. Adjust the memory-related settings proportionally if your server has different specifications.

Maintain runbooks for common operations
Document all configuration changes
Set up monitoring before going to production

Automation and Scheduling

The glances component plays a crucial role in the overall architecture. Understanding how it interacts with htop will help you make better configuration decisions.


# Systemd service management
sudo systemctl status nginx
sudo systemctl enable --now nginx
sudo systemctl restart nginx

# View service logs
sudo journalctl -u nginx -f --since "10 minutes ago"

# List all running services
systemctl list-units --type=service --state=running

Each line in the configuration serves a specific purpose. The comments explain the reasoning behind each setting, making it easier to customize for your specific use case.

Summary

You've successfully configured htop on your VPS. Remember to monitor performance, keep your software updated, and maintain regular backups. If you run into issues, consult the official documentation or open a support ticket for assistance.