XP Performance Tool

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The Windows XP Performance Tool is a combination of the old System Monitor and Performance Logs and Alerts that allows users to collect and view realtime memory, disk, processor, network, and other activity in graph, histogram, and report form. Users can configure the logs to monitor such data and to send alerts if values go beyond a specific threshold. It is accessed via the Control Panel by double-clicking on Administrative Tools and Performance. When a system is upgraded to XP from an older operating system, this tool indicates whether the old CPU and memory are up to the task or require an upgrade. Do not rely too much on Performance Tool, however. Trying to keep track of too many metrics at once can drain system resources. Again, home users, road warriors, and some small businesses can probably get by with Performance Tool, but a well-priced upgrade for small and mid-sized operations is WebNM by Somix Technologies (Sanford, Maine). It utilizes polling techniques to create a centralized performance database so users can see what is happening across the network and detect the cause of slows.

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