Hardware usage is an important indicator of the health of a server. Without proper software, hardware is worthless. To optimize hardware usage, monitor CPU, memory and disk usage. To do this, click the Finder icon in the Dock and choose Applications ->Utilities -> Activity Monitor. Click on the CPU utilization metric to see how much hardware is being used by the server. If there is a big spike in CPU usage, look for possible reasons for the spike and investigate the problem.
Computers are comprised of two types of hardware: internal and external. The former consists of the central processing unit, or CPU, while the latter is composed of written instructions. Internal hardware includes the motherboard, power supply and central processing unit, while external hardware consists of peripherals, such as a keyboard and mouse. Each type of hardware performs different tasks. If the computer can’t perform a task without the assistance of an external device, it is not functioning properly.
Hard disks are among the most common types of computer hardware, and are a crucial part of a computer’s storage. These non-volatile devices store data permanently and do not lose it even when the system is shut down. A hard disk has a capacity of trillions of bytes. Hard disks can be preinstalled in the CPU or external. Solid-state drives are faster, more power-efficient and more expensive than traditional hard disks, but they are a good choice for personal computers that were built after 2007. SSDs are non-volatile, meaning they maintain stored data even when the system is powered off.