A cloud server can be flexible and scalable — but how efficient is it in practice? To find out, you need to know how to measure its performance. In this article, we’ll show you which metrics matter, which tools to use, and how to test everything using the Serverspace platform as an example.
Why It Matters
- Choosing the right configuration for your tasks
- Comparing server performance
- Diagnosing bottlenecks
- Assessing stability and performance degradation
Key Metrics
1. CPU Performance (vCPU)
Linux / Ubuntu
sudo apt update
sudo apt install sysbench -y
sysbench cpu --cpu-max-prime=20000 runWindows (via WSL or natively)
- Install Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL)
- Launch Ubuntu in WSL and use the same commands as above
Or:
- Use the built-in Performance Monitor:
Win + R → perfmon
2. RAM Performance
Linux / Ubuntu
sysbench memory runWindows
Use the following tools:
- Task Manager → “Performance” tab
- Resource Monitor (resmon)
- Performance Monitor (perfmon) → Counters → Memory → Pages/sec, Available MBytes, etc.
3. Disk I/O Performance
Linux / Ubuntu
sudo apt install fio -y
fio --name=randwrite --ioengine=libaio --rw=randwrite --bs=4k --size=1G --numjobs=1 --runtime=60 --group_reportingWindows
winsat diskAlternatively, use CrystalDiskMark — a simple and popular GUI tool.
4. Network Performance
Linux / Ubuntu
sudo apt install iperf3 -y
iperf3 -s # on one server
iperf3 -c [IP of the other server] # on the other serverWindows
- Download and install iperf3 for Windows
- Run on the first server:
iperf3.exe -sOn the second server:
iperf3.exe -c [server IP]5. Overall Load and Monitoring
Linux / Ubuntu
htopIf not installed:
sudo apt install htop -yWindows
perfmonTask Manager
Process Explorer (from Sysinternals)
With Serverspace
On the Serverspace platform, you can:
- Deploy a test server in under 1 minute
- Quickly switch between OS (Windows, Ubuntu, Debian)
- Use public IPs for network testing
- Connect via RDP (Windows) or SSH (Linux)
- Scale configurations on the fly
Tool Comparison Table
| Purpose | Linux / Ubuntu | Windows |
|---|---|---|
| CPU Test | sysbench | perfmon, WSL + sysbench |
| RAM | sysbench memory, free -m | Task Manager, resmon |
| Disk I/O | fio, dd | winsat disk, CrystalDiskMark |
| Network | iperf3, ping | iperf3, PowerShell |
| Overall Load | htop, vmstat | Process Explorer, perfmon |
Common Mistakes
- Using only one test instead of a full performance suite
- Ignoring background processes during benchmarking
- Not repeating tests at different times
- Testing in an environment that doesn’t reflect production
Conclusion
Measuring cloud server performance is a critical step toward building a stable and efficient infrastructure.
The Serverspace platform makes it easy to test, configure, and scale your servers across various operating systems, regions, and workloads.
