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Finding Which Process Caused a CPU Spike on a Linux Server

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Christopher Smith
Oct 26, 2026

How to name the process behind a short CPU spike on a Linux server after the alert clears. The walkthrough uses sar for the system history, atop logging at a 60 second interval, systemd timers and the journal, systemd-cgtop, and execsnoop from the BCC tools.
CS

Christopher Smith

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