Managing processes with systemd
Get It Started
Sure, you've heard about systemd, which is rapidly replacing the old System V init system as the go-to service management daemon for the Linux world. But what can you do with systemd really? We'll show you some tricks for improving security, managing processes, and analyzing boot times with systemd.
The systemd service management daemon now comes with Red Hat, Debian, Ubuntu, SUSE, Mageia, Gentoo, Arch, and many other Linux alternatives. You might say systemd has finally arrived, but many users still have questions about what it is and why it is different. This article offers some tips on what you can do with systemd.
If you're running a Linux system with systemd onboard, systemd controls and organizes the entire boot process, starting processes and providing information on how those processes are faring.
Why did the world need another way to start processes in Linux? The fact is, the old System V init service that systemd is replacing is showing some serious signs of age. For instance, System V init can only line up the processes in a strictly sequential and rigid order, as opposed to starting different services simultaneously. Additionally, System V init uses shell scripts that are verbose, but still slow and difficult to read. These init scripts are not really suitable for coordinating processes that run in parallel.
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