rlatopam

Convert the specified SPOT image to PGM format

$ rlatopam [path/to/file] > [path/to/output.pam]

atop [options] [interval [count]]
Specifically for memory focus:
atop -m [interval [count]]

-m
    Displays memory utilization information. This includes physical memory, swap space, and virtual memory statistics.

interval
    The delay in seconds between successive samples. Specifies how often atop refreshes its display.

count
    The number of samples (iterations) to collect before atop exits. Used in conjunction with interval for fixed duration monitoring.

-r logfile
    Reads system activity from a raw logfile previously created by atop (e.g., using atop -w).

-S
    Displays cumulative values (e.g., CPU time, disk I/O) since the start of the process instead of incremental values.

-P label
    Displays specific process resource consumption for a given label (e.g., MEM for memory, CPU for CPU, DSK for disk I/O).

The command rlatopam is not a standard Linux command or utility found in common distributions. It is highly probable that this refers to a common typo or misremembering of atop -m, which is a powerful tool used for real-time memory performance monitoring.

This analysis proceeds based on the assumption that rlatopam describes the functionality provided by atop when specifically focused on memory metrics. atop (Advanced TOP) is an interactive monitor that displays various system resource loads in Linux. When invoked with the -m option or by pressing 'm' during its interactive session, atop shifts its focus to memory-related counters. It provides a detailed breakdown of physical memory (RAM), swap space, virtual memory (VM) statistics, and per-process memory consumption (VSIZE, RSS, PGT), offering invaluable insights for diagnosing memory leaks, high memory utilization, and overall memory subsystem health.

The command rlatopam itself is not a standard Linux utility, and this analysis is based on the strong assumption that it refers to the functionality of atop -m.

Full functionality of atop often requires root privileges or specific capabilities (e.g., CAP_SYS_RAWIO).

The extensive output of atop, especially in busy systems, can be overwhelming. Effective use often requires filtering or specific interactive commands.

Frequent polling with small intervals can introduce a minor overhead on the monitored system.

When using atop -m, the display typically includes:

• MEM: Physical memory usage (total, free, cache, buffer, slab).
• SWAP: Swap space usage (total, free, cached).
• VM: Virtual memory statistics (e.g., pages in/out, page fault rates).
• PRC: Process-specific memory consumption (Virtual Size VSIZE, Resident Set Size RSS, Page Table Size PGT).

While atop is running in interactive mode, pressing the 'm' key will toggle the display to show memory-centric statistics. Other keys like 'c' (CPU), 'd' (disk), 'n' (network), and 'u' (per-user) can be used to switch between different resource views dynamically.

atop originated as a system performance monitor developed by Gerlof Langeveld at Atos Origin. First publicly released around 2004, it quickly gained popularity for its comprehensive monitoring capabilities and its unique ability to log performance data for later analysis, distinguishing it from purely real-time tools like top. The -m option for detailed memory monitoring has been a core feature of atop from its early versions, providing essential insights into memory subsystem behavior.

top(1), htop(1), free(1), vmstat(8), nmon(1)