ss

ss

The ss command is a powerful tool that provides a snapshot view of socket connections in the system. It’s often used by network administrators, sysadmins, and advanced Linux users to diagnose connection issues, monitor network activity, and optimize system performance.

What does ss do?

sx (where s stands for „socket“ and s is an alias for ss) displays information about socket connections in the system. The command provides a detailed view of active connections, including:

• Local address and port
• Foreign address and port
• Connection state (established, listening, etc.)
• Protocol used (TCP, UDP, etc.)

Use cases:

1. Troubleshooting network issues: Use ss to identify and diagnose connection problems, such as failed connections or stuck processes.
2. Monitoring system performance: Observe active connections and detect potential bottlenecks in the system.
3. Optimizing system resources: Identify and close unused or idle connections to free up system resources.

Hacks:

1. Filtering output: Use ss with various flags to filter the output, such as -t for TCP-only output, -u for UDP-only output, and -p <port> to display connections related to a specific port.
2. Displaying connection details: Use ss with the -i flag to display detailed information about each connection, including timestamps and packet counts.
3. Monitoring live traffic: Run ss in continuous mode using the -c flag to monitor network activity in real-time.

Who is this command for?

The ss command is suitable for:

• Intermediate Linux users (level 4-6): Familiarity with basic networking concepts and tools is required.
• Advanced Linux users (level 7-9): Knowledge of system internals, network architecture, and advanced troubleshooting techniques is assumed.

Keep in mind that this command requires a moderate level of technical expertise to understand and utilize effectively.