how to measure performance

[Ing. Todor Colakov]

Hello,

I'm trying to measure performance of my servers. I would like to have (at least rough) estimation, how much of punishment it can take, so I've crawled web for some howtos.. i've founded some, it gave me some start, but what i've miss in all of them was simple guide in the style...

If you are setting new server, you are interested at THIS, THIS and THIS (say how much packets incomming packets can it handle at one time) because of THAT, THAT and THAT (because if you plan to put it into enviroment of some magnitudes higher it wont do) and you can meassure it with tool A B C ( dunno :( )

Can somebody help me compile this list? I would like address specially experienced admins. I would like to have this list mainly for general server (without specialization), mailserver, webserver, DNS and NFS server - because it address services the most of newbiee admins work with.
Thank to all 
Todor