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Reducing most system call activity is only possible if the source code for the programs making the system calls is available. If a program is making a large number of read and write system calls that each transfer a small number of bytes, then the program needs to be rewritten to make fewer system calls that each transfer larger numbers of bytes.
Other possible sources of system call activity are applications that use interprocess communication (semaphores, shared memory, and message queues), and record locking. You should ensure that the system has sufficient of these resources to meet the demands of the application. Most large applications such as database management systems include advice on tuning the application for the host operating system. They may also include their own tuning facilities, so you should always check the documentation that was supplied with the application.