Server Hardware

x86 commodity rackmount servers from searchDataCenter.com

Facebook Open Compute Project a role model for data centers

News -Data center experts say most enterprises can’t imitate Facebook’s Open Compute Project, but they could reap the benefits over time.
Optimize data center virtualization with strategic capacity planning

Tip -Use strategic capacity planning to future-proof your data center's virtualization efficiency and make the most of server hardware.
'Big data' shops eye cheaper four-socket Intel Xeon servers

News -What once required high-end Intel E7 processors and motherboards now fits into a lower-cost E5-4600 four-socket Intel Xeon system, suitable for scale-out workloads in HPC and big data.

Reallocating unused server and storage hardware

Feature -Virtualization’s abstraction of resources offers strong reasons for keeping old equipment past its usefulness for primary workloads.
ARM server

Definition -An advanced RISC machine (ARM) server is an enterprise-class computer server that employs a large array of ARM processors rather than a complement of x86-class processors.
A server processors roadmap for 2011 and beyond: Intel vs. AMD

Tip -As AMD and Intel make plans to improve its server processors, efficiency and superior virtualization capabilities will make these technologies more powerful than ever.

Safeguarding Linux HA server integrity with STONITH

Tip -Designing an approach to automatically shut down a failing node is an important step in protecting data and system integrity in a Linux HA cluster.
What will a buyout mean for Novell users and product support?

Tip -With rumors that a deal has been reached on the sale of Novell, who are the most likely buyers of its various product lines, and what should Novell users consider about product support?
Oracle Enterprise Unbreakable Linux forks over Red Hat

News -New Oracle Linux distro, optimized for Oracle software and hardware, may include Solaris features like dtrace.

Facebook Open Compute Project a role model for data centers

News -Data center experts say most enterprises can’t imitate Facebook’s Open Compute Project, but they could reap the benefits over time.
IBM, Cisco, NetApp converged infrastructure systems worth the price?

News -IBM, Cisco, and NetApp released new converged infrastructure offerings this week, but the high price tag might drive IT customers away.
Service providers trade Cisco UCS for commodity gear

News -Cisco UCS is selling like hotcakes in enterprise data centers, but some cloud and hosting providers say it’s too inflexible – and expensive – for them.

Resource allocation with Linux cgroups helps optimize performance

Tip -The Linux cgroups feature lets you make a profile to manage resources to keep your system under control.
It’s an easy fix to clean up a GRUB error on your Linux server

Tip -A GRUB error will stop a Linux server cold, but following these steps should get you back on track.
IBM takes another stab with low-priced PowerLinux systems

News -IBM’s new low-priced Power servers compete with x86 for Linux workloads and may help IBM gain “big data” market share.

single point of failure (SPOF)

Definition -A single point of failure (SPOF) is a potential risk posed by a flaw in the design, implementation or configuration of a circuit or system in which one fault or malfunction causes an entire system to stop operating.
Popular Linux automation tools embrace Windows

News -CFengine now natively supports Windows, and Opscode Chef does too. But will Windows shops accept their advances?
SearchDataCenter.com Products of the Year 2011 nominations

Feature -SearchDataCenter.com's annual Products of the Year awards recognize innovation and performance in data center technologies. Nominate a product today!

Microsoft Windows Server 2008 licensing for virtualization

Tip -Choosing the right Windows Server 2008 edition can save big money in a virtual data center.
Determining the true value of a server operating system

Tip -One of the most critical decisions a network manager can make is which server operating system to deploy. Making that choice is fraught with budget limitations, corporate politics and a numerous other factors. Here, an expert discusses how to determine the true ROI and TCO of a server OS.
Microsoft's HPC server hybrid option for Linux

News -Microsoft is trying to push into the supercomputing market with the Windows HPC Server 2008 R2 Beta 2's hybrid option for Linux, but will that be enough to lure Linux faithful?