Features

Features

• Impact Awards: Vote for the best converged infrastructure

  Vote for the winner in the Best Converged Infrastructure category in the Modern Infrastructure Impact Awards.  Continue Reading

• Impact Awards: Vote for the best software-defined infrastructure

  Vote for the best software-defined infrastructure product in the Modern Infrastructure Impact Awards.  Continue Reading

• Interxion exec Ian McVey talks data center fundamentals

  Interxion exec Ian McVey shares why the data center building blocks add value to an organization -- proving that, no matter how abstracted, servers with blinking lights still matter.  Continue Reading

• Networking expert Carrie Higbie shares advice for newcomers

  Carrie Higbie, networking expert, brings her long-term data center experience and sense of fun to SearchDataCenter's advisory board.  Continue Reading

• Make Linux troubleshooting easier

  Sysadmins need to ensure their Linux servers perform properly. Check out these tips for choosing the right tool for the job, preventing rootkit attacks and more.  Continue Reading

• The case for a leaf-spine data center topology

  Three-layer network designs are last season's topology. The leaf-spine model is coming in hot, but can the advantages made data center designers forget about the weaknesses?  Continue Reading

• EVO:RAIL, SDDC take over VMworld 2014

  VMworld took to the data center this year, making waves with software-defined infrastructure. But not everyone was on board with VMware's trajectory.  Continue Reading

• Business application hosting on-premises vs. cloud options

  Is it better to look for a SaaS version of an app, put it in your own data center on existing equipment, or host it at a cloud provider for a mix of flexible scaling and IT ownership?  Continue Reading

• Spending tips for each stop on the IT lifecycle

  Data center equipment refreshes are expensive and time-consuming, but there are ways to ease the most arduous steps of the IT lifecycle -- and possibly even make a little money.  Continue Reading

• Linux mainframe faces off against the server farm

  It's a faceoff: Linux on z vs. other server distributions. See what the pros say about Linux mainframe and decide if it's right for your IT shop.  Continue Reading

• Data center projects get lost in translation

  The reasons to virtualize 80% of servers and create fault-tolerant clusters are obvious -- right? When you're explaining the project to the CFO, it's going to take more than IT metrics to make your case.  Continue Reading

• Top IT news stories from IBM, Dell and Red Hat

  Did you miss what happened at Dell, IBM and other major tech vendors so far in 2014? Here are the top five data center news stories to keep you in the loop.  Continue Reading

• Denser is better: Increased storage and server density

  For storage and servers, being dense is good. Careful planning can maximize the benefits of greater computing densities while minimizing potential risks.  Continue Reading

• 'Kip and Gary' brings data center jokes, stories to life

  No such thing as a funny data center? One comic artist created 'Kip and Gary,' a cartoon duo who make data center horror stories hilarious.  Continue Reading

• Controversial hot aisle containment practices

  Is your hot aisle too hot for OSHA? New data center trends are causing concern. You might need to adapt to adhere to the law.  Continue Reading

• Controversial data center building and operation practices

  Is key-swipe entry monitored by anyone? Do your retrofit plans include an economizer? See why many facility trends -- and laws -- are causing concern.  Continue Reading

• Data center books to bring to the beach

  What goes great with sun, sand and surf? Hot data center technologies. So pack your flip flops and these books to read up on Linux, cloud and more.  Continue Reading

• Application performance management vendors emphasize user experience

  For a complete picture, today's application performance management tools take the user's perspective.  Continue Reading

• Why Facebook and the NSA love graph databases

  Graph databases play six degrees of separation to find real connections. See how IT teams can use the database approach for businesses.  Continue Reading

• An object storage device for a data overload

  For rampant data growth, try object storage on for size.  Continue Reading

• How many VMs per host is too many?

  The ultimate host server welcomes hundreds of virtual machines. But that doesn't mean consolidation should outrank performance.  Continue Reading

• Chargeback tactics to avoid an IT money pit

  IT costs don't have to be a perennial black hole. An enterprise can recover expenses from IT, which must put on its sales hat to promote chargeback.  Continue Reading

• Improve IT recruiting with the four Ps

  IT recruiting is tough given the demand for IT talent, but companies that use the four P's along with long-term vision can find the right IT talent.  Continue Reading

• Improving IT communication to streamline data center projects

  When it comes to new technology, talk isn't cheap. Bridge the language gap between IT and business units to get your data center what it needs.  Continue Reading

• What's happening in data center energy management

  Smart PDUs and DCIM turn on data center energy management, but that's the short-term stuff. A strong strategy will energize a data center perennially.  Continue Reading

• PowerShell tutorial for Windows server admins

  A lot has changed with PowerShell 4.0. Whether you're new to the CLI or want new tricks in your server administrating bag, now's the time to bone up.  Continue Reading

• Turn to in-memory processing when performance matters

  In-memory processing is faster, and vendors are innovating to make in-memory database technology cheaper and better.  Continue Reading

• A software-defined networking reality check for potential adopters

  Software-defined environments moved from concept to shipping products recently, so it's time to learn about SDN vendor offerings and their roadmaps.  Continue Reading

• Hyperconvergence tackles storage and server strain

  Hyperconverged systems are succeeding converged infrastructure products as the latest in all-in-one data center offerings.  Continue Reading

• Get comfortable with an adiabatic cooling system in the data center

  Is your data center in a hot climate? Rather than fight the environment with CRACs, take advantage of it with an adiabatic cooling system.  Continue Reading

• Red Hat open source innovation reactions abound from the Twitterati

  It was all about openness at the Red Hat Summit 2014. From OpenShift to OpenStack to open source innovations, Red Hat was buzzing about the cloud.  Continue Reading

• Chapter excerpt: Keeping Linux safe with root privileges

  Privileged users have superpowers that keep Linux secure. Learn how to configure and run commands with root privileges in this free book excerpt.  Continue Reading

• Three data center questions that administrators are afraid to ask

  Every administrator has a question about their data center or IT roadmap that they're afraid to ask. On April 1, we answer three such questions.  Continue Reading

• Can an eco-friendly colo data center really save you some green?

  Many companies want greener IT operations, whether to save money or help the environment. But where do colo data centers fit in?  Continue Reading

• Curbing colocation costs

  With a little forethought, planning and savvy infrastructure decisions, organizations can keep colocation costs as low as possible.  Continue Reading

• Open-source server, hardware additions energize Open Compute Project

  A number of Open Compute Project members are breathing new life into server hardware designs, including big names traditionally focused on software.  Continue Reading

• What big data opportunities mean for your data center

  The onset of big data is shifting the data center's infrastructure. The SearchDataCenter Advisory Board weighs in on paths the enterprise can take.  Continue Reading

• What colocation customers should know about data center tiers

  Colo providers use data center tiers as a quick, recognizable way to market their facilities' reliability and uptime, but that isn't the whole story.  Continue Reading

• Solid-state data storage devices increase the use of tiering

  Hardware and software advances, like flash memory technology, are changing the way tiered storage is used in the enterprise.  Continue Reading

• Tech conferences: A calendar of major IT events

  Keeping track of all the major tech conferences in the industry is a lot of work. We've done it for you with this calendar.  Continue Reading

• Is colocation pricing set in stone?

  Colocation pricing yields a lot more to customer demands than you might expect, so don't choose a provider purely on price: Negotiate.  Continue Reading

• Attention IT shoppers: How to find the right colocation provider

  Many businesses turn to colocation providers when they need flexible IT facility space and services. But what should you look for in a provider?  Continue Reading

• TechWatch: Why your data center might need a fuel cell generator

  You may know fuel cell technology from following NASA space missions, but that same clean, quiet generator could help your data center's power demand.  Continue Reading

• IT pros suffer OpenLDAP configuration headaches

  Between the frustrations of installing OpenLDAP and annoyances with configuration problems, some IT pros are questioning its merit.  Continue Reading

• One company's rip-and-replace journey from cost cutting to better IT

  MTS Systems took its IT motto from 'cut costs' to 'grow business.' The data center had to become reliable, agile and efficient.  Continue Reading

• Tenets of modern server uptime and data center availability

  Server uptime and downtime can't be pinned to just automation, just application modularity or just redundancy. In a modern data center, availability relies on comprehensive uptime awareness.  Continue Reading

• What should you do with old servers and outdated data center equipment?

  Complications arise when replacing nonfunctional data center equipment. Decide what to do with the old equipment and how to handle retrofits.  Continue Reading

• Getting Windows admins started with Linux server distros

  Windows administrators often find themselves with a few Linux servers to manage. Learning the basics of Linux distributions will make it easier.  Continue Reading

• Various paths define server roadmap in 2013

  It's hard to name a single server trend when new servers take several -- sometimes conflicting -- paths. Find out what defined the server in 2013.  Continue Reading

• Winner: Bright Idea Impact Award

  Find out the winner of the first-ever Modern Infrastructure Bright Idea award -- a product that promises to reduce or eliminate IO bottleneck problems.  Continue Reading

• Winner: Best hybrid flash storage product

  The best hybrid flash storage array has been determined by Modern Infrastructure readers in the technology Impact Awards.  Continue Reading

• Winner: Best converged infrastructure product

  The Modern Infrastructure Impact Awards evaluated converged infrastructure products to arrive at the winner.  Continue Reading

• SUSE's SLES 12 OS and computing roadmap

  With SLES 12, some changes are in store for Linux admins, including a new default file system and bootloader. Here's the lowdown on SUSE's OS roadmap.  Continue Reading

• Must-read information technology books for the IT strategist and admin

  Whether you're a CIO or a system administrator, a good IT book will help your career. The SearchDataCenter Advisory Board shares their favorites.  Continue Reading

• Data center network design moves from tree to leaf

  Leaf-spine designs are pushing out the hierarchical tree data center networking model, thanks to the popularity of Ethernet fabric networks.  Continue Reading

• Reintroducing the RISC processor for data center servers

  Will energy and processing efficiencies in RISC processors be enough to oust x86 chips from servers, or will RISC stay stuck in a niche?  Continue Reading

• Modern processor design means integration, efficiency

  The quest for improved integration, energy efficiency and performance is taking processor designs in new directions.  Continue Reading

• Novelty or necessity? Storage, server optimization in data centers

  Data centers can't function on spinning disks and dedicated physical servers any longer. Cloud, virtualization and SSDs bring computing up to speed.  Continue Reading

• Promising and misleading trends in data center power design

  Not all trends in data centers will benefit your specific data center, and this is certainly true in power design. Sometimes, vendor hype is to blame.  Continue Reading

• From the ToR switch to data center containers: Design and layout fads

  Of all the hot trends in IT, changes to data center design and layout run the gamut from small to revolutionary. And some are here to stay.  Continue Reading

• Trends in data centers: Adiabatic cooling, DP humidity control and more

  Could your data center benefit from free cooling or intelligent power strips, LED lighting or SSD storage? Let's parse the latest data center trends.  Continue Reading

• Modern data center cooling systems: No muss, no fuss, no waste

  If old school data center cooling strategies leave your energy bill sky high, try more modern systems and bring it back down to earth.  Continue Reading

• On-premises build offers better data center costs, security and control

  When it came time for a new data center, VSE decided -- after much research -- to build rather than outsource, and repurpose its old equipment for DR.  Continue Reading

• An administrator's Ubuntu server guide: Unique Ubuntu Linux challenges

  Specific challenges arise in Ubuntu server administration. 'The Official Ubuntu Server Book' wants to help. Take a look at its advice on security.  Continue Reading

• Unix-based applications hold steady in large enterprises

  Large enterprises still count on the Unix OS for critical apps, whether the app is too customized to move, or because the app works well where it is.  Continue Reading

• Unix vs. Linux debate dies down as Linux risks diminish

  The arguments against Linux -- RAS, capabilities and scalability -- are quieting down as the platform matures and lures more Unix to Linux migrations.  Continue Reading

• Unix platform decline: Some vendors faring worse than others

  With Unix use in nearly universal decline, some Unix system vendors are faring better than others, but no one is winning.  Continue Reading

• What is Unix's share of and role in modern data centers?

  There's no denying that the Unix party is winding down, but just how quickly are guests leaving? What is Unix going to look like in five years?  Continue Reading

• How the colocation data center stacks up to cloud, on-premises builds

  Colocation data centers used to be about proximity. Not anymore. C7 CEO Wes Swenson says colo is about the best location and infrastructure options.  Continue Reading

• Advisory board: IT project planning for quiet days

  When the users are away, the data center doesn't get to play. Here are a few ideas for staying productive from the Advisory Board.  Continue Reading

• Data center certification options vs. less calculable IT skills

  Companies want IT pros with business acumen who communicate effectively, but that's hard to measure with a data center certification.  Continue Reading

• Modern Infrastructure Impact Awards criteria

  Get info here on submitting products for the Modern Infrastructure Impact Awards, including category descriptions, deadlines and judging details.  Continue Reading

• Flexible disaster recovery options emerge on 24/7 availability demand

  New disaster recovery options are flexible and mobile, including mobile data centers and power delivery, managed DR services and cloud-based options.  Continue Reading

• Better data center planning tactics from the Open Compute Project

  The Open Compute Project brings together data center titans to address pressing issues around hardware, interoperability and holistic operations.  Continue Reading

• Advisory Board weighs in on IT job requirements for new hires

  IT job requirements vary from position to position. Our Advisory Board has a few requirements of its own when looking for new hires.  Continue Reading

• DCIM's advantages for flexible data center planning

  DCIM software has evolved from building information modeling (BIM) systems into a broader category of data center management.  Continue Reading

• Building an energy efficient data center for savings

  Here are some upgrades and infrastructure changes needed to build a truly efficient data center. Even the small ones provide added efficiency.  Continue Reading

• Advisory Board: Cloud's effects on data center design principles, locale

  Cloud computing growth has sparked questions about data center design principles, such as cost, location and resource availability.  Continue Reading

• Big data privacy concerns spur research, innovation

  Big data privacy concerns such as what type of data is collected and how it's used have sent researchers looking for a computational solution.  Continue Reading

• Data center SDN still in its infancy, says expert

  Data center SDN means speedier access to business assets, but there's a lot to consider, such as cost, before taking the plunge.  Continue Reading

• Data center size, infrastructure determined by type of enterprise

  Cloud apps and virtualization are pushing traditional data center size and infrastructure to a new norm in favor of more tailored hardware solutions.  Continue Reading

• Hyperscale data center means different hardware needs, roles for IT

  The complexity of new workloads and increasing demand from consumers means different server, network and IT needs in today's hyperscale data center.  Continue Reading

• Understanding silicon photonics technology

  Silicon photonics technology sounds like something from Star Trek. In reality, it involves lasers, semiconductors and just a bit of biology.  Continue Reading

• Emerging all-SSD arrays deliver performance boost to data centers

  Deployment of all-SSD arrays can be handled without too much trouble because the technology is similar to all-hard drive equipment.  Continue Reading

• Using all-SSD arrays to turbocharge your data center

  Hard drives haven't kept up with increasing workload demands. Could all-SSD arrays be the answer?  Continue Reading

• Scaling up your data center when demand exceeds computing capacity

  When outsourcing your data center for more computing capacity, there are several courses of action and options to consider before inking a contract.  Continue Reading

• A variety of options make data center expansion difficult

  Data center expansion options are plentiful, but planning and preparation are essential when matching the right outsourcing option to your needs.  Continue Reading

• Server vendors must innovate to stem bleeding

  Tier-one server vendors are offering a few choices to stop sales from evaporating, including their own cloud-based products.  Continue Reading

• Can traditional server vendors survive the cloud push?

  In the era of virtualization and cloud computing, can the traditional server vendors survive extinction?  Continue Reading

• Comparing popular converged infrastructure products

  Several big-name vendors have converged infrastructure products, but which one fits best in your data center?  Continue Reading

• Big data projects require big changes in hardware and software

  Spreading out storage and compute may ease the burden of big data projects on data center staff and infrastructure.  Continue Reading

• Q&A: How data centers can keep up with massive Internet user growth

  As Internet user growth stretches current network capacity thin, how can data center planners hit the moving target of future bandwidth needs?  Continue Reading

• How streamlined IT service operations are doing more with less

  Today's IT service operations teams have adapted management techniques and employed new technology to meet budget challenges head-on.  Continue Reading

• 40 GbE technology: Hurry up and wait

  Despite the enterprise need for high-speed networks, the advent of 40 GbE has been met with low adoption rates. Where will the hardware find a niche?  Continue Reading

• What will the next big data center transformation look like?

  No one can see the future, but take a look at what we might see in an upcoming data center transformation.  Continue Reading

• Looking back on learning: Top 5 data center tech tips, 2012

  Round out the year with the top data center tech tips, 2012-style. Topping the list this year are energy, environmental monitoring and ARM servers.  Continue Reading

• Employment survey says IT job satisfaction is all about the work

  Despite long hours, tight budgets and steep technology learning curves, our employment survey shows it's the work challenges that keep IT pros happy.  Continue Reading

• Software-defined networking could drastically change today's network infrastructure

  There's plenty of talk in IT circles about using SDN to change network infrastructures—and catch up with servers and storage. As the hype for SDN spins up, what can you actually accomplish today?  Continue Reading

• Sales up for 16 Gbps Fibre Channel; is it going the way of the dodo?

  Sales for 16 Gbps Fibre Channel swell to their highest volume since 2008, but questions remain about the technology's future.  Continue Reading

• IT pros adapt to stay relevant -- and employed -- in IT jobs field

  The fast pace of technological growth is nothing new, but professionals who want to keep IT jobs must evolve to stay competitive.  Continue Reading