Get started
Bring yourself up to speed with our introductory content.
Get started
Bring yourself up to speed with our introductory content.
e-waste
E-waste is any refuse created by discarded electronic devices and components as well as substances involved in their manufacture or use. Continue Reading
e-cycling
E-cycling is the practice of reusing, or distributing for reuse, electronic equipment and components rather than discarding them at the end of their life cycle. Continue Reading
field-replaceable unit (FRU)
In electronic hardware, particularly computer systems, a field-replaceable unit (FRU) is a circuit board or part that can be quickly and easily removed and replaced by the user or by a technician without having to send the entire product or system ... Continue Reading
-
64-bit processor
A 64-bit processor is a microprocessor with a word size of 64 bits, a requirement for memory and data intensive applications such as computer-aided design (CAD) applications, database management systems, technical and scientific applications, and ... Continue Reading
crossbar latch
A crossbar latch, also called a molecular crossbar latch, is a nanoscale device with properties similar to those of a conventional silicon transistor, but physically much smaller, having a diameter of approximately 2 nanometers (nm, where 1 nm = 10-... Continue Reading
pizza box server
The term "pizza box server" refers to the shape of a computer server enclosed in a rectangular and horizontally-arranged chassis and often installed in a rack with similar servers.Continue Reading
Data center design and infrastructure final exam
This quiz tests knowledge about data center design, site selection, power and cooling and other material related to the data center's physical infrastructure.Continue Reading
Data center facilities all-in-one-guide: Final exam answers
Here are the answers to the SearchDataCenter.com's all-in-one-guide on data center facilities.Continue Reading
Puppy Linux
Puppy Linux is a compact version of Linux, an operating system (OS) that provides computer users with a free or low-cost alternative to Unix. Puppy Linux is one of several similar OSs, all of which together make up a group called skinny Linux... (...Continue Reading
Uptime Institute, Inc.
The Uptime Institute, Inc. is a consortium of companies devoted to maximizing efficiency and uptime in data centers and IT (information technology) organizations... (Continued)Continue Reading
-
kernel panic
A kernel panic is a computer error from which the operating system (OS) cannot quickly or easily recover. The term applies primarily to Unix-based systems and to Mac OS X... (Continued)Continue Reading
high-performance computing (HPC)
High-performance computing (HPC) is the use of parallel processing for running advanced application programs efficiently, reliably and quickly. The term applies especially to systems that function above a teraflop or 1012 floating-point operations ...Continue Reading
hardware clustering
Hardware clustering (sometimes called operating system clustering) is a hardware-based method of turning multiple servers into a cluster (a group of servers that acts like a single system).Continue Reading
SuSE
SuSE (pronounced soo'-sah) is a German Linux distribution provider and business unit of Novell, Inc.Continue Reading
Debian
Debian is a popular and freely-available computer operating system that uses the Linux kernel and other program components obtained from the GNU project.Continue Reading
liquid-tight strain-relief connector
A liquid-tight strain-relief connector is a special electrical connector or jacket used in cabling for electronic and computer systems where water or contaminant intrusion is a concern... (Continued)Continue Reading
Server virtualization basics quiz
Server virtualization is more than just the flavor of the month in today's data center, and for good reason. It offers the potential to dramatically save space and improve server efficiency. Vendors are in fierce competition to offer the most ...Continue Reading
Server virtualization quiz: Question 2
Answer to server virtualization quiz: Question 2Continue Reading
Server virtualization quiz: Question 1
Answer to server virtualization quiz question 1Continue Reading
Server virtualization quiz: Question 10
Answer to server virtualization quiz: Question 10Continue Reading
Server virtualization quiz: Question 9
Answer to server virtualization quiz: Question 9Continue Reading
Server virtualization quiz: Question 8
Answer o server virtualization quiz: Question 8Continue Reading
Server virtualization quiz: Question 6
Answer to server virtualization quiz: Question 6Continue Reading
Server virtualization quiz: Question 7
Answser to server virtualization quiz: Question 7Continue Reading
Server virtualization quiz: Question 5
Answser to server virtualization quiz: Question 5Continue Reading
Sever virtualization quiz: Question 4
Server virtualization quiz: Question 3
Answer to server virtualization quiz: Question 3Continue Reading
raceway
A raceway is an enclosed conduit that forms a physical pathway for electrical wiring... (Continued)Continue Reading
Enterprise Identity Mapping (EIM)
Enterprise Identity Mapping (EIM) is an open architecture from IBM for helping an enterprise manage the multiple user registries and identities that enable a computer user to access multiple applications with a single sign-on.Continue Reading
shell
Shell is a UNIX term for the interactive user interface with an operating system.Continue Reading
Beowulf
Beowulf is an approach to building a supercomputer as a cluster of commodity off-the-shelf personal computers, interconnected with a local area network technology like Ethernet, and running programs written for parallel processing.Continue Reading
bogomips
Bogomips is a measurement provided in the Linux operating system that indicates in a relative way how fast the computer processor runs.Continue Reading
GNOME (GNU Network Object Model Environment)
GNOME (GNU Network Object Model Environment, pronounced gah-NOHM) is a graphical user interface (GUI) and set of computer desktop applications for users of the Linux computer operating system.Continue Reading
Quiz: Blade servers
We've created this quiz to test (and refresh!) your blade server knowledge. Think you know it all? There's only one way to find out...!Continue Reading
wireless sensor network (WSN)
A wireless sensor network is a group of specialized transducers with a communications infrastructure that uses radio to monitor and record physical or environmental conditions.Continue Reading
boot loader (boot manager)
A boot loader, also called a boot manager, is a small program that places the operating system (OS) of a computer into memory...Continue Reading
VSAM (Virtual Storage Access Method )
VSAM (Virtual Storage Access Method ) is a file management system for IBM's larger operating systems, including its primary mainframe operating system, MVS, now called OS/390. (...Continued)Continue Reading
RPM Package Manager (Red-hat Package Manager)
RPM Package Manager (also known simply as RPM), originally called the Red-hat Package Manager, is a program for installing, uninstalling, and managing software packages in Linux. RPM was developed on the basis of the Linux Standard Base (LSB). In ...Continue Reading
scalability
It is the ability of a computer application or product (hardware or software) to continue to function well as it (or its context) is changed in size or volume in order to meet a user need.Continue Reading
Virtualization quiz
It's the hottest topic the data center this year: virtualization. Take our quiz as a fun way of learning what you need to know to keep up to date on the relatively new technology.Continue Reading
Top 10 data center operating procedures
Every data center needs to define its policies, procedures, and operational processes.Continue Reading
Quiz: Top 20 data center terms
The last thing a data center manager wants to be is the guy who stares blankly when someone else asks, "What's a _____ ?" Take our quiz, and make sure you're up to date on the top 20 most popular data center terms.Continue Reading
TIA-942
TIA-942 is a standard developed by the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) to define guidelines for planning and building data centers, particularly with regard to cabling systems and network design...(Continued)Continue Reading
RAIN (redundant/reliable array of inexpensive/independent nodes)
RAIN (also called channel bonding, redundant array of independent nodes, reliable array of independent nodes, or random array of independent nodes) is a cluster of nodes connected in a network topology with multiple interfaces and redundant storage...Continue Reading
Mathematical Symbols
This table contains mathematical symbols and links to definitions of what they represent.Continue Reading
HP 9000
The HP 9000 is a line of UNIX-based business servers from Hewlett-Packard (HP) with server models that span enterprise applications from the "entry-level" (branch or department-level computers, Web hosting servers, and so forth) through the midrange...Continue Reading
HP-UX
HP-UX is the UNIX-based operating system for the HP 9000 series of business servers from Hewlett-Packard.Continue Reading
Linpack benchmark
The Linpack benchmark is a method of measuring the floating point rate of execution of a computer by running a program that solves a system of linear equations.Continue Reading
Logwatch
Logwatch is a log analysis program that parses through system logs and generates periodic reports based on criteria specified by the user. These reports are generated immediately after Logwatch has run (normally every night), and can be transmitted ...Continue Reading
limited combustible cable (LCC)
Limited combustible cable (LCC), also called CMP-50 cable, is fire-resistant cable with insulation made of a synthetic material called fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP).Continue Reading
High Level Assembler (HLASM)
High Level Assembler (HLASM) is IBM's assembler programming language and the assembler itself for the IBM z/OS, z/VM, OS/390, MVS, VM, and VSE operating systems. Released in June 1992, HLASM was the first new assembler language from IBM in twenty ...Continue Reading
assembler
An assembler is a program that takes basic computer instructions and converts them into a pattern of bits that the computer's processor can use to perform its basic operations.Continue Reading
ACF2 or CA-ACF2 (Access Control Facility)
ACF2 (more formally, CA-ACF2; the ACF stands for Access Control Facility) is a set of programs from Computer Associates that enable security on mainframes.Continue Reading
batch
In a computer, a batch job is a program that is assigned to the computer to run without further user interaction.Continue Reading
Teraplex (Teraplex Integration Center)
Teraplex (short for Teraplex Integration Center) is the name IBM has given to its 'real life' testing centers whose purpose is to allow IBM customers and business partners to test very large database (VLDB) applications on a full-scale basis by ...Continue Reading
MVS (Multiple Virtual Storage)
MVS (Multiple Virtual Storage) is IBM's best-known operating system for mainframe and large server computers.Continue Reading
Job Entry Subsystem (JES)
Job Entry Subsystem (JES) is a subsystem of the OS/390 and MVS mainframe operating systems that manages 'jobs' (units of work) that the system does. Each job is described to the operating job control language (JCL).Continue Reading
Rexx
Rexx is an interpreted script language developed by IBM originally for use by personal users of large operating systems.Continue Reading
SuperZap
SuperZap is an IBM utility program used to install zaps or fixes to MVS operating systems or application program code that is causing a problem.Continue Reading
Resource Access Control Facility (RACF)
RACF (Resource Access Control Facility) is the IBM security management product for its mainframe (large server) operating system, OS/390 (MVS) as well as for its VM operating system.Continue Reading
z990 (T-Rex)
The z990, also known by its code name T-Rex, is a 64-bit mainframe computer from IBM that contains 32 processors, together capable of executing approximately 9,000 million instructions per second (MIPS), nearly three times the processing power...Continue Reading
job step
In certain computer operating systems, a job step is part of a job, a unit of work that a computer operator (or a program called a job scheduler) gives to the operating system.Continue Reading
job scheduler
A job scheduler is a program that enables an enterprise to schedule and, in some cases, monitor computer 'batch' jobs (units of work, such as the running of a payroll program).Continue Reading
job
In certain computer operating systems, a job is the unit of work that a computer operator gives to the operating system.Continue Reading
ISPF (Interactive System Productivity Facility)
ISPF (Interactive System Productivity Facility) is the user interface and supporting programs that come with IBM's OS/390 operating system and that allow a company to configure and manage its system, add new system or application programs and test ...Continue Reading
ISAM (Indexed Sequential Access Method)
ISAM (Indexed Sequential Access Method) is a file management system developed at IBM that allows records to be accessed either sequentially (in the order they were entered) or randomly (with an index).Continue Reading
JCL (job control language)
JCL (job control language) is a language for describing jobs (units of work) to the MVS, OS/390, and VSE operating systems, which run on IBM's S/390 large server (mainframe) computers.Continue Reading
enclave
In IBM's OS/390 operating system, an enclave is a representation of a business transaction or unit of work.Continue Reading
ESCON (Enterprise Systems Connection)
ESCON (Enterprise Systems Connection) is a marketing name for a set of IBM and vendor products that interconnect S/390 computers with each other and with attached storage, locally attached workstations, and other devices using optical fiber ...Continue Reading
computer-intensive
Computer-intensive is a term that applies to any computing application that requires the resources of a lot of computers, such as grid computing.Continue Reading
CICS (Customer Information Control System)
CICS (Customer Information Control System) is an online transaction processing (OLTP) program from IBM that, together with the COBOL programming language, has formed over the past several decades the most common set of tools for building customer ...Continue Reading
channel extender
A channel extender is a device used with IBM's S/390 line of computers to increase the maximum communication distances between the S/390 channel-connected mainframe computers, or between an S/390 and peripheral devices such as workstations, printers...Continue Reading
brick server
A brick server is a compact computer server module without a chassis that can come in various processor, RAM, I/O, and storage configurations and is designed to fit into rack locations similar to those for blade servers.Continue Reading
server blade
A server blade is a thin, modular electronic circuit board containing one, two, or more microprocessors and memory, that is intended for a single, dedicated application (such as serving Web pages) and that can be easily inserted into a blade server...Continue Reading
alien crosstalk (AXT)
Alien crosstalk (AXT) is electromagnetic noise that can occur in a cable that runs alongside one or more other signal-carrying cables.Continue Reading
BAL (Basic Assembler Language or branch-and-link)
BAL (Basic Assembler Language) is a version of IBM's assembler language (sometimes called assembly language) for its System/360 and System/370 mainframe operating systems.Continue Reading
bash (Bourne Again Shell)
Bash (Bourne Again Shell ) is the free version of the Bourne shell distributed with Linux and GNU operating systems.Continue Reading
Bourne shell
The Bourne shell is the original UNIX shell (command execution program, often called a command interpreter) that was developed at AT&T. Named for its developer, Stephen Bourne, the Bourne shell is also known by its program name, "sh". The shell ...Continue Reading
indemnification
In service level agreements (SLAs) and other legal contracts such as end-user license agreements (EULAs), indemnification is the part of an agreement that provides for one party to bear the monetary costs, either directly or by reimbursement, for ...Continue Reading
mainframe (big iron)
A mainframe (also known as 'big iron') is a high-performance computer used for large-scale computing purposes that require greater availability and security than a smaller-scale machine can offer... (Continued)Continue Reading
Cygwin
Cygwin is an open source collection of tools that allows Unix or Linux applications to be compiled and run on a Windows operating system from within a Linux-like interface.Continue Reading
data integrity
Data integrity is the assurance that digital information is uncorrupted and can only be accessed or modified by those authorized to do so. Integrity involves maintaining the consistency, accuracy and trustworthiness of data over its entire life ...Continue Reading
ISO 9000
(For the business server line from Hewlett-Packard, see HP 9000.) ISO 9000 is a series of standards, developed and published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), that define, establish, and maintain an effective quality ...Continue Reading
twisted pair
Twisted pair is the ordinary copper wire that connects home and many business computers to the telephone company. (Continued...)Continue Reading
multiprocessing
Multiprocessing is the coordinated processing of programs by more than one computer processor.Continue Reading
DB2
DB2 is a family of relational database management system (RDBMS) products from IBM that serve a number of different operating system platforms.Continue Reading
back-end
Front-end and back-end are terms used to characterize program interfaces and services relative to the initial user of these interfaces and services.Continue Reading
plenum
In building construction, a plenum (pronounced PLEH-nuhm, from Latin meaning full) is a separate space provided for air circulation for heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (sometimes referred to as HVAC) and typically provided in the space ...Continue Reading
real-time operating system (RTOS)
A real-time operating system (RTOS) is an operating system that guarantees a certain capability within a specified time constraint. For example, an operating system might be designed to ensure that a certain object was available for a robot on an ...Continue Reading
ANSI (American National Standards Institute)
ANSI, American National Standards Institute, organization for fostering, development of technology standards, industry groups, International Organization for Standardization, ISO, International Electrotechnical Commission, IEC, computer standards...Continue Reading
channel
In telecommunications in general, a channel is a separate path through which signals can flow. Depending on the context, this term has various meanings.Continue Reading
COTS (commercial off-the-shelf)
COTS (commercial off-the-shelf) describes ready-made products that can easily be obtained.Continue Reading
distribution
In marketing, distribution is the process of moving a product from its manufacturing source to its customers. In computer software, distribution is the phase that follows packaging.Continue Reading
crontab
crontab is a UNIX command that creates a table or list of commands, each of which is to be executed by the operating system at a specified time.Continue Reading
Systems Network Architecture (SNA)
SNA is a proprietary IBM architecture and set of implementing products for network computing within an enterprise.Continue Reading
CRON script
A CRON script is a list of one or more commands to a computer operating system or application server that are to be executed at a specified time.Continue Reading
chmod (change mode)
In a UNIX-based operating system, chmod (change mode) is a command used by a file owner or administrator to change the definition of access permissions to a file or set of files.Continue Reading
BSD (Berkeley Software Distribution)
BSD (originally: Berkeley Software Distribution) refers to the particular version of the UNIX operating system that was developed at and distributed from the University of California at Berkeley.Continue Reading
Andrew
Andrew was a joint project between Carnegie-Mellon University and IBM to set up a distributed computing environment on the CMU campus.Continue Reading
Watch out when changing the name of IBM VSAM files
You can rename VSAM datasets, but you might lock the mainframe out of VSAM files if you do it incorrectly. Here's how to change a VSAM name.Continue Reading