Manage
Learn to apply best practices and optimize your operations.
Manage
Learn to apply best practices and optimize your operations.
Get a template to estimate server power consumption per rack
Admins can struggle with power consumption estimation as infrastructure gets more complex. The kW-per-rack metric can help provide an accurate calculation of server power use. Continue Reading
Hidden colocation cost drivers to look out for in 2021
These unexpected charges and fees can balloon colocation costs for enterprise IT organizations. Continue Reading
Colocation data center outage response and support
Navigating data center malfunctions when hardware is off premises can be tricky. Organizations must have strong SLAs with their colo provider to ensure appropriate response times. Continue Reading
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Your guide to avoiding server rack setup issues
Not all data center servers are created equal. Before you attempt a server racking project, double-check size specifications and account for fastening hardware and cabling needs. Continue Reading
Transform your infrastructure to support parallel processing
Quick, real-time data analysis is a boost to any organization's operations. With the right hardware and software, you can support parallelization in your data center. Continue Reading
CMDB (configuration management database)
A configuration management database (CMDB) is a file -- usually, in the form of a standardized database -- that contains all relevant information about the hardware and software components used in an organization's IT (information technology) ...Continue Reading
Admins eye on-premises and cloud hybrid IT management
Most organizations now support a mix of on-premises and cloud infrastructure. This has vendors and analysts reshaping tools that can address hybrid IT requirements.Continue Reading
4 ways data center operations must adapt to the cloud era
The role of the traditional data center has changed dramatically as enterprises adopt cloud services, but IT operations professionals can evolve to remain relevant.Continue Reading
Learn SELinux commands for management and troubleshooting
SELinux provides a more secure way to run Linux servers. Key commands for status, file management and troubleshooting can help you run SELinux smoothly on your infrastructure.Continue Reading
6 tools to know for private cloud monitoring and reporting
Cloud reporting helps admins address capacity issues and reduce outages. Effective tools should include role-based dashboards and track virtual and physical hardware.Continue Reading
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Set your strategy to get the right liquid-cooled data center
As data center rack densities increase, liquid cooling's benefits are becoming more apparent. Before purchasing, IT teams must consider technology type, cost and upkeep.Continue Reading
COVID-19 puts IT infrastructure spending in flux
As the pandemic continues, research firms state that organizations must realign IT budgets to support projects that maintain operations and put nonessential initiatives on hold.Continue Reading
Adjust these 4 server BIOS settings to improve performance
You can configure BIOS settings to get more productivity out of servers, but some high-performance settings could increase power consumption or put reliability at risk.Continue Reading
Learn the top 5 Linux memory management commands
Memory management skills are essential to run infrastructure. With Linux, you can adjust settings on the OS level and right-size memory resources for your data center.Continue Reading
Build an effective IT asset disposal process
Whether vendor guidance or internal analysis prompts asset disposal, managers must decide how to transfer data, map hardware-supported workflows and reduce downtime.Continue Reading
IT asset retirement in the data center
Is your data center equipment starting to show signs of aging? These performance metrics can evaluate hardware health and help you decide if assets should be maintained or retired.Continue Reading
How to prevent and recover from server failure
Hardware, software and facility issues can lead to server failure. With the right protocol and preventive maintenance, you can reduce failure amount and troubleshoot time.Continue Reading
Tools and tips to track server power consumption
Server power requirements differ for each organization, but it's still essential to monitor peak loads and track how much power your servers consume to avoid outages.Continue Reading
7 top open source network monitoring tools
Network is an essential part of infrastructure health and requires constant monitoring. To meet specific OS and hardware requirements, open source tools can be the best fit.Continue Reading
Essential components and tools of server monitoring
Server capacity management requires a list of infrastructure components to watch and the right tools. A workflow with these concepts ensures uptime and helps usage predictions.Continue Reading
Data center power infrastructure essentials prevent downtime
Power infrastructure upkeep is essential to reduce damage in an unplanned outage. UPS and generator maintenance, plus disaster planning, should be a part of regular operations.Continue Reading
5 considerations for proper mainframe decommissioning
As organizations decide to retire mainframe systems, admins should develop a plan that addresses application migration, program replatforming, data security and hardware removal.Continue Reading
A look at software-defined networking upgrade guidelines
SDN brings the benefit of a mostly software-based update process. However, admins still must consider which updates are necessary and if a hardware refresh is required.Continue Reading
Plan for a successful ITIL implementation
Corporate buy-in and training are essential for organizations that decide to adopt the ITIL framework. Admins should also help decide if the library is the right service option.Continue Reading
Key components for negotiating an HPC colocation contract
When it comes to HPC colocation, there are specialized areas to cover in a service-level agreement. Review provider protocols for power, security and network connectivity.Continue Reading
Colocation data center market moves closer to the edge
Data center co-location provides companies a way to expand and diversify their infrastructure. The market is growing to increase data distribution and help advance edge use cases.Continue Reading
A guide to data center maintenance outsourcing
Data centers have a lot of moving mechanical parts to maintain. It's beneficial to leave electrical and fire system upkeep to the professionals instead of doing it all in-house.Continue Reading
Top infrastructure and operations technology myths of 2019
Admins are consistently evaluating technology to improve I&O efficiency. Cost, integration and business goals are key components to this process and cutting down any hype.Continue Reading
Use GRUB to fix Linux boot problems
GRUB is a handy tool to help admins solve any Linux booting issues. Reinstalling or manually implementing GRUB are two main approaches to getting your system back up and running.Continue Reading
Guidelines to tackle multi-cloud and hybrid IT management
Managing infrastructure isn't just the on-premises data center anymore. Software selection, architecture configuration and governance are key components of any hybrid IT setup.Continue Reading
Get eco-friendly with LEED data center certification
The U.S. Green Building Council helps companies make existing and new data centers eco-friendly. HVAC, lighting and monitoring technology help increase infrastructure efficiency.Continue Reading
Develop a 7-step server maintenance checklist
For effective server maintenance, admins must perform proactive hardware and software checks. Any list must include dusting, log review and software patch tests.Continue Reading
New hardware, use cases shape server benchmarking needs
Advancements in server hardware help admins address the latest data-intensive use cases. But this brings questions about the place of industrywide benchmarking standards.Continue Reading
A look at HCI hardware maintenance
Resource forecasting, capacity planning and upgrade compatibility are essential components of hyper-converged infrastructure maintenance. Learn why admins must implement them.Continue Reading
Learn the basics of ACI network technology
Application-centric infrastructure is one way to support an SDN setup. By learning the basics, admins can manage networks with automation and data abstraction.Continue Reading
How to maintain your hyper-converged data center
Data center managers can run HCI once it's out of the box, but the technology still requires performance monitoring and support to bring IT benefits to the organization.Continue Reading
Continuous HCI platform maintenance ensures system health
These best practices will help data center managers keep their hyper-converged platform in tip-top shape and make the process of deploying future updates simpler.Continue Reading
Improve server rack physical security with ISO standards
Safeguarding information access is essential to data center operations. With ISO Standard 27001 and the right locking mechanisms, you can prevent a security breach at the server hardware level.Continue Reading
Addendum sets ASHRAE 90.4 as energy-efficiency standard
The publication of ASHRAE 90.4 in 2016 brought a new set of energy guidelines, but the industry still used Standard 90.1. A new addendum has changed protocol and best practices.Continue Reading
How to realize the benefits of software-defined infrastructure
Software-based infrastructure and services can streamline management and application data. Before you add them to your data center, consider workload needs and existing hardware.Continue Reading
4 essential components to edge data center maintenance
Security, connectivity and remote management are integral parts of any edge architecture. Here's how to include them in your infrastructure.Continue Reading
Decrease legacy hardware security gaps
Dated infrastructure poses security threats to organizations -- especially with the amount of sensitive data used today. Address these concerns with active inventory audits.Continue Reading
3 ways to approach legacy hardware maintenance
Budget, maintenance cycles and specialized use cases are all reasons to keep legacy hardware. Minimize costs and outages with service contracts and emulation options.Continue Reading
5 steps to include on your software update checklist
Training, testing and automation are all essential components to software updates. Implementing these concepts makes version maintenance a less herculean task.Continue Reading
83 useful Linux commands
Enterprise administrators and managers who use this guide of essential Linux commands, utilities and tools will find ways to manage files, get process status updates and more.Continue Reading
Flexible consumption models lower IT overhead, help investments
Flexible consumption lets you track infrastructure usage and decrease tech investment overhead. It may seem similar to the as-a-service model, but there are differences between the two.Continue Reading
Prepare your organization for 100G data center Ethernet
Leaf-spine topologies, Ethernet and optics research are driving the next generation of data center networking infrastructure. Stay ahead of the curve with these technologies.Continue Reading
How machine learning in data centers optimizes operations
Machine learning can help manage your data center more efficiently and address power consumption concerns and hardware maintenance. Today's tools make implementation easy and effective.Continue Reading
Linux features beyond server management
Due to its open source nature, Linux is constantly gaining new capabilities. Here's a look at some common use cases and features.Continue Reading
Use ASHRAE guidelines to get server temperature right
The main factors that affect server efficiency are inlet air temperature, humidity and contaminants. Follow these ASHRAE guidelines to set up the right facility for your hardware and save energy.Continue Reading
How to cultivate the ideal IaaS agreement
As you expand your infrastructure, you might use service providers for certain components. Make sure you get a comprehensive SLA that addresses responsibilities, costs and security.Continue Reading
A 6-step guide for hardware disposal
Asset tracking, information logging and security measures should all be a part of hardware decommissioning. Don't miss a step with these considerations.Continue Reading
How to enhance FTP server security
If you still use FTP servers in your organization, use IP address whitelists, login restrictions and data encryption -- and just a few command prompts -- to keep them secure.Continue Reading
Red Hat CTO: Scalability, usability key RHEL 8 components
Linux software is expanding its use cases for data center and cloud options. Red Hat CTO Chris Wright details how the company is helping improve IT management and visibility.Continue Reading
Micro data centers build edge computing opportunities
Organizations can use micro data center deployments to increase on-site data processing. Admins can get their setups right with options from Dell and HPE.Continue Reading
What are viable Open19 use cases and hardware options?
Open19 is working with vendors to make hardware for its open source infrastructure. The goal is to support a growing number of off-premises use cases, such as edge computing.Continue Reading
Build a comprehensive outline for your data center budget
Including all necessary data center expenses during budget planning can be daunting. IT managers can start with costs for software licenses, hardware upgrades and cloud migration.Continue Reading
Top 5 Linux performance commands for system administrators
Figuring out Linux host performance issues is time-consuming without the right tools. The top, vmstat, iostat, free and sar commands can help get CPU, device and memory data.Continue Reading
Can IT admins benefit from a DevOps environment?
Admins might wonder if they need to pay attention to DevOps, but collaboration with developers helps minimize bad code and optimize processing hardware.Continue Reading
How do I successfully install server GPU cards?
Adding GPUs to your data center requires testing and research. To get the most out of the hardware, upgrade cooling resources and confirm software compatibility.Continue Reading
How to get the most out of your SIEM system
When it comes to threat protection, antivirus software is no longer enough. Data center admins need cloud-based SIEM to ensure their environments are fully protected.Continue Reading
A data center planning and design guide for IT pros
Data center design and management now goes beyond servers and networking cables. Defining budget and IT goals helps set an effective roadmap for data center architecture.Continue Reading
Data center budget process should review business goals first
Discover four factors data center managers should evaluate when allocating financial resources and areas to address to ensure funding requests meet execs' business goals.Continue Reading
How to prepare your data center for an HCI appliance
Vendors tout hyper-converged infrastructure as a plug-and-play offering, but before you install anything in your data center, be sure your network supports the hardware.Continue Reading
Tips for selecting a data center testing provider
Finding the right service provider for data center tests can be time-consuming. To pick the right one, be sure to have realistic objectives and a detailed SLA.Continue Reading
Top server maintenance tips to extend hardware lifespan
IT administrators can upgrade CPU, RAM and networking hardware to maintain smooth server operations and to maximize resources.Continue Reading
How mainframe maintenance intersects with x86 server upkeep
Mainframe maintenance overlaps with some x86 server upkeep tasks. Patching and storage management play a role in keeping mainframes up to date.Continue Reading
A look at fundamental Linux sed commands
The Linux stream editor is a useful way to run scripts in the data center. With these command examples, you can start to build your familiarity with sed.Continue Reading
What are some useful remote server management tools?
Choosing software for remote server monitoring and maintenance depends on organizational and administrative needs. Here are a few programs to include in your search.Continue Reading
Minimize downtime during a data center upgrade
End users don't want their productivity interrupted by IT maintenance. With the right technology, testing and planning, you can reduce or eliminate downtime in the data center.Continue Reading
What do I need to know about remote server management?
The ability to manage servers requires evaluating WAN connection options, available repair staff and software capabilities. This tip offers insight into how it all comes together.Continue Reading
Nvidia partnership bolsters VMware live migration capabilities
As part of vSphere 6.7.1, admins can now live migrate virtualized workloads supported by vGPUs. The Nvidia and VMware partnership improves high-capacity management capabilities.Continue Reading
How can I secure my remote server management tools?
If you monitor a lot of servers, it's important to make sure the tools you use to remotely manage them are secure. Encryption and password best practices can help.Continue Reading
Which basic Linux file management commands should I know?
File management is an essential part of working within Linux. Knowing a few basic commands makes it easier to move content and avoid file misplacement.Continue Reading
Which data center KPIs are the most useful?
As admins evaluate data center performance, they need ways to look at both short-term and long-term data. KPIs offer one way to evaluate components, such as storage.Continue Reading
Converged data center migration practices to avoid data loss
Refreshing data center hardware is no simple task, especially for organizations with multiple workflows. Before completing an upgrade, make a plan for backups and workload management.Continue Reading
14 SIEM reports and alerts to boost security
Setting up an SIEM reporting infrastructure requires an overall knowledge of what data capture is available. With standard reports and event categories, you can ease implementation.Continue Reading
What network security methods do I need to keep data safe?
How can you maintain network security beyond the standard firewall and blacklisting tactics? Encryption and digital rights management can ensure organizational data stays safe.Continue Reading
How do I protect my OS with Linux security features?
Linux has a security framework with multiple layers, which makes it hard to maintain permissions and privileges. User-based profiles and whitelisting can help you oversee OS access and give you peace of mind.Continue Reading
Streamline data center ops by adding functionality to your DCIM tool
Once you've successfully set up DCIM software, it's important to evaluate what further capabilities you need and the ways you can improve data center planning.Continue Reading
Ten Linux process management commands that simplify admin workflows
If you work in Linux, chances are you have to do some process management. Here are some commands to simplify that workflow.Continue Reading
Build your PowerShell command cheat sheet with these basics
Even if you've previously used PowerShell, it's beneficial to add new commands to your reference sheet and keep your overall knowledge as current as possible.Continue Reading
Data center monitoring best practices simplify software choice
Metrics are essential to keep any data center operating smoothly. With monitoring software and best practices, admins can simplify their workflows and get usable data.Continue Reading
Easily read a log file in Linux with command-line tools
Depending on the specific Linux distribution you use, there is a variety of commands to help you locate, read and search log files within related program components.Continue Reading
Hadoop cluster configuration best practices streamline workflows
Organizations that deal with a variety of Hadoop configurations can streamline workflows through baseline configuration, tests and site-specific configuration files.Continue Reading
SIEM benefits include automated monitoring, malware mitigation
SIEM tools deliver automated alert actions, normalize log data and provide intelligent filtering, all of which can help IT administrators lighten their workloads.Continue Reading
Hadoop cluster capacity planning best practices
Trying to calculate Hadoop cluster capacities isn't always straightforward. It's important for organizations to include IOPS and compression rates in their predictions.Continue Reading
What are the options for log management in Linux?
Linux administrators should use syslog and systemd-journald together for smart log analysis. But there are also open source log management tools to consider.Continue Reading
IT support and service contracts ripe for savings
If you don't pay close attention to IT support, service and maintenance contracts, start now. Chances are your organization is paying more than it needs to.Continue Reading
Three requirements for a hybrid cloud computing deployment
As the hybrid cloud computing approach gains steam, organizations will need to pay close attention to cross-cloud connectivity and management, plus microservices.Continue Reading
Five debunked myths about SSD issues
Solid-state drives are mature now, and the technology has eclipsed hard disk drives with superior performance, manageability and pricing for enterprise storage.Continue Reading
Hyper-converged infrastructure cloud backup brings many benefits
Public cloud backup offers a low-cost solution to data protection challenges in hyper-converged infrastructure shops, but disaster recovery poses a new set of issues.Continue Reading
SD-WAN benefits branch networks with simplicity, automation
Traditional branch networks haven't adapted well to new technologies. But a mature SD-WAN market can bring distributed networks up to speed with simplicity and automation.Continue Reading
Weigh vendors, tools in software-defined storage products
Explore the benefits of SDS and continued recent improvements before you determine if making or buying software-defined storage infrastructure makes sense for your enterprise.Continue Reading
Use Red Hat System Roles to smooth Ansible integration
In the Ansible playbook, IT users can make it easier to manage a Red Hat Linux enterprise environment. Increase efficiency with node management on Ansible with System Roles.Continue Reading
Master RHEL 7.3 before you consider RHEL 8
RHEL 7.3 offers high security, reliability and performance. Discover how to navigate GRUB 2 and system, and learn which distros work best for Docker, among other tips.Continue Reading
Explore uses for virtual data center architecture with VMC on AWS
The popularity of a virtual data center has risen because of the VMware Cloud on AWS announcement at VMworld 2017. But which enterprises should be in line to use it?Continue Reading
A multi-tenant data center offers SDN challenges, benefits
SDN controllers offer segmentation in a multi-tenant data center. Understand how to configure the right network flow to isolate traffic, and explore potential pitfalls of SDN.Continue Reading
With Btrfs file system gone in RHEL 8, look at alternatives
In the XFS, Ext4, Btrfs and ZFS comparison, Linux users will say goodbye to Btrfs in RHEL 8. Learn more about your options and what can fill the gaps once development halts.Continue Reading
How to choose a live kernel patching extension
Ksplice and kpatch offer similar live kernel patching services on a Linux system, but differences between function-level services and technical support showcase their differences.Continue Reading