Problem solve

Problem solve

Get help with specific problems with your technologies, process and projects.

• 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

• Initiative aims to improve data center incident reporting

  The Data Center Incident Reporting Network hopes to pull back the smoke screen on software and hardware issues to improve operations and reduce downtime risks -- with admins help. Continue Reading

• Make the case for a technology refresh strategy

  A good portion of IT budgets are spent maintaining aging hardware. Energy efficiency, failure rates and potential downtime costs are all ways to justify regular hardware updates. Continue Reading

• Improve efficiency with server energy consumption tools

  Deciding what servers are most efficient for your infrastructure requires research. Hardware-level certifications and web-based tools can help you select the right option. 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

• Increase efficiency with data center temperature monitoring

  Data centers must track multiple temperature components. Organizations can use ASHRAE standards and on-premises hardware for easier monitoring.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

• 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

• 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

• How to get out of a bad colocation contract

  Renegotiation, legal action and cancellation are all options if your colocation service agreement isn't up to par. But each option requires research to avoid big fees or downtime.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

• Build up your SDDC security with 3 components

  If you want to build a foundation for secure operations in your SDDC, software patches, account privileges and encryption should all be part of your security framework.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

• Top five data center trends to watch in 2019

  In 2019, data center admins should research how technologies such as AIOps, chatbots and GPUs can help them with their management, help desk and processing needs.Continue Reading

• Security, staffing land atop IT's edge computing challenges

  Edge computing is a new way for data center admins to process data closer to the source, but it comes with challenges around security and staffing that organizations must address head-on.Continue Reading

• Choosing the best OS: Linux server vs. Windows Server

  When determining the best server OS for a data center, you have Windows Server and multiple Linux options. For both, you'll want to look at vendor support, cost and functionality.Continue Reading

• Mitigate data center storage capacity miscalculations

  You can use cloud storage and deduplication to expand storage capacity, prevent application failure and maintain data center performance.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

• 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

• Security, vendor choices affect server purchases for IT buyers

  Server selection is a quandary for IT, as security, the use of file servers and whether multiple servers of CPU systems will meet enterprise demand plague enterprises.Continue Reading

• How to choose a server based on your data center's needs

  In an effort to optimize performance in the enterprise, IT should evaluate top priorities to determine how to choose a server and create the most efficient workloads.Continue Reading

• Colocation price comparison tools aim to ease IT research

  New procurement services, such as Inflect and UpStack, offer a central location to compare prices, services and features from colo companies for easier buying decisions.Continue Reading

• Evaluate hyper-converged for high-density data centers

  Although rising data center densities don't seem problematic for hyperscale providers, they create challenges for enterprises. Discover how hyper-converged systems can help.Continue Reading

• Reposition DCIM systems for virtualization, container management

  While DCIM tools are still a good way to maintain granular details about IT infrastructure, admins should integrate other, purpose-built tools for heavily virtualized environments.Continue Reading

• Build a high-availability system with containers, data mirroring

  Traditional backup systems are no longer the go-to data recovery method for IT. Learn how to create high availability with containers, data mirroring and cloud.Continue Reading

• Steps to install Docker on Ubuntu 16.04 servers

  If IT wants to maximize Docker's potential on Ubuntu 16.04 servers, know these steps and commands to ensure a smooth installation.Continue Reading

• How can I prevent data loss during a Linux distribution upgrade?

  It's important to prevent data loss during a Linux OS upgrade. How can partitions or disk drives help IT teams meet that goal?Continue Reading

• Manage SELinux policies for better troubleshooting, access controls

  The three different SELinux modes -- Enforcing, Permissive and Disabled -- dictate how admins can secure and troubleshoot applications with the SELinux system.Continue Reading

• Use a Linux file system journal for data integrity, performance

  Understand the three different file system journaling modes for Linux, as well as which mount option provides the best levels of data protection and performance.Continue Reading

• Develop an IT budget plan to maximize lifespan and not break the bank

  Proper IT budget planning and cost optimization can extend the life of your infrastructure, help guide refresh decisions and prepare you for software-defined architectures.Continue Reading

• How do I assign vSphere permissions for segregated VM control?

  Admins can define vSphere roles to manage user access and control over virtualized platforms. So what are some tips to start that process?Continue Reading

• Compare benefits of a blade server architecture vs. hyper-convergence

  To determine if a series of blade servers is the right call for more condensed compute in your data center, evaluate its benefits compared to hyper-convergence.Continue Reading

• Navigate recent changes to data center networking architecture

  Thanks to hybrid cloud and containers, data center networks are tougher to crack than ever. But IT can succeed if it follows a simple path.Continue Reading

• Evolve IT budget planning for software-defined infrastructure

  During IT budget planning for a software-defined data center, maximize value by accounting for predictable demand spikes, and evaluate resources to avoid losing funding later on.Continue Reading

• Blade server architecture offers efficiency, but lock-in risks remain

  For organizations concerned about blade server lock-in, virtualization and cloud offer compelling alternatives with similar benefits, such as consolidation in the data center.Continue Reading

• How an IT business continuity plan differs with colocation vs. cloud

  To avoid the disaster recovery safety net, build an IT business continuity plan for your data center. But before you do, weigh the pros and cons of using colocation vs. cloud.Continue Reading

• Optimize mainframe processor performance with vertical polarization

  To increase mainframe processor capacity and speed, IBM turned to vertical polarization. Learn how to take advantage of it through a feature called HiperDispatch.Continue Reading

• Shutterstock CIO shares SDDC architecture lessons learned

  David Giambruno is leading his team toward an SDDC architecture -- for the second time. In this Q&A, Shutterstock's new CIO shares his greatest challenges and lessons learned.Continue Reading

• Evolve your on-premises IT security model for cloud

  As public and private cloud services bring new IT security demands, data center teams need to rethink how they approach firewalls, identity management and more.Continue Reading

• Anticipate data center challenges with an IT monitoring strategy

  Data center challenges come in all shapes and sizes, but by keeping close tabs on systems and data, admins can be ready to react.Continue Reading

• Six helpful Linux networking commands to monitor connectivity

  There are plenty of useful Linux tools to help in the event of a network connection failure. Here are six of the top commands to stay ahead when trouble occurs.Continue Reading

• Five IT troubleshooting tips to beat storage, network bottlenecks

  When something goes wrong in the data center, there are many possible culprits, ranging from the network to storage. Here are some tips to identify and solve common bottlenecks.Continue Reading

• Cloud data transfer remains sticking point in hybrid cloud model

  The blending of in-house and public clouds is challenging, but special attention to networking and data management ensures a smooth implementation to the hybrid cloud model.Continue Reading

• Data center improvements will buy you time to plan for what's next

  By making the best use of what's already in place, and investing carefully and only where needed, an organization can extend a data center's life. This will buy it time to study and decide where its data center is headed next. To make good decisions...Continue Reading

• The evolution of data center storage architecture

  At the forefront of how IT infrastructure evolves to tackle new applications and emerging workloads are the changes in data center storage architecture.Continue Reading

• Draw up a data center network diagram you'll actually use

  Creating a data center network diagram is time-consuming but necessary work. Keep the scope narrow and know the priorities of your diagram to save time and energy.Continue Reading

• Microsegmentation lets software define network security

  Microsegmentation enables software-defined network security at a granular level, simplifying data center networks and traffic without risking breaches.Continue Reading

• Mainframe capacity planning takes on unpredictable workloads

  An extension of Capacity Provisioning Manager into the hardware eases mainframe capacity planning headaches.Continue Reading

• Three server security tools you might not know

  The security of the individual data center server can get lost in the shuffle of protecting enterprise networks. These server security tools will help.Continue Reading

• Four paths to a cloud bursting architecture

  The lack of capable infrastructure hinders a typical cloud bursting architecture. Choose one of these four paths to better implement cloud bursting.Continue Reading

• How to correctly install SUSE Manager the first time

  Make sure your SUSE Manager installation goes smoothly by following this step-by-step walkthrough.Continue Reading

• Thread safety isn't the only way to boost mainframe performance

  Thread safety boosts the performance of DB2 and other mainframe apps, but could unnecessarily complicate code.Continue Reading

• The top Linux commands for server administrators

  Managing Linux servers requires command line skills. Keep a list of the top Linux commands to schedule tasks, check statuses and see open files.Continue Reading

• Analyze Linux network connectivity issues with the ping utility

  Linux administrators can narrow down network connectivity problems by deploying the ping utility.Continue Reading

• Six steps to better data center skills

  Head into 2016 with a positive outlook, a plan for new projects, and a well-rounded set of data center skills.Continue Reading

• The new IT security threat coming to your data center

  The latest and greatest in technology opens new opportunities for hackers to penetrate sensitive corporate data.Continue Reading

• International data centers face Safe Harbor loss

  Think your company doesn't use international data centers? The servers used in colocation and cloud outsourcing could be just a warrant away from the U.S. government peeking at your corporate data.Continue Reading

• Is DDoS attack mitigation possible at a multi-tenant colo?

  Our small colocation provider's other customers have been under DDoS attacks that affected our infrastructure. The colo null routes the bad IP address; meanwhile, our connectivity is poor.Continue Reading

• Two key aspects to consolidating data centers after an acquisition

  When consolidating data centers after a corporate merger, scrutinize custom software applications and security. You may improve IT operations.Continue Reading

• How should I go about shipping hard drives?

  Hard drives have a treacherous journey from data centers to archival storage. Shipping hard drives the right way ensures their safety.Continue Reading

• Data storage companies add intelligence to on-site arrays

  Data-aware storage yields new insights and management capabilities. But challenges include meeting IT organization's needs, tying in with existing systems and the cloud alternative.Continue Reading

• Adopt this battle-tested IT implementation plan

  New business initiatives live or die by the quality of their IT implementation plan. Experienced IT teams share their methodology.Continue Reading

• Legacy IT budget cuts boost data center investment plans

  New data center investments can come from legacy IT spending cuts, something most U.S. agencies haven't done well in recent years.Continue Reading

• How do you verify a HA server or cluster is working?

  I want to ensure server high availability in my production IT environment. Is it better to test server HA and risk disruption, or trust in the systems' reliability?Continue Reading

• What switched PDU should I buy?

  Our latest firewall/VPN firmware upgrade left CPU usage at 100%. A malfunctioning DHCP-Server means people aren't getting IPs. I have to pull the plug to restart the firewall. What size switched PDU do I get?Continue Reading

• Cut data center sprawl to improve IT capacity

  This guide offers tips and strategies to corral all types of sprawl -- VM, server and automation -- as well as other drains to data center resources.Continue Reading

• Who controls big data implementation?

  In the rush to capitalize on big data, enterprises can pitch a battle against their own IT departments. In these conflicts, no one comes out the winner.Continue Reading

• Data center water usage whets appetite for change

  Will drought dry up the digital economy? With water scarcity a pressing concern, major data centers are re-examining water use for cooling.Continue Reading

• Managing shadow IT risk to the business

  With more users turning to external IT platforms to meet business needs, IT professionals must take steps to start managing shadow IT.Continue Reading

• A cloud migration plan for conservative data centers

  Enterprises migrating to the cloud prefer a slow and considered approach that protects sensitive data and ensures performance levels.Continue Reading

• Should I use a battery cooling system in the data center?

  Do battery cooling cabinets save money over cooling batteries within the whole data center?Continue Reading

• Network bottleneck looms when data center storage improves

  The high-IOPS, low-latency potential of SSDs moves bottlenecks to the network. SDN offers provisioning adjustments to avoid any slowdown in the data center.Continue Reading

• Integrated systems test prevents data center downtime

  Some colocation providers say the best way to prevent data center downtime is to regularly pull the plug and see what happens. (Hopefully, nothing.)Continue Reading

• Do I need another VM host server?

  Operations manager Adam Fowler explains the many factors that determine a VM host server's ability to increase its workload and whether you need to buy additional equipment for your VMs.Continue Reading

• Can I use Mikrotik vs. Cisco switches in a data center?

  I'm purchasing rack-level access switches for an enterprise data center, and weighing Cisco vs. Mikrotik, which is less expensive.Continue Reading

• Software testing techniques to address distributed databases

  Data that lives across multiple IT infrastructures makes software testing difficult. New technologies in virtualization offer some relief.Continue Reading

• Virtualization's random I/O rewrites the data center storage script

  Should data center managers pine for the good old days of direct-attached storage? Or is adding a little flash the way to counter-act the fundamental storage changes wrought by virtualization?Continue Reading

• Red Hat support evolves with new Access Insights services

  Good vendor support must be predictive, agile, interactive and dynamic. Red Hat claims its support is all of that, but not everyone agrees.Continue Reading

• Extend UPS battery life, avoid catastrophic data center failure

  Are you managing your UPS battery life expectations? Just because the warranty says it will last doesn't mean you should take their word for it.Continue Reading

• Help! I deleted a Linux boot partition

  I deleted a partition on my Linux system, but I still see a boot menu. How do I re-install GRUB2 and not lose data?Continue Reading

• Server performance and benchmark testing guide

  The right back-end servers, tuned for maximum efficacy, make the difference in business-critical applications and services.Continue Reading

• How does a wholesale data center differ from retail?

  One offers more control, while the other offers more flexible space. If you're considering a colocation facility, how do you decide between wholesale and retail?Continue Reading

• Colo in the age of cloud

  Colocation and managed services serve as a transitional space for production workloads that don't fit in the cloud or in a legacy data center.Continue Reading

• Guide to software-defined everything in the data center

  It's time to start thinking about a software-defined infrastructure in the data center. Here are benefits of software-defined architectures, tips for implementation and tools to help.Continue Reading

• Give the Linux quagga router a try for SDN

  The open source quagga router is garnering attention as a flexible choice for SDN. It's easy to set up with the right hardware.Continue Reading

• How do I avert database security issues in match/merge?

  Our IT organization needs to secure customer names, but also needs to conduct searches on the entire customer database to match and merge records.Continue Reading

• Suss out, solve pesky server utilization problems

  If it's time to tune your data center hardware, consider fixes like DRAM expansion, SSDs or container virtualization.Continue Reading

• How can I keep cable patching projects on track?

  What are some best practices for cleaning up a data center with over 100 patch cords to change? Everything must go back the same way -- patch panel port to switch port.Continue Reading

• Data center dunces cause operations, security failures

  Data center security is paramount to ensuring the safety of your employees and data. But what happens when you let a fool into your facility?Continue Reading

• Fill in skills shortages with mainframe outsourcing

  New deeply skilled mainframe staffers won't pop up overnight, so use a mix of in-house and outsourcing tactics to support another decade on big iron.Continue Reading

• Address common problems in mainframe testing concepts

  Accurate mainframe testing data is hard to obtain. This overview covers testing concepts, problems and tool options for improving test data management.Continue Reading

• Avoid common server racking issues

  Increasing physical demands of modern IT gear can pose problems for classic rack enclosures. Watch for these factors when buying new racks or equipment.Continue Reading

• Outsource IT support without losing control

  Secure a highly available IT platform by ensuring you have the best data center support. Without precautions, you may suffer from greedy resellers and vendors.Continue Reading

• Can I configure DB2 replication from the mainframe to AIX?

  I want to replicate DB2 from the mainframe to an AIX box since it's cheaper and the copy can be used for testing. Is this possible?Continue Reading

• Modern data center cooling systems cut out energy waste

  Better data center cooling techniques and technologies exist, so it's up to IT to identify the correct approach for their organization.Continue Reading

• Resolve a network bottleneck with these techniques

  Data center network performance problems will disappear with fixes from a simple reorganization through a strategic overhaul.Continue Reading

• Disaster recovery as a service wipes out traditional DR plans

  Disaster recovery planning and infrastructure builds vex IT managers. Cloud services offer lower costs and more flexibility, but not without risk.Continue Reading

• Sourcing the modern data center

  Significant IT expenditures can represent a make-or-break moment for the department, especially in this economic climate. In terms of selecting data center hardware, planning can go a long way, and selecting the right mix helps to minimize waste and...Continue Reading

• Multi-vendor data center

  There are a number of ways for IT to ease the process of managing a multi-vendor data center. This e-book series examines the best practices for vetting vendors, integrating new technology into the data center and training personnel effectively on ...Continue Reading