Problem solve

Problem solve

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

• Disaster recovery on the mainframe: New options for site recovery

  Disaster recovery on the mainframe now includes data recovery support such as redundancy and failover. But disaster recovery planning still requires some strategic effort to properly execute a site recovery. Continue Reading

• Identity management and single sign-on (SSO)

  Learn about the challenges of identity management and how deploying single sign-on (SSO) can solve some of those issues, using popular programs like Kerberos, JA-SIG CAS and LDAP. Continue Reading

• Mainframe change management tools ease compliance burden

  Mainframes host a bulk of the critical data important to compliance auditors, but data center managers have had to rely on brute force and aging tools. Continue Reading

• Compiling OpenSSH on Ubuntu 7.04 Feisty Fawn Server

  Find out how to compile OpenSSH on the latest version of Ubuntu, Ubuntu 7.04 Feisty Fawn Server, to get safely connected to your remote servers. Continue Reading

• $ PATH vs. pwd

  An expert describes the difference between two shell commands, $ PATH and pwd. Continue Reading

• Improving Snort performance with Barnyard

  Increasing the speed and efficiency of intrusion-detection system application Snort means reduced false positives and more focus on actual threats. You can do this with Barnyard, a third-party application that leaves Snort with more capacity to scan...Continue Reading

• PostgreSQL or MySQL: Which is faster?

  There isn't always a clear-cut answer in the race between dueling databases, PostgreSQL and MySQL, says an expert. Find out his thoughts and how the two compare.Continue Reading

• Google Docs vs. OpenOffice

  An office suite expert recommends breaking spreadsheets into smaller pieces for sharing between users.Continue Reading

• Cable remediation in the data center

  Cable remediation in the data center is a viable strategy for ameliorating inefficiencies caused by years of data center server add ons, moves and changes.Continue Reading

• Unix-Linux printing

  Interoperability is easier than separating systems your systems and isn't something you should be afraid of, says one expert. Find out how to set up printing between Unix and Linux using Linux's LPR utility and Unix's SMIT in this tip.Continue Reading

• Mainframe capacity planning: More than MIPS

  Capacity planning is a well understood, strategic exercise. But data center managers need to consider strategic versus tactical performance planning to keep high-priority workloads running without problems.Continue Reading

• Bastille Linux: Introduction and installation

  Bastille Linux is an automated security tool, ideal for cross-platform environments. Get started here with an introduction and instructions for installation.Continue Reading

• Data center consolidation, virtualization: Ultra-dense server deployments

  Combining blade server, virtualization and SAN technologies in the data center leads to ultra-dense server deployments, which can save on hardware costs and power.Continue Reading

• Printer sharing between Windows and Linux

  Figure out how to connect your Windows machines to a shared printer as a network device from your Linux box in this tip.Continue Reading

• CICS program list tables: PLTPI and PLTSD programs

  CICS expert Robert Crawford describes the two types of program list tables (PLT)Continue Reading

• MySQL full outer join workaround

  A MySQL expert offers a workaround for the lack of syntax support for full outer joins.Continue Reading

• Managing high-volume CPU processes with Bash

  Learn how to use and modify a simple Bash script to alert you when CPU processes reach abnormally high levels.Continue Reading

• SUSE Linux administration: How to set up a cluster file system

  Setting up OCFS2 as a shared file system in a cluster environment helps when multiple nodes have to write to the same file system concurrently. Learn how to do it with SLES10.Continue Reading

• Badge systems for entry and tracking in the data center

  Expert JP Callahan explores the world of badge system entry to the data center and reminds users to always back their security technology with a good process,i.e. two-factor authentication.Continue Reading

• Using AppArmor on Red Hat

  A user wonders whether it is possible to use AppArmor in the place of SELinux on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4 and learns about both security tools.Continue Reading

• Linux/Unix commands: How to get copy, conversion power with dd

  Learn how to use dd, a Linux command for handling convert-and-copy tasks. An expert shows how to clone your hard drive, create a backup of your Master Backup Record and increase your swap space.Continue Reading

• MySQL Enterprise vs. MySQL Community

  The differences between MySQL Enterprise and MySQL Community.Continue Reading

• Migrating Microsoft Works databases to OpenOffice Base

  A reader asks for advice on migrating from Microsoft Works databases to OpenOffice's Base.Continue Reading

• Enterprise redundancy using VRRP

  Get started using Virtual Router Redundancy Protocol (VRRP), a standard used in enterprise environments where routing redundancy is necessary for host stations. VRRP can provide additional availability to help reduce router failure on your Linux ...Continue Reading

• CICS trace: Getting started, formatting and externalizing

  CICS expert Robert Crawford describes the handy CICS trace tool and gives code for externalizing its output.Continue Reading

• Managing events with Nagios Event Broker

  Use modules with Nagios Event Broker, a server event output and integration tool, for receiving events and executing code on them. In this tip, you'll learn how NEB functions, what modules are available and how to find other modules.Continue Reading

• Data center cooling strategies: Overheating server prevention

  Five strategies from Syska Hennessy data center cooling experts, Christopher Johnston and Vali Sorell, for preventing servers from overheating.Continue Reading

• Running Windows as a VM on Linux with VMware Server

  If you don't want to spend money on an expensive Citrix setup for running Windows and Linux, then try running Windows as a virtual machine (VM) on Linux with VMware Server.Continue Reading

• Advanced Intrusion Detection Environment vs. Tripwire

  What is the difference between Advanced Intrusion Detection Environment and Tripwire?Continue Reading

• Migrating Microsoft Internet Information Server to Apache on Red Hat Linux

  If you're moving to Apache server from Microsoft Internet Information Server, be aware that this migration involves more than just copying files. In this tip, users will learn how to move a site from IIS to Apache on Red Hat, although this is ...Continue Reading

• How to determine data center cabling requirements

  What is the best choice for data center cabling? With many data center cabling standards now defined, the choices are clearer.Continue Reading

• Calculating costs of data center cabling infrastructure

  In part two of our series on data center cabling decisions, data center infrastructure expert Carrie Higbie offers a cost calculator for determining TCO on a cabling project.Continue Reading

• Protecting PGP keys

  Security expert James Turnbull describes public and private PGP keys and hwo to protect yourself.Continue Reading

• Multiple storage engines in MySQL

  An expert explains how multiple storage engines work within MySQL.Continue Reading

• Triggers in MySQL, Oracle and SQL Server

  An expert describes compares trigger functions in Oracle, MySQL and Microsoft SQL Server.Continue Reading

• Securing GRUB on Red Hat Enterprise Linux

  Keep your Red Hat server safe from attackers by securing your GRUB boot loader with a password that will prevent unauthorized access to your hosts after a reboot.Continue Reading

• Electronic signatures in OpenOffice

  How to create electronic signatures in OpenOffice 2.0.Continue Reading

• Defining event rules in Simple Event Correlation

  Simple Event Correlation is an open source tool designed for reading incoming data feeds and performing actions based on user-defined rules. In this tip, we'll learn about defining different types of rules associated with events and correlation.Continue Reading

• Dual-booting with a Linux Lenovo Thinkpad

  For dual-booting with Windows, a desktop recommends installing Windows first before re-installing Linux.Continue Reading

• Simple Event Correlation installation and configuration

  Simple Event Correlation is an open source tool designed for reading incoming data feeds and performing actions based on user-defined rules. Learn how to install and configure this small- to medium-sized enterprise appropriate tool.Continue Reading

• Triggers and mutating table errors in MySQL

  Discover what can trigger mutating table errors MySQL and learn about the differences between statement and row triggers.Continue Reading

• Combining OpenOffice.org text documents using master files

  Using OpenOffice's master documents function allows you to make page numbering consecutive and generate a table of contents. Simplify your document dealings with this tip.Continue Reading

• Using the data pilot: OpenOffice.org Calc's answer to pivot tables

  The data pilot, the OpenOffice equivalent to Excel pivot tables, is a useful feature that lets you apply functions and slice and dice data to see different parts of it in different ways. An expert demonstrates the basics of the data pilot, two ...Continue Reading

• Unix to Linux: Migration steps and porting

  Initiating, planning, executing, controlling and closing must be considered when migrating from Unix to Linux. In this tip, an expert describes the issues involved in each of these phases and then discusses technical implementation.Continue Reading

• MySQL Cluster vs. Oracle RAC

  Continue Reading

• Shadow modules with PAM

  Continue Reading

• Exporting data from an OpenOffice.org Base database

  There is no clear-cut method for exporting data from OpenOffice 2.0's Base database, but you can learn how and get some handy shortcuts in this tip. In a snap, you'll get table data into a Writer document and turn it into a spreadsheet or delimited ...Continue Reading

• Migrating Active Directory into Linux: Many roads to Rome

  Although Windows and Linux can provide similar functionality, you won't find one-to-one matching features when you are migrating an Active Directory repository to Linux. In this tip, an expert describes two methods for migrating user information ...Continue Reading

• Planning your server environment

  In this excerpt from TechTarget's upcoming book, "Servers and Storage," two experts discuss the support necessary for applications and clients, as well as financial implications when choosing between Windows and Linux/Unix.Continue Reading

• OSSEC: The server and agent model

  Get the benefit of regular alerts and status reports from configuring open source IDS/IPS OSSEC to run as a server and agent model.Continue Reading

• Sybase ASE: Performance benefits of DPL and DRL

  Take advantage of data page locking (DPL) and data row locking (DRL), two categories of data only locked (DOL) tables in Sybase ASE. These functions offer improved table scans, decreased logical I/O consumption and more.Continue Reading

• Linux on 64-bit blades: Choosing the right servers and distributions

  Mix Linux and 64-bit blades well, and you'll get super performance, stability and flexibility, says consultant Patrick Green. Here, he offers tips on how to avoid compatibility mishaps.Continue Reading

• Host intrusion detection with OSSEC

  Keep your corporate network secure with open source OSSEC, an intrusion detection and prevention services tool that provides host agent and file integrity agent capabilities on Windows and Linux. In this tip, a security expert provides a walkthrough...Continue Reading

• PostgreSQL vs. SQL Server, Oracle: Enterprise-ready and able to compete

  Why pay licensing costs and maintenance fees for proprietary databases when you can get open source RDBMS PostgreSQL for free? Discover the drawbacks and advantages to using PostgreSQL over Oracle or SQL Server.Continue Reading

• Bringing data into OpenOffice 2.0's database

  Getting data into OpenOffice Base isn't an intuitive process, but it is an easy one, says expert Solveig Haugland. Learn how to format data for Base, create a database for that data and bring it into Base.Continue Reading

• Assessing criticality levels in the data center

  Not all downtime has the same impact on business performance. Facilities experts Jerry Burkhardt and Richard W. Dennis provide a model on how to assess the Criticality Levels of your data center.Continue Reading

• Account locking for Linux via PAM

  Discover how to configure account blocking on a Red Hat host with PAM and prevent a potential denial-of-service attack caused by repeated locking of user accounts.Continue Reading

• Seven tips for optimizing shell script security

  Inherent weaknesses, a complex syntax and the general lack of consideration for security make writing secure shell scripts difficult. This tip focuses on major issues in shell script security across multiple shells.Continue Reading

• DAC and MAC safety

  Security expert James Turnbull describes the difference between discretionary access control and mandatory access control and which is safer.Continue Reading

• Sybase: Views vs. stored procedures

  Sybase expert Mich Talebzadeh describes the similarities between views and stored procedures that can lead to differences in the speed of compilation.Continue Reading

• Enlarging your Sybase database

  In this tip, Dr. Talebzadeh gives helpful examples of removing unwanted transactions and code for boosting your master database capacity.Continue Reading

• CICS command security

  I'm running z/OS 1.4 and CICS TS 2.2 for CICS. Is there any way to monitor who used CEMT and command (SET,Perform) in CICS?Continue Reading

• Sybase ASE on Linux: Getting rid of database deadlocks

  Avoid hot spots and heap tables in Sybase ASE, says Sybase expert Mich Talebzadeh. Find out more solutions for detonating your database deadlocks in this tip.Continue Reading

• Sybase vs. Oracle: 10 reasons to use Sybase on Linux

  Despite its fall from market leadership, Sybase is still a strong enterprise offering, says database consultant Dr. Mich Talebzadeh. In this tip, he gives 10 reasons why Sybase on Linux bests other databases, particularly Oracle.Continue Reading

• Viewing MS Word document track changes in OpenOffice

  Office suite expert Solveig Haugland walks a reader through viewing Microsoft Word document changes in OpenOffice.Continue Reading

• Linux sendfile and Apache servers: How an underused feature can offset overused resources

  The sendfile() system call is an underused tool that can bring surprising performance benefits for an Apache server handling large payload data transfers among multiple clients.Continue Reading

• Converting SQL Server stored procedures to MySQL dynamic query

  In this expert response, MySQL authority Scott Noyes explains how syntax differences between Microsoft SQL Server and MySQL will affect queries.Continue Reading

• Using ASHRAE specs for data center metrics

  Measure proper temperature and humidity using Ashrae's Thermal Guidelines for Data Processing Environments.Continue Reading

• Testing a new Linux kernel while keeping the old one

  This article describes how you can test out the most recent kernel release safely by creating a dual-boot system with two Linux kernels.Continue Reading

• The CICS transaction gateway server basics and tuning

  This tip will cover some CTG server basics including a few breadcrumbs about tuning and problem determination.Continue Reading

• Migrating applications from Linux/Unix to Windows (or vice versa)

  If you're planning a Win-to-Lin migration, it's important to consider how factors like platform-specific and -independent apps and source-ported apps will affect your future.Continue Reading

• 15 reasons why Sybase will be in your future

  Sybase expert Mich Talebzadeh gives fifteen reasons for why Sybase will definitely be around for years to come.Continue Reading

• NFPA 75: Raised floor fire protection

  Utilizing separate suppression 'zones' for both above floor and sub-floor spaces is a common practice in areas where the subfloor contains a significant hazard/fuel load.Continue Reading

• Top ten considerations for data center SLAs

  Service Level Agreements (SLAs) are a hot topic in any organization. Many organizations are rolling out SLAs in an attempt to match IT infrastructure availability with the business objectives of the organization.Continue Reading

• Mainframe virtualization: Old friends are often best

  Mainframe virtualization is more attractive than ever, according to Big Iron guru Wayne Kernochan.Continue Reading

• Halon and FM-200, part two

  A reader wrote in and pointed out that comparing the two technologies seemed strange, "one is almost legislated out of existence and the other is suspect." See how our expert responded.Continue Reading

• Hardware requirements for MySQL 5.0

  MySQL expert Mike Hillyer recommends reserving at least 100 mb of RAM for MySQL 5.0 on Linux, among other things.Continue Reading

• Installing and running Linux on IBM p5 systems

  Mixing Linux with p5 architecture can help your IT shop reap rewards in support, gain the capacity to run on a 32-way system and more.Continue Reading

• Overheating servers

  Expert Robert McFarlane explains why servers can overheat, and offers some suggestions on how to fix it--before it costs big money.Continue Reading

• Managing multiple desktops in KDE

  Ever felt like you had a million applications open at once and no way to easily juggle them? Virtual desktops are the answer! In this tip, Mike McCallister explains how to use virtual desktops with KDE.Continue Reading

• Running PostgreSQL in a cross-platform environment

  PostgreSQL is a great open source database management tool that's compatible across platforms. This article by Robert Treat explains how PostgreSQL facilitates cross-platform development and points out various tools within PostgreSQL that help ...Continue Reading

• YaST: Setting up a local SUSE Linux update server

  Find out how Novell's SUSE Linux YaST utility can set up your client and server machines to collect updates as well as acting as the installation source for your desktops.Continue Reading

• Pre-action dry pipe fire sprinklers versus wet pipe sprinklers

  A reader wrote in wanting to know if pre-action dry pipe was still the standard in the data center. Expert Lance Harry responds.Continue Reading

• Regulations for bank data centers

  The most remarkable thing about spacing and zoning regulations related to the locations of banks and their datacenters is their absence. In fact, banks are likely to face more stringent codes related to the building of datacenter structures.Continue Reading

• The mystery of the missing mail merge

  Seeking a simpler mail merge solution for OpenOffice 2.0? This tip guides you through selecting your starting document, data source and the fields to insert.Continue Reading

• Dropping a stored procedure properly

  Sybase expert Mich Talebzadeh gives recommends how to drop a stored procedure properly.Continue Reading

• Dual power question

  We're building an existing room into a high thermal density datacenter. Our facilities HVAC rep intends to supplement the new CRAC Units with existing general house HVAC registers, to assist with managing the high heat loads. Will this arrangement...Continue Reading

• CRAC units with existing HVAC

  We're building an existing room into a high thermal density data center. Our facilities HVAC rep intends to supplement the new CRAC units with existing general house HVAC registers to assist with managing the high heat loads. Will this arrangement ...Continue Reading

• COBOL program that will run in z/OS and open in MS-Word

  I want to write a COBOL program that will run in z/OS and create a sequential file that can then be FTP'd to a network drive and opened with MS-Word (MS-Office 2003) as a fully formatted Word document with page headers, tables, and paragraphs. Help?Continue Reading

• Deploying Linux: Should you pre-compile binaries or roll your own?

  The completion of precompiled packages and maximizing machine performance are two powerful incentives for Windows admins to use Linux and compile an OSS package.Continue Reading

• Quick guide: Knoppix, other tools that ease Windows-to-Linux PC moves

  Get insights on software and resources for assessing the fitness of a specific hardware configuration before you commit to doing away with Windows in favor of Linux.Continue Reading

• How-to: Working wonders with OpenOffice 2.0's Web Wizard

  The OpenOffice 2.0 Web Wizard wowed this reviewer. Find out how to use it to open a whole new world of Web publishing without having to mess with DreamWeaver.Continue Reading

• How to view XML files in z/OS after being FPTed

  I want to transfer an XML file from Windows NT to a z/OS. The problem is that the file on the z/OS after FTP shows one very long record. How can I see the XML file on z/OS like I see it in an XML viewer?Continue Reading

• Using DFH$MOLS with CMF performance records

  For every transaction run on your system you can also see, among other things, CICS Monitoring Facility (CMF) performance records are very comprehensive and detailed. The transactions can show how much CPU it consumed under each TCB, how long it ...Continue Reading

• How to get reports on OpenOffice 2.0 Base, part one

  Learn how to use OpenOffice's 2.0 Base tool create a simple report and modify the report layout to your own taste and specifications.Continue Reading

• Step-by-step how-to, part one: OpenOffice 2.0's new mail merge tools

  OpenOffice 2.0's vastly improved Mail Merge Wizard 2.0 has the chops, and it's pretty cool, says OpenOffice expert Solveig Haugland. Find out how to use it in this step-by-step tour.Continue Reading

• Is it possible to share a VSAM file between CICS and batch processing for update?

  Is it possible to share a VSAM file between CICS and batch processing for update? If so, how difficult is it to set up?Continue Reading

• Connecting to existing databases in OpenOffice.org 2.0

  In OpenOffice 2.0, how do you link to the perfectly good data you've got lying around? Here's how to do it, even if your data is living in Access, and it's not that hard.Continue Reading

• Can I 'call' a CICS COBOL module from a batch COBOL program?

  Find out what happens when you try to make a call to a CICS COBOL module from a batch COBOL program.Continue Reading

• Running Sybase without the RUNSERVER file

  Sybase expert Mich Talebzadeh describes how to start a server without the benefit of the RUNSERVER file by typing out the individual commands.Continue Reading