Tips

Tips

• HCI storage advancements require network technology upgrades

  Flash storage options make HCI scalability easier, but they also require newer network hardware. Data center admins are looking at NVMe-based fabrics as a possible fix.  Continue Reading

• Streamline data center power usage tracking with DCIM

  If you want a more in-depth picture of your data center's power consumption, explore DCIM options that provide server workload metrics and overall power system data.  Continue Reading

• How to install ZFS on Linux

  ZFS on Linux lets admins error correct in real time and use solid-state disks for data caching. With the command-line interface, they can install it for these benefits.  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

• 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

• Evaluate Linux server distros for your data center

  Linux is known for its reliability and flexibility in the data center. To select the proper distribution for your servers, you'll need to evaluate your application and support needs  Continue Reading

• Research advances data center liquid cooling tech

  You might want to investigate alternatives to water and fans to keep your data center cool. Still, there are costs and environmental concerns facing researchers and IT administrators.  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

• 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

• 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

• Navigate data center management software selection

  Software evaluation can be a lengthy process, especially with both open source and commercial options. Functionality and support can help you form a short list of possibilities.  Continue Reading

• Top 7 system administrator interview questions and answers

  To land any IT job, you need to master the interview. Here are seven questions to expect in your next sysadmin interview and how to ace the answers.  Continue Reading

• Discovery functions, FIPS compliance increase DCIM security

  Data center infrastructure management is one way to track security patches and unauthorized hardware access. There are a few features you can use to increase security.  Continue Reading

• Getting started with Linux containers

  Linux-based containers allow you to run applications in the data center without modifying OSes. If you're not sure how to get started, options such as Docker and CoreOS can help.  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

• 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

• SDDC architecture basics and deployment considerations

  Software-defined data centers accelerate hardware provisioning and maintenance. These benefits are reason enough for admins to familiarize themselves with SDDC components.  Continue Reading

• GPUs, FPGAs increase software-defined data center performance

  Some applications in your SDDC might need special hardware so they can function at their best. GPUs and FPGAs are an effective way to increase performance.  Continue Reading

• Four top open source SIEM tools you should know

  Open source SIEM software offers organizations a way to test capabilities and augment existing functionalities for analytics and log management. Get started with these options.  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

• Agile workflows shift admins' IT procurement strategy

  Changing business needs and the move toward Agile workflows affect how data center managers make decisions about daily operations and IT purchasing.  Continue Reading

• Open source log management options for Linux distributions

  Open source log management tools provide a variety of options and capabilities for admins who want customizable Linux log management functions in a server or cloud environment.  Continue Reading

• Do I need converged or hyper-converged infrastructure appliances?

  Scalability, risk tolerance and cost all factor into the decision between converged and hyper-converged infrastructure. The two technologies have very different use cases.  Continue Reading

• Work a command-line interface in Linux with these permissions and prompts

  The command-line interface is an integral part of the Linux management environment. With sudo permissions and remote connectivity, working with a command line is easy.  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

• Web server management best practices and essential features

  There are a lot of tools on the market for web-based server management. To find the best product, look for functions that automate workflows and add security.  Continue Reading

• Top 4 advantages of a command-line interface

  With the simple look of the command-line interface, organizations don't always realize the advantages it brings to systems through pointed, accurate commands.  Continue Reading

• Get to know SIEM software basics and benefits

  Security information and event management tools give organizations enhanced network management functionality, such as automatic reporting, data stream analysis and anomaly detection.  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

• Assess network device monitoring capabilities with these tips

  Organizations considering new network device monitoring software should evaluate the alerting capabilities and extensibility of several different tools before making a purchase.  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

• Guide to buying server performance monitor software

  Integration, storage and vendor support all affect whether a performance monitoring tool is right for an organization. Mull over these ten factors to choose the right one.  Continue Reading

• IBM blockchain technology spotlights mainframes

  IBM's blockchain offerings aim to ease enterprise IT concerns by combining Z system mainframe hardware with industry-specific open source applications.  Continue Reading

• Pin down these hardware service contract details

  A server warranty won't do much good when every second of downtime counts. Here's how to hammer out a support agreement that addresses the particular needs of your company.  Continue Reading

• Evaluate read-intensive and write-intensive SSD use cases

  Consider write wear, performance and other factors when choosing between read-intensive, write-intensive and mixed-use solid-state drives.  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

• What to expect with pervasive encryption on IBM mainframes

  Increased IBM mainframe security comes by way of pervasive encryption. Understand this new feature, and consider cost and performance concerns before you use it.  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

• Data center GPU use on the rise thanks to AI, big data

  GPU vendors have added new devices and cards for data center servers, as data demanding workloads infiltrated the data center and overwhelmed traditional CPUs.  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

• HCI software platforms come with challenges, benefits

  HCI vendors offer software-only options that allow IT to steer clear of lock-in and scalability concerns. However, commodity hardware that matches HCI software can be hard to come by.  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

• What's the best Linux distribution for Docker in your business?

  To find the best Linux distro for Docker, compare options from Red Hat, Ubuntu, VMware and more to make a match and smoothly run containers in your enterprise.  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

• Remain relevant as a data center specialist

  Handling a variety of roles and possessing a multitude of skills make data center specialists a key cog in the IT machine as workloads evolve and businesses demand speed.  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

• Before you deploy OpenStack, address cost, hybrid cloud issues

  OpenStack deployments are complex and involve power, hybrid cloud, performance, update and cost concerns. Research each carefully to avoid these OpenStack challenges.  Continue Reading

• Optimize data center processes without hyper-converged

  IT can simplify tasks, including storage provisioning, VM lifecycle, data protection and others, with automation to create better data center efficiency.  Continue Reading

• Tailor HCI appliance options to your workload requirements

  Different workloads require different HCI system configurations. Compare offerings from Nutanix, Dell/EMC and HPE SimpliVity to make the right call for your data center.  Continue Reading

• Install Ubuntu Core successfully with these steps

  An Ubuntu Core installation can often prove tricky for IT teams. Use these step-by-step instructions to properly install the platform for a more secure Docker environment.  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

• Software-defined memory spurs mix of IT challenges, opportunities

  The expanding role of NVDIMM and DRAM and the emergence of software-defined memory will bring more flexibility to enterprise data centers -- but not without some challenges.  Continue Reading

• Build a resilient mainframe system with redundancy, automation

  To ensure your mainframe is fault-tolerant, resilient and ready to support a growing number of apps, follow these best practices for hardware allocation, automation and more.  Continue Reading

• Boost application resilience to keep workloads running

  Increase application resiliency and availability for enterprise workloads through clustering, replication, snapshots, microservices and application design.  Continue Reading

• How to convince execs they need HCI products

  Is your enterprise considering a move to HCI? Evaluate scalability, automation and cost concerns, and be ready to discuss them with management to get the HCI ball rolling.  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

• All-flash HCI storage requires new management tools, techniques

  Although they bring performance benefits to the data center, all-flash HCI systems require IT teams to shake up their storage management and analytic tool sets.  Continue Reading

• Dodge a data center outage with proper power design, commissioning

  Data center outages continue to plague IT. Perform data center commissioning or an audit and have a solid power design to protect your organization from a crash.  Continue Reading

• Four must-have skill sets for SDDC architecture

  A learning curve for IT staff -- especially around automation, scripting and APIs -- is a major hurdle during SDDC deployment. Is your data center team ready to make the move?  Continue Reading

• Navigate RHEL support options in the public cloud

  Differences in cost and vendor support make it tough to choose a public cloud platform for RHEL deployment. Compare options from Google Cloud Platform, Microsoft Azure and AWS.  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

• IT still needs the tried-and-true on-premises data center

  Despite a rapidly changing IT industry driven mostly by cloud, the on-premises data center is here to stay, according to a survey by the Uptime Institute.  Continue Reading

• SUSE Manager 3 provides new features via Salt integration

  A major change in SUSE Manager 3 is that it's primarily built on Salt, rather than Spacewalk. Learn what else has changed, and how IT can take advantage of the latest release.  Continue Reading

• Use data fabrics for storage management across on-premises, cloud

  As a form of software-defined storage, a data fabric helps admins manage data from disparate storage systems, including in the cloud. Weigh options from NetApp, ClearSky and more.  Continue Reading

• Learn the basics of PowerShell for Linux

  Microsoft recently expanded PowerShell to support the Linux OS. Discover key differences in the open source version of PowerShell, ranging from commands to script creation.  Continue Reading

• Reduce data center complexity with policy-based management

  Policies allow IT teams to manage VM availability, security and other components more efficiently. Use these tips to establish and implement them in your data center.  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

• Prepare your server fleet for a private cloud implementation

  To make a move toward private cloud services, IT teams first need to evaluate their current data center infrastructure, starting with server processor, memory and storage support.  Continue Reading

• Scale hyper-converged systems with server, storage and network changes

  Looking to scale a hyper-converged appliance? Consider the differences between a scale out, scale up and scale through approach for servers, storage and networks.  Continue Reading

• Tips and tools to deploy Linux for IoT devices

  As IoT adoption grows, more IT teams will consider running Linux for IoT devices. Learn the key steps and components involved, including the cross compiler toolchain.  Continue Reading

• IoT certifications land on data center admins' to-do list

  IoT is still an emerging field, but data center admins should at least consider certification options to make their resume stand out in the long haul.  Continue Reading

• Manage and optimize IBM z Systems software costs

  Some mainframe users find it tough to navigate IBM's sub-capacity pricing model. Consider tools like SCRT to more efficiently manage your z Systems software costs.  Continue Reading

• Find the right data center cooling systems for hyper-converged

  Hyper-converged infrastructure can cause new data center cooling challenges. Before implementation, determine which temperatures and cooling units will work best.  Continue Reading

• Three ways for admins to use a VM snapshot

  An effective virtualization backup strategy is crucial for IT. Snapshots offer admins the opportunity to roll back VM settings to those used before an outage or unintended change.  Continue Reading

• SDDC architecture brings host of new management, staffing hurdles

  There are many advantages to SDDC adoption, but concerns over management tools and evolving IT skill sets have hampered deployment -- at least so far.  Continue Reading

• Limit system downtime with automation, increased security

  Even though IT teams strive for 100% uptime, system downtime remains a harsh reality. Combat that risk with the right mix of automation, orchestration and security tools.  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

• Build a remote data replication strategy

  Synchronous and asynchronous remote replication provide different options for IT. Understand the differences, and the potential effects on your network, to keep enterprise data safe.  Continue Reading

• Understand the benefits, limits of composable infrastructure

  Composable infrastructure leads the next stage of data center evolution, changing the way admins manage IT resources. But lock-in and other hurdles may hinder adoption -- for now.  Continue Reading

• Streamline your implementation of hyper-converged technologies

  While hyper-convergence can simplify data center infrastructure and operations, it can be complicated to deploy. Consider these implementation challenges before you transition.  Continue Reading

• Data center compliance teams face new privacy, sustainability rules

  With new frameworks for data privacy and sustainability, such as Privacy Shield and the Paris Agreement, data center teams may need to rethink their compliance strategies in 2017.  Continue Reading

• What should my dimensions be for a data center building design?

  Don't get hung up on data center dimensions in the design phase. Focus on length-to-width ratios to get the most out of data center space, power and cooling.  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

• Five data center certifications admins need to know

  Data center certifications, including those from VMware and Cisco, can provide a career boost for admins. Consider taking one of these five exams to expand your knowledge.  Continue Reading

• Tap into the new SELinux, DR features in RHEL release 7.3

  Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.3 gives admins more granular control over security, DR and containers, while laying the foundation for IoT workloads -- something RHEL 8 will likely build on.  Continue Reading

• Automate systems and server documentation tasks to boost IT efficiency

  Develop comprehensive IT system documentation to save IT time, create an environment that automatically checks for updates and alert management to critical changes.  Continue Reading

• Stop zombie servers from eating up data center resources

  Zombie servers can waste precious data center resources -- and are more common than many IT teams think. Fortunately, DCIM and other monitoring tools can stop them in their tracks.  Continue Reading

• SD-WAN architecture demands new network management approach

  SD-WAN is becoming a crucial part of data center infrastructure, helping admins reduce manual configuration efforts. Ensure your network management strategy reflects that shift.  Continue Reading

• Conduct a power cycling test to stay ahead of hardware failures

  Don't let unplanned downtime disrupt your data center. Conduct power cycling tests to proactively monitor systems and identify hardware failures in a contained, orderly way.  Continue Reading

• Consider these Linux I/O scheduler options for storage performance

  To optimize Linux performance, IT teams should examine the I/O scheduler currently in use, and evaluate alternatives, such as deadline and Completely Fair Queuing.  Continue Reading

• Build a data center shutdown procedure to prepare for the worst

  A data center shutdown checklist helps IT teams focus on backup, testing and system verification before pulling the plug and losing valuable information.  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

• 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 IoT deployment reshapes network and storage management

  Data center admins need to know the unique network and storage requirements that come with an IoT deployment, and evolve their IT management practices accordingly.  Continue Reading