Tips

Tips

• 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