Tips

Tips

• Work from the ground up with a data center raised floor

  A raised-floor design is costly, so proper planning and installation is the key to maximize your investment.  Continue Reading

• Microsoft's System Center 2012 designed to ease data center management

  Microsoft's System Center 2012 Configuration Manager and Virtual Machine Manager 2012 aims to please system administrators.  Continue Reading

• How to finesse a data center service-level agreement

  Doing your homework before you sign a service-level agreement will pay off in the event of an emergency.  Continue Reading

• Setting up a mirrored Linux DRBD configuration over the network

  Administrators can use the distributed replicated block device (DRBD) in Linux to set up basic data redundancy to connect the storage of multiple servers.  Continue Reading

• Techniques to extract and analyze CMF mainframe performance data

  Administrators can use DFH$MOLS and Rexx to process mainframe performance data then import in Excel to do the analysis.  Continue Reading

• Scale-up or scale-out: What fits best in your data center?

  A growing enterprise with the need for more computing power will have to decide whether to take a scale-out or scale-up approach.  Continue Reading

• Five questions on data center environmental monitoring

  Our expert explains how to maintain ideal conditions for your server room using data center environmental monitoring tools and techniques.  Continue Reading

• Analyze MXG mainframe performance data with Excel

  Mainframe administrators can analyze a report from the MXG software suite by importing the information in Excel.  Continue Reading

• Tune the Linux Ext4 file system for optimal performance

  While Ext4 by default works fine for most people, follow these tips to tweak your servers to squeeze out even more speed.  Continue Reading

• Microservers carve out niche in data centers

  Energy-efficient petite server systems can be a cost-effective solution for basic tasks or hyper-scaling applications in an enterprise data center.  Continue Reading

• Remote control: Managing the distributed environment

  Properly manage your remote data center before it launches by assessing your WAN needs then find the right tools to keep your resources optimized.  Continue Reading

• Punch up database performance by reorganizing data

  A well-timed mainframe database reorg can result in much improved response.  Continue Reading

• Will water-cooled servers make another splash in the data center?

  Direct water cooling promises to keep your data center’s temperatures down with far greater energy and cooling efficiency than forced air cooling.  Continue Reading

• Revitalize mainframe storage performance with VSAM

  The traditional VSAM storage tactic sees renewed use as mainframe virtualization grows.  Continue Reading

• Linux DRBD saves you from costly SAN deployments

  Avoid pricey storage area network (SAN) devices and synchronize data with DRBD, a powerful — and free — software component available in Linux.  Continue Reading

• Search and replace on steroids: Do more with these sed commands

  These tips can help administrators help themselves through advanced text editing with the UNIX Stream Editor (sed) utility.  Continue Reading

• Get more from your data center by following iSCSI best practices

  Following these iSCSI best practices can enhance the performance and reliability of iSCSI deployments in enterprise data centers.  Continue Reading

• An introduction to the ARM server

  High scalability and extreme efficiency may allow the ARM server to compete with traditional server architectures.  Continue Reading

• Accelerate the mainframe testing and application development process

  By going small, companies can lighten the application development process to roll out rapid changes and keep up with demanding market pressure.  Continue Reading

• The realities of PUE and PUE v2

  PUE calculations are getting more accurate, but require more caution and common sense when drawing comparisons.  Continue Reading

• Why monitoring data center power consumption is vital

  Monitoring data center power consumption is the first step to reducing energy expenses, but many facilities still lack key monitoring capabilities.  Continue Reading

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• Top data center technologies to watch in 2012: Advisory Board Q&A

  IT professionals should watch for a wealth of emerging hardware and facilities technologies in 2012.  Continue Reading

• Understanding and using IMS SOAP Web services

  SOA message exchange works with IMS transaction processors to keep mainframes on the leading edge of service delivery.  Continue Reading

• Swapping blade servers: What to do about vendor lock-in

  Vendor lock-in leaves organizations with few options if they are unhappy with the performance of blade servers.  Continue Reading

• Managing Red Hat using the graphical Service Configuration tool

  The Red Hat Service Configuration tool is used to start a service that hasn't been started, or to make sure a service starts automatically at the moment your server boots.  Continue Reading

• Five questions on data center outsourcing

  Understanding selection criteria and opportunities for leverage can help you get the best deal with data center outsourcing providers.  Continue Reading

• Avoiding single point of failure design flaws

  Redundancy can help a data center avoid downtime, but sometimes hidden flaws in the electrical design can still create a single point of failure.  Continue Reading

• CICS mainframe storage protection

  Mainframe storage protection can help prevent storage overlays that can corrupt data or wreck a CICS region.  Continue Reading

• Ensuring virtual machine security

  Focus on both the host server environment and the virtualization layer for the best virtual machine security strategy.  Continue Reading

• Setting up Ubuntu Server 11.04 for iSCSI storage

  Learn how Ubuntu Server 11.04 can be set up as an iSCSI storage server using simple Linux command line operations.  Continue Reading

• Expert Q&A: Five questions on FCoE

  FCoE technology is maturing and products are available, but proper deployment still takes careful consideration and infrastructure support.  Continue Reading

• Application performance management tools for the cloud

  There are many application performance management tools available that can collect and analyze metrics for organizations using distributed cloud-based applications.  Continue Reading

• Minimizing public cloud disruptions

  Catastrophic crashes and instance failures happen in the public cloud. Learn how to respond to outages and reduce their effects on your data center.  Continue Reading

• Preventing virtual resource oversubscription with capacity management

  Identify the symptoms of resource oversubscription, and learn capacity management strategies to prevent it.  Continue Reading

• Strategies for mainframe application modernization

  Mainframe application modernization, re-engineering or distributed integration can maintain support for business-critical applications.  Continue Reading

• Achieving a more efficient data center design

  Technological advances along with efficient and creative data center design strategies are extending the service life of modern data centers.  Continue Reading

• Examining the IBM z114 mainframe

  Lower cost and simpler configurations belie a versatile and efficient business-class machine in the IBM z114 mainframe.  Continue Reading

• Data center design tips: What you should know about ASHRAE TC 9.9

  Following the data center design and cooling standards recommended by ASHRAE TC 9.9 will help IT professionals improve facility safety and efficiency.  Continue Reading

• Five questions on data center virtualization

  Data center virtualization is mature and reliable, offering significant benefits to businesses that deploy it.  Continue Reading

• Darker shades of the IT equipment gray market

  Counterfeit IT equipment makes the “gray market” treacherous for data center operators.  Continue Reading

• Getting the most from IT outsourcing providers

  Careful strategy, meaningful measurement and attention to the third-party relationship can enhance success with IT outsourcing providers.  Continue Reading

• Changing vendors: Avoiding pitfalls, IT vendor contract negotiations

  Negotiating IT vendor contract terms is crucial for protecting business continuity, physical property and intellectual assets when contracts end.  Continue Reading

• The strategic trends in IT and data center infrastructure

  An ongoing technological evolution promises to change data center infrastructure and the ways that IT performs.  Continue Reading

• The future of systems programming

  A mainframe expert, who has seen more than 30 years of systems programming and technology changes, offers his opinion on how outsourcing and skill shortage will continue to change the field.  Continue Reading

• Managing Red Hat Enterprise Linux network settings using NetworkManager

  Red Hat Enterprise Linux includes a graphical network management application called NetworkManager that can be used to set network connections instead of using the command line.  Continue Reading

• Preparing for network virtualization

  Network virtualization may demand LAN upgrades and configuration changes to achieve optimal performance.  Continue Reading

• What to expect from integrated data center infrastructure

  Integrated infrastructure platforms are gaining popularity, and a homogeneous approach to data center infrastructure could offer IT professionals simplified management.  Continue Reading

• Software license management techniques for the virtual data center

  Software license tracking has not kept up with virtualization, posing problems for admins who may have difficulty understanding or following terms.  Continue Reading

• Aisle-lighting tips for data center design

  Lighting is an often-overlooked aspect of data center design, but a little bit of preplanning can make hardware, labels and color-coded wires much more visible.  Continue Reading

• Using open source tools to monitor Apache Web Server performance

  Much of today’s business relies on smooth operation of Web servers. Explore these three open source tools to monitor performance, security and traffic on Apache Web servers.  Continue Reading

• Examining CICS TS 4.2 event processing improvements

  IBM’s CICS TS 4.2 offers many improvements to event processing that can help system programmers, such as a better-quality editor and the ability to emit events for state changes.  Continue Reading

• Best practices for maintaining a data center CRAC unit

  A CRAC unit failure could often have been avoided through preventive maintenance and correctly sizing cooling infrastructure.  Continue Reading

• Implementing SBD STONITH in Linux HA clusters

  An SBD STONITH approach is simple to set up and is a reliable way to ensure data integrity in a Linux HA cluster.  Continue Reading

• Upgrade decision: Ubuntu Server 11.04

  Upgrading to Ubuntu Server 11.04 may not be necessary, as you may want to wait for the April 2012 release of Ubuntu 12.04 LTS. Learn about why to upgrade now, and how to do it.  Continue Reading

• Safeguarding Linux HA server integrity with STONITH

  Designing an approach to automatically shut down a failing node is an important step in protecting data and system integrity in a Linux HA cluster.  Continue Reading

• Basic disassembly: Decoding the opcode

  Programmers can find benefit from disassembling object code–a lost art that begins with understanding the opcode.  Continue Reading

• Securing an Apache Web server with SELinux

  Learn how to keep your Apache Web server secure by applying basic SELinux settings, including adjusting SELinux so Apache uses nondefault settings.  Continue Reading

• Best practices for setting up RAID groups

  Setting up RAID groups is a simple process, but admins should know the pros and cons of various RAID levels and take steps to prevent common problems.  Continue Reading

• Considering open source software for mainframes

  Administers struggling to keep costs down can turn to emulators or open source software for mainframes to curtail some expenses.  Continue Reading

• Data center cooling and power capacity challenges

  Administrators face many complications when it comes to data center cooling, but knowing which approach best fits their facility’s needs is the first step to better energy efficiency.  Continue Reading

• Improving facility longevity with flexible data center design

  A data center design that incorporates modular or easily expanded infrastructure can improve a facility’s effective life, even as technology changes.  Continue Reading

• Setting up Linux HA in the data center

  Learning to set up a basic Linux HA cluster using Corosync and Pacemaker can help protect vital services in the event of a hardware failure.  Continue Reading

• Evaluating mainframe system monitoring tools

  There are many system monitoring tools available for mainframes. This tip can help administrators analyze and choose the tool that fits their needs.  Continue Reading

• Process monitoring and management on Red Hat using graphical tools

  Use the learn gnome-system-monitor command on Red Hat Enterprise Linux to monitor and manage processes on your server in a graphical environment.  Continue Reading

• Time to consider multiple hypervisors?

  Adding a second hypervisor may be key to expanding virtualization in the enterprise, but having two hypervisors can also offer some new challenges.  Continue Reading

• Testing and deploying multiple hypervisors

  Testing and understanding the differences between hypervisors can smooth the process of adding a second hypervisor.  Continue Reading

• Considering a raised floor in the data center

  Tile material, strength and durability are important factors to consider when selecting and installing a raised floor in a data center.  Continue Reading

• Selecting raised floors, panels for the data center

  Choosing raised floor panels capable of supporting the weight of data center equipment cabinets requires taking a close look at strength ratings and manufacturers’ claims.  Continue Reading

• Considerations for V2V and V2P workload migrations

  Although there are few situations in which V2V or V2P migrations are necessary, administrators needing to make these moves must be prepared to handle unique challenges.  Continue Reading

• Management tips for planning P2V migrations

  Migrating workloads from physical to virtual machines, or P2V, can present network traffic issues if the move isn't carefully planned.  Continue Reading

• Server refresh options: When to rent a server vs. when to buy

  Companies looking to replace old hardware must consider long-term goals and evaluate financing options when deciding whether to buy or rent a server.  Continue Reading

• Understanding the differences between public and private cloud computing

  Companies considering a public or private cloud computing platform have a lot to consider. This tip can help explain the advantages and disadvantages to each.  Continue Reading

• Advantages and drawbacks to public cloud services

  Public cloud providers can help an organization save money, but it can be hard for some IT professionals to overlook the disadvantages associated with outsourcing services.  Continue Reading

• When is server hardware too old?

  Modern server hardware is allowing systems to handle more jobs and last longer, easing capital expenses for many data centers.  Continue Reading

• Incorporating I/O virtualization into network architecture

  Virtualized I/O network architecture can help reduce hardware costs and streamline network management.  Continue Reading

• Network infrastructure planning for a virtual environment

  It is important to plan for and develop a network infrastructure that can handle the I/O demands of a virtualized network.  Continue Reading

• Addressing the EPO switch and data center downtime

  An EPO switch can be a major liability, potentially leading to accidental downtime, but electrical code doesn’t require all data centers to have a big red button.  Continue Reading

• Limitations of the EPO switch and the danger of downtime

  An EPO switch is not required in all data centers. Data center owners should consider whether the risk of unplanned downtime is worth the advantages that installing an EPO can offer.  Continue Reading

• Transaction and database management on z/OS mainframe systems

  Transaction and database management tools for mainframe systems, such as CICS, IMS and DB2, have been around for decades, but have evolved over the years to fit the needs of enterprise customers.  Continue Reading

• Ensuring high availability in the data center

  Using high-availability exclusively in a virtual environment does not provide a data center with the best possible protection.  Continue Reading

• Ten command line time-savers for Linux administrators

  Quick command line navigation and execution is the key to easy Linux system administration. Learn these 10 command line tricks to increase your proficiency and speed in Bash or other Linux shells.  Continue Reading

• How to install an OpenStack Nova compute cloud with Puppet

  The open source cloud project, OpenStack, can be used to host private or public clouds. Learn how to install it using the Puppet configuration management tool on your Linux server.  Continue Reading

• Seven things you should know about mainframe systems

  Vendors are continuing to invest in mainframe platforms, but should you do the same? Find out why mainframe systems still deserve some serious consideration.  Continue Reading

• What the IBM and Neon settlement means for mainframes

  A legal battle over Neon's zPrime ended in a settlement that prohibits customers from using the controversial software, but it also raised questions about the future of mainframes.  Continue Reading

• Managing Red Hat from a graphical environment over SSH with PuTTY

  Red Hat Enterprise Linux administration can be conducted through a GNOME graphical interface. Learn how to remotely use these tools over an SSH connection using PuTTY.  Continue Reading

• Tweaking BIOS settings to improve system performance

  Adjusting BIOS settings can squeeze more productivity out of servers, but some high-performance settings could increase power consumption or put a system at risk.  Continue Reading

• Power management technology for the green data center

  HP, IBM and APC are making initiatives to improve power measurement and facilitate green data center developments.  Continue Reading

• Using SCVMM Self-Service Portal 2.0 to manage chargeback

  Chargeback tools, such as Microsoft’s Self-Service Portal 2.0, can be used with SCVMM to automate resource provisioning while tracking and billing users appropriately.  Continue Reading

• Data center design standards for cabinet and floor loading

  The weight of today’s racks and equipment cabinets can stress floor structures, making it crucial to consider floor loading requirements in your data center design.  Continue Reading

• Server benchmarking tools and stress testing

  Admins should turn to several tools to perform benchmark testing and compare results to verify accuracy. This tip outlines the role of stress testing and lists several tools available to engineers.  Continue Reading

• Best practices for server benchmark testing

  Following the scientific method when benchmark testing a server will help reduce variables and produce accurate performance results.  Continue Reading

• What to look for when conducting benchmark tests with PerfMon

  Microsoft's PerfMon benchmark tests measure a wide range of processes and server aspects, but it can be difficult for IT professionals to understand the numbers and interpret the results.  Continue Reading

• Secure remote Linux logging with rsyslog

  The rsyslog daemon allows a choice between UDP, TCP and RELP logging protocols for your Linux system. TCP and RELP offer guaranteed log messaging, for more secure logs.  Continue Reading

• Mastering the Linux history command

  Learning how to take advantage of the Linux history command, as well as the Bash variant, can save Linux admins a lot of time. Discover how the command works, including shortcuts, searching and settings.  Continue Reading

• How to use SUSE Manager for multiplatform Linux server administration

  Linux administrators using both SUSE Linux Enterprise Server and Red Hat Enterprise Linux can take advantage of the features in SUSE Manager, a multiplatform server management tool to automate configuration and management tasks on Linux virtual ...  Continue Reading

• How to improve KVM performance by adjusting KSM

  KVM Virtualization on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 is optimized for hosting environments with many virtual machines by using kernel samepage merging. But, disabling KSM can provide better performance in a smaller virtualized Linux system.  Continue Reading

• Comparing the advantages of zshell over bash shell in Linux

  Linux admins interested in using zsh instead of bash shell will learn what is similar and what is different. Zshell offers new features for tab completion and typo correction and others that would be much more complex in bash.  Continue Reading

• Data storage management for virtual workloads

  Understanding storage needs and keeping a close eye on how resources are allocated in a virtual environment are important parts of effective data storage management.  Continue Reading

• Deploying network virtualization in the data center

  Network virtualization adds versatility and flexibility to the network, but close monitoring, with the correct tools, is needed to maintain optimal performance.  Continue Reading