Tips

Tips

• Unix overview: The latest features in AIX, HP-UX and Solaris

  Each of the major Unix versions have been updated with useful new features recently. In this overview, get up to date on the features you should know about in the latest releases of IBM AIX, Hewlett-Packard's HP-UX and Oracle's Solaris.  Continue Reading

• The IT chargeback system in a virtual data center

  Managing chargeback can be a difficult task. Multiple company departments may share server hardware in a virtual data center. Learn how to implement an IT chargeback system that charges departments for resources fairly.  Continue Reading

• Moving to Fibre Channel over Ethernet in the data center

  High data center demands require an efficient network to move data efficiently. Learn why Fibre Channel over Ethernet may be a good networking technology option, and how to make the switch.  Continue Reading

• Displaying Puppet reports on Puppet Dashboard

  Managing configurations with Puppet just got easier. In this tip, learn how to display your Puppet reports on the Puppet Dashboard GUI.  Continue Reading

• Optimizing Linux swap space usage

  Today's powerful servers with plenty of RAM can make swap space seem like a thing of the past, but knowing how much you need can help keep your system running smoothly.  Continue Reading

• Managing CICS performance with Workload Manager

  Workload Manager is a useful tool for easily managing CICS performance on the mainframe. This tip details how CICS and WLM interact with one another and how to use WLM to manage CICS response times.  Continue Reading

• Microsoft Windows Server 2008 licensing for virtualization

  Choosing the right Windows Server 2008 edition can save big money in a virtual data center.  Continue Reading

• Installing the ModSecurity Web application firewall on Red Hat Enterprise Linux

  Learn how to set up the ModSecurity Web application firewall on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.4 and Apache Web server 2.2.x. This firewall monitors access to Web servers to ensure that requests are valid and not malicious.  Continue Reading

• The history of Unix on the PC: Exploring lesser-known variants

  This tip explores the history of Unix, from its creation by AT&T in the 1960s to its present-day use on x86 hardware and PC-compatible systems. Brush up on your Unix history and learn about Unix variants that you never knew existed.  Continue Reading

• How to prevent and correct server cooling failures

  Advanced planning can prevent server cooling failures, and good practices can help to remedy them and minimize the negative impact on your data center.  Continue Reading

• Calculating carbon emissions in the data center

  While data center carbon measurement is in its infancy and lacks hard standards, it still may benefit IT admins to know basic methods for calculating carbon emissions as carbon legislation begins impacting data centers.  Continue Reading

• IBM's zPDT offers developers z/OS on the desktop

  IBM's System z Personal Development Tool (zPDT) allows developers to emulate z/OS on their desktops, but could zPDT be more beneficial if it IBM made it available to a broader audience?  Continue Reading

• Determining the true value of a server operating system

  One of the most critical decisions a network manager can make is which server operating system to deploy. Making that choice is fraught with budget limitations, corporate politics and a numerous other factors. Here, an expert discusses how to ...  Continue Reading

• Look to the Kyoto wheel to maximize free data center cooling

  The Kyoto wheel, a heat wheel redesigned specifically for data centers, can extract the maximum benefit from free air-side cooling. By incorporating Kyoto wheels into your data center cooling strategy, you can drastically lower electrical ...  Continue Reading

• How to install Webmin and ease data center server management

  In this introduction to Webmin, learn how the tool can make it easier to manage Unix and Linux servers in your data center. An expert describes how to install Webmin and get started with this free systems management tool.  Continue Reading

• Seven criteria for implementing an effective cloud computing plan

  Moving a data center's infrastructure to a cloud computing platform requires extensive and granular planning. In this tip, a former IT admin details seven criteria that serve as a guideline for the implementation of an effective cloud computing ...  Continue Reading

• Securely connecting Linux servers to WiFi using the command line

  Connecting a Linux server to WiFi requires the use of the command line. Learn the commands and procedures for wireless networking in your Linux data center.  Continue Reading

• An introduction to mainframe backup utilities

  In order to meet today's storage needs, a system backup strategy needs to be both comprehensive and fine-grained. A mainframe expert details two IBM mainframe backup utilities -- IEBCOMPR and IEBCOPY -- that make up a comprehensive and fine-grained...  Continue Reading

• Bus track and busway power distribution: Power anywhere?

  Bus track and busway power distribution in the data center is a growing trend that allows for greater flexibility and accommodation of rising power densities. This in-depth exploration of bus-type power systems will help you decide whether this is a...  Continue Reading

• Overcoming common Unix-to-Linux migration pitfalls

  You may encounter problems when moving from Unix to Linux. Learn about hardware and application compatibility challenges and how to overcome deployment errors and how to prevent them including client testing, shell script testing, and more.  Continue Reading

• Linux distribution migration: Planning for efficiency

  Migrating from one Linux distribution to another to consolidate the operating systems within your data center? Learn what steps are needed for a smooth transition with support.  Continue Reading

• Serializing on the mainframe with the compare-and-swap instruction

  The compare-and-swap instruction is one of the mainframe's low-cost serialization options. In this tip, mainframe expert Robert Crawford explains compare-and-swap features and limitations.  Continue Reading

• Weighing Linux server consolidation tools

  Choosing the best Linux server consolidation software for your data center hinges on factors other than cost. This tip compares Novell's PlateSpin, HP and VMware's Capacity Planner in terms of your data center requirements.  Continue Reading

• Best practices for choosing a colocation data center

  Incorporating colocation into your IT strategy eliminates the expense of building or upgrading your own facility, but choose your colocation data center wisely, as providers vary greatly in terms of service costs, connectivity and service-level ...  Continue Reading

• Booting a Xen virtual machine from CD-ROM or DVD

  If your Xen virtual machine fails, you may want to boot it from an installation disk and run the rescue program. Learn the required steps to succesfully boot a Xen virtual machine from a disk on a Linux machine.  Continue Reading

• How to approach IT staffing in today's data center

  Virtualization and tight budgets have changed IT staffing in modern data centers. Find out how to blend skills and technology for the best mix.  Continue Reading

• Running z/OS on x86: Should IBM release a mini-mainframe?

  Would running z/OS on x86 with a "mini-mainframe" allow users the benefits of mainframes with the simplicity of distributed systems? In this tip, mainframe expert Robert Crawford makes the case for x86 mainframes and discusses how IBM could approach...  Continue Reading

• Data center transformer types and the K-Factor

  The K-Factor system rates data center transformers, and the typical options are K-1, K-13 and K-20. Consider purchase price and potential cost savings when choosing a transformer.  Continue Reading

• Which data center power distribution voltage should you use?

  As power density rises, IT departments are reconsidering which data center power voltage to use. This tip covers power distribution options and which factors to consider to make the best choice for your data center.  Continue Reading

• Using virtualization for cost-effective servers

  If it's done right, optimizing server utilization with virtualization can save data centers money.  Continue Reading

• Five things you didn't know Bash could do on Linux

  Bash offers a lot of tools to Linux admins, and it may take you years to get a handle on all the useful ones. Learn five lesser-known Bash scripts for your Linux systems including extended globbing, cdspell shell options, improved Bash history, ...  Continue Reading

• Troubleshooting PGMIDERR/AEI0 ABEND in CICS Transaction Gateway

  This tip delves into resolving PGMIDERR/AEI0 ABEND errors within the CICS Transaction Gateway. The solution to these errors isn't always an intuitive one, and may require several additional and lengthy steps along the way.  Continue Reading

• Using libguestfs to easily access Linux virtual machine file systems

  Libguestfs is a library on Linux that helps you access and modify virtual machine disk images. You can then run Linux commands and troubleshoot the machine image from the libguestfs shell or host operating system. Learn how to navigate libguestfs, ...  Continue Reading

• Putting old data center hardware to use

  After a consolidation, old data center hardware can do a lot more than just take up space in your facility. This tip explores options for putting old IT equipment to use.  Continue Reading

• Efficiently managing z/OS WLM

  IBM's z/OS Workload Manager (WML) is designed for the best response time, but it doesn't always result in balanced workloads. This tip delves into z/OS WLM efficiency.  Continue Reading

• How to optimize VM placement in data centers

  Move from conservative to aggressive VM placement and reap the server consolidation benefits while maintaining performance.  Continue Reading

• Common security flaws to check for on your Linux-based Web systems

  Your Linux server may have Web application-related security vulnerabilities that should be checked out and repaired. These can include passwords, PHP code injection, weak file and directory permissions and outdated Apache and PHP versions. Learn ...  Continue Reading

• Expanding CICS security on the mainframe

  While CICS security is generally adequate in terms of locking down resources, there are some instances where the existing resources may be used differently or non-CICS components might seek to be secured. Find out how to improve your protection. ...  Continue Reading

• Making Sybase database upgrading easier with 'A Practitioner's Guide to upgrading to Sybase ASE 15'

  Learn more about the nuances of the upgrade to Sybase ASE 15 in this Q&A with a veteran Sybase expert and author of 'A Practitioner's Guide to upgrading to Sybase ASE 15.'  Continue Reading

• Novell drops NetWare support: What do millions of users do?

  Novell's NetWare support is ending and millions of users must choose a new OS with comparable services. This tip outlines possible strategies for replacing NetWare.  Continue Reading

• Fixing Linux I/O write performance problems

  Learn how to optimize your Linux server for I/O writes by adjusting I/O scheduler settings and journaling settings along with some advice about partition set-up.  Continue Reading

• Using common Linux mail clients with an Exchange Server

  Begin your migration away from Microsoft Exchange by learning how to set up Linux mail clients, Evolution and Thunderbird, to talk to Exchange.  Continue Reading

• Analyzing Linux write performance problems with iotop

  Write performance on a Linux system may be causing a performance problem, and iotop shows you how the write processes are affecting I/O and storage. The iotop Linux command is more informative than top for determining the cause of the Linux server ...  Continue Reading

• Patching running Linux kernels on servers with no reboot using Ksplice Uptrack

  Ksplice Uptrack keeps Linux servers up-to-date with recent kernel security patches without rebooting, saving time and reducing down-time for mission critical production servers. Learn how the tool works and hear about a Linux-based hosting provider ...  Continue Reading

• Will a transformerless UPS work for your data center?

  In recent years, the popularity of the transformerless UPS has begun to rival that of transformer-based systems. But is the transformerless UPS as reliable and efficient of a choice for your data center?  Continue Reading

• Narrowing down GTF trace output

  The General Trace Facility (GTF) in MVS is useful for identifying problems, but narrowing down GTF trace data can be daunting. This tip offers a how-to on narrowing down GTF trace output to simplify debugging.  Continue Reading

• Creating a simple backup solution for Linux with rsynch, SSH, and cron

  To create simple backups for Linux workstations, you can use rsynch with an SSH connection to a server and automate cron. Learn how to set-up your Linux system to automate your backups using tools available with every Linux distribution.  Continue Reading

• How the vSwitch impacts the network in a virtualized data center

  Though a vSwitch, or virtual switch, is very similar to a physical switch, larger virtualized data centers should be aware of how vSwitches can impact the network in terms of management, configuration and more.  Continue Reading

• Installing Ubuntu 9.10 and the Eucalyptus enterprise cloud computing platform

  Learn how to install Ubuntu 9.10 server edition with Eucalyptus enterprise cloud and set it up to manage applications on AWS or other infrastructure services. Features of the Ubuntu store, including available operating system images and the use of ...  Continue Reading

• Porting applications from Unix to Linux

  To port applications to Linux start with an in-depth discovery process, examining Unix application compatibility and determining whether they're compatible with Linux. The hardware platform and operating system distribution also need to be ...  Continue Reading

• Linux cloning over the network using netcat

  Use netcat to clone Linux images over the network onto multiple servers with a series of simple Linux commands including tar, tee, and dd. This alternative to tools like Clonezilla does not require setting up a separate server.  Continue Reading

• Finding the best capacity planning tool for your data center

  A capacity planning tool can benefit data centers by collecting data, managing virtual machines and preventing bottlenecks. Keep these considerations in mind when choosing and implementing a capacity planning tool.  Continue Reading

• Linux ext4 file system: Performance and compatibility

  The ext4 file system is now shipped with the most popular Linux distributions, but when should you use it and how do you optimize performance? Learn when to use the ext4 file system and how to set up your Linux system for maximized compatibility and...  Continue Reading

• Using ITIL v3 service transition lifecycle to bring IT services into production

  The ITIL v3 service transition lifecycle aims to help IT organizations seamlessly introduce new releases into production. This tip discusses ITIL v3 service transition implementation and how these ITIL processes can aid new service releases.  Continue Reading

• Dealing with CICS/MQ trigger interface quirks

  Despite its simplicity, the CICS/MQ trigger interface has its share of quirks, such as messages left in queues and uneven workload distribution. An expert shares fixes for common CICS/MQ message triggering problems in this tip.  Continue Reading

• Configuring GRUB 2: Tweaking the boot procedure in Ubuntu Server 9.10

  Configuring the new version of GRUB in Ubuntu Server 9.10 has changed. Learn how to install, apply changes to default settings and gain insight in the configuration files in /etc/GRUB.d/*.  Continue Reading

• Getting started with OpenVAS

  OpenVAS is an open source network security scanner, and version 3.0.0 has useful features for your Linux system. Learn how to install and set-up OpenVAS in your data center from source on a Linux server.  Continue Reading

• Designing a Linux virtual network for KVM virtualization

  Determine how to configure the virtual and physical network cards for optimal performance on a Linux network with KVM hypervisor. The best use of individual network cards and virtual network cards depends on the I/O of the virtual machines on the ...  Continue Reading

• Second look at HPC: Is retail ready for supercomputing?

  Five years ago, IT pundits said nontraditional supercomputing customers, specifically retailers, would soon buy high-performance computing, or HPC, for business intelligence. Did those predictions come true?  Continue Reading

• Data center efficiency: Which tactics are worth the cost?

  Which data center energy-efficiency tactics are worth the effort? Which data center energy-efficiency measures do not return on investment? This tip illustrates how much you can expect to save on various green IT improvements.  Continue Reading

• Linux networking: Using ip tool instead of ifconfig

  If your server was configured manually, make sure the Linux network is set up with the correct IP configurations and the ip tool is being used to monitor your systems.  Continue Reading

• Finding password weaknesses in your Linux systems

  Getting through the security of your Linux systems might be easier than you think. Prevent unauthorized access by searching out unexpected password weaknesses.  Continue Reading

• Does IBM's mainframe business constitute a monopoly?

  The U.S. Department of Justice is investigating IBM for antitrust violations to determine whether IBM's business practices constitute a monopoly. The reality, according to one expert, is that while IBM doesn't have a monopoly on business computing, ...  Continue Reading

• Troubleshooting Linux networking problems

  Analyze and repair network problems related to your Linux system in three steps: determine if the network card is there, then check the hardware configuration and drivers. Some hardware also needs to be checked for module compatibility and tainted ...  Continue Reading

• Developing a successful mainframe migration strategy

  A successful mainframe migration strategy requires careful planning to avoid disruption to end users. This tip discusses best practices for migrating, regenerating or replacing mainframe applications.  Continue Reading

• Coding a simple mainframe cryptography program

  How do you code a System z cryptography program? Mainframe expert Robert Crawford takes you through the process of using the Integrated Cryptographic Service Facility.  Continue Reading

• Server hardware cost comparison: Is virtualization cheaper?

  Server virtualization's popularity is on the rise, but the cost of hardware for virtualization can be surprisingly high. In this tip, an expert compares the costs of eight small physical servers versus one large, 16-core machine running server ...  Continue Reading

• Sizing computer room air conditioners for data center energy efficiency

  Choosing a right-sized computer room air conditioner (CRAC) is crucial to data center energy efficiency, but there are many variables to consider. Learn more about data center air conditioning design, maintaining humidity levels and temperature, and...  Continue Reading

• Access and repair an ext3 file system with the superblock

  A damaged ext3 file system is accessible and repairable, thanks to the data within either the superblock or the superblock's backup.  Continue Reading

• Solving Linux server hangs stemming from kernel issues

  When Linux kernel issues cause functional machines to hang, determining the type of hang -- interruptible or non-interruptible -- is imperative to troubleshooting the situation.  Continue Reading

• Should you comply with Article 645 of the National Electrical Code?

  By complying with Article 645 in the National Electrical Code (NEC), data centers can bypass the most stringent requirements of Chapters 1 through 4 of the NEC. But compliance with Article 645 isn't a free pass – it comes with stricter fire ...  Continue Reading

• Reduce chances of hardware failure with preventive server maintenance

  Data center hardware failure may occur on occasion, but proper preventive maintenance on your servers can minimize the likelihood of failure.  Continue Reading

• How to solve logical volume management issues

  Excluding certain Logical Volume Manager (LVM) devices from startup scans and the manual activation of logical volumes are two pesky logical volume management issues. Find out how to resolve them.  Continue Reading

• Using cryptography on the mainframe: An amateur's guide

  Cryptography on the mainframe protects sensitive data and aids organizations' compliance to security regulations such as the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard. This tip discusses the hardware and software available for cryptography on the...  Continue Reading

• Red Hat bolsters Linux for mainframes, tries to catch Novell

  In the Linux-on-the-mainframe market, Red Hat is catching up with Novell. If your mainframe shop is considering Linux on the IBM System z, this tip offers advice on choosing between Red Hat Enterprise Linux for Mainframe Computing and Novell SUSE ...  Continue Reading

• Should you pay for support on all Linux servers in your data center?

  Free Linux distributions are gaining popularity, but choosing whether to adopt paid or free Linux depends on your support staff's level of expertise and the workloads you expect the Linux distro will handle.  Continue Reading

• How to identify and remediate data center hot spots

  Data center hot spots can cause equipment failure and system outages. Find out how to identify the source of data center hot spots and how to fix the problem in this tip.  Continue Reading

• Troubleshooting Logical Volume Manager boot problems

  If Logical Volume Manager (LVM) boots incorrectly, logical volumes are inaccessible and you can't manage server disk space. In this LVM how-to, we offer some simple steps to troubleshoot boot issues with LVM.  Continue Reading

• Novell vs. Red Hat: How their Linux strategies affect your data center

  The leading data center Linux distributions -- Novell's SUSE Linux Enterprise Server and Red Hat Enterprise Linux -- are similar, and choosing the right Linux distribution can depend more on the provider's business direction.  Continue Reading

• Linux provisioning automation with Cobbler

  Learn how to set up and run, Cobbler, an install and provisioning server. It holds OS images and manages PXE booting, network configuration and deploys and installs them. It supports a wide variety of platforms including Red Hat, Ubuntu, Debian, ...  Continue Reading

• Five Linux commands you have (probably) never heard of

  Learn about five of the more rarely used Linux commands (logsave, diff3, pstree, nl and split) that are useful, with a description of each command's flags and options. These commands work well for file management, tracking, and output and process ...  Continue Reading

• How to choose the right uninterruptible power supply for your data center

  This tip discusses how to choose the right-sized uninterruptible power supply (UPS) for your data center. It also explains common mistakes in UPS sizing and why UPS power ratings can be so confusing.  Continue Reading

• Avoid common pitfalls when calculating data center power load

  For data center pros trying to size an air conditioning system or UPS, accurately estimating data center power load is critical. But there are many common pitfalls to avoid.  Continue Reading

• How to install and get started with OpenQRM

  Learn how to install and use OpenQRM, a free and open source pluggable framework for automatic application deployment, management, and monitoring. It supports a range of virtualization tools and works with Nagios and Puppet.  Continue Reading

• Backing up the Linux master boot record

  The Linux master boot record (MBR) contains GRUB and the partition table, and to avoid crippling boot errors, it is a good idea to make a backup of it. Learn how to backup the MBR and how this effort can pay off when troubleshooting a Linux boot ...  Continue Reading

• Cleaning under the raised-floor plenum: Data center maintenance basics

  How do you clean under the raised-floor plenum in your data center? Find out the best practices and pitfalls for raised-floor plenum maintenance in this tip.  Continue Reading

• Setting up cloud computing with Eucalyptus

  Cloud computing provides on demand provisioning of compute resources. Learn how to set up Eucalyptus on Ubuntu to perform your own cloud computing operations. Eucalyptus is available in source code, and packages are available for CentOS 5.3, ...  Continue Reading

• Comparing Unix versions: AIX, HP-UX and Solaris

  In this comparison of the top Unix versions, learn what distinguishes the file systems, management tools and virtualization products in Sun Solaris, Hewlett-Packard HP-UX and IBM AIX file systems.  Continue Reading

• How to install and use RRDTool to speed up MRTG monitoring

  When monitoring a large number of hosts or devices with the MRTG graphing tool, the system experience frequent CPU spikes. In this RRDTool tutorial, learn how to install RRDTool and convert MRTG to use RRD storage to avoid system overload.  Continue Reading

• Measuring data center energy consumption in watts per logical image

  While power usage effectiveness (PUE) and data center infrastructure efficiency (DCIE) are common ways to measure data center energy efficiency, concerns that these numbers can be manipulated have led one expert to propose a new data center energy ...  Continue Reading

• Troubleshooting Linux boot problems

  If your Linux server fails to show the login screen at startup, you have a boot problem. Learn some tricks on how to diagnose and fix a Linux server boot problem from Grub failure to init and runlevels.  Continue Reading

• Configuring YUM on Linux

  YUM is a package manager for RPM systems, it is made to update groups of machines without having to update each specific RPM. Learn how to configure it using yum.conf and get some basic commands. Yum allows use of a single command to update all ...  Continue Reading

• How to install and configure MRTG, an essential sys admin tool

  Multi Router Traffic Grapher (MRTG) is an essential tool that allows systems administrators to monitor and graph network traffic and more. In this tutorial, an expert explains how to install and configure MRTG on Solaris 10.  Continue Reading

• Recovering your Linux server with a Knoppix rescue disk

  Learn how to recover data on your Linux server if it doesn't boot properly using Knoppix, and how to mount the Linux file systems on your server with step-by-step instructions. How to troubleshoot and interpret server data from the fdisk -l command ...  Continue Reading

• Top 50 universal Unix commands

  Learn about the top 50 most helpful Unix commands for administrators out of the thousands that exist. Use case examples are provided, along with links to other resources.  Continue Reading

• The Ext4 file system: A real improvement in Linux file storage?

  The Ext4 file storage system is now integrated into the Linux kernel and supported by the major distributions. Should you switch from your Ext2 or Ext3 set-up? With complete backwards compatibility, there is little reason not to make the jump ...  Continue Reading

• Keys to successfully running Samba in a production environment

  Running Samba in a heterogenous production environment with Linux/Unix and Windows systems is critical to business. Learn best practices for configuration, backup, and support. Proper implementation of change control, keeping an updated version of ...  Continue Reading

• Capacity planning tools tutorial for Linux and Unix

  Effective capacity planning is a proactive way of ensuring that your data center servers will not prematurely run out of space or horsepower. Learn the tools available to help you, both native to Linux and Unix platforms including Solaris, Red Hat, ...  Continue Reading

• A look at real-world exploits of Linux security vulnerabilities

  From unprotected NetBIOS shares, null sessions in Samba, to poorly configured FTP servers, your Linux system may be open and waiting for hackers. Learn how hackers can get into your Linux servers through these weaknesses and what you can do to ...  Continue Reading

• Air flow management strategies for efficient data center cooling

  To achieve efficient data center cooling, you must reduce your facility's air flow waste. In this tip, an expert outlines air flow management strategies and best practices that can improve data center air flow, including the installation of blanking...  Continue Reading