Ask the Experts

Ask the Experts

• How do I configure vSphere HA for automatic failover?

  I want to install a virtualization environment with physical servers for failover and a storage server to boot up some virtual servers in our network. How can I do this?  Continue Reading

• Define project scope in terms of time, money and quality

  We all want our projects to be on budget, on time and of high quality, but not necessarily in that order. What is your advice for balancing these needs?  Continue Reading

• How do I size the physical server to host virtual machines?

  I want to convert a physical machine to a virtual machine. How can I select and size the right server infrastructure to host VMs?  Continue Reading

• What causes UUID errors with Replication 6?

  There are a few situations that will trigger a UUID issue when using vSphere Replication 6 to copy VMs -- and one direct way to correct it.  Continue Reading

• Connect the dots to uncover Replication RPO violations

  When attempting to troubleshoot an RPO violation in vSphere Replication, the underlying cause is oftentimes more complex than it appears on the surface.  Continue Reading

• How to troubleshoot VMware vSphere Replication issues

  When problems occur with the tool you use to protect your data, it's imperative to track down the logs that can help restore order.  Continue Reading

• Tape vs. disk: Which offers the greatest energy efficiency?

  Jon Toigo looks at the factors that determine whether disk or tape is more energy-efficient.  Continue Reading

• How to save an Amazon EBS snapshot to S3

  I'd like to back up an Elastic Block Store volume to AWS S3. What do I have to do and what are the associated costs?  Continue Reading

• Does a tester actually need test cases?

  Discover whether or not test cases are necessary in this expert answer by consultant Robin Goldsmith.  Continue Reading

• How do I transfer a PS file from a mainframe to a Linux server?

  I need to transfer one PS file's data from a mainframe to a Linux server. Are there any JCL scripts that can do this for me?  Continue Reading

• Can you virtualize a NetBackup master server?

  I have only seen companies deploy a NetBackup master server on a physical server. Are there any drawbacks to using a VM as a NetBackup master server?  Continue Reading

• How does RDMA work and why is it advantageous with flash?

  Remote Direct Memory Access is a good way to reduce latency in flash environments and works with InfiniBand and some Ethernet connections.  Continue Reading

• What's the difference between 'usable' and 'effective' flash capacity?

  Vendors often publish numbers for 'usable' capacity versus 'effective' capacity. Can you explain this and how can you plan flash capacity needs with these numbers in mind?  Continue Reading

• How do I use SR-IOV for Hyper-V VMs?

  Single Root I/O Virtualization, or SR-IOV, can help reduce latency and increase I/O throughput when enabled for Hyper-V VMs.  Continue Reading

• When should I use global file locking in the cloud?

  According to analyst George Crump, global file locking isn't required for single-office cloud users, but for multisite organizations it is a top requirement in a cloud service.  Continue Reading

• Test software with persona-based requirements

  Do persona-based requirements make it easier to test software? Learn if there are tools designed to make testing software easier.  Continue Reading

• How QA testers participate in the requirements definition process

  Learn how QA testers should participate in the requirements definition process in this expert response.  Continue Reading

• Advantages of Amazon RDS vs. a personal relational database

  One of the advantages of developers using Amazon RDS instead of managing their own databases is that it reduces or eliminates their administrative responsibilities.  Continue Reading

• Can you verify software compatibility on IT systems?

  If you're thinking about deploying an application software package, how do you know if it is compatible with your particular systems and hardware?  Continue Reading

• How much longer will that SSD last in a vSphere server?

  Even modestly sized SSDs can be more expensive than traditional hard drives, but do the benefits outweigh any concerns about longevity?  Continue Reading

• How do hardware profiles work in Microsoft Virtual Machine Manager?

  The Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager allows the creation of hardware profiles, which help to provision virtual storage. Brien Posey explains how to use the tool.  Continue Reading

• What apps are suited for being hosted in the cloud?

  What types of applications are best suited for being hosted in the cloud? Read this expert answer to find out.  Continue Reading

• SaaS platform changes: Is there a migration model?

  Is there a data migration model if a company leaves the SaaS platform it has been using? Read this expert answer to find out.  Continue Reading

• What criteria are most important when evaluating cloud storage costs?

  With cloud storage pricing models varying so much, it makes sense to compare summaries of these criteria to be sure you make the right choice.  Continue Reading

• Are there intellectual property issues with SaaS tools?

  Should businesses worry about intellectual property when using SaaS tools? Read this expert response to find out.  Continue Reading

• How do requirements relate to acceptance criteria?

  Requirements and acceptance criteria often seem to be essentially the same thing, but that's not quite true.  Continue Reading

• How do I grant users outside the LAN access to OWA?

  Our company has users who reside outside the local area network. What's the best way to grant those users access to Outlook Web App?  Continue Reading

• How is big data changing data archiving strategies?

  Analyst Jon Toigo explains why performing analytics on big data sets means that data is no longer considered cold, reducing the importance of archives.  Continue Reading

• What are the most obvious object storage use cases for my system?

  Object storage is latency-prone, making it a bad option for production data, but there are several areas where it's incredibly useful.  Continue Reading

• What are some vCloud Director features for cloud management?

  In virtualization's evolution from servers to the cloud, VMware has several offerings for managing resources in virtual data centers.  Continue Reading

• Which IBM 3592 tape cartridge has the highest capacity?

  There are a bunch of IBM 3592 'J' tape designations. How do you order the right capacity for your tape drives? Do you take compression into account?  Continue Reading

• What are the benefits of using an object storage system with file access?

  With increasingly demanding workloads, NAS systems can have a hard time keeping up. Can using NAS with an object storage option relieve some of these problems?  Continue Reading

• How can an enterprise benefit from using a VMware vApp?

  By developing a virtual appliance technology, VMware has given businesses a way to both bundle and manage multiple VMs into a single package.  Continue Reading

• How does Exchange Native Data Protection work?

  Take a look at what Exchange Native Data Protection does in Exchange 2013 to decide if it fits into your organization.  Continue Reading

• How can I delete Exchange audit logs?

  Admins don't have to sidestep the default settings for deleting logs, but if needed, these PowerShell cmdlets will get the job done.  Continue Reading

• How does write back cache improve performance?

  With Windows Server 2012 R2 and earlier, admins have access to write-back caching, leading to reasonable improvements for mission-critical workloads.  Continue Reading

• Is Agile requirement gathering that different from waterfall?

  Does moving to Agile development eliminate up-front requirements gathering? Does it mean the development team takes responsibility for requirements instead of the business side?  Continue Reading

• Does AWS CloudFront work with static and dynamic content?

  Dan Sullivan reviews AWS CloudFront and the two types of content it works with, static and dynamic.  Continue Reading

• Facing the challenges of migrating applications to the Azure cloud

  Porting an existing application from on-premises to Microsoft Azure comes with challenges, but the hurdles aren't impossible to overcome.  Continue Reading

• What complications can arise when thin provisioning VMware storage?

  Brien Posey dives into the complications users might run into with thinly provisioned VMware data stores and how to address them.  Continue Reading

• What's the best data center network topology?

  You need to know these most common data center network topologies, and check out a host of alternative topologies waiting in the wings.  Continue Reading

• What do you need to roll out application containerization?

  Containers have a significant following these days, thanks to Docker. Find out how containers can help and what you need to get started.  Continue Reading

• Benefits of Amazon SES in the enterprise

  Marketing firms and online gaming companies often look for less expensive ways to send bulk email to customers or would-be buyers. Here's a look at what Amazon SES has to offer.  Continue Reading

• How do I increase cache memory?

  Increasing cache memory in your environment might help allocate CPU processes, but it doesn't necessarily result in better performance.  Continue Reading

• What is the relationship between cache technology, CPU and RAM?

  As flash memory caching is on its way in because of its cost and non-volatile nature, RAM may be on its way out the door, says analyst Jon Toigo.  Continue Reading

• Are more than five nines of availability really possible?

  When cloud durability is added to the mix, cloud providers are able to tout a high number of nines of availability.  Continue Reading

• Is the cost of cloud storage really cheaper than traditional storage?

  Cloud storage can be less expensive from a cost-per-gigabyte perspective, but it's important not to lose sight of other benefits as a value proposition.  Continue Reading

• What should I consider when using SSD cloud?

  Using solid-state in the cloud can boost performance, but first be sure you look past cost per gigabyte and are aware of any constraints from providers.  Continue Reading

• What is the difference between a storage snapshot and a clone?

  Cloning and snapshotting can both be good approaches to disaster recovery. Learn what environments are best suited to each.  Continue Reading

• What are some cloud migration challenges or limitations?

  It's not uncommon to run into challenges when migrating data to the cloud. Here are some roadblocks to keep an eye out for.  Continue Reading

• What to do when UPS sizing goes wrong

  UPS sizing is hard, with confusing terminology and an ever-shifting IT load. If you get the calculations wrong, don't worry about a Michael Bay movie scene in the data center. Here's what to do when UPS is too wimpy or too beefy for the task.  Continue Reading

• How to resolve team conflict

  Arguing team members can derail a project. Project managers can help resolve the issue by finding its root cause.  Continue Reading

• How do VMware thin provisioning alerts work?

  VSphere allows users to set up custom alarms to alert them when capacity or memory is low. Learn how they can be especially helpful when using thin provisioning.  Continue Reading

• Are there any downsides to using VMware thin provisioning?

  Storage should be monitored carefully when using VMware's thin provisioning feature to avoid slower performance and potentially maxing out capacity.  Continue Reading

• When tracking defects, make efficiency the end goal

  Tracking defects can benefit the development team if done for the right reasons. Explore the reasons to track defects in this expert response.  Continue Reading

• What's better? An OVF or an OVA file?

  What is an OVA file and how does it compare to an Open Virtualization Format package?  Continue Reading

• Software quality metrics paint partial project picture

  QA consultant Gerie Owen discusses the use of two post-production metrics: defect removal efficiency and defect detection percentage.  Continue Reading

• NVDIMM vs. memory channel flash storage

  Marc Staimer of Dragon Slayer Consulting compares NVDIMM and memory channel flash, explaining the advantages and disadvantages of each.  Continue Reading

• Memory channel flash storage vs. PCIe flash storage

  Marc Staimer compares memory channel flash storage with PCIe connected flash and offers insight on the advantages and disadvantages of each.  Continue Reading

• Will MPLS traffic engineering technology help you?

  MPLS traffic engineering can improve VPN performance to ensure data travels the most efficient path.  Continue Reading

• Protecting cloud networks against DDoS and DoS attacks

  DDoS and DoS attacks are simple to implement but more difficult to prevent. How can these attacks on cloud services be avoided?  Continue Reading

• Proactive additions shore up forms-based authentication

  How can we best prevent hacking and user account lock out in Web applications with forms-based authentication?  Continue Reading

• How Amazon CloudWatch provides automated APM tools

  Amazon CloudWatch provides AWS customers with automated APM tools that they can use to keep applications and businesses running smoothly.  Continue Reading

• What's the highest server temperature you can handle?

  There's no correct inlet air temperature for all servers. Age, performance and design help determine how much heat your server can handle.  Continue Reading

• The right way to rename VMs with vSphere Storage vMotion

  A quirk in older ESX/ESXi versions will not result in a prompt rename of a VM until it has moved to another data store.  Continue Reading

• Why isn't Windows Server allowing me to create a storage tier?

  Microsoft expert and SearchStorage.com contributor Brien Posey addresses key challenges to creating storage tiers in Windows Server 2012 R2.  Continue Reading

• How to estimate the lifespan of backup tape media

  Brien Posey offers advice on how to estimate the useful lifespan of backup tape media based on how it is used, in this Expert Answer.  Continue Reading

• How to hunt down VM network timeout issues with performance charts

  Setting up the performance counters in the vSphere client can help troubleshoot a dropped packets issue.  Continue Reading

• How to clear a clogged core dump in VMware ESXi

  With a little manipulation via SSH or ESXi Shell, a locked core dump file can soon be just a distant memory for your ESXi environment.  Continue Reading

• How does a scale-out NAS environment affect storage management?

  Phil Goodwin explains how scale-out NAS systems simplify storage management through a single point of control and by combating performance problems.  Continue Reading

• Are SSDs necessary to perform analytics on big data efficiently?

  Storage expert Phil Goodwin explains how SSDs can speed up analytics, but solid-state technology is only needed in certain types of environments.  Continue Reading

• Is LRDIMM the best memory option for an enterprise server?

  Load-reduced DIMM allows for more memory and decreased latency than on-server memory typically has. So how does it compare to other DIMM designs?  Continue Reading

• What is the top storage challenge with in-memory databases?

  Wikibon CTO David Floyer said the greatest challenge with an in-memory database from a storage perspective is recovery in the event of a problem.  Continue Reading

• Enterprise design: Is three-tiered architecture still useful?

  When dealing with complex systems, an enterprise design that includes a Web services tier that can support different types of devices is a necessity.  Continue Reading

• Agile ALM tools have pitfalls to acknowledge

  While venders only discuss the benefits of using Agile ALM tools, test expert Amy Reichert reveals the possible pitfalls.  Continue Reading

• Choosing the right data snapshot approach

  Independent backup expert Brien Posey compares the various methods for creating a data snapshot in this Expert Answer.  Continue Reading

• Comparing performance and cost of DRAM vs. NAND

  George Crump of Storage Switzerland compares the performance and cost of DRAM to NAND flash in this Expert Answer.  Continue Reading

• Amazon Kinesis: When to use Amazon's new big-data processing service

  In this expert answer, Chris Moyer offers advice on using Amazon Kinesis for near-real-time processing of streaming big data.  Continue Reading

• How a shared virtual disk can benefit a Windows Server data center

  With the introduction of Windows Server 2012 R2, shared virtual disks have capabilities to improve failover clusters in a few ways.  Continue Reading

• A closer look at virtual hard disks in Windows Server 2012 R2

  The VHDX format includes performance-enhancing features and capabilities that let virtual servers recover VMs with little to no data loss.  Continue Reading

• What to do when a mainframe IPL stalls out without error messages

  When initial program load stalls out on a mainframe logical partition, the culprit is often consoles. Connectivity is one of many potential causes.  Continue Reading

• Windows Server 2012 R2 makes VM migration faster, smoother

  The Windows Server 2012 R2 release continues to push the trend of faster and less disruptive VM migrations in the data center.  Continue Reading

• Compression eases Live Migration process in Windows Server 2012 R2

  By using Live Migration compression, smaller VM files are transferred more quickly between systems and have fewer resent or dropped packets.  Continue Reading

• How Remote DMA improves Live Migration in Windows Server 2012 R2

  The RDMA feature can use high-throughput, low-latency data exchanges to improve Live Migration's performance in Windows Server 2012 R2.  Continue Reading

• Comparing DIMM-connected flash vs. PCIe flash benefits

  Leah Schoeb of Evaluator Group discusses DIMM-connected flash as compared with PCIe flash benefits in this Expert Answer.  Continue Reading

• The variety of enterprise SSD options available today

  Leah Schoeb of Evaluator Group discusses the variety of enterprise SSD options available today in this Expert Answer.  Continue Reading

• Windows Server 2012 R2 Storage Spaces boosts performance

  Three new features in Windows Storage Spaces -- storage tiering, write-back caching and dual parity -- boost storage performance.  Continue Reading

• Windows Server 2012 R2 Storage Spaces addresses storage growth demands

  Windows Server 2012 R2 Storage Spaces offers an alternative to traditional SAN storage and includes updates for virtualizing shared storage.  Continue Reading

• Windows Server 2012 R2 Storage Spaces suits SSD deployments

  With the new storage tiering feature, Storage Spaces in Windows Server 2012 R2 works best with solid-state-drive devices.  Continue Reading

• AWS auto-scaling lets companies expand and contract service as needed

  Contributor Chris Moyer describes how Amazon Web Services customers can use AWS auto-scaling to adjust to changes in demand.  Continue Reading

• The risks of Agile software development: Overcoming feature creep

  Ellen Gottesdiener, founder of EBG Consulting offers insights on managing feature creep, the biggest pitfall of Agile software development.  Continue Reading

• Guiding principles for an automated software test

  An expert in automated software testing offers guiding principles for succeeding at this most challenging of QA projects.  Continue Reading

• Are there alternatives to the OpenFlow protocol?

  Jason Edelman explains OpenFlow protocol alternatives and what's important in determining which southbound protocol will work for you.  Continue Reading

• How does storage thin provisioning work with Hyper-V automatic trim?

  Learn how Windows Server 2012 R2's automatic trim feature frees up capacity from thinly provisioned virtual hard disks.  Continue Reading

• Virtual security tactics for Type 1 and Type 2 hypervisors

  It's no surprise that Type 1 and Type 2 hypervisors require different security considerations, but we asked an expert to clarify.  Continue Reading

• Why is persistent cache important?

  Leah Schoeb, partner with Evaluator Group, discusses the importance of persistent cache in this Expert Answer.  Continue Reading

• How cloud providers are using NAND flash technology today

  Leah Schoeb, senior partner with Evaluator Group, discusses how cloud providers are using flash today in this Expert Answer.  Continue Reading

• How to align laptop flash drive partitions in Windows

  Marc Staimer outlines how to ensure that your laptop flash drive partitions are aligned properly in this Expert Answer.  Continue Reading

• What are some best practices for cloud configuration?

  Traditional configuration practices fall short in the cloud. Here, Chris Moyer shares some best practices for cloud configuration.  Continue Reading

• Can object storage systems be used with file-based apps?

  Learn how to use applications such as Microsoft Exchange or SQL Server with object storage systems on the back end.  Continue Reading