Data Center
Top Stories
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Tip
17 Aug 2026
Building trust: Engaging communities in data center development
Effective communication is essential in data center development. Engaging the community early addresses concerns and prepares IT leaders for stakeholder interactions. Continue Reading
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Tip
03 Aug 2026
Understanding AI's resource needs and sustainability challenges
Discover how AI's demands are affecting data centers' power and water resources, cooling challenges and the approaches being implemented to address these concerns. Continue Reading
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Answer
12 Apr 2013
Are blade servers obsolete?
Blade servers maximize compute density on racks, but are their days numbered? Continue Reading
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Tip
11 Apr 2013
The basics of selecting server memory
Understanding modern memory helps IT professionals make the best choices for selecting a server memory configuration and upgrades. Continue Reading
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Tip
10 Apr 2013
A deeper look at memory ranks, channels and types
Looking for new server memory? Learning about memory ranks, channels and types is a good step to making the right choice. Continue Reading
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Feature
09 Apr 2013
Modern Infrastructure Decisions conference coverage
Modern Infrastructure Decisions is a one-day conference designed to help IT pros navigate the changing tides of the current tech industry. Continue Reading
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09 Apr 2013
Modern Infrastructure: April 2013
April's Modern Infrastructure cover story delves into Apple and consumerization's effects on Windows' long-standing enterprise domination, and what's happening to traditional IT infrastructure. Continue Reading
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Answer
01 Apr 2013
Is VMware Capacity Planner free?
Many consultants offer VMware Capacity Planner free to interested virtualization admins, but if you dread their sales pitch, consider vBenchmark. Continue Reading
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01 Apr 2013
Modern Infrastructure: March 2013
IT teams are being pushed to take advantage of legions of corporate data, and are considering big architecture questions as they think big with analytics and business intelligence. Continue Reading
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Definition
14 Mar 2013
Changed Block Tracking (CBT)
VMware Changed Block Tracking is an incremental backup technology for virtual machines (VMs), comparable to snapshot differential or backup delta block. Continue Reading
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Feature
12 Mar 2013
Cast your vote in the 2013 Readers' Choice survey
How does virtualization, converged infrastructure and BYOD affect you? Take our survey and also vote for the best technologies of the year. Continue Reading
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Tip
05 Mar 2013
Moving VM testing from VMware vSphere ESX/ESXi to Workstation
VMware admins can't skip VM testing just because it eats up vSphere resources. Testing ESX/ESXi VMs in VMware Workstation frees up vSphere for production. Continue Reading
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Definition
12 Feb 2013
VMware template
A VMware template is a perfect, model copy of a virtual machine from which you can clone, convert or deploy more virtual machines. Continue Reading
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Definition
06 Feb 2013
VMware vApp
A VMware vApp is a collection of virtual machines (VMs) and sometimes other vApps that host a multi-tier application, its policies and service levels. Continue Reading
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Definition
25 Jan 2013
VMware VMCI (VMware Virtual Machine Communication Interface)
VMware VMCI (Virtual Machine Communication Interface) is a high-speed interface that virtual machines (VMs) on the same host use to communicate with each other and the host kernel modules. Continue Reading
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Tip
14 Jan 2013
VMware Workstation encryption prevents unauthorized VM access
VMware Workstation encryption helps you protect information on VMs from unauthorized users. Learn how -- and when -- to encrypt virtual machines. Continue Reading
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Feature
14 Jan 2013
VMware VADP and vSphere Data Protection FAQs
VStorage API for Data Protection replaced VMware Consolidated Backup and VMware Data Recovery. It works with VMware Data Protection and other tools. Continue Reading
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Feature
14 Jan 2013
The data center guide to 'big data'
Many enterprises use "big data" to guide business decisions, but what does it mean from the perspective of data center personnel? Continue Reading
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10 Jan 2013
Modern Infrastructure: February 2013
This issue explores how IT teams can handle the BYOD revolution without wasting time and resources. Continue Reading
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Tip
21 Dec 2012
Choose the right VMware certification path: Data center, cloud or EUC
Reading the new VMware certification map can get confusing, but most paths start out at VCP-DV. The next step could lead to cloud or EUC titles. Continue Reading
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Tip
04 Dec 2012
Cut-through versus store-and-forward in Ethernet switch architecture
Switches in the data center can push frames using either store-and-forward or cut-through. Is one Ethernet switch architecture better than the other? Continue Reading
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Quiz
28 Nov 2012
VMware terminology quiz: Do you speak virtualization?
Thought you left vocab quizzes back in the classroom? See if you've grasped the VMware and virtualization lingo by taking our definitions quiz. Continue Reading
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Definition
28 Nov 2012
VMware resource pool
A VMware resource pool is the aggregated physical compute hardware -- CPU and memory, as well as other components -- allocated to virtual machines (VMs) in a VMware virtual infrastructure. Continue Reading
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27 Nov 2012
Modern Infrastructure: November 2012
New technology is radically changing enterprise IT, and IT managers have to get ready. This issue deals with software-defined networking. Continue Reading
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Tip
19 Nov 2012
Three questions on ASHRAE standards for data centers
Evolving ASHRAE standards for temperature and humidity allow data center owners to save money on power and cooling demands. Continue Reading
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Feature
13 Nov 2012
Inside unique energy-efficient data centers
Energy-efficient data centers from around the world are explored in "The Art of the Data Center," a new book by Douglas Alger. Continue Reading
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News
07 Sep 2012
Choice Hotel rethinks IT architecture, employs middleware, SOA, BPM
User story describes application modernization employing Oracle Fusion middleware, SOA and BPM. A hotel chain gains flexibility going the SOA route. Continue Reading
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Tip
31 Jul 2012
Setting traps with SLIP, king of the mainframe debugging tools
How to use SLIP, one of the best mainframe debugging tools, to set traps for annoying bugs. Continue Reading
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Tip
12 Jul 2012
Tweak Linux swap to improve server performance
Many administrators ignore or underutilize the Linux swap settings but making the proper adjustments will make for better system performance. Continue Reading
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Quiz
02 Jul 2012
Pop quiz: VMware snapshots 101
VMware snapshots play an important part in backing up many virtual infrastructures, but how well do you understand how they work? Take this quiz to find out. Continue Reading
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29 May 2012
Guide to improving data center cooling efficiency
Use these expert tips to help you improve your data center cooling efficiency from initial design to monitoring and system management. Continue Reading
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Tip
23 May 2012
Installing a CIM provider to improve vSphere Client host monitoring
While ESXi includes support for many popular hardware platforms, comprehensive server health monitoring with the vSphere Client sometimes requires installing the correct CIM provider. Continue Reading
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Tip
08 May 2012
It’s an easy fix to clean up a GRUB error on your Linux server
A GRUB error will stop a Linux server cold, but following these steps should get you back on track. Continue Reading
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Definition
30 Apr 2012
VMware Lab Manager
VMware Lab Manager is a software development and testing tool that enables designers and engineers to pool network and storage resources ... (Continued) Continue Reading
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Definition
28 Apr 2012
Basic Assembler Language (BAL)
BAL (Basic Assembler Language) is a version of IBM's assembler language (sometimes called assembly language) for its System/360 and System/370 mainframe operating system. Continue Reading
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Tip
05 Apr 2012
Designing a virtual environment with VMware Capacity Planner
Using VMware Capacity Planner to inventory data center resources and project hardware needs, IT pros can save time and money when planning a virtual environment. Continue Reading
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Tip
03 Apr 2012
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
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Survey
02 Apr 2012
Take the Data Center Decisions 2012 survey
Help us learn about your technology preferences and trends among data centers like yours. Be sure to enter our prize drawing for completing the survey and get a chance to win a range of gift cards! Continue Reading
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Tip
22 Mar 2012
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
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Answer
23 Feb 2012
FM-200 systems: What data center managers need to know
Get the lowdown on using FM-200 systems for data center fire suppression, and whether or not they're a good choice for your company. Continue Reading
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Tip
21 Feb 2012
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
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Feature
07 Feb 2012
Squeeze out maximum virtualization performance
Get your virtual deployment done right by following the tips from our experts. Continue Reading
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Feature
26 Jan 2012
Reallocating unused server and storage hardware
Virtualization’s abstraction of resources offers strong reasons for keeping old equipment past its usefulness for primary workloads. Continue Reading
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Feature
16 Jan 2012
SearchDataCenter's 2011 Products of the Year awards
The verdict is in! SearchDataCenter.com reveals winners for its annual Products of the Year awards recognizing the year's top data center products. Continue Reading
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Feature
05 Jan 2012
Server performance and benchmark testing guide
This guide includes tips from our data center experts to help you improve your testing practices and squeeze more performance out of your machines. Continue Reading
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12 Dec 2011
Get the right applications to manage your system
This guide will help administrators find the best way to provision, monitor and manage the performance of virtual workloads across the data center. Continue Reading
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Definition
28 Nov 2011
Storage Distributed Resource Scheduler (DRS)
VMware DRS (Distributed Resource Scheduler) is a load balancing utility that assigns and moves computing workloads to available hardware resources in a virtualized environment. Continue Reading
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Tip
11 Nov 2011
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
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Tip
19 Oct 2011
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
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Tip
11 Oct 2011
Advanced ESXi troubleshooting with Tech Support Mode
With Tech Support Mode enabled, you can use advanced VMware troubleshooting commands to diagnose and resolve ESXi host problems when the vSphere Client won’t do. Continue Reading
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Tip
27 Sep 2011
ESXi console tech support mode: When the vSphere Client isn’t enough
The ESXi console and its tech support mode can solve many issues that the vSphere Client can’t. Once enabled, you have the power of the Linux command line at your disposal. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Sep 2011
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
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Tip
23 Sep 2011
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
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Tip
12 Sep 2011
Basic disassembly: Decoding the opcode
Programmers can find benefit from disassembling object code–a lost art that begins with understanding the opcode. Continue Reading
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Tip
12 Sep 2011
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
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News
31 Aug 2011
Best of VMworld 2011 Awards
Check out the winners of the Best of VMworld Awards from TechTarget to see which vendors delivered the best virtualization technologies this year. Continue Reading
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Tip
02 Aug 2011
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
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Tip
02 Aug 2011
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
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Tip
01 Aug 2011
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
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Tip
28 Jul 2011
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
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Tip
19 Jul 2011
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
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Feature
18 Jul 2011
Case studies show the benefits of virtualization
These case studies demonstrate how businesses have deployed virtual machines to improve efficiency and add computing power, while also saving money. Continue Reading
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Tip
12 Jul 2011
Configuring the ESXi firewall in VMware vSphere 5
The ESXi 5 hypervisor has a new firewall, similar to the ESX firewall of yore. You can configure it through the vSphere Client or command line, depending on your preference. Continue Reading
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Tip
29 Jun 2011
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
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Tip
28 Jun 2011
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
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Tutorial
12 May 2011
VMware storage options and Storage vMotion: A guide
VMware storage options include VMFS, thin provisioning, NFS and block-level storage. Virtualization storage features such as VMware Storage vMotion also help protect VM data. Continue Reading
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Tip
11 May 2011
Deleting virtual machine snapshots without wasting disk space
You can avoid wasting disk space and performance problems when deleting, or committing, virtual machine snapshots. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Apr 2011
Creating RPM packages in Linux
RPM software management on Linux systems truly has an advantage when you create your own RPM packages. Learn how to use the enhanced vim option to automatically generate a template file after creating a new RPM file with the .spec extension. Continue Reading
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Tip
15 Apr 2011
Safer failover testing procedures for the data center
Haphazard failover testing can be dangerous, but you can minimize the potential risk of data loss or corruption by following a few straightforward procedures. Continue Reading
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Tip
14 Mar 2011
Using DCIM tools to monitor data center power
Although DCIM tools include many capabilities for monitoring data center power and facilitating data center management, you should know their associated costs before implementing projects. Continue Reading
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News
03 Mar 2011
1U servers: Features and capabilities introduction
1U servers are well suited to many everyday business tasks. This overview considers the key features -- from processor and memory support to network ports-- of various 1U server offerings. Continue Reading
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Tip
08 Feb 2011
Increasing network bandwidth available to virtual machines
These three tips on increasing the amount of network bandwidth available to your VMs, including virtual network creation, can also potentially increase a host server's VM density. Continue Reading
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Tip
18 Jan 2011
Working with Linux file system attributes
File system attributes can provide a valuable addition to the way you ensure security on your Linux server. Learn how to mount, list and change file system attributes in ext4. Continue Reading
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Tip
03 Jan 2011
Improving IT efficiency with server virtualization technology
The Motley Fool turned to server virtualization technology as its answer to improving IT efficiency and flexibility in the wake of rampant data center growth. Continue Reading
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Tip
15 Dec 2010
Two forgotten but useful CICS transactions
While CICS has evolved its system interface, the lesser-known CICS transactions ADYN and CSFE can still be useful for debugging and other tasks. Continue Reading
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Tip
09 Dec 2010
VMware Fusion performance tips for Mac users
VMware Fusion for Mac allows you to run multiple guest OSes on Mac OS X, but VMware Fusion performance depends on several variables, including memory and hardware configuration. Continue Reading
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Tip
06 Dec 2010
RHEL 6 ditches System V init for Upstart: What Linux admins need to know
System V init is fading to a memory in Linux boot systems as the new Linux disdribution releases, such as Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6, switch to using Upstart. Learn what is different with this boot service and how to work with it to get your Linux boot administration tasks done. Continue Reading
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News
16 Nov 2010
Move over SMPs: Distributed shared memory systems step in
Researchers are building ersatz SMP machines out of commodity x86 boxes, plus specialized hardware and software. Continue Reading
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News
05 Nov 2010
Data center EPO vulnerability fixed in 2011 National Electrical Code
Data centers are no longer required to put the big red kill-switch on exit doors, thanks to a committee that convinced the NFPA to revisit its data center EPO regulation. Continue Reading
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Tip
25 Oct 2010
Creating an inventory with nmap network scanning
Nmap network scanning generates a full system inventory, but it's only usable with the right parameters and output format. Learn how to create an nmap inventory in this tip. Continue Reading
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News
21 Oct 2010
Cisco et al. push memory-dense servers; but at what cost?
Today’s x86 servers offer impressive memory densities, but some IT shops want even more. Continue Reading
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Tip
04 Oct 2010
VMware maintenance checklist: Daily, weekly and monthly tasks
It's easy for systems admins to lose track of tasks when responding to alerts. Break down VMware maintenance into daily, weekly and monthly tasks so that important chores are not overlooked. Continue Reading
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News
01 Oct 2010
The new mainframes: BladeSystem Matrix, Vblock, Exadata and Exalogic
Converged infrastructure platforms like Oracle‘s Exadata offer companies increased performance, but at the cost of vendor lock-in, causing some to dub these the new mainframes. Continue Reading
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Tip
28 Sep 2010
Setting up a syslog server in Linux
A central logging server can make it easier to manage logs. In this tip, learn how to collect and centralize syslog messages from your hosts onto one syslog server in Linux. Continue Reading
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Tip
20 Sep 2010
Uptime, TIA and BICSI: Who runs the data center design standards show?
With three major players in the game, where should you look for data center design standards? This tip discusses the similarities and differences between the Uptime Institute tier system, TIA-942 and BICSI 002-2010. Continue Reading
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Feature
10 Sep 2010
Refresh, Recompose and Rebalance - VMware View: Chapter 10
Mike Laverick explains the VMware concepts of Refresh, Recompose and Rebalance as the three main tasks that may need to be carried out on your linked clones. Continue Reading
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Tip
08 Sep 2010
Kerberos authentication in RHEL: Easing Windows-Linux integration
Kerberos authentication for CIFS offers easier Windows-Linux integration. In this tip, learn how Kerberos authentication works and how to set it up in Red Hat Enterprise Linux. Continue Reading
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Tip
07 Sep 2010
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
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Tip
19 Aug 2010
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
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Tip
17 Aug 2010
Server virtualization training and education needed for successful virtualization rollouts
Virtualization technology is still a long way from Plug-and-Play. Successful virtualization rollouts need staff with the proper education and skills, and IT admins need to understand when it's time to add staff or tinker with the training. Continue Reading
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Tip
16 Aug 2010
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
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Tip
04 Aug 2010
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
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Tip
02 Aug 2010
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
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Tip
26 Jul 2010
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
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Tip
12 Jul 2010
Using login banners with VMware View 4
Windows XP login banners can force VMware View end-users to log in twice when they're trying to access their virtual desktops. But there's a better way that uses a single sign-on. Continue Reading
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Tip
07 Jul 2010
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
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Tip
28 Jun 2010
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 good option for your data center power infrastructure. Continue Reading
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Tip
28 Jun 2010
VMware vSphere's built-in performance monitoring tools
VMware vSphere features several free performance monitoring tools that can help assess the health of your virtual machines and fix resource bottlenecks. Continue Reading
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Feature
17 Jun 2010
Virtual appliances and the OVF format: The new software packaging
Thanks to the Open Virtualization Format, virtual appliances are the new way to deliver software -- say goodbye to boxes and CDs. Continue Reading
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Tip
24 May 2010
Troubleshooting VMware snapshots
Virtual machine (VM) snapshots are a great tool to identify problems with VMs. An expert explains troubleshooting common problems that arise with snapshots in VMware ESX Server. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
17 May 2010
Virtualized data centers: A resource library
Data center managers use virtualization for basic data center needs, such as server consolidation and disaster recovery, and much more. Continue Reading
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Tip
11 May 2010
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