Tips

Tips

• Agile ALM tools: How they differ from traditional lifecycle management tools

  Software consultant Nari Kannan describes the differences between agile application lifecycle management (ALM) tools and traditional lifecycle management software. Agile ALM tools are more tightly integrated, easier to use, supportive to distributed...  Continue Reading

• 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

• Connecting to virtual servers in the cloud

  For IT shops that must move content from an enterprise network or desktop to a cloud-based server, here's how to set up remote connections to virtual servers.  Continue Reading

• Top three Windows server crashes (and how to avoid them)

  Why wait until a server crashes to start the troubleshooting process? Admins can squash potential outages ahead of time by zeroing on the most likely culprits.  Continue Reading

• How to use WMI with Windows PowerShell scripts

  With PowerShell, admins can harness the power of WMI to find all sorts of system and network information. The best part? It’s probably a lot easier than you think.  Continue Reading

• Is PCIe SSD right for you? Deploying PCI Express SSD devices

  Learn about the PCI Express (PCIe) solid-state drive (SSD) market, how and where to deploy PCIe SSD in your environment, and challenges with the technology.  Continue Reading

• 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

• Eight steps for a successful software release

  Have you done everything to prepare for a successful software release? Software project manager Kay Diller describes eight things you can do to ensure your deployment will go smoothly. From creating your team to being prepared with a back-out plan, ...  Continue Reading

• 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

• How vulnerable is Microsoft IIS 7.5 to attacks?

  While version 7.5 is more secure out of the box than past IIS releases, it doesn't guarantee 100% protection.  Continue Reading

• 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

• Using OpenNMS and SNMP for open source systems management

  Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) can allow a deeper look into system information gathered from OpenNMS. This tip walks through network monitoring with OpenNMS and SNMP.  Continue Reading

• Data archiving techniques: Choosing the best archive media

  Read this tip about data archiving techniques and to discover what's the best archive media for your organization: tape, disk, optical or the cloud.  Continue Reading

• 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 ...  Continue Reading

• Tracking system resources with free WinObj utility from Sysinternals

  Mark Russinovich and company did Microsoft one better with the WinObj tool for tracking Windows system resources, though there’s still room for improvement.  Continue Reading

• Applying lean concepts to software testing

  If we're going to use a factory analogy for software development, shouldn't we at least study the techniques modern factories use? In this tip, software quality expert Matt Heusser describes concepts used first for lean manufacturing, which are now ...  Continue Reading

• Using Nagios plugins for configuration and system testing

  Using Nagios plugins can be vital in performing specific system tests and configuration. In this tip, you'll learn about using default and custom plugins in Nagios.  Continue Reading

• Managing virtual data center growth and virtualization challenges

  With careful testing, planning and management, virtual data center growth doesn't have to be an issue, even with problems that crop up with some virtualization technologies.  Continue Reading

• Hyper-V Dynamic Memory vs. VMware memory overcommit

  Memory allocation can be a guessing game in virtualized environments. Hyper-V Dynamic Memory and VMware memory overcommit tackle the problem in different ways.  Continue Reading

• 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

• Implementing ITIL: Getting started with ITIL v3 service management

  Are you implementing ITIL v3 service management? Discover five phases of the Information Technology Infrastructure Library process and the benefits of ITIL.  Continue Reading

• What is a test case? What is a requirement?

  After exploring the definition of a test case by surveying test experts, authors and students, consultant Robin Goldsmith learns that interpretations remain ambiguous and varied. Similarly, the level of detail thought to be needed to define ...  Continue Reading

• Understanding storage performance metrics

  Learn how to accurately measure storage performance metrics in your data storage system, and discover why your results may differ from vendor benchmark numbers.  Continue Reading

• 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

• Remote server monitoring with Nagios

  After the network monitoring tool Nagios is fully configured, learn the next step in setting it up for remote server monitoring.  Continue Reading

• Auditing AD administrators with Windows 2008 R2's Event Viewer

  When it comes to admin rights, knowing who you can trust is not always easy. But while auditing limitations won’t do you any favors, new features in R2’s Event Viewer can help.  Continue Reading

• 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

• 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

• iSCSI storage area networks explained

  In part two of our series, we examine the features of an iSCSI SAN to help you decide if it's the best SAN technology for your SMB.  Continue Reading

• 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

• 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

• Strategies for minimizing regression defects

  Regression defects, those unexpected defects that result from a fix of another defect, are often the most challenging to find and fix. Expert John Overbaugh describes why these defects are so challenging and offers up techniques, such as automation...  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

• Using virtual appliances and desktop virtualization

  IT organizations are implementing desktop virtualization and virtual appliances for virtual WAN optimization and virtual application delivery, but there are challenges to overcome along the way.  Continue Reading

• 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

• 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

• Sysinternals RAMMap utility sheds new light on Windows memory usage

  RAMMap, one of the latest offerings from Sysinternals, provides an in-depth overview of server memory usage that can't be matched by native Windows programs.  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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• Alternative PowerShell commands for Active Directory management

  While Microsoft has added many new cmdlets for PowerShell 2.0, admins can also use additional options from Quest Software and other outlets when working with Active Directory.  Continue Reading

• The impact of HTML5 on Web applications

  HTML, the HyperText Markup Language, is an essential part of the Internet experience. HTML5 is one part of what WHATWG sees as essential to the future of Web applications.  Continue Reading

• 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

• 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

• Selecting benchmarking tools for specific needs

  Narrowing down the best benchmarking tool requires testing and a careful evaluation of needs, including system compatibility, level of technical depth and scalability.  Continue Reading

• Buying your first backup tape library: What you need to know

  In this tip, find out what you need to know when buying your first tape library, including when to consider a library, the cost of libraries and which format best fits your needs.  Continue Reading

• Improve application performance with multithreaded applications

  Multi-core CPUs fuel a server's operating system performance and virtualization technologies. Can multithreaded applications and multi-core CPUs fuel application performance as well?  Continue Reading

• The importance of critical thinking in software test

  Even though there are numerous definitions for the term "software testing," there is common ground. Testers need to use critical thinking skills when diving into the testing of a software application. In this tip, expert Chris McMahon explains ways ...  Continue Reading

• 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

• Data archiving best practices: The difference between backups and archives

  In this collection of data archiving tips, learn data archiving best practices and the differences between backups and archives.  Continue Reading

• Open source Xen vs. Citrix XenServer

  Our expert compares the three major open source Xen contenders with Citrix XenServer to help you determine which Xen management product is best for your customers.  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

• Architecting application failover in your data center

  Attempting application failover by re-coding your apps may not be the right choice for every data center, as several factors, including virtualization and coding languages, affect which method you should use. This tip offers advice for finding the ...  Continue Reading

• Buying the best backup tape library: Tape libraries vs. tape autoloaders

  Learn about how to buy the best backup tape library and the key differences between tape libraries and tape autoloaders in this tip.  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

• 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

• Using Group Policy preferences for immediate and scheduled tasks

  The scheduling tools in Group Policy preferences let you run a command across an entire infrastructure quickly and easily.  Continue Reading

• Six tours for exploratory testing the business district of your application

  Exploratory testing is sometimes thought to be "directionless testing", but James Whitaker's new book suggests that exploratory testing, is more structured than it is credited for. Exploratory testing is filled with numerous tours or testing ...  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

• Intrusion detection in a cloud computing environment

  Make sure that your cloud computing environment is equipped to detect and respond to attacks with the appropriate intrusion detection systems.  Continue Reading

• Data storage capacity planning: How to estimate your storage requirements

  SMBs should ask themselves these five questions to help them get started with their data storage capacity planning.  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

• Why is Microsoft Outlook blocking attachments?

  Microsoft Outlook blocks email attachments to protect the Exchange Server organization from malware and viruses. This can be frustrating if it blocks safe attachments. Here are two workarounds you can use to make sure users can open safe attachments...  Continue Reading

• A software expert's heuristic for regression testing

  Often, regression testing is what stands between a product in a test lab versus a product in the hands of our users – so we don't want to take longer than we need – but we don't want to haphazardly release a product before its ready.  Continue Reading

• Standalone versus domain-based namespaces in Windows DFS

  When setting up namespaces in Windows DFS, be aware that the popular choice may not be the best fit for your environment.  Continue Reading

• Active Directory Web Services brings new power to R2

  Admins running Windows 2008 R2 might be interested in Active Directory Web Services, a new interface for accessing Active Directory and AD Lightweight Directory Services.  Continue Reading

• Data storage management strategies: Managing logical unit numbers (LUNs)

  This tip explores the background of LUNs in an SMB data storage environment, the different LUN features vendors have to offer and how to determine what type of LUN is best for you.  Continue Reading

• Using Fist of Five, Planning Poker to reach Agile team consensus

  In these tips, consensus-building tools such as Fist of Five and Planning Poker are introduced. Even when these tools are used, the team must decide how they are going to handle a stale-mate condition and move forward on decisions.  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

• Why use POST vs. GET to keep applications secure

  Although POST and GET HTTP requests essentially perform the same command on a Web server, a security expert says there are inherent dangers in using one over the other. Learn why one type of processing request provides more security for your Web ...  Continue Reading

• Nine ways to evaluate automated software testing tools

  Evaluate automated software testing tools more thoroughly with these tips for analyzing cost, support, total cost of ownership, usability and more. This tip suggests questions to ask about each attribute of a tool and a vendor's support for it.  Continue Reading

• Director switch comparison: Brocade DCX Backbone versus Cisco Systems MDS 9500

  Are you looking for director switch for your SAN? We compare the Brocade DCX Backbone and Cisco Systems MDS 9500 offerings in terms of latency, throughput and FCoE support.  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

• Understanding cloud compliance issues

  Concerns about compliance have made companies wary of storing their data in public cloud environments.  Continue Reading

• Upgrading to VMware vSphere: Five pros and five cons

  Increased performance, scalability and new features top the list as to why you should upgrade to vSphere, but proven product stability, third-party product and hardware compatibility are reasons you may want to stay with VMware Infrastructure 3 for ...  Continue Reading

• What is the free VMware OVFTOOL and how can it help you?

  VMware's OVFTOOL is a conversion program that eases distribution of virtual machines, converting them from the OVF format to .VMX, .OVA, .VMX files and others.  Continue Reading

• Fixing lingering object problems in complex Active Directory forests

  Lingering objects can provide an inconsistent view of the Active Directory and confuse administrators. Learn how to find and remove them in complex forests.  Continue Reading

• Top threats in a PaaS cloud service and how to avoid them

  Platform as a Service offerings suffer from vulnerabilities, such as lax default application configurations and holes in Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocols, which should be monitored and mitigated.  Continue Reading

• An introduction to data backup tape rotation schemes

  Learn about the different types of data backup tape rotation schemes to determine which one is best for your environment.  Continue Reading

• Five requirements for deploying an application in a public cloud

  Thinking about deploying an application in a public cloud? Investigate these five requirements to ensure success.  Continue Reading

• Perfmon made easy with PAL utility

  Performance Monitor in Windows is a great troubleshooting tool, but analyzing logs can be tedious. Learn to use the free PAL utility to take the time out of troubleshooting.  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

• 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

• Host and guest virtual machine: Definitions

  We explain the two components of a virtual machine -- the host and the guest -- in this installment of virtualization explained series.  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

• Check server specs before upgrading your operating system

  Operating system upgrades can be tricky with the number of variables involved. Users need to research server hardware specifications and OS requirements before upgrading.  Continue Reading

• Calculating mean time to failure in performance testing

  Calculating MTTF (mean time to failure) can be a difficult for testers in order to develop a performance test pass as there are multiple steps. This expert tip will guide you through process,  Continue Reading

• Defining report requirements with use cases

  This tip offers a new and interesting way to go about defining and reporting requirements for use cases. There are a number of details that need to be attended to in defining requirements such as taking a look at users and then constructing use ...  Continue Reading

• How requirements use cases facilitate the SDLC

  Learn software use case processes and techniques that result in better application requirements in this tip. Takeaways include use case diagrams and user acceptance test case examples.  Continue Reading

• PowersHell: Factory Reset of ESXi

  During the course of my travels in powersHell with VMware – I’ve begun to put together my own JACS (Just-Another-Configuration-Script). The idea is to take a clean-factory set ESXi build, and use purely powersHell to configure it.  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

• Top five keys to success for a new CMDB project

  Configuration management database (CMDB) projects require a steady hand and a lot of help from IT staff. Here are some tips to help you ensure CMDB success.  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 SQL Server recovery models impact your SharePoint databases

  SharePoint administrators can minimize data loss by selecting the appropriate SQL Server recovery model. But which model is right for your enterprise?  Continue Reading

• Installing VMware ESXi on a physical server

  In this two-part series, we show you how to convert an existing physical server into a virtual machine, then how to install VMware ESXi on the server hardware and load the virtual machine back onto it.  Continue Reading

• Expert shows seven ways to improve your project management abilities

  Project management offices can benefit when the team has a diverse portfolio of skills. Learn how to become a better project manager by reading these seven suggestions, which range from developing talents and group leaders to better assessing ...  Continue Reading

• Running a Web service on Google App Engine

  Google's App Engine for building Web applications in the cloud is beginning to support Java servlet-based Web services. It's still under development, but you can experiment using Eclipse support or command-line utilities in the SDK.  Continue Reading