Data center capacity planning
Top Stories
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Feature
01 Apr 2022
Disaggregated HCI solves compute, storage, network scalability
Despite the deployment and cost advantages of hyper-converged infrastructures, learn how disaggregated HCI can overcome compute, storage and network resource scalability issues. Continue Reading
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Feature
17 Feb 2022
Why hyper-converged infrastructure simplifies IT management
As fractured data center landscapes shift to HCI environments to consolidate IT operations, learn the many advantages, disadvantages and challenges of hyper-converged deployments. Continue Reading
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Feature
11 Feb 2022
Assessing colocation vs. cloud for hybrid IT infrastructure
When transforming operations to a hybrid IT environment, there's one other option to consider beyond the premises, public cloud and hybrid. Learn the many advantages of colocation. Continue Reading
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Feature
08 Dec 2021
Data center backup generators for mission-critical loads
To select the correct backup generator for your mission-critical data, learn the fuel, cost and efficiency considerations you should take into account. Continue Reading
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Tip
11 Oct 2021
On premises vs. cloud: The major similarities and differences
An organization deciding whether to run a workload on premises or in the cloud must carefully evaluate security, reliability, costs and other factors -- and ask four key questions. Continue Reading
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Answer
05 Oct 2021
TB vs. GB: Is a terabyte bigger than a gigabyte?
A terabyte comprises more than 1 trillion bytes. Discover how the storage measurement scale was created and where a terabyte stands among other units of measurement today. Continue Reading
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Tip
07 Sep 2021
Understand the 5 main benefits of hybrid cloud for businesses
Why choose between public cloud and private systems when you can have both? With hybrid cloud, enterprises can address workload requirements, business demands and budgetary needs. Continue Reading
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Tip
19 Jul 2021
Does your data center need a smart PDU?
A smart PDU can help you monitor and manage power flow more efficiently than a traditional PDU. Here's what you should consider before deciding whether to adopt. Continue Reading
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Tip
30 Jun 2021
4 key ways to prevent server sprawl
Take steps to cut back on costly and hard-to-manage server sprawl: consolidate your hardware, virtualize your servers, consider software-defined infrastructure and stay organized. Continue Reading
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Tip
15 Jan 2021
Get a template to estimate server power consumption per rack
Admins can struggle with power consumption estimation as infrastructure gets more complex. The kW-per-rack metric can help provide an accurate calculation of server power use. Continue Reading
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Feature
05 Jan 2021
Top enterprise hybrid cloud management tools to review
Here's an overview of the types of hybrid cloud management tools available, along with tips on what to look for in each tool category. Continue Reading
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News
23 Dec 2020
Data center market M&A deals hit new high in 2020
This year proved to be a banner year for data center mergers and acquisitions with 113 deals valued at over $30 billion, a pace that is unlikely to slow in 2021. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
04 Dec 2020
2 ways to craft a server consolidation project plan
Server consolidation enables admins to boost server utilization and decrease power consumption, which can also reduce costs and improve performance. Continue Reading
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Answer
07 Oct 2020
Edge computing challenges and ways to address them
Edge computing can reduce processing times and improve application performance, but the architecture has its issues. Here are eight challenges edge computing creates for the network. Continue Reading
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Tip
17 Sep 2020
6 steps for effective real-time monitoring across hybrid IT
Infrastructure monitoring can span multiple stakeholders, data center sites and metrics. Use the five W's to establish a comprehensive monitoring strategy. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Aug 2020
Data center backup power systems, standards to address downtime
Backup power is essential to reduce -- or eliminate -- downtime. Admins can refer to industry standards, UPSes and generators to build out systems that support critical components. Continue Reading
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Tip
10 Aug 2020
The case against data center consolidation
Having one centralized data center can bring IT benefits. Use cases such as IoT, edge computing and cloud don't necessarily work with consolidated infrastructure. Continue Reading
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News
21 Jul 2020
New IBM Power systems offer pay-as-you-go pricing
IBM rolled out a low-end Power system with pay-as-you-go pricing to make it easier for users to deploy hybrid clouds for mission-critical applications. Continue Reading
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News
23 Oct 2019
SAP's McDermott joins ServiceNow to push enterprise growth
SAP's Bill McDermott will take over as ServiceNow CEO, replacing John Donahoe, in a move that analysts say could take the fast-growing ITSM vendor in new product directions. Continue Reading
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Tip
22 Oct 2019
Edge computing use cases and drivers to watch
Edge computing use cases span across multiple industry sectors, including manufacturing, retail and medical. The motives for adoption filter down to three main drivers. Continue Reading
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Tip
25 Sep 2019
5G, edge computing and IoT poised to retool networking
The combination of 5G and edge computing could introduce several changes for network operations. Find out why the network infrastructure -- along with fog computing -- is so important. Continue Reading
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Tip
19 Jun 2019
Edge computing and IoT combine to reshape the network
Enterprises are examining edge computing and IoT in a new light to determine the best way to process and transmit the mountain of data generated by IoT devices. Continue Reading
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Tip
22 May 2019
3 ways to approach cloud bursting
With different cloud bursting techniques and tools from Amazon, Zerto, VMware and Oracle, admins can bolster cloud connections and efficiently move data in and out of on-prem facilities. Continue Reading
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Tip
08 Apr 2019
4 considerations for choosing a private cloud provider
Key features to look for from a private cloud provider include interoperability, scalability and how familiar admins are with the provider's technology. Continue Reading
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Quiz
27 Feb 2019
Test your knowledge of cloud computing types
Not all cloud architectures are created equal. Complete this quiz to learn about which cloud models, management tools and features are helpful to data center admins. Continue Reading
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Tip
04 Jan 2019
Data center interconnects rife with application challenges
Avoid pushing complexity into your network. This is especially true with data center interconnect design, Layer 2 mobility and application requirements. Continue Reading
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News
07 Sep 2018
Azure outage spotlights cloud infrastructure choices
One difference in Microsoft's cloud infrastructure design may have contributed to the extended outage this week in an Azure region that hit a large number of customers. Continue Reading
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Tip
14 May 2018
Hadoop cluster capacity planning best practices
Trying to calculate Hadoop cluster capacities isn't always straightforward. It's important for organizations to include IOPS and compression rates in their predictions. Continue Reading
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Feature
30 Apr 2018
Data center operations best practices checklist
Independent experts guide you to better data center operations with tips and advice on best practices and the right management tools. Continue Reading
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News
30 Mar 2018
Ireland's data centers are strategic connection hubs for Interxion
Interxion's Dublin-based data center business continues to grow as an increasing number of American and European companies see Ireland as a strategic connection hub. Continue Reading
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Tip
05 Jul 2017
Agentless Ansible structure opens up configuration management potential
Ansible is easy to use for IT ops pros, and it supports multicloud functionality within its automation structure. This simple walkthrough gets sys admins started with the tool. Continue Reading
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Opinion
13 Jun 2017
Understand the principles of data residency
IT administrators should assess data residency on a case by case basis. That means understanding how the concept has changed and how it works in the cloud. Continue Reading
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E-Zine
18 May 2017
Lessons fall from the cloud, changing data center strategies
The transformative power of cloud computing is long past the point of being news. The cloud model, after all, has irrevocably changed how IT functions. What's interesting to consider is how cloud technologies and methodologies are changing even how on-premises data centers operate. Lessons learned in the cloud are now being applied on site, adjusting data center strategies in surprising ways.
When it comes to resource efficiency, the things that hyperscale cloud providers such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud Platform accomplish might seem like heroic feats. For sure, server utilization rates in an on-premises environment won't reach the 50%, or better, marks that hyperscale providers hit. Still, rates can be improved by emulating those cloud operators.
So how has cloud computing altered data center strategies?
New classes of products, most notably hyper-converged infrastructure and software-defined networking, now exist primarily because large cloud providers built environments that showed the value of these technologies.
Redundancy architectures, too, are not nearly as rigid as they were. The traditional 2N scheme, in which an organization maintains double the number of infrastructure components needed to run critical operations, is no longer considered the mandatory standard.
Further efficiency is found in rethinking high availability expectations. With more resilient applications, experts argue, a hardware failure shouldn't be the disruptive event it was in an earlier age.
These are lessons brought down from the cloud, ones that noticeably alter data center strategies. They show again how the quest for efficient and effective data centers is never quite complete.
Continue Reading -
Tip
20 Jun 2016
Construct a winning data center project plan
Before embarking on new data center projects, such as an upgrade or move to the cloud, clearly define all goals and expectations -- and not just for IT. Continue Reading
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Answer
06 Apr 2016
How do I convert CPU hours to MIPS for mainframe capacity planning?
For better mainframe capacity planning, how do I convert CPU hours to MIPS? And is there a way to calculate the relationship between MIPS and MSUs? Continue Reading
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Tip
12 Feb 2016
Ten server deployment checklist considerations
Use this server deployment checklist to make sure you've covered all your bases. From power distribution outlets to available network connectivity, server deployment can be an arduous process. Continue Reading
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Answer
19 Jan 2016
Hardware vs. software load balancer: Which is better for an enterprise?
Can a software load balancer perform with the same capabilities as a hardware load balancer? Decide which aides enterprise the best in this hardware vs. software load balancer comparison. Continue Reading
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Tip
14 May 2015
Checklist of IT KPIs for responsive data center ops
The right metrics, aligned with business needs, strengthen data center monitoring and capacity planning. KPIs orient IT performance to specific goals. Continue Reading
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Tip
10 Mar 2015
Resolve a network bottleneck with these techniques
Data center network performance problems will disappear with fixes from a simple reorganization through a strategic overhaul. Continue Reading
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Feature
09 Jan 2015
Big data and analytics advice from an operations pro
You don't need to employ special IT personnel for big data analytics. One company uses big data for developers to modify ads and find and adjust pain-points in a game application. Continue Reading
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Answer
07 Jan 2015
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
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Tip
23 Dec 2014
Data center maps lead IT to server treasure
Can't find the server that needs repairs or the right reboot button when the host blue-screens? A data center map is vital when disaster hits. Continue Reading
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Feature
28 Aug 2014
Business application hosting on-premises vs. cloud options
Is it better to look for a SaaS version of an app, put it in your own data center on existing equipment, or host it at a cloud provider for a mix of flexible scaling and IT ownership? Continue Reading
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Photo Story
21 Jul 2014
Seven data center blogs you should be reading right now
Stay connected on trending IT topics on Twitter and Tumblr. Follow these seven experts who express news, opinions in data center blogs. Continue Reading
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Feature
15 Jul 2014
Denser is better: Increased storage and server density
For storage and servers, being dense is good. Careful planning can maximize the benefits of greater computing densities while minimizing potential risks. Continue Reading
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Tip
11 Jul 2014
Does data center size matter in virtualization, DCIM decisions?
Are you big enough to take advantage of DCIM or virtualization for the power and cost savings? When it comes to certain moves, size is an advantage. Continue Reading
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Feature
25 Apr 2014
Photo tour sheds light on underground data center build
An underground data center build requires a lot of work. This data center tour shows the Lightedge hosting facility in a former limestone mine. Continue Reading
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Feature
25 Apr 2014
The past, present and future of top data center components
Data centers have come a long way, and we still have pretty far to go. Take a look through data centers then and now, and see what's ahead. Continue Reading
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Tip
14 Mar 2014
What data center Tier levels can and cannot tell you about uptime
When it's time to go colo, it's important to know what level of facility uptime you need, as well as the data center operator's specific procedures. Continue Reading
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Tip
13 Jan 2014
Scale up vs. scale out: Debate evolves over how to upgrade data centers
Pick sides on whether to scale up vs. scale out servers. It will establish what method to enhance server performance makes sense for your data center. Continue Reading
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Tip
05 Nov 2013
No faults here: Advanced techniques to attain more reliable servers
A new generation of reliability features can keep busy servers running in the face of serious fault conditions. Continue Reading
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Tip
03 May 2013
Five data center upgrade strategies to modernize your facility
These five data center upgrade strategies can revitalize older data centers and stave off expensive construction projects. Continue Reading
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Tip
02 May 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
02 May 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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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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Quiz
21 Jan 2013
How much do you know about 'big data' infrastructure?
Take this quiz to see if your data center's 'big data' infrastructure will hold up. Continue Reading
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Tip
21 Jan 2013
Tips for improving server reliability and available memory
New memory modules and system capabilities can increase available memory and reliability on mission-critical servers. Continue Reading
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News
21 Jan 2013
Dell unveils workloads, features of converged infrastructure offering
Dell bakes Gale Technologies' automation into Dell's Active Infrastructure to speed up deployments. Continue Reading
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Tip
20 Dec 2012
Tips for improving server reliability and available memory
New memory modules and system capabilities can increase available memory and reliability on mission-critical servers. Continue Reading
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Tip
12 Jan 2012
Managing and monitoring server log data
See how proactive system administrators help themselves avoid a security breach by putting an effective log management policy in place. Continue Reading
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Feature
01 Nov 2011
Hardware upgrade and server refresh guide
In this guide, we address several important aspects of the server hardware refresh process, including how to decide when it's time to replace a server and how to get more out of hardware upgrade. 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
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
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
08 Nov 2010
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
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Tip
06 May 2009
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, HP-UX, and the free-form products that will work with any Linux or Unix distribution. Continue Reading
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News
03 Jan 2005
Analyze this: The pitfalls of equating performance with capacity
An IT administrator finds that his server can take 1,000 concurrent connections with a simple test. Continue Reading