Mainframe migration projects

Don't overlook these crucial enterprise CPU updates

Despite its critical role in cloud application performance, the enterprise CPU is often overlooked. Learn about next generation hardware, and why it's important to cloud. Continue Reading

Gauging whether hyper-converged vendors' ages matter

Deciding between the new guy and the old standby has driven purchasing decisions for decades, but what do users think when it comes to hyper-converged infrastructure? Continue Reading

Tips to ace tough IT operations interview questions

Few things career-wise are as nerve-wracking as job interviews. Knowing what to expect going into that first meeting for a Web or app administrator role can quell some uneasiness. Continue Reading

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

Draw up a data center network diagram you'll actually use

Creating a data center network diagram is time-consuming but necessary work. Keep the scope narrow and know the priorities of your diagram to save time and energy. Continue Reading

Software-defined applications and infrastructure explained

The inner mechanics of today's software-defined applications and infrastructure reveal an interconnected web of isolated components and scalable resources, supervised by automated management. Continue Reading

EMC launches VxRail VSAN-based hyper-converged appliance

EMC replaces Vspex Blue with VxRail, integrating the new version of VMware's Virtual SAN software on four-node hyper-converged appliances. Continue Reading

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

The Linux ip command makes network config easy

The Linux ip command makes monitoring a Linux network configuration easy, but you need to know what to look for. Continue Reading

Should I make a storage LUN for each server?

In some scenarios, more than one LUN per server makes sense. In others, it's better to maintain a one-to-one ratio. So which is better? Continue Reading

A who's who of white box switch vendors

White box networking gives IT organizations more freedom of choice for network hardware and OSes. It's a young and changing market, with a mix of vendor involvement. Continue Reading

Massive tax bill increases uncertainty in Dell-EMC deal

Dell's deal to buy EMC and VMware for $67 billion is in doubt after revelations that the company could face a $9 billion tax bill, forcing some uncertain IT buyers to look elsewhere. Continue Reading

Greenfield vs. brownfield data center development strategies

Don't count out that old, empty department store that hasn't seen customers in a decade -- data center brownfield developments bring new life to these types of abandoned buildings. Continue Reading

The three tiers of hyper-converged architectures

Hyper-converged architecture delivers storage in a bundle, but there are several components involved. George Crump discusses the three pieces of hyper-converged systems. Continue Reading

Data center metrics and standards guide

From energy use to server performance, data center metrics form a foundation for improving IT operations. Continue Reading

Data center humidity recommendation falls dramatically

An ASHRAE study's conclusions are disproving the conventional wisdom around data centers' relative humidity levels. Continue Reading

Impact Awards: Vote for the best Converged/Hyper-Converged Product

Vote for the best Converged/Hyper-Converged Product in the 2016 Modern Infrastructure Impact Awards. Continue Reading

How do you verify a HA server or cluster is working?

I want to ensure server high availability in my production IT environment. Is it better to test server HA and risk disruption, or trust in the systems' reliability? Continue Reading

HP Enterprise to cut up to 30,000 jobs ahead of split

A leaner, more nimble HP Enterprise will have as many as 30,000 fewer employees after the company splits in November. Continue Reading

IT jobs surge in upper Midwest, Rockies, led by Java

IT jobs are being filled at the highest rate away from some of the traditional technology hotspots -- including many Midwestern states. Continue Reading

Modern Infrastructure 2016 Impact Award Categories

Here are the categories for the 2016 Modern Infrastructure Impact Awards. Continue Reading

What can I do to gain Java skills and leave mainframe programming?

I have two years of experience in mainframe technology, currently working as a mainframe developer. I want to change to Java technology. Continue Reading

HP Enterprise has work cut out following split

With the split two months away, HP Enterprise needs to ensure its hardware, software and services groups work and play better together. Continue Reading

Can I use Mikrotik vs. Cisco switches in a data center?

I'm purchasing rack-level access switches for an enterprise data center, and weighing Cisco vs. Mikrotik, which is less expensive. Continue Reading

Help! I deleted a Linux boot partition

I deleted a partition on my Linux system, but I still see a boot menu. How do I re-install GRUB2 and not lose data? Continue Reading

Server performance and benchmark testing guide

The right back-end servers, tuned for maximum efficacy, make the difference in business-critical applications and services. Continue Reading

Build Linux from scratch to improve admin skills

There's a sure-fire way to increase your knowledge about the Linux kernel and how to troubleshoot Linux servers: Build one yourself. Continue Reading

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

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

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

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

Take data center efficiency to the max on three-phase power

Three-phase circuits provide considerably more power efficiency to data center equipment, but phase balancing can trip up deployments. Continue Reading

Master Linux service management on System V and systemd

Managing services on Linux is an essential task for administrators. Learn to work with either System V or systemd. 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

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

Eight data center technologies to test in the new year

As the hype from 2014 dissipates, the new year rings in hot new technologies. IoE, hybrid clouds and other tech innovations make the data center run more efficiently. Continue Reading

Linux network configuration turns positively wicked

Wicked replaces a lot of old Linux network configuration commands and utilities in SLES 12, making the OS more cloud friendly. Continue Reading

This data center cost calculator keeps you on budget

Calculating every data center expense can be challenging, but with the right spreadsheet -- and formulas -- you will accurately assess the total cost. Continue Reading

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

What's the best way to measure data center airflow?

You can't measure airflow from raised floor tiles in the same way as any other air duct. Optimize data center airflow with the right tools. 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

How do you define data center size, density?

With shifts in the scale and density of data centers, one industry organization is drawing up ways to standardize how we talk about data center size and power needs. Continue Reading

A data center checklist for facility design and IT ops

Choose the right data center provider or facility now, and prevent costly errors and inadequate services later. Continue Reading

Server form factors: A guide to rackmount, blade servers and more

Which type of server is right for you? The data center's budget, technology and reliability will steer you toward rackmount or blade servers. Continue Reading

Create a SAN with the Linux LIO iSCSI target

With the LIO iSCSI target service, Linux shops have an affordable SAN option that ranks up there with expensive proprietary storage solutions. Continue Reading

In-rack and in-row cooling options for any data center

Say no to CRAC and consider more selective data center cooling options. In-rack and in-row cooling systems are efficient and optimally dispel heat. 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

The case for a leaf-spine data center topology

Three-layer network designs are last season's topology. The leaf-spine model is coming in hot, but can the advantages made data center designers forget about the weaknesses? Continue Reading

How well do you know the ITIL v3 framework?

Test how well your team knows its roles and responsibilities with this ITIL quiz. It might help you handle future IT service problems. Continue Reading

Centralized versus rack-mount UPS in telecom rooms

How does a rack-mount UPS stack up against a central data center UPS for telecom rooms? Money doesn't necessarily mean power. Continue Reading

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

With EVO: RAIL, VMware turns VSAN into a franchise

VMware's EVO: RAIL allows hardware vendors to build hyper-converged appliances running VSAN and other VMware software. Continue Reading

A mainframe refresher quiz

Make sure you know what is significant about the mainframe. Take this quiz to find out what you should brush up on. Continue Reading

There's a whole lotta shakin' goin' on in converged infrastructure

With sales sagging, legacy hardware suppliers are scurrying to form partnerships with a new generation of converged infrastructure vendors. But will these newly minted converged systems convince IT to open up the purse strings? 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

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

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

Facebook tour reveals Open Compute Project in action

Facebook's North Carolina data center is warm and humid, which is fine for the thousands of OCP servers working there. Check out the exclusive video. Continue Reading

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

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

Mount file system Linux systemd's way

Forget about /etc/fstab and autofs. There's a new Linux system around. Systemd manages mounting and automounting of file systems differently. Continue Reading

Hyperconvergence promises simplicity, but at what cost?

Hyperconvergence brings a building-block approach to the data center, but these proprietary systems are worth investigating. Continue Reading

A few ways to configure Linux firewalld

The method for configuring Linux servers' firewalls changed with RHEL 7 and other new distributions. Learn how to set up firewalld, and what to avoid. Continue Reading

Controversial hot aisle containment practices

Is your hot aisle too hot for OSHA? New data center trends are causing concern. You might need to adapt to adhere to the law. Continue Reading

What to look for in a Tier III data center provider

Don't believe just any sweet-talking colo provider claiming to be Tier III. Make sure you're getting what you pay for with a true Tier III data center. Continue Reading

Why Facebook and the NSA love graph databases

Graph databases play six degrees of separation to find real connections. See how IT teams can use the database approach for businesses. Continue Reading

How many VMs per host is too many?

The ultimate host server welcomes hundreds of virtual machines. But that doesn't mean consolidation should outrank performance. Continue Reading

Test your Uptime Tier level knowledge

You've got a lot riding on Uptime Tier-certified data centers. Take this quiz to see how well you know Tiers I through IV. Continue Reading

Hyperconvergence now a data center building block

Hyperconvergence is succeeding converged infrastructure technology for data centers that are fast, efficient and more hands-off for IT teams. Continue Reading

What's the best Linux OS for your enterprise data center?

With several updates to supported Linux OSes, how do you know which to run in your data center? This guide will help you make an informed decision. 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

DevOps and Agile IT save mainframe training from skills quagmire

The problem isn't that new hires aren't familiar with the complex, custom daily tasks of mainframe ops. The problem is that you're still doing them. Continue Reading

Production workloads go boldly to the cloud

Some enterprises are charging ahead with a cloud-first approach to their workloads -- not just test and dev, but production workloads as well. Continue Reading

Linux boot options in RHEL, SLES help ailing servers

Is your server not booting correctly? Does it need crucial recovery tasks? Linux boot options with GRUB2 and systemd can help. Continue Reading

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

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

Mount Global File System 2, avoid corruption in RHEL High Availability

You have a working cluster, now what? Red Hat's GFS2 will help you avoid file system corruption. Learn how to mount the default cluster file system. Continue Reading

Getting started with ITIL service management

Promised cost savings, alignment with business, and operational efficiency are encouraging more organizations to take up ITIL service management. Continue Reading

Unix command line quiz

Do you know how to move a file or get a list of current users from your Unix servers? Take our Unix quiz on essential commands for system admins. Continue Reading

Six steps to create a highly available Apache Web service

When a Red Hat cluster goes into production, you can protect it by configuring a supported high-availability service. Here's how. Continue Reading

Basic Linux commands for new Linux server administrators

To manage Linux servers, administrators need a set of basic commands to view and start processes, as well as utilities that make life a little easier. Continue Reading

What should you do with old servers and outdated data center equipment?

Complications arise when replacing nonfunctional data center equipment. Decide what to do with the old equipment and how to handle retrofits. Continue Reading

Five best Linux applications for enterprises

These five applications will improve the lives of enterprise IT and business management by increasing functionality and reducing costs. Continue Reading

RISC vs. CISC explained for data center systems

The role of RISC processors in data center equipment is hotly debated, but new RISC designs are proving that it isn't just a CISC game. Continue Reading

Creating a quorum disk and fencing for Linux high availability nodes

The quorum disk and fencing on a Linux high availability cluster let its nodes know when they are operational and shut them off if they are not. Continue Reading

How outdated practices harm data center grounding systems

Isolated grounds are a solution lacking a problem. In fact, isolated grounds create problems for data center cabinet power and add expense all around. Continue Reading

Creating a reliable and fast SAN network design with iSCSI

There are three tenets of designing an iSCSI network correctly. Proper iSCSI deployment yields affordable and reliable network access for the SAN. Continue Reading

Modern Infrastructure: December 2013

Winners of the MI Impact Awards of 2013, reflecting big issues affecting data center jobs, showed innovation and intelligence in solving IT problems. Continue Reading

Strange and secure data center locations

In these data center pictures, tour barges, former mines and oil rigs. Sometimes a strange location makes the most sense for a secure data center. Continue Reading

Your data lives where?! Strange and secure data center locations

In these data center pictures, tour barges, former mines and oil rigs. Sometimes a strange location makes the most sense for a secure data center. Continue Reading

IBM's hardware vs. software dilemma

It's difficult to predict if current server hardware trends are forcing reinvention, but IBM may be on a track that takes it in a new direction. Continue Reading

TCP offload's promises and limitations for enterprise networks

TCP offload products free up limited CPU resources in network-intensive data centers. But TCP offload is no panacea and can introduce more problems. Continue Reading

Building blocks of converged infrastructures

The unifying theme of unified computing is vendor lock-in: One vendor for all or most components. But what are those pieces and what are your options? Continue Reading

Major changes in data center fire suppression standards NFPA 75 and 76

Fire standard changes can add a lot of work and expense to a data center operator's job, but the updates to NFPA 75 and 76 address real safety risks. 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

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

Data center network design moves from tree to leaf

Leaf-spine designs are pushing out the hierarchical tree data center networking model, thanks to the popularity of Ethernet fabric networks. Continue Reading

Data center interview horrors and spooks

Every administrator and data center manager has a horror story or two to share. In the spirit of Halloween, we tell the tale of interviews gone wrong. Continue Reading

Modern Infrastructure October 2013

This issue examines the ongoing role of Unix platforms in the enterprise, the growing cloud competition between tech giants and more. Continue Reading