Tips

Tips

• Migratory apps shape future of cloud application models

  With the ability to run anywhere, migratory apps maximize the value of hybrid cloud. But management and security hurdles must first be overcome.  Continue Reading

• Three apps in which Docker containers really shine

  Docker containers offer a variety of benefits. But apply the software to these three application types to get the biggest bang for your buck.  Continue Reading

• The evolution of DevOps in the cloud

  Tools like Puppet and Chef have helped enable DevOps in the cloud, but hurdles remain when it comes to managing and analyzing cloud-based apps.  Continue Reading

• An Opscode Chef tutorial for beginners

  To use Chef in the data center, you'll find your administrator mind-set gradually opening up to the developer way of thinking. These tips and resources will accelerate the process.  Continue Reading

• Explore DCIM vendors thoroughly before deploying a tool

  DCIM is susceptible to change: The technology, the vendors and business needs all influence purchasing decisions. Investigate thoroughly before spending your money.  Continue Reading

• How to pick data center infrastructure management tools

  The rash of ever-changing DCIM vendors, the IT/facilities rift and other roadblocks make implementing DCIM a challenge. These tips get DCIM working in a real data center.  Continue Reading

• Network provisioning finally joins the automation game

  Network administrators get a taste of the automated provisioning and configuration that Chef and similar tools serve up to the compute team.  Continue Reading

• Know your data center monitoring system

  You can't depend on a building system to run the data center. Implement a BMS and a DCIM tool to monitor and predict system changes, tighten security and more.  Continue Reading

• How to write server documentation

  A data center should be prepared for the worst, but try to avoid that at all costs. Appropriate system documentation helps avoid critical errors.  Continue Reading

• The oft-overlooked threats of remote server access

  Remote KVMs represent both convenience and potential for disaster. A few simple security steps can prevent downed servers, whether from an intentional attack or a simple miscommunicated update.  Continue Reading

• How workflow automation tools trump human intervention

  Workflow automation tools speed routine tasks and ensure that these tasks execute in a standardized, error-free way. But adopting an automation tool can add complexity and learning curves to the existing environment.  Continue Reading

• Component cloud model powers agile application development

  In the future, IT pros see cloud as a place to spin up applications to respond to problems on the fly. The component cloud model is just step one.  Continue Reading

• Automation + IT sprawl = Failure waiting to happen

  Let automation be your guide -- as long as it doesn't lead you into a major outage and uncontrolled IT sprawl.  Continue Reading

• Traditional IT silos face a hostile software-defined environment

  Think you got rid of data center silos when you adopted virtualization? Not so fast. Software-defined data center tools promise more silo-busting.  Continue Reading

• Successful DevOps practices from the start

  Here's all you need to know to get started with DevOps, from identifying goals and roadblocks, to useful tools to scale DevOps to the next level.  Continue Reading

• How to build an enterprise private cloud that looks better than AWS

  Clouds that enterprises build rarely stack up to AWS and its ilk in a public cloud. Follow these steps if you want a viable private cloud for users.  Continue Reading

• Choosing server management tools to fit your data center

  Homogeneous system management tools provide excruciating detail on servers, but in some circumstances, heterogeneous tools are a better choice.  Continue Reading

• IT asset management best practices for any data center

  Choosing a data center asset management tool depends on how the infrastructure functions, the mix of hardware and software in action and more factors.  Continue Reading

• 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

• Automating data center environmental monitoring with RFID tags

  Slapping an RFID tag on every server rack in an enterprise data center isn't a small endeavor, but the payoffs in security and DCIM data are big.  Continue Reading

• Five tips for selecting system management tools

  Too much granularity? Not enough? Need alerts? Maybe not. There are five considerations for systems management tools -- and cost isn't one of them.  Continue Reading

• Tips and tricks to improve memory paging on servers

  Memory paging helps virtual machines share a server's memory resources nicely, but can throttle performance. A few simple tricks will optimize paging.  Continue Reading

• How and when to enable hardware-based TPM security on servers

  Most servers include a Trusted Platform Module, but you only want to turn it on and manage TPM when the server handles high-value encrypted workloads.  Continue Reading

• How to write your IT automation wish list

  IT automation is great, unless complicated, underperforming products that hog resources, time and money overwhelm IT staff.  Continue Reading

• Reshaping IT organizations to fulfill a DevOps strategy

  DevOps IT delivery requires a lot of up-front investment and time. It's a difficult project for even the most committed IT organizations.  Continue Reading

• How to overcome the limitations of remote server management

  Remote server management tools enable granular server control from anywhere, but they're useless without a network connection or power supply.  Continue Reading

• Frequently asked questions about server automation tools

  Server automation tools save time and reduce errors. But what should tools offer, and are point systems or suites the way to go? Find out in this FAQ.  Continue Reading

• Choosing the right server monitoring tool for your environment

  Before buying a server monitoring tool, assess your data center's needs, plan a budget and choose a deployment plan.  Continue Reading

• The requisite and advanced features of performance monitoring software

  All performance monitoring tools must include certain core features, and advanced features can boost application performance and return on investment.  Continue Reading

• Tailoring server BIOS settings for cool servers without wasting energy

  A few tweaks to server BIOS settings will keep fans quiet and workloads processing smoothly, allowing data centers to consume less energy.  Continue Reading

• Using Zabbix with embedded devices via SNMP monitoring

  Some devices you want to monitor with Zabbix cannot have software installed. For these appliances, SNMP monitoring may be the right choice.  Continue Reading

• How to choose the right server performance monitoring tools

  Advance planning and careful due diligence can help a business select the best server performance monitoring tools for its unique needs.  Continue Reading

• Tips for improving Active Directory performance on servers

  Striking the right balance of memory and disk performance can help optimize Active Directory performance.  Continue Reading

• Avoiding access issues with Microsoft Network Access Protection

  Configuration problems can make Microsoft Network Access Protection overly zealous and lock out users who need data center access.  Continue Reading

• 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

• 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

• Making the most of server performance monitoring

  Performance monitoring tools can produce more accurate and valuable results by following some general guidelines.  Continue Reading

• Five questions on systems management

  As reliance on systems management tools increases, administrators face varied challenges in deployment, skill sets, infrastructure support and other issues.  Continue Reading

• Data center monitoring system considerations

  An effective monitoring system can track environmental variables and alert admins of a potential problem before it becomes a critical emergency.  Continue Reading

• The challenges of change and configuration management

  Due diligence, business alignment and proper deployment are key to mastering change and configuration management tools.  Continue Reading

• Prioritizing alerts with server monitoring tools

  Setting and prioritizing alerts with server monitoring tools can help an administrator respond quickly to critical problems without being bothered by insignificant alarms.  Continue Reading

• Application performance tips: Workload optimization and software pathing

  IT pros looking to maximize application performance should look beyond basic software, tuning to products from vendors pathing software and hardware.  Continue Reading

• Weighing the pros and cons of the Trusted Computing Platform

  When used as designed, trusted computing can provide a high level of security, but limitations and potential for abuse prohibits its usefulness.  Continue Reading

• Risks and rewards of ignoring Microsoft's hardware compatibility list

  Data center administrators shouldn't disregard hardware just because it isn't included on Microsoft's hardware compatibility list.  Continue Reading

• Best practices for remote server management

  Remote server management will continue to be an important part of data centers, but administrators should also take steps to ensure someone onsite will be able to perform tasks as well.  Continue Reading

• Configuring the server monitoring tool Zabbix

  Installing the server monitoring tool Zabbix used to be difficult, but Ubuntu 11.04 makes it easier to configure the appliance and monitor a network.  Continue Reading

• Using the Net-SNMP agent for systems management

  The Net-SNMP agent has evolved over the years to become a useful systems management tool used to track important statistics.  Continue Reading

• Turn aggregated syslog messages into OpenNMS events

  Turn syslog messages into OpenNMS events, notifications and alarms to help facilitate network management processes.  Continue Reading

• Syslog-ng configuration: Building a log aggregation server

  In this tip, learn how to create a log aggregation server with a syslog-ng configuration, which can organize and simplify interactions with your systems' log messages.  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

• Configuring OpenNMS for open source server monitoring

  With many IT organizations strapped for cash, OpenNMS is a free, open source server monitoring alternative. In this tip, learn how to install and configure OpenNMS 1.8.  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

• 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

• Using benchmarks for virtualization capacity planning

  Benchmarking tools for virtualization capacity planning allow administrators to find more efficiency and forecast growth in computing resources.  Continue Reading

• Improve benchmark performance with simple optimizations

  While benchmarking is great for measuring system performance, benchmarking tools themselves are applications capable of overtaxing the CPU. However, simple optimizations can ensure benchmark performance by preventing these tools from overwhelming ...  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

• 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

• 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

• Choosing a server management tool: Hardware vendor or third party?

  The decision of whether to opt for a server management tool from your hardware vendor or a third-party software vendor depends on criteria such as data center budget, the tool's reliability and ease of maintenance.  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

• Remote server administration tools: Manage your data center from a distance

  New systems management options are making it easier for administrators to manage servers via smartphones and laptops.  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

• ITSM basics: Implementing change management processes

  What are the benefits of implementing change management? And what are the common problems that arise when an IT organization implements change management processes?  Continue Reading

• Using HP Systems Insight Manager (SIM) 5.2 for systems management and monitoring

  Hewlett-Packard (HP) Co.'s Systems Insight Manager (SIM) 5.2 offers systems management and monitoring for HP servers or WMI-, SNMP- or WBEM-enabled systems. SIM works with HP's Integrated Lights-Out (iLO) management modules to detect hardware ...  Continue Reading

• Installing Nagios on Solaris for network and server monitoring

  Nagios, a free, open source network and server monitoring system, can benefit your IT infrastructure. Learn how to install Nagios on a Solaris 10 system in this tip.  Continue Reading

• CMDB pitfalls in the current IT environment

  In order for IT administrators to meet the demands of today's businesses, the effort required to access the information needed needs to be minimized. While CMDB is a good source of accurate information it is not magic. Like any other important ...  Continue Reading

• Use Nagios to trend and troubleshoot performance issues

  Learn how to use Nagios monitoring tools to track system performance in your data center and use graphs to troubleshoot bottlenecks on I/O-bound or CPU-bound systems.  Continue Reading

• Is effective performance management in the data center possible?

  Data centers are increasingly important to the delivery of business services, and performance management is more crucial than ever. IT's challenge is conducting performance management activities effectively and at low-cost. Key to maintaining ...  Continue Reading

• Windows Server 2008: PowerShell basics and top commands

  The Microsoft PowerShell team offers up the top commands and usage scenarios for the new command line shell and scripting language for Windows Server 2008  Continue Reading

• IPMI Tutorial: Are you using it? Do you know how?

  This short tutorial on the Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) will help you take advantage of this monitoring tool.  Continue Reading

• Lights out management: How to administer servers from the Bahamas

  While there are many solutions out there to aid an administrator in remote management, I've found the lights out management (LOM) built into many modern servers is superior to many of the alternatives.  Continue Reading

• Automating server management and IT processes

  Server automation can free up data center resources to focus on higher-value activities. This tip provides some suggestions for getting started by automating low level IT processes.  Continue Reading

• Systems management checklist: Software upgrades

  Software upgrades are an inevitable part of using technology, and it is likely that even the smallest upgrade will alter your system in some way. Although these changes are simply the price, for example, of security patches or better compatibility, ...  Continue Reading

• Top 10 considerations for application hosting

  Application hosting, whether it's done in-house, at a collocation facility or outsourced to a managed service provider, is a big undertaking. Accurately gathering and analyzing both business and technical requirements can smooth out a lot of bumps ...  Continue Reading

• Best practices for managing application infrastructures

  How do the most effective IT organizations manage and optimize their application infrastructures -- the set of technology components that sits just above the operating system including databases, messaging, applications and Web servers? Over time, a...  Continue Reading

• Self discovering Infrastructure tools key to accurate CMDB

  Organizations are increasingly dependent on their IT networks to provide a competitive advantage. These networks are becoming progressively more complex in a bid to provide more sophisticated business services. The migration toward the goal of on ...  Continue Reading

• Asset management -- It's different in the data center

  Data center managers have more to worry about when it comes to managing their assets. What they can't see could hurt them. Experts offer tips on how to craft a strategy.  Continue Reading