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Bring yourself up to speed with our introductory content.
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Bring yourself up to speed with our introductory content.
emergency power off (EPO) button
The emergency power off button, also called an EPO switch or EPO panel, is a safety measure for quickly disconnecting electrical power to a particular piece of equipment or facility in the event of an emergency. Continue Reading
single pane of glass
A single pane of glass is a management console that presents data from multiple sources in a unified display. Continue Reading
How to calculate data center cooling requirements
Data center cooling requirements are affected by several factors, including the equipment's heat output, floor area, facility design and electrical system power rating. Continue Reading
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raceway
A raceway, sometimes referred to as a raceway system, is an enclosed conduit that forms a physical pathway for electrical wiring. Continue Reading
Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)
Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) is the transfer of data from one computer system to another by standardized message formatting without the need for human intervention. Continue Reading
high availability (HA)
High availability (HA) is the ability of a system to operate continuously for a designated period of time even if components within the system fail.Continue Reading
GNOME (GNU Network Object Model Environment)
GNOME (GNU Network Object Model Environment) is a graphical user interface (GUI) and set of computer desktop applications for Linux operating system (OS) users.Continue Reading
epoch
In a computing context, an epoch is the date and time relative to which a computer's clock and timestamp values are determined.Continue Reading
free cooling
Free cooling is an approach to lowering the air temperature in a building or data center by using naturally cool air or water instead of mechanical refrigeration.Continue Reading
power cycling
Power cycling is the process of turning hardware off and then turning it on again.Continue Reading
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e-cycling
E-cycling, also known as 'electronic recycling,' is the reuse or recycling of used electronic materials to limit e-waste.Continue Reading
building management system
A building management system (BMS) is a control system that can be used to monitor and manage the mechanical, electrical and electromechanical services in a facility.Continue Reading
How to install and run Podman on Rocky Linux
Rocky Linux can run and install Podman, an open source Linux tool and competitor to Docker that uses containers to find, run and deploy applications. Run Podman on Rocky Linux now.Continue Reading
Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe, PCI-E)
Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe or PCI-E) is a serial expansion bus standard for connecting a computer to one or more peripheral devices.Continue Reading
data center services
Data center services provide the supporting components necessary to the proper operation of a data center.Continue Reading
converged infrastructure
Converged infrastructure, sometimes called 'converged architecture,' is an approach to data center management that packages compute, networking, servers, storage and virtualization tools into a prequalified set of IT hardware.Continue Reading
Use Glances to monitor your data center systems
Glances is a real-time, Python-based performance monitor. Administrators with data centers that house multiple OSes should consider installing Glances.Continue Reading
workload
In computing, a workload is typically any program or application that runs on a computer.Continue Reading
An overview of containerized data centers and their benefits
The rise in digital information is causing a shortage in data center storage space. Containerized data centers can be for permanent or temporary use.Continue Reading
XML vs. YAML: Compare configuration file formats
Databases use data serialization languages, like XML and YAML, to transfer data between applications. XML and YAML have different strengths; admins should know how to use each correctly.Continue Reading
runlevel
A runlevel is an operating state on a Unix and Unix-based operating system that is preset on the Linux-based system.Continue Reading
What is hyperconverged infrastructure? Guide to HCI
Hyperconverged infrastructure is a software-centric architecture that tightly integrates compute, storage and virtualization resources in a single system that usually consists of x86 hardware.Continue Reading
configuration management database (CMDB)
A configuration management database (CMDB) is a file -- usually in the form of a standardized database -- that contains all relevant information about the hardware and software components used in an organization's IT services and the relationships ...Continue Reading
colocation (colo)
A colocation facility (colo) is a data center or telecommunications facility in which a business can rent space for servers, storage devices, and other computing and networking hardware.Continue Reading
A primer on AI chip design
Four common AI chips -- CPU, GPU, FPGA and ASIC -- are advancing with the current market for AI chip design. Read on to see what the future holds for AI chips.Continue Reading
logical volume management (LVM)
Logical volume management (LVM) is a form of storage virtualization that offers system administrators a more flexible approach to managing disk storage space than traditional partitioning.Continue Reading
hyperconverged appliance (HCI appliance)
A hyperconverged appliance (HCI appliance) is a hardware device that provides multiple data center management technologies within a single box.Continue Reading
shell program
A shell program is software that provides users with an interface for accessing services in the kernel.Continue Reading
Top 8 AI hardware companies
Due to rapid AI hardware advancement, companies are releasing advanced products yearly to keep up with the competition. The new competitive product on the market is the AI chip.Continue Reading
Rocky Linux vs. AlmaLinux: Which is better?
Rocky Linux and AlmaLinux are new distributions created after Red Hat announced the discontinuation of CentOS. These distributions plan to be 1-to-1 compatible with RHEL.Continue Reading
8 Linux distributions to replace CentOS
Red Hat's discontinuation of CentOS is causing individual users and companies to look elsewhere for an RHEL-compatible OS. Look into compatibility and migration tools to decide.Continue Reading
Evaluation Assurance Level (EAL)
An Evaluation Assurance Level (EAL) is a category ranking assigned to an IT product or system after a Common Criteria security evaluation.Continue Reading
How to upgrade RHEL 8 to 9
With CentOS 7 and RHEL 7 reaching end of maintenance, RHEL admins and developers must look into other OS options. Follow this tutorial to upgrade from RHEL 8 to 9.Continue Reading
ducting (data center cooling)
Ducting is an approach to air management that uses a series of metal or plastic pipes to carry heated or cooled air from one place to another.Continue Reading
With CentOS going away, what should users do?
Red Hat discontinued CentOS and replaced it with CentOS Stream. Other distributions, like Rocky Linux and AlmaLinux, provide free Linux OSes to the public.Continue Reading
remote hands
Remote hands is the general name for a service colocation providers offer that enables customers to delegate IT management and maintenance tasks in a colocation facility to technicians hired by the provider.Continue Reading
How to use Vim in Linux
This tutorial explains basic functions and commands used in Vim to complete simple tasks. Follow along to learn some beginner tips on how to install and use Vim in Linux.Continue Reading
Top 11 Linux certifications
Choosing among Linux certifications can seem daunting, but there are differences to all options that can help you decide which is best for you and your organization.Continue Reading
brownfield (brownfield deployment, brownfield site)
A brownfield deployment, in information technology, is the installation and configuration of new hardware or software that must coexist with legacy IT systems.Continue Reading
baffle
In data center hot aisle containment, a baffle is anything that disturbs the flow of air through a room, rack or system. A baffle changes the course of airflow or re-directs it.Continue Reading
7 common data center migration challenges to avoid
Admins should consider seven common data center migration challenges upfront to save money, prevent data loss and avoid delays during the migration process.Continue Reading
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive
The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive is a legislative act that the European Union adopted to address the growing amounts of e-waste that come from electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) at the end of its life.Continue Reading
How to write an SELinux policy
The NSA created the SELinux policy to provide security to applications. SELinux policies best suit an app under specific conditions, which can be found in this tutorial.Continue Reading
Guide to data center migration types
Businesses that rely on physical and cloud storage need to use data migration to simplify their infrastructure and choose from three major types to accommodate specific needs.Continue Reading
unified computing system (UCS)
A unified computing system (UCS) is a converged data center architecture that integrates computing, networking and storage resources to increase efficiency and enable centralized management.Continue Reading
assembler
An assembler is a computer program that takes in basic instructions and converts them into a pattern of bits that the computer's processor can use to perform basic operations.Continue Reading
job
In certain computer operating systems, a job is the unit of work that a computer operator -- or a program called a job scheduler -- gives to the OS.Continue Reading
Ubuntu
Ubuntu (pronounced oo-BOON-too) is a free, open source operating system (OS) based on Debian Linux.Continue Reading
Dell EMC VxRail
Dell EMC VxRail is a hyper-converged appliance. Like VSPEX Blue -- the Dell EMC product that it replaced -- and other hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI) systems, VxRail includes compute, storage, networking and virtualization resources in a single...Continue Reading
How to configure SELinux for applications and services
Admins need to follow six steps to configure SELinux properly to run applications and services. This tutorial walks you through how to configure the security system.Continue Reading
8 benefits of data center virtualization
Organizations with virtualized data center components can save on hardware, comply easier with regulations and increase speed. Consider virtualization for your infrastructure.Continue Reading
Assess the environmental impact of data centers
Data centers have faced scrutiny about their environmental impact in recent years. Assess their impact to find ways to reduce the environmental damage.Continue Reading
blade server
A blade server, sometimes referred to as a high-density server, is a compact device containing a computer used to manage and distribute data in a collection of computers and systems, called a network.Continue Reading
COTS, MOTS, GOTS and NOTS
COTS, MOTS, GOTS and NOTS are abbreviations that describe prepackaged software or -- less commonly -- hardware purchase alternatives.Continue Reading
multiprocessing
Multiprocessing is the utilization of two or more central processing units (CPUs) in a single computer system.Continue Reading
Linux swappiness
Linux swappiness is a kernel parameter that determines how aggressively the Linux virtual machine (VM) swaps pages between memory and the swap space on the system's disk.Continue Reading
Data center tiers and why they matter for uptime
Organizations should consider data center tiers of colocation providers or for their own data centers based on their uptime needs. Examine the differences among the four tiers.Continue Reading
Explore Red Hat's bring-your-own-subscription model for RHEL
Many organizations use pay-as-you-go models with public cloud providers to run their Red Hat products in the cloud. Explore how bring-your-own-subscription differs.Continue Reading
moves, adds and changes (MAC)
Moves, adds and changes (MAC) refers to a set of tasks that IT teams regularly perform to keep computing equipment up to date and aligned with user and business requirements.Continue Reading
Data center redundancy: The basics
Downtime can cost businesses thousands, and redundancy is one way to minimize disruptions. Assess uptime requirements when building redundancy in data center facilities.Continue Reading
load shedding
Load shedding (loadshedding) is a way to distribute demand for electrical power across multiple power sources.Continue Reading
Navigate Energy Star data center standard and certification
Organizations can use the Energy Star data center standard and certified assets to be more energy efficient. Consider Energy Star certification to preserve capital and save energy.Continue Reading
vendor lock-in
Vendor lock-in is a situation in which a customer using a product or service cannot easily transition to a competitor's product or service.Continue Reading
Understand the uses of blockchain in data centers
Blockchain is most famous for its cryptocurrency applications, but data centers can employ it for a variety of business-related reasons -- including increased security.Continue Reading
edge data center
An edge data center is a small data center that is located close to the edge of a network.Continue Reading
Tips to use the Cockpit web consoles
Admins that use Cockpit to manage Linux servers can use the web consoles to add users, build firewalls and perform other tasks. Use these web consoles to oversee your servers.Continue Reading
screen scraping
Screen scraping is a data collection method used to gather information shown on a display to use for another purpose.Continue Reading
How to install Cockpit for Linux
Linux admins will need to use some of these commands to install Cockpit and configure firewalls. Admins can also connect to one or more servers through Cockpit via these steps.Continue Reading
data center as a service (DCaaS)
Data center as a service (DCaaS) is the provision of off-site physical data center facilities and infrastructure to clients.Continue Reading
Energy Star
Energy Star is a government-backed labeling program that helps people and organizations save money and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by identifying factories, office equipment, home appliances and electronics that have superior energy efficiency.Continue Reading
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, more commonly known as LEED, is an environmentally oriented building certification program run by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).Continue Reading
mainframe (big iron)
A mainframe (also known as 'big iron') is a high-performance computer used for large-scale computing purposes that require greater availability and security than a smaller-scale machine can offer... (Continued)Continue Reading
4 PowerShell modules every IT pro should know
Find out how to use four of the most popular PowerShell community modules in the PowerShell Gallery to help better manage your data center and automate certain tasks.Continue Reading
green computing
Green computing, also known as green technology, is the use of computers and other computing devices and equipment in energy-efficient and eco-friendly ways.Continue Reading
IBM Roadrunner
Roadrunner was a supercomputer developed by IBM at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico.Continue Reading
pizza box server
The term 'pizza box server' refers to the shape of a computer server enclosed in a rectangular and horizontally- arranged chassis and often installed in a rack with similar servers.Continue Reading
job scheduler
A job scheduler is a computer program that enables an enterprise to schedule and, in some cases, monitor computer 'batch' jobs (units of work).Continue Reading
Use Cockpit for Linux remote server administration
Linux admins can use Cockpit to view Linux logs, monitor server performance and manage users. Use the tool to help admins manage servers, regardless of experience level.Continue Reading
statistical mean, median, mode and range
The terms mean, median, mode, and range describe properties of statistical distributions.Continue Reading
heartbeat (computing)
In computing, a heartbeat is a program that runs specialized scripts automatically whenever a system is initialized or rebooted.Continue Reading
Fedora
Fedora, also known as Fedora Linux, is a popular open source Linux-based operating system (OS).Continue Reading
crontab
Crontab is a Unix command that creates a table or list of commands, each of which is to be executed by the operating system (OS) at a specified time and on a regular schedule.Continue Reading
Words to go: 6 key data center sustainability metrics
When organizations go green in their data center, they will have to measure the facility's efficiency and environmental impact. Use sustainability metrics to get started.Continue Reading
Everything you need to know about Linux man pages
Admins who aren't familiar with a command can use Linux man pages for better understanding. This tutorial outlines how to access Linux manuals and the value they provide.Continue Reading
data center infrastructure efficiency (DCiE)
Data Center Infrastructure Efficiency (DCiE) is a metric used to determine the energy efficiency of a data center. The metric, which is expressed as a percentage, is calculated by dividing IT equipment power by total facility power.Continue Reading
Quantum data centers might be the way of the future
Quantum computing has lots of potential for high compute applications. But the technology is still in the early stages, so it may be a while before more data centers adopt it.Continue Reading
Learn different data lake vs. data warehouse uses
Data lakes and data warehouses both store big data. When choosing a lake or warehouse, consider factors such as cost and what insights or analytics you need to gain from the data.Continue Reading
How to check an IP address in Linux
In a Linux system, IP addresses correspond with a public or private network. This tutorial outlines how to find public and private IP addresses with Linux commands.Continue Reading
Learn what SDN data center controllers do in a network
In a software-defined network, SDN data center controllers are a crucial component. Consider factors such as performance and compatibility when examining controller options.Continue Reading
ambient temperature
Ambient temperature is the air temperature of any object or environment where equipment is stored.Continue Reading
hot spot/cold spot
A hot spot/cold spot is an undesirable, tightly focused local temperature variation, which often occurs when data center equipment is improperly cooled.Continue Reading
ISO 50001 (International Organization for Standardization 50001)
ISO 50001 (International Organization for Standardization 50001) is a voluntary standard for designing, implementing and maintaining an energy management system.Continue Reading
How to use file server reporting in FSRM
File server reporting within File Server Resource Manager can help admins identify problems and then troubleshoot Windows servers. This tutorial outlines how to generate reports.Continue Reading
Bourne shell
The Bourne shell is the original Unix shell -- command execution program, often called a command interpreter -- that was developed in 1979 at what at the time was Bell Labs.Continue Reading
data integrity
Data integrity is the assurance that digital information is uncorrupted and can only be accessed or modified by those authorized to do so.Continue Reading
raised floor
A raised floor is a data center construction model in which a slightly higher floor is constructed above the building's original concrete slab floor, leaving the open space created between the two for wiring or cooling infrastructure.Continue Reading
How to implement file classification in file servers
File classification with File Server Resource Manager enables admins to classify and organize data. This tutorial shows how to implement and manage file classifications.Continue Reading
kernel
The kernel is the essential foundation of a computer's operating system (OS). It is the core that provides basic services for all other parts of the OS.Continue Reading
Spine-leaf (spine-leaf architecture)
Spine-leaf, or leaf-spine, is a two-layer network topology composed of spine and leaf switches.Continue Reading
computer room air conditioning (CRAC) unit
A computer room air conditioning (CRAC) unit is a device that monitors and maintains the temperature, air distribution and humidity in a data center, network or server room.Continue Reading