Best Practices for AIX in a SAN Environment: Part 2, I/O Configurations
July 14, 2021
In my last article I explained the best practices for AIX in a SAN environment from a SAN perspective. I explained some best practices for SAN topologies, multipathing, FC-HBA configurations, among other recommendations. In this article, I’ll explain the best practices for the I/O configuration from the AIX perspective—that is, recommendations for data layout, filesystems, flash caches configuration […]
ArticlesBest Practices for AIX in a SAN Environment: Part 1
June 24, 2021
AIX supports different SAN topologies, switches and storage servers from multiple vendors. This represents challenges, due to the fact the interoperability among vendors is less than ideal. Therefore, one important aspect to get a reliable AIX is to follow the best practices for the SAN environment. In this article, I want to explain the major […]
ArticlesContainerized Data Services and Software-Defined Storage Come to IBM Z
May 19, 2021
After an unforgettable 2020, this year is filled with hope. The biggest vaccination campaign in history is underway and we are slowly going back to a new normal. After these eventful past 12 months, there’s a quote by author Hillary DePiano that describes well what to do next: “You can get excited about the future. The past […]
ArticlesThe Rise of Edge Infrastructure Storage
May 6, 2021
Hybrid cloud has changed the way business gets done. Its growth has also brought about the need to manage the edge of the network, which is often geographically dispersed and disconnected from the data. According to an IDC report, the number of operational processes deployed on edge infrastructure is expected to grow from less than […]
ArticlesIBM Announces Major Innovations Across Its Storage Portfolio
April 27, 2021
Today, April 27, 2021, IBM announced key innovations across the storage portfolio, designed for improving access to, and management of, data across hybrid cloud environments. First, the company announced a plan to launch a new container-native software defined storage (SDS) solution, IBM Spectrum Fusion, in the second half of 2021. The first incarnation is planned […]
AIX/VIOS Versioning Recommendations, a POWER9-Based HMC and the Evolution of IBM Certifications
April 22, 2021
I believe AIX has stood the test of time. This opinion is based in part on the fact that legacy AIX documentation is still relevant. For example, I recently downloaded two Redbooks, “IBM Certification Study Guide eServer p5 and pSeries Administration and Support for AIX 5L Version 5.3” and “IBM eServer Certification Study Guide – […]
ArticlesIBM i Gets a Refresh, Increasing Automation and Storage Options
April 20, 2021
The latest round of IBM i technology refreshes (TRs) provides enhancements to offerings, services and hardware. On Tuesday, April 13, IBM announced the latest round of OS TRs—IBM i 7.4 TR4 and 7.3 TR10. These TRs demonstrate a commitment to IBM i services, showcase a continuing push toward automation and represent a heavy investment in […]
ArticlesMainframes and Cloud Computing
March 29, 2021
We all know what mainframes are—the best and most secure, scalable, and available computing platform—but what exactly is the cloud? Cloud computing started off as design idea on diagrams for unspecified routing and hardware, that the viewer didn’t need to worry about. The important parts of the diagram were around the cloud. More recently, the […]
ArticlesHow Air-Gap Backup and Tape-Based Technology Protect Against Cybercrime
February 10, 2021
Cybercrime is a prevalent topic in today’s news. It’s changing the way business is conducted to maintain data integrity and protection from theft. Data is the life blood of any organization; cybercriminals seek to exploit data from human as well as security vulnerabilities inherent to the software or hardware structures. Much of corporate data today […]
Articles4 Customer Journeys From Tape to Cloud
December 8, 2020
Necessity, it’s been said, is the mother of invention. Such was the case when information technology outsourcing (ITO) company Blue Hill Data Services faced a number of obstacles as it prepared for the data migration of four mainframe-based customers (including a state pension fund, a large state government, a state government department of labor and […]