Server operations
Hands-on guides to IPMI, bulk OS installation, RAID and rescue mode.
- Server operations
RAID 0 vs 1 vs 5 vs 10: one comparison table, then choose by workload
RAID 0 vs 1 vs 5 vs 10 differs in how data is made redundant. RAID 0 only stripes; RAID 1 mirrors two drives; RAID 5 spends one drive on parity, cheap per TB but slow on small writes and rebuilds; RAID 10 mirrors then stripes for steady random writes. Databases and VMs: RAID 10. Boot drives: RAID 1.
- Server operations
1U vs 2U server: what actually differsand which one to buy
In a 1U vs 2U server comparison, CPU and memory are normally identical. The difference is what the extra 1.75 inches holds: 2–3 times the drive bays and PCIe slots, larger, quieter fans and higher-wattage power supplies, at the cost of a second rack unit. Web nodes go 1U; storage and GPU go 2U.
- Server operations
How to enable PXE boot in BIOS: UEFI and legacy settings by server brand
To enable PXE boot in BIOS, turn on network boot for the NIC port (Network Stack or PXE Device in UEFI mode, the PXE option ROM in legacy mode), pick IPv4 or IPv6, and put the NIC in the boot order, or press F12 at POST to network boot once. Miss one and the NIC never appears.
- Server operations
What is HPE iLO? Remote management for ProLiant servers explained
HPE iLO (Integrated Lights-Out) is the BMC built into ProLiant servers: a separate chip with its own network port that lets you power the host on and off, see its screen and mount an ISO with nobody on site. What you can do depends on the iLO generation and the license.
- Server operations
What is IP KVM? How KVM over IP works, its three forms and when you need one
What is IP KVM? Hardware that puts a computer's screen, keyboard and mouse on the network: it streams the video output to your browser and feeds your input back as USB. Because it works outside the OS, you can operate POST, the BIOS, installers and blue screens remotely.
- Server operations
What is PXE boot? How network booting and PXE installs work
PXE (Preboot eXecution Environment) is network booting built into NIC firmware. A server with no OS asks DHCP for an address and a boot file name, downloads a bootloader over TFTP and runs it from memory. A PXE install uses that path to deliver the installer and an answer file, with no USB stick.
- Server operations
What is BMC in server hardware? The out-of-band management chip explained
What is BMC in server hardware? The Baseboard Management Controller is a small computer on the motherboard with its own processor, memory, firmware and network port that runs whenever the server has power. IPMI and Redfish are protocols for talking to it; iDRAC and iLO are vendor names for it.
- Server operations
What is IPMI? A complete guide to remote power, OS install and console
IPMI lets you power a server on and off, see its screen and reinstall it even when it is off, frozen or has no operating system. This guide explains how it works, the commands you will use, and what to watch for when using it at scale in a data center.
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