Sentient Stuff (Paul Smith)

 

Those of us who have worked in the data storage industry often wonder how our computers match up to the processor we carry around in our own heads. Comparisons are difficult to come by – we can estimate the average number of neurons in a human brain (~ 86 billion), but they are quite different from the “bits” that comprise computer memory. If they functioned in the same binary way, we would have the storage equivalent of a typical flash drive, and we’d have to start deleting less important memories by the time we reached sixth grade.

Cloud Migration Challenges: 5 Ways to Avoid Migration Failure

 Cloud Migration Challenges: 

5 Ways to Avoid Migration Failure

What are Cloud Migration Challenges?

The use of cloud computing in enterprise applications continues to grow. Enterprises are adopting a multi-cloud strategy to place more workloads on the public cloud, reduce costs, increase agility, and increase flexibility.

Dumpcap: The Unsung Hero

 

Most network analysts immediately launch Wireshark when they need a packet capture, but few realize that Wireshark itself relies on a command-line utility called dumpcap to do the actual packet capturing. While it doesn't have the flashy interface of Wireshark, dumpcap is often the better choice when you need reliable, low-overhead packet collection on busy networks or remote systems. Because it focuses solely on capturing traffic rather than decoding it, dumpcap uses fewer system resources and can run for extended periods without the overhead of a graphical interface.

Upgrading WiFi Does Not Guarantee High Throughput

 
After upgrading a Wi-Fi network to new technologies that boast speeds in excess of 1Gpbs, network engineers are often frustrated to find that the performance of network applications and services still lags. After all, if the data rate promises 10x the speed, shouldn’t we see a similar improvement in end user experience? Well, not necessarily. By now, many of us have experienced that especially in the Wi-Fi space, 1Gbps does not really mean 1Gbps. There are many variables that go into delivering data over radio waves, and as network engineers we are tasked with the best performance possible.

Application Comparison/Baselining

When users complain that an application feels "slow," the first question should be: compared to what? That's where application baselining comes into play. Baselining is simply the process of capturing how an application behaves when everything is working properly. Think of it as taking a performance snapshot before things go sideways. Without a baseline, troubleshooting becomes a lot like trying to diagnose a car problem without ever knowing how the engine sounded when it was healthy.