Data Center Geeks Hub

One of the reasons why you love EasyDCIM is probably the extent to which it automates all sorts of processes going on under the roof of your data center. But as you will see for yourself in a few moments, the milestone 1.5.0 version of you favorite control panel brings the subject of automation to a whole new level! When a hobby becomes a nuisance As a technological geek you certainly get a kick out of the whole ritual surrounding the installation of a new server. But will the thrill be equally as intense when installing not one or a few, but a hundred of operating systems? Highly doubtful. In such a situation you will be grateful for the tools which help to automate the system implementation process along with a complete configuration. Why else is automation so important for data centers? Let us stop on this subject for a moment. The more computer devices in the company's infrastructure, the higher the cost of their implementation, future maintenance and ultimate shutdown. But money is not the only problem. Apart from the fact that your employees are doomed to lose a lot of valuable time on routine tasks, there is also the issue of increased failure rates and worse transparency of complex systems. During installation of operating system, one must also cope with hundreds of drivers, technical specifics, and other additional tasks like installing occasional patches. That is quite a lot to digest, isn't it? Luckily for you, automation solves most of these concerns - guarantees the most economic resource usage, provides you with unlimited control over various processes, and reduces the need for manual routine tasks to the minimum. Automation of operating systems - benefits The profits of implementing a solution based on automatic operating system installer are both many and tangible. For starters, automation enables to add whole operating systems along with services, applications and all additional configuration by simply duplicating the administrator-defined installation templates. The results are immediate. Since automatic deployment is simply much faster than manual installation, you can spend the saved time on, for example, making another server ready for use. What is more, EasyDCIM allows you to run multiple network installations simultaneously. Being based on configuration files and scripts, these operations do not allow for any errors – something which cannot be said about an activity performed manually by human. EasyDCIM is also a great way to standardize your configuration. By installing many identical servers, it is much easier later on to navigate through their settings, diagnose failures, anticipate possible problems, and introduce comprehensive changes. Another crucial advantage of the implementation lies in the ease of use. Although the very preparation of a complete environment and configuration of its numerous tools can be both time-consuming and quite complicated, the installation of new servers after that is a smooth sailing and should cause no trouble to even the less experienced users. The technical perspective Servers operate basing on such services as DHCP, TFTP, HTTP and kickstart answer files. Each new dedicated server is launched from the network. While downloading settings from the DHCP server, our dedicated server also detects the EasyDCIM installation server and receives from it the list of available templates - possible to implement scenarios. In the very basic one, the profile includes a specific operating system distribution and a kickstart file containing the answers for the installer. By choosing a selected profile, you can then install the desired operating system without the need to supervise it personally. When it comes to a slightly more complex scenario, profiles are enriched with additional scripts that can not only install services and user accounts but also upload appropriate configuration files and perform a suite of other tasks in the newly added systems. EasyDCIM also allows to maximally optimize the implementation of operating systems understood as the automatic installation of a complete system containing all the required configuration. The more delegated tasks, the less manual work will be required with each new server. During the installation of an operating system installation, EasyDCIM performs a series of specific actions in a fully automatic manner: 1. Based on the MAC Address field of the device, EasyDCIM regenerates the configuration file of the DHCP server. 2. The device is restarted using IPMI, PDU or a manual method and entered into the PXE boot mode. 3. The device is launched in the PXE boot mode. 4. The device requests DHCP server to assign the IP address set in the IP Address field in EasyDCIM. 5. The DHCP server assigns the appropriate IP address. 6. The appropriate bootloader file is downloaded from the TFTP server and then uploaded to the device's memory. 7. Based on the correct bootloader file, the kickstart file containing the configuration of the selected operating system is requested from EasyDCIM. 8. The kickstart file is downloaded from the specified IP address of the EasyDCIM server. 9. Automatic installation of the operating system is commenced via the kickstart file: Downloading the required system files Running the pre-installation scripts Setting the time zone Setting the language Disk partitioning Creating a user account and setting the root password Setting the parent IP address Setting additional IP addresses and network interfaces Installing additional system packages Running post-installation scripts Finishing the installation 10. Once the installation has been completed successfully, a suitable notification is sent to EasyDCIM. This principle of operation is used for most installation templates. While some templates may vary in certain respects, the operating principle remains the same. Now, let us see how this theory works in practice! [embed]https://youtu.be/0SnCG7UF1cU[/embed] Manual installation of operating systems raises more problems than being just extremely laborious. More often than not it requires unwavering attention and excellent technical know-how, too. And there is always the risk that despite your best efforts, you may inadvertently mess up a few crucial steps in the process. With the new EasyDCIM v1.5.0 already on the loose, you may take the bother of manual OS installation off your mind entirely, and do something more interesting in the meantime. Like, for example, checking out some other principal functionalities of this ground-breaking novel version: IP Address Management v1.5.3 OS Installation For EasyDCIM v1.3.0 Greater functionality connected with PDU drivers More advanced power control settings Learn more about this most anticipated edition of EasyDCIM ever and bring a boon of automation to your data center! View The Changelog!

The sheer amount of sundry data stored and disseminated in server rooms every day, hour and minute is just staggering. And given the highly competitive nature of data center industry, it should not come as shock to anyone that effective data analysis is starting to play an increasingly important role for more and more business owners. Are you one of them? Did you ever realize how much potential lies dormant in these countless figures and numbers collected right under the roof of your data center? If not – be prepared to have your mind blown away by this game-changing revelation known to the circle of insiders as 'data mining'. Reports in EasyDCIM v1.4.4 New EasyDCIM v1.4.4 was designed and developed with one primary intent in mind – to help you discover your business anew with the aid of a wide assortment of whip-smart reports. The 15 novel report types are grouped into thematic categories to let you swiftly reach the relevant content you are currently interested in. Would you like to analyze which nationality constitutes the biggest percentage of your client base, and thus better personalize your offer? It will take you only a few minutes to study the statistics generated by the client-focused reports and draw valid conclusions. Measuring the resource usage and traffic generated by network devices does not have to serve billing purposes exclusively. Thanks to the multiple reports dedicated to devices you can easily sort the values from the highest to the lowest and preview, for example, if the transfer usage has increased or decreased compared to the previous month or any other time period. Monitoring the load of devices from the last 5 minutes, in turn, will allow you to quickly detect if there is a DDoS attack attempt being made on any of the ports. Are you adopting new strategies to branch out your business? Or maybe you want to simply keep your finger on the pulse and evaluate the profitability of your data center? Whatever your goals are, the next class of reports aimed at orders and services will grant you instant access to all sorts of details related to orders from any time interval of your own choosing. Deciding on a further course of action? Making quick adjustments to improve the quality of provided services? Not a problem any more! Keeping track of your inventory items can be quite a challenge when you own dozens of them (which you most certainly do). The last category of newly implemented reports designated for inventory organization will bring much alleviation to your daily tasks by allowing you to easily sort the possessed items by their type, status, model, and display the number of racks according to their location. We are positive that through careful interpretation of the data collected within these five areas you will be able to drive effective decision-making, predict customer trends, and boost the general productivity of your data center. Although we got totally engrossed in the business of new reports, this release has many more salient points to enjoy. Let us have a look at some of them: Password Management Module v1.1.0 Usage Collector Module v1.3.1 List with application jobs New configuration fields in the general settings Streamlined polling process Learn more about EasyDCIM v1.4.4 and be on the lookout for more stirring Blog posts devoted in their entirety to freshly applied reports! View The Changelog!

In EasyDCIM we are ever guided by a holistic approach to modern data center management. One of the key services of an all-around, competitive and security-oriented business is no stranger to anyone. Colocation - the centerpiece of many data center providers is now available in our system! Going straight to the point, EasyDCIM v1.4.3 is ready for action! This time, we channeled our hard work into featuring our system with the vital component - multi-level colocation support.  We have enriched EasyDCIM with a dedicated section and widget where you can now list and manage a colocation with details on the traffic and power usage. You will be also enabled to add your devices (including PDU) and ports to a chosen colocation and assign them to your customers with just a few clicks! [gallery link="file" size="medium" ids="1387,1388,1389"] To fully reflect the new possibilities of a colocation, we have revamped the client area to let your customers monitor total bandwidth, traffic and the resource usage of their new service. [gallery size="medium" link="file" ids="1386,1384,1385"] What is more, good folks at ModulesGarden will release a dedicated WHMCS module for EasyDCIM in early March. It will empower you to automatically provision a colocation solution and bill your clients for the actual resource usage per service. Stay tuned for more info! Last but not least, we have also improved many important functionalities. Some of them are: Usage Collector Module v1.3.0 Traffic aggregation Remote control of PDU outlets Parts management Rack view System notifications It's time for colocation, but now it's your move! Learn more about new EasyDCIM v1.4.3 and expect more to show up in the upcoming weeks! Find Out More

Not so long ago we have made you - the major driving force behind our ever-expanding data center control panel, a sincere promise. More specifically, we have come up with a formula destined to continuously reinforce Admin Experience with every new EasyDCIM version released: intuitive interface → ease and speed of use → more tasks completed within less time. Because we never go back on our word, we have just subjected our software into close scrutiny to perk its structure up and keep that very promise. We proudly present the results of this ambitious venture – the comprehensively revitalized EasyDCIM v1.4.2! Let us take you on a journey through the most noteworthy modifications which will ensure maximum efficiency of your panel without losing even a bit of quality. EasyDCIM v1.4.2 will safeguard the utmost Admin Experience with a few hefty functionalities. Probably the most practical of them is the revamped Network Auto Discovering option empowering you to add all devices within your network at one go by means of an SNMP protocol. Say goodbye to the times when you had to type in the IP addresses manually! Wouldn’t you like to keep track of all the changes introduced to your devices and know the answer to all nagging questions: who, what, when and where? Now imagine you can have this whole wisdom focused in one place labeled as Revision History! There are many functionalities worth mentioning, but we shall confine this brief guide to one more, and that is IMPI Console VPN Instructions. If you want to instruct your clients on how to connect to VPN and download the Java console without tones of operations and rerouting, this is just what the doctor ordered! Just fill in four fields added in the configuration form of the IPMI connection exactly for this purpose and go easy from now on. It looks like our bag of novelties is bottomless since we still have a few aces up our sleeve! Among the tidbits that will send shivers down your spine you will discover for example a must-have functionality for auto-detecting VLANs on Cisco devices and a handful of improvements brought into your favorite EasyDCIM modules which jumped at the opportunity and picked up some freshening-up too: OS Installation For EasyDCIM 1.2.0 has been boosted with a possibility to select several install addons while installing a new OS as well as synchronize them from NOC-PS to EasyDCIM, IP Address Management For EasyDCIM 1.5.2 has been charged with two widgets resulting in a more transparent display of IP addresses in the subnet and a device's summary view. It would ruin the whole fun if we disclosed all the spicy secrets of EasyDCIM v1.4.2 right away, wouldn’t it? You know where to look for the rest – a magical place called the changelog! Go to changelog!

Some say that nothing should be done in haste but gripping a flea. We can agree that in most situations you should avoid unnecessary rush, but how to reconcile a pervasive multitasking with the ever-growing pace of life? What if you could eliminate the hurry from your work completely? You can think it is easier said than done, we say - not really! Our latest EasyDCIM v1.4.1 will make this possible. The several new, really clever features will help you save a lot of your precious time... and nerves. :) The centerpiece of this version is the capability to Mass Edit/Delete items and attributes in various tables, related, but not limited to inventory, servers, items, locations or users! You will no longer spend more time than it is absolutely necessary to control and update your data center assets. Changing the status of 500 devices in 5 seconds? You got this! Removing dozens of unnecesary spare parts in a few clicks? Nothing easier! Examples are endless, but you will surely find the best purpose for these new functionalities on your own. Just check the desired records, click on the "With Selected" dropdown menu on the right side and pick the mass action you with to perform. Choose from the dynamically loaded set of fields available for modifying and set their new value. That's it - works like a charm! We have also prepared something to let you expand the possibilities of EasyDCIM even further. The brand new Sample Module will help you understand the structure of modules used in the system, learn how to install and run them successfully, but above all, create your own modules with ease! For instance, you can hook up to easydcim.deleted: device event with the module and fire up any action like sending an email/SMS notification or deleting the related devices. What is more, we have updated and standardized the list of system events so you can fully exploit the possibilities of EasyDCIM through custom modifications. We can also tailor the system's behavior to your preferences - just let us know if you need any assistance in this matter. Our widget has been updated too! Now you will never miss the key information about your EasyDCIM license. Is there anything else that may interest you about new EasyDCIM v1.4.1? Of course there is! Actually, there are - many more fresh functionalities and facilitations. Just visit our website for more and do not forget to see the changelog! Go to changelog!

To stand still is to move back. No matter the circumstances, there is always a room for improvement. Duh! Even for sweeping changes - a quantum leap in Admin Experience! We listen very carefully to your priceless comments and we value our common talks about EasyDCIM dearly. We believe that a great system is the perfect combination of our collective ideas and experiences. In one of our recent publications we have mentioned that running your own data center is a challenging task - that is true. But together we will make it really simple and trouble-free! How can we achieve that? With a true milestone in the history of our control panel named proudly EasyDCIM v1.4.0! Undoubtedly, you are now wondering what is so extraordinary in the latest version of EasyDCIM that made us call this release groundbreaking. Starting with v1.3.0, we initiated a fresh approach to further development of our system - focused clearly on the way you interact with EasyDCIM and the way it influences your daily work. How you use it to achieve your goals, the way it helps you overcome business problems and the time you spend to make desired things happen. This is our target, to make your business day much more productive! Under the banners of Admin Experience and v1.4.0 we have: Redesigned the UI of the entire system - making it much more user-friendly and intuitive Prepared new, fully responsive design for mobile devices Improved performance and reduced loading time of pages Added fresh features related to e.g. item types, VLANs, automation, orders, and servers Enhanced many technical aspects of the system These are just the highlights of the most important changes and we are well aware of the fact that you would love to learn more, and you definitely will! In the upcoming days, we will prepare a few more Blog articles about new, ingenious functionalities introduced in the EasyDCIM v1.4.0, like the brand new menu with updated navigation, enhanced forms, adding devices, usability improvements, design changes and more! Last but not least, we have also released two new versions of our modules: OS Installation For EasyDCIM 1.1.0 with tons of new features mostly designed for the NOC-PS submodule IP Address Management For EasyDCIM 1.5.1 with updated subnet & pool summary and several improvements connected strictly with IP subnets Before this article becomes way too long, just check out some of the hottest screenshots of EasyDCIM v1.4.0 below and visit our changelog to learn more! Eager to perform the update of your current installation? Download our free Updater Script or simply ask our Team for assistance. As always, stay tuned for more information and Blog articles coming out soon. Do not forget to share your feedback about your new EasyDCIM! [easyrotator]erc_57_1502897395[/easyrotator] See The Changelog!

Running your own data center is a challenging task but taking absolute control over it is a truly hard one. Thankfully, the new EasyDCIM is here to make your life much easier! Our fully featured control panel needs no introduction, but a brief mention about the latest functionalities introduced in version 1.3.1 will surely intrigue you. EasyDCIM now supports device bays that represent the capability of a parent device to store the child devices. For instance, 4 bays can be created and assigned to a single blade server of the height of 2U. Bays can be sorted freely according to requirements. The next novelty is support for non-racked devices of the height of 0U assigned to the rack. We have also facilitated the management of racks as well as enabled your customers to view all the IP addresses and subnets assigned to their devices directly in the client area. Of course, new EasyDCIM v1.3.1 has much more to offer in terms of new features and interesting changes. One of these changes is represented by refreshed IP Address Management For EasyDCIM 1.5.0 with a new gamut of possibilities. The updated module will allow you to assign multiple devices and VLANs to IP subnets, split IP subnets upon choosing a relevant mask and access detailed summary. A must-have tool, no doubts! To cap off our post, we would like to present you the latest screenshots of new functionalities that you will not find anywhere else, and invite you to visit our changelog to learn more about EasyDCIM v1.3.1! [gallery size="medium" link="file" ids="1017,1016,1018,1020,1019,1021"] Go To Changelog!

Attention! This article contains release spoilers. You are reading it on your own risk! Before we proceed to the main course, we would like to highlight the release of EasyDCIM v1.3.1 that will take place within no longer than a week! The upcoming edition of our system will be equipped with many improvements under the sign of Admin Experience, including but not limited to support for device bays or non-racked devices and various display enhancements that will make your daily work much easier and much faster. What is more, we will also release the next version of IP Address Management For EasyDCIM module with several completely new features like subnet splitting or assigning multiple devices to subnets. More info will show up really soon so stay tuned! Turning to the subject of EasyDCIM v1.4.0, we could have summarized it with a brief statement - it's time to beautify! Having the above in mind, our team is working really hard to make your experience with EasyDCIM way more pleasant and efficient. Therefore we will redesign its whole UI! Take a look at the first preview of the upcoming update and... expect the unexpected as these screenshots are just the beta version of the new design! [gallery size="medium" link="file" ids="954,955,957"] Let us know what you think about the new interface in the comment section below and please summon up a little patience until the version 1.4.0 is ready to launch :)

PHP 7 was officially released nearly one and a half years ago. Nowadays, its ubiquity in the whole IT industry does not surprise anyone. However, introducing a fresh technology to your product is one thing, but to do it right and exploit its full potential is quite another. In EasyDCIM we are definitely on the other side! Our goal was to squeeze maximum performance out of our system - and we succeeded. In our previous Blog article about performance comparison between v1.2.3 & v1.3.0 we prepared for you a detailed tally with hard facts on various loading times' differences. This time we would like to show you a more vivid proof that the new EasyDCIM v1.3.0 on PHP 7 works even two times faster than its previous version on PHP 5. The short animation below presents the time required to find a desired server among the hundreds of devices on EasyDCIM v1.2.3 (PHP5) and EasyDCIM v1.3.0 (PHP7). Our tests have been carried out on an identical machine with the identical number of devices. Quite a difference, isn't it? On thousands of devices it would have been even greater! Have not seen the latest, turbocharged EasyDCIM v.1.3.0 yet? Visit our website and ask for a free demo version!