Systems Administration Services

Databases and Applications would be non-existent without the Operating Systems (OS) on which they reside. While the many and varied Operating Systems (OS) provide a platform for optimal performance of the databases and applications, exploiting the robust features of the hardware on which they reside – a poorly functioning OS can put a stranglehold on performance.

Moreover, failure to properly implement, review and patch OS level security mechanisms to guard against unwanted intrusions can leave data and information with which you have been entrusted by your company, customers or clients, unprotected.

Every OS has numerous parameters which can be tuned to increase performance or – just as easily and often unwittingly – decrease performance. Shared Memory, semaphores, swap space allocation, multi-path I/O and network bonding only scratch the surface of settings which can unleash or constrain performance. Specific hardware features can make a tuning parameter essential or in other cases deprecated or obsolete depending on the version of the OS. Seasoned, experienced Systems Administration is key to knowing which parameter settings and configurations will result in which system behaviors.

Whether the OS is Windows Server 2K_(x) the many flavors of Linux Open Systems such as Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), Ubuntu or any of the proprietary UNIX variants such as Solaris or HP-UX – all OS’s need regular patch updates for bug and security fixes, performance enhancements and other improvements.

Adding another layer of complexity (read “fun”) are Virtual Machine (VM) technologies such as VMware, Oracle VM Server or Windows Hyper-V allowing multiple OS’s to run on the same physical hardware – each with its own configuration and demands for CPU, Memory, I/O and Network bandwidth resources. Virtualization provides a host of cost effective, computing efficiencies and other benefits. But here too, there are many considerations for tuning for performance optimization.

At Intersect Consulting our “fun” is to free you from the headaches of System Administration that are keeping you and your team from focusing on your core business objectives. Ideally, to free your in-house IT staff to focus on the newer systems and technology initiatives targeted to help your business grow.

Our Pre-Emptive Planning Approach℠ to Systems Administration in the installation and configuration of OS’s coupled with our Pro-Active Maintenance and Monitoring provides a foundation for flexible updates and upgrades while maintaining the highest availability possible.