RAID reliability: AFR, MTBF, MTTDL & URE explained
How likely is a RAID array to actually lose data? Four numbers decide it — AFR, MTBF, URE and rebuild time — combined into MTTDL. Here's what each means and how RAID level changes the odds. See the UR…
UK MAT IT procurement through DfE frameworks
UK Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs) procure IT through specific frameworks — CCS, NEUPC, NWUPC, ESPO, KCS — plus direct purchase routes. Each has trade-offs on price, supplier breadth, and procurement effo…
Server refresh decision framework: 3 vs 5 vs 7 years
The "refresh every 5 years" rule of thumb made sense in 2010 — hardware aged faster, OEM warranties expired predictably, and capex cycles aligned. In 2026 the calculation is different. This is the dec…
HPE Apollo 6500 GPU server: the OEM-supported alternative to DGX
The HPE Apollo 6500 is HPE's answer to the question many UK teams ask once they decide they need serious GPU compute: do we have to buy an NVIDIA DGX, or can we get an eight-GPU server from a vendor w…
APC vs Eaton vs Riello UPS UK 2026: which UPS brand for which use case
APC by Schneider Electric, Eaton, and Riello dominate UK UPS sales — between them they cover SMB rack UPS through data-centre 1.5 MW chassis systems. All three are mature, all three have UK-wide servi…
ZFS vdevs, ashift & recordsize explained
Three ZFS settings make or break a pool's capacity and performance: how you lay out vdevs, ashift (sector size) and recordsize. Get them wrong and you waste capacity or IOPS. See the effect live in th…
NIS2 UK implementation checklist 2026
The EU's NIS2 Directive came into force in October 2024. UK organisations with EU operations, EU customers, or supply-chain reach into EU "essential" or "important" entities are in scope. The UK is al…
First boot with iDRAC and iLO: initial server setup the right way (UK 2026)
The baseboard management controller is the first thing you should configure on a new server and the one most people configure last - if at all. Dell iDRAC and HPE iLO give you full remote control of a…
How to spec a server in 2026: a practitioner's walkthrough
Most server sizing mistakes happen at the spec stage — undersized RAM, overspecified CPU, wrong drive form factor, missed network throughput requirement. This walkthrough gives you the actual decision…
HPE ProLiant tower servers: MicroServer, ML110 and ML350 Gen11 for UK SMBs and branch offices
Not every business has a rack, a server room or a cooling plant. Plenty of UK SMBs and branch offices need exactly one capable server that sits quietly in a cupboard or under a desk and just works. HP…
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