Azure Stack HCI/Storage Spaces Direct: Optimal Network Configuration

There are many ways one can go about setting up the networking for an Azure Stack HCI (ASHCI)/Storage Spaces Direct (S2D) hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI) cluster. TL;DR Our rule of thumb is to start with four 25GbE ports via two network adapters for multiple nodes requiring switches or even in smaller […]

Dyslexic Reading Heaven: Kindle Font: OpenDyslexic

On the Kindle Paperwhite we found the following font: kindle: OpenDyslexic Font Family For those that have dealt with the process of learning to cope with and work with dyslexia this font is a life saver. It makes reading so much easier on the brain allowing for longer reads before […]

Lessons Learned: Rack Enclosures: PDUs, PDU Cables, and Cable Ties

This is what one of our Proof-of-Concept (PoC) rack enclosures looked like before we were finished buttoning things up: Four Node Storage Spaces Direct Cluster with Mellanox 40GbE RoCE Fabric In the end, we did a decent job of wrapping and coiling the massive 40GbE cables and the 250V PDU […]

Windows 10: WiFi Download Speeds Stall

There is an issue with Receive Segment Coalescing (RSC) on Windows 10 that causes download speeds to stall while connected via WiFi. Steps to disable Rsc using Microsoft’s automated tool: 1) Download the “.diagcab” file located here: https://aka.ms/diag_cssemerg11005 (UPDATE 2021-03-17: Link is dead) 2) Run it, and let it see […]

Custom Build S2D: The Elusive SlimSAS 8x (SFF-8654) Cable

Server and workstation boards have had SlimSAS 8x connectors for dual NVMe drive setups for quite a long time now. ASRock Rack EPC621D6U-2T16R (BTO Board) The SlimSAS SFF-8654 connector is to the right of the PCIe x16 slot. When they started appearing on server and workstation boards, we began trying […]

Freebie: OneNote 2016 and Send to OneNote

The new OneNote in Office 2019 is not the best. In fact, it’s hobbling our productivity. Fortunately, Microsoft has recognized that the Win32 app, that is OneNote 2016, is that superior to the current OneNote version that they’ve allowed it to be downloaded and installed freely. Install or reinstall OneNote […]

TYAN RMM TIPs: Default Username and Password Plus Set Up Tips

TYAN has an excellent built-in Remote Management Module (RMM) that does not require an extra license like some Tier 1 vendors do. TYAN Default Administrator Username and Password The default TYAN username and password is: Username: root Password: superuser The first thing we do when we sign in is create […]