As a database administrator, I once relied on DELETE to purge large volumes of obsolete records. Over time, I discovered this approach caused hidden performance and storage headaches. In this post, I’ll share what I learned about InnoDB’s storage model, the pitfalls of bulk DELETE, and the best practices I now follow. Understanding InnoDB’s Storage Architecture InnoDB stores data in tablespaces, segments, extents (groups of 32 pages), and pages (16 KB each by default). When you delete rows, InnoDB simply marks them as deleted—it doesn’t return space to the operating system. As a result, the .ibd file stays the same size, leaving unused “holes” in your tablespace. My Experiment: DELETE Doesn’t Free Space I created an empty table and saw...
As the person responsible for our company’s IT infrastructure, one of my essential tasks was optimizing our web servers. After much research, testing, and consideration, Nginx emerged as the optimal solution due to its high performance, reliability, and flexibility. Understanding Nginx Architecture and Working Model One aspect that immediately attracted me to Nginx was its highly efficient architecture. Unlike Apache’s thread-based approach, Nginx uses a Master-Worker architecture. Master and Worker Processes The Master process manages global operations: reading configurations, launching worker processes, and overseeing their health. Each Worker process, operating independently, handles client requests using an event-driven model, efficiently managing multiple connections with minimal resource usage. Event-Driven Asynchronous Model Worker processes employ a non-blocking, event-driven model, ensuring quick request handling...
How I Centralized Our Desktop Wallpaper with Active Directory GPO As the IT administrator for one of our corporate clients, I was recently tasked with standardizing the desktop background on nearly 200 domain-joined PCs. Manually updating each machine would be a logistical nightmare, so I leveraged our Windows Server’s Active Directory and Group Policy to automate the process. Scenario & Requirements The client wanted a branded 1920×1080 wallpaper across all employee workstations without touching individual machines. To prepare, I gathered: A high-resolution wallpaper file (1920×1080) to enforce on all desktops. An Active Directory domain controller with file-share capability. Verified AD health (DNS, replication) and appropriate GPO editing permissions. Step 1: Create & Share the Wallpaper Folder On the domain controller:...
Securing Our Linux Servers with SSH Two-Factor Authentication In my role as a systems administrator at our company, I recently observed numerous automated login attempts against our Linux servers. Handling sensitive customer data demands robust security measures, so I decided to implement two-factor authentication (2FA) for all SSH access. Below is the scenario that prompted this change and a detailed walkthrough of how I set it up using Google Authenticator. The Scenario: Why We Needed SSH 2FA Our production environment runs on Debian 12.5 and Ubuntu 24.04 servers hosting web applications and internal tools. After receiving alerts about repeated failed SSH logins, I knew it was only a matter of time before a breach occurred. To mitigate this risk quickly...
DNS Records Guide: A Comprehensive Look at Domain DNS and Record Types Domain Name System (DNS) is the backbone of the modern Internet—translating human-friendly domain names into IP addresses that machines understand. In this guide, we’ll dive into how DNS works, explore the most common record types, and explain the purpose and best practices for each. How DNS Works: The Basics When you type www.example.com in your browser, your computer queries a DNS resolver, which cascades through root, TLD, and authoritative name servers to find the matching record. That record points to an IP address (IPv4 or IPv6), and the browser then connects to the server. This multi-step lookup happens in milliseconds, seamlessly routing you to the correct resource. Key...
How I Transformed Our File Sharing Workflow with Snapdrop In my role as an IT engineer, I encounter daily requests for transferring large design assets, logs, and multimedia between team members. USB drives require manual handoffs, emails choke on attachments over 25 MB, and Bluetooth can take minutes for just one file. Apple’s AirDrop is convenient—if all devices are Apple—but our environment spans Windows, Linux, Android, and iOS. I needed a truly universal solution, and that’s when I discovered Snapdrop. Background: Limitations of Traditional Methods Before Snapdrop, our team struggled with: USB Drives: Risk of lost or infected devices. Email Attachments: Size limits and slow uploads. Bluetooth: Tedious pairing and slow transfer speeds. What Is Snapdrop? Snapdrop is an open-source,...
As an IT professional, one of the constant challenges I face is managing suspicious files and spam emails within our company. Often, these emails or attachments might look legitimate but could easily contain hidden malware that could put our network and data at risk. That’s where Windows Sandbox comes into play—a simple yet powerful solution I rely on daily. Why Choose Windows Sandbox? Windows Sandbox is essentially a lightweight, isolated desktop environment, perfect for safely testing files and links without risking your main operating system or network. Once you close the Sandbox, everything inside it is permanently deleted, making it ideal for handling uncertain files. My Step-by-Step Approach to Testing Files in Windows Sandbox 1. Enabling Windows Sandbox First things...
One day last week, I woke up to a nightmare scenario: our company’s Apache server had slowed to a crawl, and within minutes it was clear we were under a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack. Having faced this situation before, I knew immediately what I needed to do. Here’s exactly how I handled it, step-by-step, to not only stop the attack but to make sure it wouldn’t happen again. Step 1: Identifying the Attack The first thing I did was to verify that it was indeed a DDoS attack. I logged into our Apache server and checked the server logs using: tail -n 100 /var/log/apache2/access.log I noticed a massive flood of repeated requests from suspicious IP addresses targeting the...
Connecting WordPress to n8n was one of the best moves I’ve ever made to streamline my workflow. Honestly, before discovering n8n, automating WordPress tasks felt complicated and intimidating. Now, everything is simplified, automated, and stress-free. Let me walk you through exactly how I made this happen. Step 1: Understanding What n8n Does n8n is basically my go-to open-source automation platform. Think of it as “Zapier,” but more customizable (and free!). I use it for automating pretty much everything—from form submissions to updating content automatically. So, connecting it with my WordPress site felt like a natural next step. Step 2: Preparing WordPress for n8n Integration First, I needed to ensure my WordPress website was ready for external connections. Here’s what I...
Running multiple WordPress sites, I always struggled to provide quick and consistent customer support, especially after hours. That’s when I discovered a powerful solution: building an AI-powered chatbot using n8n and ChatGPT. Let me share exactly how I did it: Why I Chose n8n + ChatGPT for My WordPress Site Integrating n8n, an incredibly flexible automation tool, with ChatGPT, an advanced conversational AI, has allowed me to provide instant, engaging responses to visitors, dramatically improving the user experience and reducing my manual workload. My Step-by-Step Process: Step 1: Preparing My Tools First, I signed up for an OpenAI API key to access ChatGPT. Next, I installed n8n on my server, though they also offer a hosted version. I verified that...
FoxDoo Technology
FoxDoo Technology
