Stratos On Tech

Hub-and-spoke diagram with MCP at the center connecting an AI model to a database, GitHub, Slack, a filesystem, and a cloud API.

16 May 2026 • 7 min read

What MCP Actually Is: Architecture, Primitives, and Why It Exists (Part 1 of 2)

Large language models are brilliant but isolated. The Model Context Protocol (MCP) fixes this by standardizing AI integrations. Just as LSP did for IDEs, MCP lets you write a server once using three primitives, Tools, Resources, and Prompts, so any compliant AI assistant can seamlessly use your

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Infographic 'From Demo to Production: High-Impact RAG Strategies', grouping techniques into data foundation, retrieval, and production stacks.

24 Feb 2026 • 8 min read

11 Advanced RAG Strategies That Separate Demos From Production Systems (Part 3 of 3)

Basic RAG works for demos, but production demands more. Explore 11 advanced strategies, from re-ranking and multi-query to agentic and self-reflective RAG, that solve specific failure modes. Learn how to stack these techniques to build accurate, production-ready AI systems.

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Embedding space diagram showing clusters of related concepts as 2D vector points, with a query point and nearest-neighbor retrieval arrows

28 Jan 2026 • 8 min read

RAG Embeddings, Vector Databases & Chunking — Part 2

Embeddings, vector databases, and chunking are the foundation of every RAG system. Compare 6 vector DBs and 7 chunking strategies for your stack.

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RAG retrieval pipeline: user query passes through document chunks, embedding model, and vector database; retrieved chunks feed an LLM to produce a grounded answer

9 Jan 2026 • 9 min read

What Is RAG and Why Your LLM Needs It (Part 1 of 3)

Learn what Retrieval-Augmented Generation is, why LLMs fail without it, and how the complete RAG pipeline works from ingestion to answer generation.

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Illustration of a person at a laptop surrounded by floating documents, representing NotebookLM turning scattered sources into organized knowledge.

25 Oct 2025 • 8 min read

How to Use Google's NotebookLM as Your Personal Learning Assistant

NotebookLM tutorial: Learn how source-grounded AI solves documentation hallucination. This AI tool only uses your uploaded documents and provides citations.

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Sysadmin working on a server rack with a glowing neural network "AI" brain icon, symbolizing self-hosted private LLMs.

16 Oct 2025 • 9 min read

AI for Sysadmins and Developers (Part 2): A Guide to Self-Hosting LLMs with Ollama

Choosing the right AI model can be challenging. In this comparison, we break down open-source and proprietary models by cost, control, privacy, and performance, helping you make an informed and strategic decision for your specific needs.

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AI for Sysadmins Developers MLOps, Neural Networks, Automated IT, Data Center Automation

5 Oct 2025 • 12 min read

The Ultimate Guide to AI for Sysadmins and Developers (Part 1): From Neural Networks to the MLOps Factory Floor

Tired of treating AI like a magic black box? This practical guide for sysadmins and developers demystifies neural networks and the MLOps lifecycle. Learn to build, scale, and manage the engineering backbone of modern AI. Part 1 of our ultimate guide.

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21 Sep 2025 • 6 min read

Building a Secure Home Network: My Journey from Chaos to Control

So your network is a chaotic mess? Learn how I transformed my flat, vulnerable home network into a secure fortress using OPNsense, Pi-hole, and VLAN segmentation. This guide details the journey from chaos to complete control.

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16 Aug 2025 • 7 min read

Building My Personal Server: A Complete Journey

So, are you ready to take control of your data and learn valuable tech skills? This guide details my personal server build, from choosing hardware to self-hosting a secure website with Docker, a VPN with WireGuard, and more. It's a journey into digital ownership.

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