Ask the Experts

Ask the Experts

• What are 3 best practices for storage encryption at rest?

  Consider the fine print of encrypting data at rest. For example, access control permissions can make or break a storage encryption plan.  Continue Reading

• Network redundancy vs. resiliency: What's the difference?

  The difference between network redundancy and resiliency is redundancy duplicates network devices while resiliency is the self-recovery of system failures.  Continue Reading

• The status of 5G rollouts in 2021 and 2022

  Major U.S. mobile operators -- AT&T, Dish, T-Mobile and Verizon -- are focused on deploying 5G through 2022. Learn about each provider's timeline.  Continue Reading

• Remote access vs. site-to-site VPN: What's the difference?

  A remote access VPN connects remote users from any location to a corporate network. A site-to-site VPN, meanwhile, connects individual networks to each other.  Continue Reading

• CDN vs. cloud computing: What's the difference?

  Content delivery networks and cloud computing architectures may appear to serve the same function. But each has a specific role to play when distributing content.  Continue Reading

• Best practices and tools for public cloud monitoring

  Public cloud adoption has ramped up in recent years. In these busy environments, certain cloud network monitoring tools can provide IT groups with crucial visibility.  Continue Reading

• Why and how to use eBPF for Kubernetes scaling

  Scaling Kubernetes clusters has always been a challenge -- but eBPF makes the process smoother with service-specific monitors and a lack of special instrumentation.  Continue Reading

• Cache vs. RAM: Differences between the two memory types

  Cache memory and RAM both place data closer to the processor to reduce latency in response times. Learn why one can be faster, along with other key variables in cache vs. RAM.  Continue Reading

• What are 3 best practices for decentralized storage systems?

  Decentralized storage technology can be confusing and complicated. These best practices, however, can help with implementation in enterprise IT infrastructure.  Continue Reading

• PowerShell looping examples for the 4 key commands

  There are many instances where looping is a valuable tool in your PowerShell script. Knowing how to use them will serve you well. Evaluate these four loop commands.  Continue Reading

• What does the 0.0.0.0 IP address mean and why is it used?

  One of a few special-purpose addresses, IP address 0.0.0.0 has several applications in networking. It stands in as a placeholder address, identifies a default route and more.  Continue Reading

• What is the network edge and how is it different from edge computing?

  The network edge is where an enterprise network connects to third-party network services. Edge computing is a distributed architecture that processes data closer to end users.  Continue Reading

• The differences between PAP and CHAP

  PAP uses a two-way handshake to authenticate client sessions, while CHAP uses a three-way handshake. Both authentication processes are common, but one is more secure.  Continue Reading

• Static vs. dynamic routing: What is the difference?

  Static routing uses preconfigured routes to send traffic to its destination, while dynamic routing uses algorithms to determine the best path. How else do the two methods differ?  Continue Reading

• How to use two VPN connections at the same time

  Network managers and users might opt to set up two VPN connections at the same time, from the same remote device. But that might not be possible -- or safe.  Continue Reading

• When should you use AWS IAM roles vs. users?

  Access management is critical to securing the cloud. Understand the differences between AWS IAM roles and users to properly restrict access to AWS resources.  Continue Reading

• 6 trends in corporate campus networks

  Networks are evolving, and that evolution includes enterprise campus networks. Trends like network automation, 5G and machine learning are modernizing campus networks.  Continue Reading

• What are 3 encryption for cloud storage best practices?

  There are several different methods to cloud storage encryption. These best practices for encryption can help improve security of important cloud data.  Continue Reading

• Sometimes I get a message, 'specified port already open.' What does it mean?

  Find out what error messages 'the specified port is already open' or 'the specified port is already in use' mean, and learn how to troubleshoot and fix them.  Continue Reading

• What does a network infrastructure upgrade project involve?

  Explore the steps organizations must take to upgrade their network infrastructure, including how to tell if an upgrade is necessary and how to evaluate resources for the project.  Continue Reading

• How are network operations center responsibilities changing?

  If your network operations center responsibilities haven't changed yet due to evolutions like DevOps and edge computing, they likely will soon. Here's what you need to know.  Continue Reading

• How can ransomware attack cloud storage?

  A ransomware attack on cloud storage can have catastrophic effects. Cloud storage is still online, which means it is susceptible to some cyberattacks, so users must be careful.  Continue Reading

• Choose the right Google Cloud serverless service

  When it comes to selecting a serverless tool, Google Cloud users have plenty of options. Evaluate the platform's suite of serverless offerings to make the right choice.  Continue Reading

• Which backup standards guide a data protection strategy?

  A strong data protection strategy must follow applicable standards and regulations to protect data and comply with privacy laws. What are some key standards to look out for?  Continue Reading

• Compare Azure Firewall vs. NSGs for network security

  Traffic to and from resources needs proper security to protect data, but the wrong tool could leave you vulnerable. Explore these two services to find the right level of protection.  Continue Reading

• Containers vs. VMs: What are the key differences?

  Containers have rapidly come into focus as a popular option for deploying applications, but they have limitations and are fundamentally different than VMs.  Continue Reading

• DevNet vs. CCNA: What's the difference?

  While CCNA certification concentrates on foundational network engineering knowledge, DevNet certification focuses on modern networking concepts, like automation and software.  Continue Reading

• How ALM differs from SDLC

  ALM and SDLC both cover much of the same ground, such as development, testing and deployment. Where these lifecycle concepts differ is the scope of what they include.  Continue Reading

• Top 3 application performance testing objectives and goals

  Let's explore the importance of result analysis, the right measurements and test design for application performance testing.  Continue Reading

• Kubernetes deployments vs. pods: What's the difference?

  Pods and deployments are both important to using Kubernetes in production, but they're not the same. Learn the role each one plays in building and managing containerized applications.  Continue Reading

• VLAN vs. subnet: What's the difference?

  While VLANs are a type of subnet, they have their own unique capabilities and characteristics that differentiate them from subnets. However, the OSI model plays a major role in both.  Continue Reading

• Broadband vs. Wi-Fi: What's the difference?

  Broadband and Wi-Fi are common technical terms often used interchangeably -- although they shouldn't be. Both provide connectivity, but they do so in different ways.  Continue Reading

• How to elicit performance requirements

  Eliciting performance requirements from business end users necessitates a clearly defined scope and the right set of questions. Expert Mary Gorman explains how to effectively gather information.  Continue Reading

• What are the differences between Wi-Fi and WiMax?

  Wi-Fi is the wireless standard used to build wireless LANs, while carriers primarily used WiMax to build wireless metropolitan area networks before moving to LTE.  Continue Reading

• What is database refreshing?

  IT testing and software development constantly requires fresh data. It's easy to run a database refresh and generate new data for sandbox or production tasks.  Continue Reading

• What are the differences between OpenShift and Kubernetes?

  Red Hat OpenShift and Kubernetes share a lot of similarities -- including the same underlying container orchestration technology. So how are they different, exactly?  Continue Reading

• What's the role of narrowband IoT in 5G networks?

  The union of narrowband IoT and 5G technology can benefit manufacturers, organizations with large office buildings and outdoor campus settings. Here's what you need to know.  Continue Reading

• What is the difference between Amazon MSK and Kinesis?

  When it comes to data stream processing and analysis, AWS offers Amazon Kinesis or a managed version of Apache Kafka. Compare these two options to pick the best fit for your app.  Continue Reading

• Colocation data center outage response and support

  Navigating data center malfunctions when hardware is off premises can be tricky. Organizations must have strong SLAs with their colo provider to ensure appropriate response times.  Continue Reading

• What is the difference between IP telephony and VoIP?

  While many IT professionals use VoIP and IP telephony synonymously, some argue for keeping a couple of subtle distinctions between the two terms in mind.  Continue Reading

• What are the cost considerations when buying AIOps tools?

  AIOps tools can reduce overhead for IT staff, but first, enterprises must decide how they will use the tool to know which features to budget for.  Continue Reading

• Why is unit testing important for developers?

  Through unit testing, software developers know source code works at the atomic level. Read why unit testing is important and valuable, as well as how it can ease the debugging process.  Continue Reading

• How do VPN vs. cloud services compare for remote work?

  As remote work becomes increasingly normal, IT teams must decide which remote access technologies will benefit employees more. VPN and cloud services are two top choices.  Continue Reading

• How can I best implement an active archive environment?

  Examine the major elements of an active archiving environment, including the kinds of data that you can use in one and resources to help with platform execution.  Continue Reading

• How do I configure AWS Lambda functions in a VPC?

  Lambda and VPCs are essential to many AWS architectures, but they don't come together as intuitively as you might think. Learn how to configure Lambda functions within a VPC.  Continue Reading

• How do I audit a Kubernetes environment?

  IT teams should audit their Kubernetes configuration files to uncover -- and address -- coding mishaps and vulnerabilities. Fortunately, third-party and native Kubernetes tools automate the process.  Continue Reading

• Why is high availability important in cloud computing?

  How many "nines" does your own cloud app really need? High availability is still an important factor in a cloud SLA, but uptime needs vary for each service and company.  Continue Reading

• What network automation certification options are available?

  Network automation certifications and training include vendor-specific commercial credentials, as well as open source options. Which career path is right for you?  Continue Reading

• Regression testing vs. UAT: Goals and techniques

  Regression tests and UAT ensure software quality and both require a sizeable investment. Learn when and how to perform each one, and some tips to get the most out of your effort.  Continue Reading

• Edge computing challenges and ways to address them

  Edge computing can reduce processing times and improve application performance, but the architecture has its issues. Here are eight challenges edge computing creates for the network.  Continue Reading

• How a network segmentation strategy works with SD-WAN

  Legacy segmentation techniques are often unwieldy. But, as enterprises contemplate network segmentation with SD-WAN, they must understand their network environments and goals.  Continue Reading

• What does a VPN concentrator do?

  As more employees work remotely and VPN use rises, VPN concentrators have become trendy. But what does a VPN concentrator do exactly, and how do you deploy one?  Continue Reading

• Functional vs. nonfunctional requirements in software engineering

  Learn the meaning of functional vs. nonfunctional requirements in software engineering, with helpful examples. Then, see how to write both and build a product that users will love.  Continue Reading

• Windows file systems showdown: FAT16, FAT32, NTFS and ReFS

  Some older file formats continue to find life in the enterprise decades after they were developed for their versatility -- in certain situations.  Continue Reading

• Tips and tools for home network security monitoring

  Homes now have more connected devices, which could become targets for hackers. Consequently, work-from-home employees should take certain steps to safeguard their networks.  Continue Reading

• Private LTE networks grow as 5G comes into view

  Private LTE networks deliver secure cellular connectivity in localized enterprise or industrial spaces, with private 5G networks and newly available spectrum bands soon to follow.  Continue Reading

• 3 ways to prevent DDoS attacks on networks

  DDoS attacks on networks can result in devastating and expensive damage for organizations. Learn three ways to prevent and respond to DDoS attacks to keep company networks secure.  Continue Reading

• DynamoDB on-demand vs. provisioned capacity: Which is better?

  There are two primary ways to handle capacity in DynamoDB: on-demand or provisioned. Learn the advantages, concerns and use cases for each option.  Continue Reading

• Is third-party threat a viable server maintenance contract tactic?

  When negotiating server hardware and maintenance agreements with vendors, server customers can threaten to go elsewhere. But how effective is that tactic?  Continue Reading

• What is a top barrier to fruitful server refresh cycle negotiations?

  Successfully countering server vendor sales tactics requires forecasting hardware and maintenance needs. Lacking a solid, consolidated forecast can be a recipe for failure.  Continue Reading

• LoRa vs. 5G: Can they coexist for IoT network connectivity?

  LoRa vs. 5G technologies differ in terms of cost, use cases and technology types. However, LoRa and 5G may complement each other well for IoT connectivity.  Continue Reading

• What is the difference between SNMP and RMON?

  While Simple Network Management Protocol tracks network devices, Remote Network Monitoring tracks traffic. As a team, SNMP and RMON are essential for network management.  Continue Reading

• The future of networking jobs in the new normal

  Soft skills will grow in relevance as network pros adapt to a post-pandemic world that includes more remote troubleshooting and the move away from a hard network edge.  Continue Reading

• Managing VPN bandwidth requirements, speed and overhead

  Companies are relying on IPsec VPNs to connect their remote workers. But determining how much VPN bandwidth you need is just one consideration; VPN overhead is another.  Continue Reading

• What is a Docker container vs. an image?

  Docker images, Dockerfiles and containers are all instrumental in a Docker setup. Learn what tasks each component completes and how they interact with each other to run applications.  Continue Reading

• How to make the right HCI deployment decisions

  Hyper-converged infrastructures pose different challenges depending on the deployment method. Software might not offer as much support, while choosing hardware risks vendor lock-in.  Continue Reading

• When should my company use cloud arbitrage?

  Organizations can escape vendor lock-in with a cloud arbitrage model. However, it requires an upfront investment and a solid understanding of the limitations of this approach.  Continue Reading

• When to use canary vs. blue/green vs. rolling deployment

  App deployment strategies such as rolling updates and blue/green environments help IT organizations manage change with minimal risk. See which strategy fits your application.  Continue Reading

• What's the difference between GRE and IPsec tunnels?

  IPsec provides more comprehensive security for IP tunneling, while GRE tunnels work well when network teams need to tunnel with multiple protocols or multicast.  Continue Reading

• What are the risks of third-party VPN services?

  IP address leaks, DNS service leaks and WebRTC transmissions could expose your online activities if you use certain unreliable third-party VPN services.  Continue Reading

• When should you use cloud vs. on-premises storage?

  Choose the right data storage approach with this breakdown on the differences between cloud and on-premises storage. Consider cost, compliance, performance and other factors.  Continue Reading

• Software performance testing requirements and prerequisites

  Just because software passes functional tests doesn't mean it works. Dig into stress, load, endurance and other performance tests, and their prerequisites and requirements.  Continue Reading

• What's the difference between a Layer 3 switch and a router?

  Even though they have common traits, there is a difference between a Layer 3 switch and a router. Each plays a key role in making sure packets get sent to their proper destination.  Continue Reading

• What's the difference between OFDMA vs. MU-MIMO in Wi-Fi 6?

  Is there a difference between OFDMA and MU-MIMO? The two important Wi-Fi 6 features are complementary but distinct. Here's why.  Continue Reading

• Compare the 2 common types of technical debt

  While enterprises often incur technical debt inadvertently through inexperience or poor management, sometimes, developers will plan technical debt to establish a market presence.  Continue Reading

• What is the difference between memory and storage?

  Storage and memory, while connected, fulfill separate roles in a computer. Memory meets temporary data access needs and storage retains data and other files over the long term.  Continue Reading

• Is Wi-Fi 6 backward-compatible? Yes and no

  With the advent of a new wireless standard, some users may wonder: Is Wi-Fi 6 backward-compatible? The answer is yes. But do you want full backward compatibility?  Continue Reading

• Wi-Fi vs. Ethernet: What's the difference and which is better?

  When assessing Wi-Fi vs. Ethernet, each connection type has its benefits and drawbacks. Find out why one standard might be more reliable for your network.  Continue Reading

• How should I choose a new server hardware configuration?

  It's important to consider current and future business needs when choosing a server to ensure you'll have adequate CPU, memory, storage and network resources.  Continue Reading

• How do I store secrets in AWS so they don't appear in my code?

  To secure a cloud environment, IT teams must keep their application's secrets under wraps. Learn how AWS users can keep sensitive information out of their code with tools like Secrets Manager.  Continue Reading

• How do I apply ECS auto scaling to my containerized apps?

  Break down ECS auto scaling options for container-based applications on AWS. Learn how to automatically scale at the service and cluster level to match user demand.  Continue Reading

• What are the differences between VPN and VDI services?

  With a common denominator of 'virtual,' both VPNs and VDI are common in remote work strategies. However, the technologies differ in terms of cost, use cases and performance.  Continue Reading

• What is the difference between a socket and a port?

  Sockets, ports and port numbers have functional overlap, but the terms are distinct. A socket is part of a port, while a port number is part of a socket. We explain.  Continue Reading

• How many Kubernetes nodes should be in a cluster?

  There's no one-size-fits-all answer in terms of how many nodes should make up a Kubernetes cluster. Instead, that number varies based on specific workload requirements.  Continue Reading

• Improve ROI in software testing with adaptability, automation

  QA needs to reiterate its value to the business side of the organization. Use this tried-and-true advice to leverage documentation and automation to make everyone happy.  Continue Reading

• Evaluate 3 ways to run Kubernetes locally

  A local Kubernetes deployment -- enabled by Minikube, MicroK8s or K3s -- is a great option to test code or simply learn the container orchestration technology.  Continue Reading

• Know when to choose automated vs. manual testing

  Vendors have inched toward automated application testing for a long time, yet there is still room for growth. Software tester Amy Reichert offers her insights.  Continue Reading

• Can we fully automate our software testing?

  Your boss has jumped on the bandwagon to automate software testing. Don't despair. Software testing expert Matt Heusser walks through what to say -- and do -- to keep everyone happy.  Continue Reading

• What's the latest on NFV and VNFs for enterprises?

  As virtualized network functions become more and more common, will that change NFV and VNF roles in businesses? Probably not, but other roadblocks may hinder further results.  Continue Reading

• How is SD-WAN as a service different from managed SD-WAN?

  SD-WAN technology is available in a variety of business models, including SD-WAN as a service and managed SD-WAN. But how do the different consumption models compare?  Continue Reading

• What do the 6 GHz band and Wi-Fi 6E mean for wireless networking?

  The FCC is expected to approve the 6 GHz band for Wi-Fi, which should improve speed and capacity for wireless networks. But make sure your devices can use the 6 GHz band.  Continue Reading

• What does 'network on demand' mean for enterprises?

  Following the on-demand trend, network on-demand options provide enterprises with more flexible consumption models, such as managed network services and cloud-based networking.  Continue Reading

• What are some of the weaknesses of SD-WAN?

  Cost, complexity and interoperability issues with existing network components are some of the weaknesses of SD-WAN that organizations need to consider.  Continue Reading

• Can WPA2 be upgraded to WPA3?

  A migration from WPA2 to WPA3 is not simple. Organizations may need to update their hardware extensively to accommodate the newer Wi-Fi encryption standard.  Continue Reading

• What is the difference between SIT and UAT?

  User acceptance testing and system integration testing differ in one key way: the person who does the testing. Learn when to apply UAT vs. SIT.  Continue Reading

• What is the difference between LoRa and LoRaWAN?

  LoRa is a modulation technique for specific wireless spectrum, while LoRaWAN is an open protocol that enables IoT devices to use LoRa for communication.  Continue Reading

• What is network verification and do enterprises need it?

  Network verification can help organizations gain critical network performance insight and alleviate network complexity. But aspects of the concept are new and not yet mainstream.  Continue Reading

• How does DevOps in networking change network requirements?

  As more organizations embrace DevOps in networking, the approach can transform network requirements, such as visibility and security policies, which network teams should consider.  Continue Reading

• Virtualization skills admins must have in 2020

  Industry experts Sander van Vugt, Brian Kirsch and Stuart Burns weigh in on what skills virtualization admins must have in 2020 to better meet growing industry demands.  Continue Reading

• What are Windows virtualization-based security features?

  Microsoft Hyper-V on Windows comes with advanced protection schemes, including several virtualization-based security features the company introduced in Windows Server 2019.  Continue Reading