Evaluate

Evaluate

Weigh the pros and cons of technologies, products and projects you are considering.

• A history of flash memory and its rise in the enterprise

  Flash memory plays a huge role in enterprise storage. However, 16 years ago, SSDs barely existed. Find out the story behind this technology and how it came to dominate storage. Continue Reading

• 4 lasting effects of growing remote workforces on networks

  In this roundup of network blogs, explore expert advice on increasing remote workers' efficiency, potential lasting effects of COVID-19 on networks and the future of networking. Continue Reading

• How SSD endurance affects flash memory use

  SSD durability is a key factor in the lifespan of storage devices. Learn how it's measured, how it's evolving, what the best endurance levels are for different workloads and more. Continue Reading

• What is the difference between Python and Ruby?

  In this article, we explore the genesis of these two programming languages, notable characteristics and differences, and where each language might be headed. Continue Reading

• The trouble with cloud evaluations amid too many choices

  Enterprises are inundated by choices in the cloud, but don't let the deluge stop your IT team from analyzing what's available. Make experimentation a regular part of your plans. Continue Reading

• Embedded hypervisor use simplifies hardware, improves performance

  Admins who use embedded systems generally see improved performance in VM instances, but improper implementation of hypervisors can lead to system and processor latency.Continue Reading

• 6 Amazon SageMaker capabilities developers should know about

  Developers and data scientists should familiarize themselves with these six SageMaker tools meant to simplify the machine learning process. Discover what they offer to your models.Continue Reading

• Top hyper-converged infrastructure TCO factors to consider

  A lot of factors for estimating hyper-converged total cost of ownership are fairly straightforward, others less so. Follow these guidelines to get started on this complex process.Continue Reading

• Micro VM vendors to evaluate for your isolation, security needs

  Amazon, HP, Qubes OS and Authentic8 provide micro VM-based technologies that help increase VM security through isolation techniques, but use varying hypervisors and OSes.Continue Reading

• 4 trends for Kubernetes cloud-native teams to watch in 2020

  Today's software architectural landscape seems to change like the weather. Stay ahead of the curve with these cloud-related trends, including GitOps and service meshes.Continue Reading

• Build up your knowledge of leaf-spine network technology

  As organizations deal with challenges of single tree path networks, many admins are considering leaf-spine architectures. Learn the ways its topology helps latency and data flow.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 to make of AWS' multi-cloud strategy, or lack thereof

  AWS eventually caved when it came to hybrid cloud. Some experts and partners say the same will happen with its multi-cloud strategy.Continue Reading

• A concurrent programming faceoff: Erlang vs. Elixir

  Do you want the strong data integrity of Erlang, or the flexibility of Elixir? We explore the pros and cons of each in this head-to-head language matchup.Continue Reading

• Updated Exchange Online PowerShell module adds reliability, speed

  Microsoft assists Exchange Online administrators who rely on PowerShell by reworking the underlying functionality of several cmdlets used to manage the hosted email platform.Continue Reading

• An introduction to VMware Tanzu Mission Control

  You can now implement Tanzu Mission Control to manage and set policies on Kubernetes clusters across an entire environment -- on premises and in the cloud.Continue Reading

• AI, analytics, automation fuel the future of network management

  Advances in automation, AI and analytics should help IT administrators overcome new challenges in virtualized network environments, but some obstacles will surface.Continue Reading

• Disaggregated hyper-converged infrastructure vs. traditional HCI

  A technical examination of what the pending demise of hyper-converged infrastructure 1.0 and rise of hyper-convergence 2.0 means for planning, buying, deployment and management.Continue Reading

• HPC services bring computational power to more organizations

  Navigating HPC colocation requires knowledge of power, uptime and security demands. Deploying such services can bring innovative opportunities for organizations.Continue Reading

• Want an HPC data center? Colocation could be the answer

  Colocation can offer the space, HVAC and security an organization needs to implement high-performance computing and delve deeper into its data. But not every provider is a match.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

• Plan a successful migration to HPC colocation

  If your organization decides to host its HPC hardware in a colocated data center, ensure a smooth migration with proper location selection, security measures and application testing.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

• How to pick the right third-party CI/CD tool for the cloud

  Learn the pros and cons of the main types of third-party CI/CD pipeline tools -- managed, self-hosted and code repositories -- and see why they're superior to cloud-native options.Continue Reading

• Know these edge computing challenges before you invest

  Public clouds are hubs for edge and IoT workloads, but they're still limited in terms of cost, connectivity and security. See what you need to know before you start an IoT project.Continue Reading

• How HPE SimpliVity InfoSight hyper-converged analytics works

  SimpliVity with InfoSight can predict and prevent hyper-convergence issues, take the guesswork out of capacity management, reduce support calls and lower operations expenses.Continue Reading

• Dig into the pros and cons of memory ballooning

  Ballooning is an effective VM memory management technique, but it does have its downfalls, such as potential memory overcommitment and halting application performance.Continue Reading

• The 2020 cloud acquisitions AWS, Microsoft and Google should make

  The major cloud providers offer a wide range of services, but they're far from perfect. Here are the 2020 acquisitions AWS, Microsoft and Google should make to shore up their platforms.Continue Reading

• The convergence of networking and security at the edge

  Networking and security are converging with offerings like SD-WAN and SD-branch. But enterprises and vendors must overcome IT silos that delay innovation and decision-making.Continue Reading

• Assess managed Kubernetes services for your workloads

  Managed services from cloud providers can simplify Kubernetes deployment but create some snags in a multi-cloud model. Follow three steps to see if these services can benefit you.Continue Reading

• TDD vs. BDD vs. ATDD and other Agile development techniques

  Agile development doesn't always start with, well, development. Put tests before coding in TDD, BDD and other Agile techniques to minimize waste and focus on the user.Continue Reading

• The advantages of SAN technology in an HCI world

  Is your organization debating whether to replace its SAN with hyper-converged storage? Know the questions to ask, SAN's advantages for certain applications and more.Continue Reading

• SAN vs. HCI: 5 questions to ask

  SAN or hyper-converged infrastructure? Which one will become your organization's on-premises technology choice? Discover which approach may ease complexity and control costs.Continue Reading

• A roundup of the Cisco certification changes in 2020

  The network industry is changing and so are required network engineer skills. Here's how Cisco redesigned its certification programs to keep up with industry goals.Continue Reading

• VMware vRealize 7.5, 7.6 offer key admin, user enhancements

  This hands-on look at VMware vRealize Automation examines the improvements made in versions 7.5 and 7.6 as well the disappearance of other features.Continue Reading

• A closer look at new and updated Microsoft security features

  Microsoft augments the native protection features in its newer Windows Server releases with cloud-based security products to reduce the likelihood of a successful breach attempt.Continue Reading

• WAN transformation sparked by 5G, cloud and SD-WAN technologies

  In a modern world, legacy WAN architecture is rife with shortcomings. But 5G features and use cases could help jump-start a WAN transformation for many organizations.Continue Reading

• Third-party VM monitoring tools offer alternatives to native vendors

  Many admins rely on native tools to monitor VMs, such as Microsoft System Center, but third-party alternatives can offer improved capabilities, such as cost savings and integrations.Continue Reading

• Consider these key microservices caching strategies

  Data caching is a key part of ensuring microservices have easy access to the data they need. We review a few key caching strategies.Continue Reading

• Ansible limitations for network automation

  Ansible can be a powerful tool for network automation, but users should be aware of its limitations with debugging, performance, complex data structures and control flow.Continue Reading

• Understand the role of infrastructure as code in DevOps

  Infrastructure as code plays a prominent role in enterprise DevOps shops. Use this chapter excerpt to understand why -- and to learn the basics of some common IaC tools.Continue Reading

• Networking startup Arrcus wins TechTarget innovation award

  Networking startup Arrcus aims to disrupt the industry with its software-based routing technology. Here's how the young company plans to go toe-to-toe with industry giants.Continue Reading

• What do 2G and 3G sunset dates mean for business customers?

  A 2G and 3G shutdown probably won't affect businesses much, but embedded IoT devices may see some problems as these two older cellular technologies fade away.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

• Get to know VMware Pulse IoT

  Use VMware's edge management platform, Pulse IoT, to manage IoT devices at scale. With it, you can stay on top of upgrades and patches, analyze collected data efficiently and more.Continue Reading

• GPU virtualization eases system workloads, boosts efficiency

  Virtual GPUs help boost data center efficiency and provide a better user experience, but admins must determine whether their workloads justify implementing the technology.Continue Reading

• 7 predictive storage analytics tools compared

  Learn how storage management tools from Hitachi, Infinidat, Pure Storage and other vendors use AI to improve array operation and storage administration efficiency.Continue Reading

• Compare serverless tools and services in the public cloud

  Don't let your IT teams get consumed by infrastructure management tasks. Review these serverless compute offerings for more efficient application development.Continue Reading

• VSphere High Availability explained: Monitor VMs and applications

  VSphere HA monitors applications and VMs. Discover best practices, storage requirements and features you should know about this service and how it compares to Microsoft Hyper-V.Continue Reading

• 5 storage class memory queries answered

  Find out if emerging SCM technology is right for your organization with this look at the benefits, uses and products, as well as what to assess when considering it.Continue Reading

• Top 10 VM backup tools for VMware and Hyper-V

  Admins who rely on VMware and Hyper-V workloads might have trouble choosing the right backup tool for their VMs. Admins can use this article to better inform their purchasing decisions.Continue Reading

• IT tool selection criteria to guide emerging tech navigation

  The IT industry is almost always in flux. For organizations to keep up, they must invest in the right tools, which takes asking the right questions.Continue Reading

• Cloud, Linux vendors cash in on KVM-based virtualization

  Vendors such as Red Hat and Google provide products that rely on KVM technology, but picking the right vendor depends on admins' choice of OSes and cloud providers.Continue Reading

• Compare web and mobile testing tools from AWS, Microsoft and Google

  Compare and contrast the mobile testing tools from the big three cloud vendors -- AWS Device Farm, Google Firebase Test Lab and Microsoft Visual Studio App Center Test.Continue Reading

• A guide to how digital transformation IT infrastructure works

  Explore requirements, goals and issues around digital transformation plans and modern IT infrastructures such as hyper-converged, disaggregated hyper-converged and composable.Continue Reading

• Lessons corporate users can learn from FedRAMP

  FedRAMP provides a standardized approach to cloud security across the U.S. federal government, but it can also serve as a guidepost for corporations in search of better practices.Continue Reading

• IEEE reveals 802 standards process and the future of Wi-Fi

  The IEEE 802 Standards Committee looks years in advance to improve Wi-Fi and Ethernet technology. A sampling of the future: 802.11be, Wi-Fi sensing and increased Ethernet range.Continue Reading

• Compare hyper-converged, converged infrastructure monitoring tools

  Better monitor your hyper-converged infrastructure systems with tools from Zenoss, Uila, eG Innovations and ManageEngine than with the proprietary tools of hyper-converged vendors.Continue Reading

• Amazon grocery strategy could shake up food retail industry

  Amazon is a small player in the grocery store industry but one with increasing influence. It already has considerable technical innovations under its belt that have forced competitors to respond.Continue Reading

• How Cisco certification changes alter CCNP and CCIE tracks

  Here's what to expect from the colossal Cisco certification changes to the CCNP and CCIE tracks that aim to increase material relevance and benefit network engineers' daily lives.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

• The best enterprise storage systems and products of 2019

  Get to know the top storage systems, products and services selected from a field of nearly 100 in the 'Storage' magazine and SearchStorage annual Products of the Year awards.Continue Reading

• Forget emerging tech, consumption-based pricing booms in 2020

  Cloud storage's appeal is based less on tech or total cost than on the value that comes from Opex pay-as-you-go pricing. Now you can get that cost model for on-premises storage.Continue Reading

• Top data storage and management tools win Products of the Year

  The winning system and application software products for 2019 innovated in their own ways, and each one is breaking new ground in storage performance and simplicity.Continue Reading

• Top enterprise cloud storage systems win 2019 Products of the Year

  Startups LucidLink and Hammerspace and object storage vendor Scality focus on hybrid and multi-cloud use cases to take top honors as best in cloud storage for the enterprise.Continue Reading

• Top 2019 enterprise storage arrays win Products of the Year

  Winners of the 2019 Products of the Year signal a shift from disk to flash storage arrays. Vast Data takes gold, NGD Systems wins silver and DataDirect Networks captures bronze.Continue Reading

• Best hyper-converged systems win Products of the Year 2019

  Datrium, Western Digital and HiveIO win praise for ground-breaking products that led the way in a year of hyper-converged and composable infrastructure evolution and change.Continue Reading

• Watch for these 6 wireless networking trends in 2020

  No doubt you've heard about 5G and Wi-Fi 6. But don't forget other wireless trends emerging in 2020, such as CBRS, dynamic spectrum sharing and Open RAN.Continue Reading

• What is Intel Rack Scale Design and how does it work?

  Find out what Intel's Rack Scale Design architecture is and how its reference code and APIs enable Intel-partner products to compose on-demand virtual servers for specific workloads.Continue Reading

• Choose the right storage management interface for you

  While older storage interfaces were created to meet international standards at the time, storage has evolved, and updated interfaces may be required to manage your infrastructure.Continue Reading

• Explore the top Wi-Fi 6 technology benefits and providers

  Learn the basics around Wi-Fi 6 along with the security, battery and bandwidth improvements that come with the upgrade and the top companies to consider for buying options.Continue Reading

• What should I know about IP address management systems?

  As networks continuously gain more devices, outdated IP address management methods face new challenges. Despite this, IPAM is still crucial for any organization's network.Continue Reading

• Hyper-converged data center vendors innovate, evolve products

  Review notable hyper-converged, HCI 2.0 and composable disaggregated product news to gain insight into data center convergence technology as you make infrastructure decisions.Continue Reading

• Is microservices adoption right for your organization?

  Assess whether your org will benefit from microservices, and use this expert advice to take the initial steps to make a successful architectural and cultural transition.Continue Reading

• Hyper-converged and composable architectures transform IT

  Hyper-convergence and up-and-coming HCI 2.0 and composable infrastructure can help you achieve your IT and business goals. See why, how and where their strengths and weaknesses lie.Continue Reading

• 4 considerations for vSphere disk provisioning

  To provision disk space in vSphere, consider the following: The size of data stores you require, thin vs. thick provisioning, storage acceleration and managing free disk space.Continue Reading

• 3 reasons testers need a QA manager in Agile

  Agile teams without a QA manager prioritize developers' perspectives -- even to the software's detriment. Here are three ways in which a QA manager offers value to Agile teams, and how they support testers.Continue Reading

• What are some Windows Server 2019 SDN security features?

  Microsoft continued to refine the software-defined networking capabilities in its latest server operating system by developing several new security features.Continue Reading

• Emerging tools to help create virtualized test environments

  Tools from Parasoft, HyperQube and CloudShell let admins virtualize their test environments, but admins should exercise caution as product direction and design continue to evolve.Continue Reading

• SD-WAN requirements for a multi-cloud world

  With the emergence of a multi-cloud world, SD-WAN vendors must upgrade their platforms to ensure secure and reliable SD-WAN connectivity to cloud services.Continue Reading

• Why move to PowerShell 7 from Windows PowerShell?

  The next major release of this venerable automation tool features performance improvements and a bevy of new features that could sway many administrators to switch.Continue Reading

• Amazon's environmental impact delivers climate change concerns

  Consumers are accustomed to free and fast delivery from Amazon and other e-tailers, but the convenience of online shopping comes at a cost to the environment.Continue Reading

• Is it time to consider a cloud exit strategy?

  Cloud repatriation -- or a cloud exit, as it is sometimes called -- is probably not a good choice in most situations. Sometimes, however, it's exactly the right thing to do.Continue Reading

• A brief history of VMware, containers and its competitors

  VMware has long been synonymous with virtualization. However, with the rise of containers, the vendor has pivoted strategies to compete with the likes of Red Hat and Docker.Continue Reading

• How to build a successful cloud migration plan in 3 steps

  Migrating to the cloud is not a simple task. Not all workloads benefit from the move, so hammer out a solid cloud migration strategy first.Continue Reading

• What's the difference between SD-branch vs. SD-WAN?

  As networking pros evaluate SD-branch vs. SD-WAN, they'll notice a key distinction between the two technologies, namely how network functions are managed and orchestrated.Continue Reading

• Organize your team with an Agile scaling frameworks comparison

  It's not easy to get Agile right, let alone replicate an individual team's success. For enterprises looking for a wide-scale transition, an Agile scaling framework might do the trick.Continue Reading

• Use DRS for VMware load balancing and streamlined environments

  VMware DRS uses vMotion to automatically migrate VMs and workloads to available hosts and avoid resource contention. Discover the basics of this essential VMware utility.Continue Reading

• How SD-WAN changes the network security perimeter

  The advent of SD-WAN has changed the network security model by pushing more security and control to the edge -- and businesses need to adjust to this new reality.Continue Reading

• Top 5 storage area network applications for the enterprise

  Find out why a SAN makes sense for enterprise applications such as databases, server virtualization, business applications, VDI, and development and testing.Continue Reading

• Get to know Dell EMC hyper-converged infrastructure products

  Gain insight into Dell EMC's hyper-converged portfolio, including VxRail and XC Series appliances, VxRack System Flex plus vSAN, VxFlex and Microsoft Storage Spaces Direct Ready Nodes.Continue Reading

• Why is a data archive plan important?

  A data archiving plan might not be simply important for your organization -- it could be necessary, given legal and compliance requirements. Make sure you're ahead of the game.Continue Reading

• Project management tools and strategies: Gantt charts, PERT charts and PM planning tools

  In project management, charts can visualize work in progress -- and there are many ways to do so. Learn how Agile teams use Gantt, PERT, burn down and other charts to stay on track.Continue Reading

• Products using Intel Optane SSDs and memory debuted in 2019

  Is your organization ready for storage class memory? See some of the Optane-based products vendors developed and launched last year that incorporated the technology.Continue Reading

• Edge virtualization manages the data deluge, but can be complex

  Virtualizing at the edge introduces device management benefits to admins, but they must ensure edge computing is worth the time and effort.Continue Reading

• What are some features in Microsoft Defender ATP?

  The threat protection platform, which underwent a recent name change, comes with some tailored features for Windows Server 2019 to stop attacks and reduce configuration issues.Continue Reading

• Illustrated guide to hyper-converged edge computing

  Hyper-converged systems can help reduce network strain by making it possible to send only the most valuable and relevant data to centralized remote data centers or the cloud.Continue Reading

• Pros and cons of monolithic vs. microservices architecture

  Developers interested in shifting to microservices should seriously consider whether a monolithic approach may be the smarter choice. Here are the key factors to consider.Continue Reading

• 5 cloud database comparison tips to guide your data strategy

  Catch up on these tips that compare the strengths, weakness and available integrations of popular public cloud database and analytics services from AWS, Microsoft and Google.Continue Reading

• 12 questions to ask about SD-WAN managed services

  When contemplating SD-WAN managed services, organizations should ask questions about network security, infrastructure compatibility and bandwidth requirements.Continue Reading