Evaluate

Evaluate

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

• Broadcom Brocade SAN automation

  Broadcom automates SAN management using a command-line interface and open source tools connecting to Brocade fabric and switches in a storage area network. Continue Reading

• HPE Nimble Storage arrays

  Our Products of the Year judges give HPE's all-flash arrays high marks for built-in analytics, automation, ease of use and price-to-performance balance for midmarket enterprises. Continue Reading

• Virtual Instruments VirtualWisdom 5.6

  With the latest version of VirtualWisdom, Virtual Instruments adds greater automation to both the discovery and resolution of storage system and network management issues. Continue Reading

• Pure Storage AIRI

  AIRI is a preconfigured hardware stack for data-intensive analytics. It combines Pure Storage's all-flash FlashBlade and Nvidia Tesla-based DGX supercomputers. Continue Reading

• Portworx PX-Enterprise

  PX-Enterprise, which helps users deploy persistent storage with containerized applications, stood out among other competitors for its innovation and value. Continue Reading

• Quobyte Data Center File System 2.0

  Startup Quobyte's 'up-and-comer' distributed parallel file system caught judges' attention as being easier to deploy, operate and manage in high-performance environments.Continue Reading

• Monitor APIs with these metrics for smooth app integrations

  What user information do you pull in from APIs? Do you even know how well they perform? Dev teams should track these metrics to create and maintain smooth API communication.Continue Reading

• Evaluate the Mesos architecture for massive container deployments

  In addition to supporting large-scale IT deployments, Mesos takes a unique approach to data center and cloud resource pools that can benefit both containerized and noncontainerized apps.Continue Reading

• What 4 questions can help prepare your network for IoT?

  Increasingly, organizations are seeing a marriage of IoT and networking for more efficiency and enhanced services. Here's what you need to know to prepare your networks for IoT.Continue Reading

• Evaluate load testing tool features and vendors

  Application load testing products come in a variety of forms and their features vary. Read through these specs to find the tool that's right for you.Continue Reading

• New types of cloud services bring the cloud to you

  Would your hybrid experience be improved by placing technology from a cloud service provider directly into your data center? Here's how to evaluate that option.Continue Reading

• New cloud service models put providers in the data center

  All of the major cloud players now offer on-premises hardware or specific technologies to make a data center look and feel more like the public cloud. What's driving this trend?Continue Reading

• Intent-based networking reality check for 2019

  The transition to intent-based networking won't happen overnight. But organizations can study up on different IBN approaches now to plan for future intelligent deployments.Continue Reading

• How to use Jira as a test management tool

  While Atlassian Jira is a common tool to manage software projects, Amy Reichert's team uses it to manage tests. She details snags you might encounter with test cases and management.Continue Reading

• The VMware CloudHealth acquisition extends cloud management

  VMware's acquisition of CloudHealth aims to expand VMware's line of cloud management tools to help clients centrally manage many services.Continue Reading

• Data storage startups to watch in 2019

  Failure is a more likely outcome than success for a storage startup. Still, intrepid newcomers offer innovative technologies in cloud, backup, convergence and flash.Continue Reading

• Evaluate remote office/branch office technology trends

  Traditional data center technology, including SD-WANs, HCI, and virtual backup and disaster recovery devices, often supports remote and branch offices.Continue Reading

• Automate the IT service desk workflow for maximum success

  The automated help desk using ITSM software does for IT operations and support what the CI/CD toolchain has done for developers and DevOps engineers.Continue Reading

• Have newer security methods made NAC systems obsolete?

  While newer security methods, like microsegmentation and software-defined perimeter, diminish the role of network access control, NAC systems can still help secure the network edge.Continue Reading

• How the SaltStack architecture enables config management at scale

  SaltStack's one-to-many communication model enables it to manage configurations in massive IT deployments without network strain. To get the most out of SaltStack, understand ZeroMQ.Continue Reading

• What are the pros and cons of open source network monitoring tools?

  They're usually free and customizable, but can lack customer support. Take a look at the best and worst features of open source network monitoring tools.Continue Reading

• 6 ways to tighten Agile feedback loops

  Software bugs are inevitable, but quality improves when you find defects sooner rather than later. Adopt these measures to cut down lengthy and expensive software feedback loops.Continue Reading

• How Google Cloud Build helps microservices build automation

  Google Cloud Build has the potential to play a valuable and reliable role in CI/CD pipelines for microservices development. Learn how Cloud Build can help.Continue Reading

• 8 common questions about the new Wi-Fi 6 standard

  Industry excitement around the next-generation Wi-Fi standard continues to grow, with good reason -- many experts say Wi-Fi 6 is a game-changer. Here's what you need to know.Continue Reading

• Follow these 6 serverless security best practices

  Optimal security for serverless architectures requires developers and ops teams to embrace best practices around dependencies, testing, access and more.Continue Reading

• How ops teams stay relevant during a shift left in DevOps

  IT operations administrators should not perceive the shift left in DevOps as a threat to their relevance, but rather as a catalyst for a change in their priorities.Continue Reading

• 7 misconceptions about the NVMe protocol and NVMe technology

  See what you need to know to avoid some of the common misperceptions about NVMe technology and making possibly expensive mistakes with your organization's NVMe architecture.Continue Reading

• Advantages of object storage and how it differs from alternatives

  File and block storage might provide better performance, but granular metadata and near-infinite scalability make object storage equally beneficial.Continue Reading

• Get multi-cloud storage off on the right foot

  See the questions to ask and the various players to query as you get started with your multi-cloud strategy. Success is all about gathering the right information upfront.Continue Reading

• Fiber expansion paves way for V2X technology in Colorado

  Colorado wants to enable highway automation by building smart, connected infrastructure it says can save lives. But to get roadside devices online throughout the state, it's going to need a bigger fiber optic network.Continue Reading

• Mist's smart WLAN gets rave reviews from Ohio schools

  A school district's dissatisfaction with its legacy Wi-Fi system led to a rip and replace of its entire network. This case study explores the deployment of Mist's smart WLAN.Continue Reading

• Use shift-right testing to cut skepticism, deployment delays

  Production environments are the final frontier for bug hunters. So, embrace -- don't eschew -- shift-right testing. It has the potential to enhance software quality for users.Continue Reading

• Keep an eye on these third-party cloud management tools

  Examine what third-party vendors can bring to the table before you choose your cloud provider's native management tools as a default option.Continue Reading

• What tools help with microservices Salesforce development?

  It's not always easy to develop Salesforce apps with microservices. Developers and admins should evaluate CI/CD tools that support microservices development in the Salesforce world.Continue Reading

• Enterprises iffy on telecom services beyond network connectivity

  Enterprises look to telecom carriers for network connectivity services, but providers need to win them over to sell cloud and productivity options, according to network pros.Continue Reading

• Acquisition talk mounts as Kurian plots Google's cloud plans

  It may not be a question of if, but when Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian makes acquisitions to round out the company's cloud platform portfolio.Continue Reading

• SD-branch begins to prove itself with growing deployments

  Enterprises are beginning to deploy SD-branch and are seeing positive results, pointing to the possibility that the software-defined branch will become the norm for branch networking.Continue Reading

• How Dartmouth College improved its campus-wide Wi-Fi

  Dartmouth College brought 21st-century wireless infrastructure from Mist Systems to its 18th-century architecture in a highly anticipated update to its campus Wi-Fi.Continue Reading

• NetInsight enables proactive network performance monitoring

  With NetInsight, network performance monitoring and analytics get smart. The cloud-based subscription service tells customers how their Wi-Fi stacks up and exactly how to improve.Continue Reading

• Get started with natural language processing APIs in cloud

  As the cloud makes AI technology increasingly accessible to enterprises, more developers look to incorporate natural language processing into their apps.Continue Reading

• Pop quiz: Can you identify these top IT trends of 2019?

  From serverless and AIOps to a widening tech skills gap, numerous IT trends bring momentum into 2019. See how ready you are for new opportunities and hurdles in IT with this quiz.Continue Reading

• Network management and monitoring top of mind for IT teams

  Network management and monitoring will take center stage in 2019, as IT professionals feel the pressure to monitor network devices, traffic and performance.Continue Reading

• Private cloud platforms step out of the shadows

  Enterprises often confront a choice: public or private cloud. Public cloud may be the easy option, but it isn't the right one for everyone.Continue Reading

• Intent-based networking vs. SDN: How do they differ?

  When it comes to the primary differentiators between intent-based networking and SDN, abstraction and administrator commands are at the top of the list.Continue Reading

• The fundamentals of Micronaut and microservices development

  The Micronaut framework offers developers an efficient way to build distributed applications, particularly thanks to quick startup capabilities, a multipurpose CLI and more.Continue Reading

• 4 development tools that bridge the architect-developer gap

  There can be a frustrating divide between the role of software developer and architect in any organization. There are ways to bridge that chasm, and one of these four tools just might help.Continue Reading

• What to look for in application load testing tools

  Load testing tools help ensure an app is ready for prime time. But, with so many tools on the market, buyers must closely examine the products' features and their own environments.Continue Reading

• Follow these steps for an Oracle-to-AWS migration

  AWS represents the first viable alternative to Oracle for many organizations. Review your options, and follow these steps for a successful database move to the cloud.Continue Reading

• Ansible vs. Puppet: Declarative DevOps tools square off

  Vendors in the declarative DevOps space cater to the increasing emphasis on software quality in the release cycle. See how Puppet and Ansible stack up in this face-off.Continue Reading

• Hybrid cloud vs. multi-cloud storage: Choose wisely

  Stuck deciding between hybrid and multi-cloud? When it comes to cloud storage, it's important to choose the right approach for the task at hand, which will vary by business.Continue Reading

• 6 steps to how blockchain storage works

  See how blockchain technology has the potential to provide a secure and reliable enterprise data storage environment with our step-by-step guide to blockchain data storage.Continue Reading

• Cloud disaster recovery services evolve, but gaps remain

  A severe outage can cripple a business, which is why a disaster recovery plan is critical. While today's DRaaS offerings make it easier to recover, there's still room for growth.Continue Reading

• Consider these 5 factors of DCI technology

  This feature showcases five pieces of advice that detail what you need to know about data center interconnect, its pros and cons, and its relationship with other networking areas.Continue Reading

• Kata Containers, gVisor offer more secure container strategies

  Kata Containers and Google gVisor present different approaches to using VMs for container security. Evaluate their advantages to get insight into the future of container security.Continue Reading

• Implement cloud failover, replication for workload protection

  Businesses increasingly use public cloud services as workload protection targets. But cloud failover and replication are hardly hands-off processes for IT teams.Continue Reading

• Hybrid cloud trends offer lessons for potential adopters

  Hybrid cloud use cases are growing more compelling as the need for workload flexibility increases. Potential adopters should plan ahead with these deployment and migration lessons.Continue Reading

• How AWS, Azure and Google approach service mesh technology

  While AWS, Azure and Google all offer service mesh technologies to streamline microservices management, they also have distinct differences users should understand.Continue Reading

• What's the difference between multi-cloud vs. hybrid cloud strategies?

  When comparing multi-cloud vs. hybrid cloud deployments, you'll want to pay particular attention to the management concepts and tools for each cloud strategy.Continue Reading

• GitOps, event handling will shape DevOps evolution

  DevOps is all about swift application deployment, and faster methods can arrive over time. Tom Nolle explains two concepts that will spark DevOps' continued evolution.Continue Reading

• AIOps tools supplement -- not supplant -- DevOps pipelines

  While the line between DevOps and AIOps often seems blurred, the two disciplines aren't synonymous. Instead, they present some key differences in terms of required skill sets and tools.Continue Reading

• 5 open source cloud monitoring tools to evaluate in 2019

  Open source monitoring tools can offer a number of advantages over cloud providers' native options. Review these five to find out which tool is best for your cloud strategy.Continue Reading

• RDS on VMware extends AWS' hybrid strategy

  RDS on premises expands the AWS and VMware relationship, but adoption will depend on the breadth of capabilities for the managed database service.Continue Reading

• Get into the nitty-gritty of SD-WAN technology

  Discover SD-WAN outside of the fundamentals. Learn how it plays with management tools, get steps on how to transition from MPLS and read best practices for SD-WAN issues.Continue Reading

• SD-WAN features lacking, but offer differentiation opportunity

  Most available SD-WAN products focus on a few main features, which risks making SD-WAN a commodity offering. But vendors are starting to combat that with feature differentiation.Continue Reading

• How to keep developers and testers happy -- and productive

  The stresses of software development can strain testers and developers' comradery. Foster a collaborative and communicative environment to keep the whole team productive.Continue Reading

• Buy server hardware with these key functions in mind

  Find the right server hardware for your data center by evaluating what leading vendors offer in terms of processors, memory, storage, connectivity, hot swapping and security features.Continue Reading

• Explore the new year's emerging IT trends

  Small data centers, intelligent IT management tools -- digital diversity? Catch up on the 10 trends driving IT operations forward in 2019, and how they'll shape your organization.Continue Reading

• Network security, SD-WAN suppliers revamp branch security

  Branch network security is getting a face-lift, as network security and SD-WAN suppliers look at new ways to integrate their platforms and upgrade products.Continue Reading

• HCI storage advancements require network technology upgrades

  Flash storage options make HCI scalability easier, but they also require newer network hardware. Data center admins are looking at NVMe-based fabrics as a possible fix.Continue Reading

• Future of AWS hinges on AI, Lambda and on premises

  SearchAWS contributors say AWS' future will continue to focus on AI and machine learning as the cloud provider attempts to stay ahead of the curve.Continue Reading

• What roles do vCPE and uCPE have at the network edge?

  As service providers look to virtualize the edge and deliver network services faster, they're turning to vCPE and uCPE that run services as software on generic hardware.Continue Reading

• The top 5 data storage questions we answered in 2018

  As storage continues to evolve, many readers still are curious about the basics. In 2018, common data storage concerns included RAID, capacity and different storage architectures.Continue Reading

• It's time to rethink app migration strategies for cloud

  As applications increasingly become a collection of services rather than monolithic pieces of software, enterprises will start to question and rethink traditional migration practices.Continue Reading

• Cloud predictions for 2019 hone in on containers, IT skills

  Our expert contributors share the trends and technologies they expect to make waves in the cloud market in 2019.Continue Reading

• 3 serverless platform approaches to consider

  There are several ways to approach serverless, and each has pros and cons. Learn where cloud, open source and the more traditional platforms fit into the serverless conversation.Continue Reading

• Which KPIs should I measure for security in SDN?

  KPIs provide useful guidelines to measure how network performance and security align with business objectives. Here are some KPIs to help keep track of an SDN environment.Continue Reading

• Final 802.11ax release date now slated for late 2019

  When it comes to the hotly anticipated new wireless standard, are we there yet? This 802.11ax timeline notes key milestones in the draft's development and explains what's next.Continue Reading

• Go for AWS third-party tools if native options don't cut it

  AWS users who can't find the service they need can turn to third-party tools for help, especially if they run on multiple clouds or want better integration options.Continue Reading

• New NVMe interface specification focuses on management

  An NVMe management interface builds on the existing standard, allowing users to monitor NVMe devices. NVMe-MI may represent a significant step forward for the technology.Continue Reading

• Prepare for these 3 cloud computing challenges in 2019

  As enterprise cloud strategies continue to mature, IT teams will face a new set of challenges in 2019, ranging from cost governance to the management of complex, heterogeneous architectures.Continue Reading

• 10 tips to approach IT operations processes with confidence

  Stuck in the NOC over the holidays? To pass the time, improve your ability to plan projects and quash production infrastructure incidents with confidence.Continue Reading

• 6 emerging trends in wireless networking technology for 2019

  In 2019, expect to see some interesting trends in wireless networking technology, including a surge in millimeter waves, the budding potential for end-to-end network analytics and, of course, the ongoing development of 5G services.Continue Reading

• See how file system structure can drag down NVMe performance

  Find out what matters when it comes to file system design and how to prevent file systems from becoming bottlenecks to achieving optimal performance in NVMe-based storage systems.Continue Reading

• What to consider when integrating SD-WAN and ITSM tools

  We haven't really heard a lot about SD-WAN integration with IT service management. But getting SD-WAN to work with existing ITSM tools is a big priority for enterprises.Continue Reading

• Step Functions outshines SWF for most AWS workflows

  Simple Workflow Service has been around longer, but Step Functions offers more flexibility for asynchronous tasks. See why the latter is often better for multistep processes on AWS.Continue Reading

• Experienced cloud architects, engineers in high demand for 2019

  Despite all the buzz around emerging technologies such as serverless, many enterprises in 2019 will first look to round out their core cloud management and development skill sets.Continue Reading

• Bookmark 10 popular tips on containers and Kubernetes

  Should we go with an open source or commercial option? What about DevOps? These 10 essential tips explain how containers fit into complex modern IT environments.Continue Reading

• Top 10 IT tutorials of 2018 for professional development in 2019

  Most IT admins take control of their education via home labs and tutorials. Refresh skills in PowerShell or Python -- or learn new ones like Kubernetes -- with these popular walkthroughs.Continue Reading

• How might NFV in IoT enhance network edge security?

  The emergence of IoT devices has considerable network security implications. An NFV architecture, however, could add another layer of network defense.Continue Reading

• Hybrid cloud technologies become table stakes in IaaS market

  In 2018, IaaS providers upped their commitment to hybrid cloud. Expect that trend to continue in full force next year -- with some key distinctions between vendors' strategies.Continue Reading

• Secure data in the cloud with encryption and access controls

  Enterprises can't rely on their IaaS provider to protect sensitive information in the cloud. Implement these data security techniques to mitigate potential risks.Continue Reading

• Amazon Lightsail vs. EC2: Do updates tip the scale?

  Amazon Lightsail updates will make the cloud bundle an appealing option for some AWS users, but EC2 still provides more benefits for users that need infrastructure flexibility.Continue Reading

• Combining serverless and microservices has its benefits

  Uncover the advantages that result from coupling serverless with microservices, and see how cloud providers prepare for customers to use these technologies together.Continue Reading

• Pair AWS with microservices deployment to meet CI/CD goals

  When combined with microservices, these AWS offerings can provide an easier way to adopt a fully Agile development methodology.Continue Reading

• Estimate the cost of open source software in 5 practical areas

  Open source tools and technologies are free for the taking, as long as enterprise IT organizations correctly calculate the cost of implementation, support, contribution and more.Continue Reading

• Test your knowledge of 2018 cloud acquisitions

  To extend their offerings, top cloud providers made numerous acquisitions in 2018. Take this quiz to see if you remember some of the biggest deals that went down.Continue Reading

• Data storage industry trends revealed in top 2018 news stories

  AI, NVMe over fabrics and the cloud were must-read data storage stories in 2018, as were Tintri's struggles and Dell EMC's product moves. See the news that mattered as the year closes.Continue Reading

• IT organizations anticipate DevOps evolution in 2019

  DevOps shifts around like ice cubes skate across water: quickly and always toward its outer limits. Kurt Marko explores some areas where DevOps will go in 2019.Continue Reading

• Hyper-V Integration Services and VMware Tools improve OSes

  Hyper-V Integration Services and VMware Tools are similar utilities with a few small differences. One is that Hyper-V Integration Services supports fewer guests than VMware Tools.Continue Reading

• Application load testing is critical for business success

  Load testing tools help ensure apps can withstand normal amounts of user traffic, as well as spikes and other conditions. Learn how these tools work and their business benefits.Continue Reading