Evaluate

Evaluate

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

• API integration becomes an enterprise priority

  To gain the agility required of multi-cloud and mobile computing, enterprises will invest in agile API integration platforms, as well as event-driven integration. Continue Reading

• Establish a configuration management strategy to guide transition

  Humans are notoriously averse to change in routine -- even when it makes their jobs easier. Encourage innovation and be flexible: Strategy is a journey, not a destination. Continue Reading

• A configuration management plan can unite tools and teams

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• Expect more container evolution, growth in 2019

  Containerization shows no sign of winding down. With technologies, product options and providers focused on technological improvement, container ecosystems will develop rapidly in the coming year. Continue Reading

• The top 9 trends in network technology for 2019

  In the new year, expect SDN and SD-WAN to come back down to earth. Meanwhile, multi-cloud, edge computing and intent-based networking will ramp up. Plus, data centers are not dead. Continue Reading

• Seneca College brings its campus Wi-Fi back to school

  Wi-Fi has gone back to school. Seneca College deployed a new Wi-Fi system from Aruba Networks to support its tens of thousands of students, faculty and plentiful devices.Continue Reading

• AI for IT operations means smarter, safer deployments

  Anticipate developments in AIOps and IT automation in 2019, particularly in major spaces such as IT security. Help your organization look forward and adopt smarter automation.Continue Reading

• The top ways microservices impact EDI processes

  B2B integration has changed, and traditional EDI transaction methods may not meet modern needs. Here is how microservices can help organizations simplify today's complex B2B endpoints.Continue Reading

• Providers widen telecom cloud services for the enterprise

  Some traditional service providers are reinventing telecom cloud services enabled by new networking partnerships and technologies to offer enterprise customers a number of benefits.Continue Reading

• When to manage APIs with cloud-native vs. third-party tools

  As enterprises break out applications into smaller components, both in the development cycle and for operational scalability, APIs become more important -- as does proper management.Continue Reading

• What are the top 3 benefits of NFV technology?

  The use of standard hardware, consolidation of network functions and machines, and flexible system upgrades are some of the key benefits of NFV technology.Continue Reading

• A look at the AWS hardware update that fuels its A1 instances

  In case you missed the reveal of AWS' A1 instance type at re:Invent, the updated hardware that underpins these VMs could have a major effect on your cloud workloads.Continue Reading

• Use Puppet for Windows ops automation with dsc_lite

  With DSC and dsc_lite, as well as a native option, users operate in Puppet within the familiarity of PowerShell settings. Here's how each approach works.Continue Reading

• How to create test data that yields accurate QA results

  Testers need valid data to prevent app defects, which means they must simulate real data types and structure them as closely as possible. Don't fake it when you make it.Continue Reading

• The future of SD-WAN moves away from stand-alone product

  'Tis the season for a look at the future of SD-WAN. In 2019, one networking expert expects more managed SD-WAN, further market consolidation and a shift away from individual SD-WAN devices.Continue Reading

• Key IT skills to make you current and capable in an ops role

  With the rapid pace of IT, it's easy to lose your edge -- even for technologically curious ops professionals. Master a balance of the best IT and people skills to get ahead in modern operations.Continue Reading

• Test your grasp of 3D NAND flash technology

  Adoption of 3D NAND flash is on the rise and fueling growth in the NAND market. Take our quiz to find out what matters about this key technology.Continue Reading

• Gauge your platform purchasing options before SD-WAN deployment

  Finalizing how an organization deploys SD-WAN can be a complex process, especially with the range of available purchasing options. But studying the options is always a good start.Continue Reading

• Align KPIs for IT with corresponding business goals

  It's easy for IT KPIs to take a back seat to those of the business or vice versa. Instead, explore these ways to maintain a working balance.Continue Reading

• Which APM tool works for devs, CIOs? New Relic vs. Stackify

  Stackify Retrace and New Relic tools typify a divide between developers and CIOs on application monitoring. The products share many capabilities, but those features aren't equally granular or accessible.Continue Reading

• What are the differences between network security vs. cybersecurity?

  IT groups need to consider varying layers of security. For instance, the similarities and differences between cybersecurity and network security are closely entwined.Continue Reading

• Admins now require data center skills 'a mile wide'

  The role of a data center professional is changing in the face of cloud, the internet of things and evolving security. One hiring manager talks about the changes and why admins need broader skill sets.Continue Reading

• How to choose the right CDN service for your organization

  Organizations that distribute web content to users worldwide are turning to CDN services to provide fast, secure delivery of their content.Continue Reading

• HPE SimpliVity hyper-converged FAQs get answered

  When HPE bought SimpliVity in 2017, it raised questions about the two company's HCI products, even though they were existing partners. We answer some of those questions.Continue Reading

• NVMe performance leap depends on all-flash array architecture used

  All-flash NVMe-based storage arrays could bring a big improvement in performance depending on the array architecture you use. We look at what you can expect.Continue Reading

• Colorado believes autonomous vehicles technology can save lives

  Edge computing, take the wheel. The Colorado Department of Transportation is deploying roadside network devices to support connected and autonomous vehicles technology.Continue Reading

• Reality check: How has data center SDN evolved?

  Considering the twists and turns in SDN technology and adoption, it's easy to wonder about future development. Learn what three industry analysts think about the evolution of SDN and its drawbacks.Continue Reading

• What you need to know about network analytics software

  Reality check: Are network analytics tools overhyped? This guide explores the key features of these tools, how they can help and their effect on networking's future.Continue Reading

• Compare Docker containers vs. VMs for app dev environments

  While there are important technical distinctions between VMs and containers, the reasons developers opt for the latter are often more philosophical, or cultural, in nature.Continue Reading

• What you need to know before buying hyper-converged technology

  Learn how to determine your organization's need for hyper-converged infrastructure and to evaluate offerings from top HCI vendors to find the right fit.Continue Reading

• Weighing open converged infrastructure against composable

  OCI and composable infrastructure are both touted as the latest in convergence, but it is important to know how they differ before making an IT buying decision.Continue Reading

• Consider these options to reduce AWS data transfer costs

  While it's free to get data onto AWS, it can be expensive to get it off. Avoid being stung by hefty egress fees with services such as CloudFront, Direct Connect and Snowball.Continue Reading

• As-a-service at your service: Cloud tools simplify DevOps automation

  AWS offers the widest range of cloud-integrated DevOps tools. But Google Cloud has a strategy with more focus on integration, and Azure closely ties in with other Microsoft products.Continue Reading

• When traditional data center technology trumps hyper-converged

  Committing to a conventional data center rather than a hyper-converged approach is sometimes the smarter move. We take a look at some reasons to steer clear of HCI.Continue Reading

• Choosing the best OS: Linux server vs. Windows Server

  When determining the best server OS for a data center, you have Windows Server and multiple Linux options. For both, you'll want to look at vendor support, cost and functionality.Continue Reading

• How to successfully perform a data center upgrade

  When data center hardware becomes outdated, there are a few options. Here are ways that admins can ensure that a migration is efficient and downtime is minimized.Continue Reading

• Cloudlets extend cloud power to edge with virtualized delivery

  Cloud computing power for IoT and mobile devices is within reach due to the capabilities of cloudlets, which use virtualization and small data centers to extend computing power.Continue Reading

• What's next for VMs vs. containers as isolation, performance evolve?

  With advances from Docker, Kubernetes and other container technologies, an ecosystem is emerging that threatens the existence -- or at least importance -- of VMs in enterprise IT orgs.Continue Reading

• What are the pros and cons of blockchain in networking?

  While blockchain could be a valuable network management tool, enterprises don't exactly have a driving need for the ledger technology in the networking arena.Continue Reading

• Open source tools to consider for your RESTful APIs

  Software teams don't have to break the bank when they shop for RESTful API management tools. The right combination of tools that use open source code can help manage the whole lifecycle at low cost.Continue Reading

• Compare cloud container registries from AWS, Azure and Google

  Many developers use the Docker Hub container registry, but there are other options from AWS, Azure and Google. Explore these provider-native registries, and their key differences.Continue Reading

• Understanding what Azure AD federation really means

  A company that adopts SaaS apps to get work done can ease the transition by implementing a single sign-on method. Learn how to set up this arrangement in a secure manner.Continue Reading

• Evaluate 3 cloud-native CI/CD pipeline tools

  When it comes to continuous integration and delivery tools, there is no shortage of comparable options -- including those from public cloud providers, such as AWS, Azure and Google.Continue Reading

• What are today's top 3 network security challenges?

  A significant shortage of cybersecurity staff, poorly configured firewalls and unmanaged end-user mobile devices are some of the top network security threats.Continue Reading

• When a NoOps implementation is -- and when it isn't -- the right choice

  NoOps skills and tools are highly useful regardless of the IT environment, but site reliability engineering brings operations admins into development when an organization can't afford to lose them.Continue Reading

• What to look for in an API development SaaS platform

  Not all SaaS API development platforms are made the same. Learn about the fundamental capabilities that API SaaS tools should provide and discover some popular options.Continue Reading

• How CloudFormation Macros stack up against other IaC tools

  Developers can use an updated CloudFormation feature to manage and deploy IaC templates with Lambda. However, other native and third-party tools may be better choices depending on users' needs.Continue Reading

• AWS security tools embrace AI, but miss on multi-cloud

  AWS has added AI-backed services, such as Amazon GuardDuty and Amazon Macie, to expand its security capabilities, but still hasn't addressed users' needs outside of its own platform.Continue Reading

• What does GPU hardware do in the data center?

  Once part of the gaming industry, GPUs are gaining traction in data center infrastructures. Learn why the power of GPUs makes them fit virtualization and data-heavy applications.Continue Reading

• How NFV and SDN could shape the future of telecom

  Looking to the future of telecom, NFV and SDN can help generate new services revenue and lower operating costs using cloud principles, rather a traditional network standards approach.Continue Reading

• How 3 benefits of SDN can help small businesses

  As SDN matures and evolves from its original definition, it's getting harder for small businesses to ignore the benefits of SDN, like better visibility, security and efficiency.Continue Reading

• Evaluate Linux server distros for your data center

  Linux is known for its reliability and flexibility in the data center. To select the proper distribution for your servers, you'll need to evaluate your application and support needsContinue Reading

• Adobe adopts Versa SD-WAN architecture for cloud performance

  After moving its business to the cloud, Adobe chose to deploy Versa SD-WAN architecture when it needed four-nines availability for critical services -- all on a smaller budget.Continue Reading

• 4 NVMe storage array options to consider

  Here's what you need to know to pick the NVMe array that provides your organization with the performance improvement it needs and also fits its budget.Continue Reading

• A quick quiz on machine learning services in public cloud

  From customized hardware to APIs, public cloud providers now tout a wide range of machine learning and AI technologies. How well have you kept up with this rapidly evolving market?Continue Reading

• How to get network data analytics that really helps your team

  Data analytics promises essential information that can improve network performance. A solid strategy that asks the right questions is the critical first step.Continue Reading

• 5 types of network diagnostics tools and what they can do

  Vendors of network analytics tools are improving older products and introducing new ones to bring network managers the information a smooth-running network now requires.Continue Reading

• Using AI, machine learning in networking to improve analytics

  The barrage of alerts modern network analytics tools create is problematic, but the capabilities advanced tech like AI provides can help ease the burden to network operations.Continue Reading

• Compliance automation prevents regulation audit snafus

  Many IT organizations address compliance issues manually, even though Puppet, Fugue and other tools can enforce configurations that comply with regulations and even provide an audit trail.Continue Reading

• AWS should address these user challenges at re:Invent 2018

  SearchAWS contributors say Amazon's cloud platform still has shortcomings around data regulation, ops and integrations. They offer some ways AWS could solve these problems at re:Invent this year.Continue Reading

• Automated data management is a crucial part of IT's future

  Automating data management will play an important role in helping us cope with the coming zettabyte apocalypse, a time when the amount of data generated will overwhelm storage resources.Continue Reading

• Annual AWS conference can educate and overwhelm

  AWS re:Invent is an opportunity to learn about the latest from the cloud provider, or simply get started. This handbook breaks it down with predictions, insights and more.Continue Reading

• 5 questions to ask about open data centers

  Editor's note: In this opinion piece, industry analyst Zeus Kerravala shares his thoughts on open data centers and Extreme Networks' approach. Extreme Networks is a client of Kerravala's ZK ...Continue Reading

• Predictive storage analytics can watch your storage for you

  Don't ask if your next storage array or software will have predictive analytics. Ask what those analytics can do for your specific systems and applications.Continue Reading

• Why more enterprises choose to park information on cloud platforms

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• Properly configure resources to reduce cloud security threats

  Misconfigured cloud resources can quickly open the door to IT risks. Be mindful of access controls, and don't brush off your cloud provider's recommended security practices.Continue Reading

• How to select a CDN provider that addresses your specialized needs

  Leading CDN services offer a wide range of traffic management functionality, including application load balancing, and provide a variety of network security services.Continue Reading

• AWS cloud strategy gives nod to on-premises needs

  Amazon RDS on VMware signifies a major move on premises to compete with other cloud providers and appease customers. But how far will AWS go from its cloud-only roots?Continue Reading

• 802.11ax Wi-Fi and training act as paths to better security

  A rose by any other name would smell as sweet -- and whether you call it 802.11ax Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi 6, the new wireless standard promises to bring unprecedented change.Continue Reading

• Three events that spooked cloud admins in 2018

  So far this year, outages, security breaches and GDPR compliance have haunted cloud admins in the enterprise. Take a closer peek at each of these three big scares.Continue Reading

• Understand the ins and outs of private cloud architecture

  Private clouds are based on server virtualization, but they aren't the same. Organizations must consider private cloud's specific use cases in comparison to server virtualization.Continue Reading

• Edge computing in IoT: Increasing network efficiency to ease traffic

  Edge computing in IoT is tied to IoT's growth in a number of vertical markets due to the benefits of processing data close to the data source, which relieves network overload.Continue Reading

• Handy PowerShell ISE add-ons for server administrators

  PowerShell ISE might be on the way out, but these extensions continue to sustain the development of management scripts for many Windows administrators.Continue Reading

• AWS, Microsoft and Google push on with hybrid cloud strategies

  As enterprises' appetite for hybrid cloud grows, the rivalry between AWS, Microsoft and Google will increasingly revolve around on-premises environments.Continue Reading

• Comparing content delivery offerings from 10 leading CDN providers

  It may seem that all CDN services have similar functionality for optimizing traditional apps and video. But before you select a CDN, learn how the offerings compare and differ.Continue Reading

• DevOps metrics point to fast releases, open source adoption

  You can always be better at DevOps. Assess these metrics from a variety of DevOps teams to see where you could stand to improve -- and give your team some positive reinforcement.Continue Reading

• How blockchain data storage may revolutionize the enterprise

  Blockchain for data storage promises to bring added trust, reliability and security to storage, but is it ready to become a mainstream technology? Experts offer their views.Continue Reading

• AI and machine learning take on cloud security woes

  AI-infused technologies continue to target almost all aspects of cloud monitoring and management, including security. But don't assume they're a silver bullet.Continue Reading

• Compare AWS data lakes with S3 against HDFS

  An S3 data lake streamlines the analysis of data that lives exclusively on AWS infrastructure but presents limitations for those who want to move beyond the Amazon ecosystem.Continue Reading

• Should you use AI for security in the cloud?

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• Explore Aurora Serverless capabilities for enterprise use

  Users should explore the potential benefits and disadvantages of AWS' serverless database option before they jump in and focus on which environments the service fits best.Continue Reading

• Is hyper-convergence infrastructure becoming stratified?

  As more options for converged or hyper-converged IT types come to market, organizations may find themselves siloed into an option by size.Continue Reading

• Expect slow adoption of 400 Gigabit Ethernet, for now

  Editor's note: In this opinion piece, industry analyst Zeus Kerravala shares his thoughts on 400 Gigabit Ethernet adoption and Arista Networks' 400 GbE approach. Arista is a client of Kerravala's ...Continue Reading

• How to choose between serverless and containerized microservices

  Explore the intricacies of serverless microservices and container microservices to discover which development requirements are crucial to your ultimate decision.Continue Reading

• Don't dwell on the nuances of low-code vs. no-code

  As more and more business users acquire basic programming skills, enterprises shouldn't get too caught up in the nuances between low-code and no-code platforms.Continue Reading

• Secondary storage structure is based on workload needs

  Using secondary storage can improve the performance of mission-critical applications, but deciding what data is secondary in importance isn't as easy as it seems.Continue Reading

• SD-WAN connectivity options hinge on latency, app performance

  Users debating MPLS vs. internet for SD-WAN connectivity should take the time to extensively research latency and quality-of-service requirements in terms of application performance.Continue Reading

• Container hosting requires in-depth service network plans

  Microservices and containers complement each other with scalability and flexibility. But they can also compound network addressing problems in production without proper precautions.Continue Reading

• Hyper-V vs. vSphere high availability features

  Compare VMware vSphere and Microsoft Hyper-V HA approaches to see how they keep VMs and other workloads online when a host server crashes.Continue Reading

• Pivot3 HCI: 7 things you should know

  Where did Pivot3 first target its hyper-converged storage systems, and where is it focused today? Find out answers to these and other frequently asked questions.Continue Reading

• 4 switch ASIC interfaces to drive SDN and machine learning growth

  Learn how four interfaces that are designed to control switch ASICs and packet forwarding can help accelerate developments in SDN and machine learning.Continue Reading

• Estimate cloud computing costs prior to app migration

  Enterprises should enlist a number of resources, including cost calculators and third-party tools, to assess what they'll pay for cloud computing -- before they start migration.Continue Reading

• Networks of the future: What automation and IBN can do for you

  Learn all you need to know about how automated network management and intent-based networking can benefit your network's future, along with useful tools and vendor plays.Continue Reading

• NVMe fabric options include Fibre Channel, RDMA

  Planning NVMe over fabrics? Then get to know all about the Fibre Channel and RDMA fabric options to decide which of the two approaches fits your network best.Continue Reading

• 802.11ax standard promises tectonic shift in wireless

  It's shiny, bright and new -- and, like 'Anchorman' Ron Burgundy, kind of a big deal. Here's why networking experts say high-efficiency 802.11ax Wi-Fi actually lives up to the hype.Continue Reading

• Merging wired and wireless networks spawns valuable analytics

  Editor's note: Industry analyst Zeus Kerravala provides his thoughts on Arista Networks' effort to unify wired and wireless networks. Arista is a client of Kerravala's ZK Research, a consulting ...Continue Reading

• What you need to know about SD-branch before diving in

  The branch office is getting software-defined, and that is a good thing. But first, explore the benefits, and drawbacks, before taking the plunge.Continue Reading

• How to get your branch network up and running

  Setting up the branch office network can feel overwhelming, but you need only to ask the right questions to be able to evaluate the available technology and provider services.Continue Reading

• AWS Nitro system ushers in more compute options

  While questions remain around the direction of AWS' internal Nitro project, the effort has already translated into more high-performance compute options for users.Continue Reading

• Machine learning tools ease cloud security, log management

  Machine learning has increasingly found a home in enterprise cloud management teams, but the technology is still far from being a magic fix for complex tasks, such as multi-cloud cost optimization.Continue Reading