Evaluate

Evaluate

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

• Overcome 9 microservices challenges for platform flexibility

  It's all well and good to tear apart your monolith, but a careless microservices approach can result in the same old problems. Watch out for these nine hurdles. Continue Reading

• Does software networking fit modern data center requirements?

  Software networking can support modern data center requirements, private clouds and accompanying applications. But IT teams need to wade through components and suppliers to get there. Continue Reading

• Open source low-code platforms extend app dev capabilities

  Enterprises want their apps to go to market as fast as possible. Low-code platforms accelerate development processes, and with open source, these platforms are more customizable. Continue Reading

• Hyper-converged product comparison: What leading HCI vendors offer

  Before you purchase a hyper-converged infrastructure system, use the criteria and factors examined here to evaluate 10 leading HCI products. Continue Reading

• Cloud vendor lock-in fears dwindle for enterprises

  Vendor lock-in concerns are slowly dissipating as enterprises prioritize functionality and speed to market. Other concerns continue to climb up the list, including skills and compliance. Continue Reading

• Nyansa's Voyance uses machine learning to improve Wi-Fi troubleshooting

  Wi-Fi woes trip up company business, but a tool that uses machine learning can help. Read this review that covers one company's experience with Nyansa's Voyance tool.Continue Reading

• What are the top software testing methodologies?

  Whether you want to discover new software testing methodologies or rejuvenate test cases, QA is all about efficiency. Evaluate these testing techniques and strategies to meet QA goals.Continue Reading

• Ensure AWS video file conversion doesn't break the bank

  Video file conversion can be a costly but necessary task for enterprises to reach their customers. Find the right mix of functionality and price with these services.Continue Reading

• Composable architecture options versus CI and HCI

  While converged, hyper-converged and composable infrastructures all share some degree of similarity in convergence, important differences can affect your IT architecture choices.Continue Reading

• Machine learning services in cloud aim for AI accessibility

  Machine learning is a complex technology that requires data science skills. Cloud providers have tried to change that and make AI more accessible. But are those efforts working?Continue Reading

• Open source hypervisor technical support, update considerations

  Even though open source software itself is completely free to obtain and use, effective hypervisor technical support options for production environments might cost money.Continue Reading

• Plan ahead for app portability in multi-cloud deployments

  For dev teams who work primarily with AWS, multi-cloud presents some challenges. Explore these ways to ensure app portability and whether that flexibility is worth the effort.Continue Reading

• Consider SD-WAN products to help simplify network management

  Learn how to determine your organization's need for SD-WAN technology and how to evaluate offerings from the top SD-WAN providers in the market to find the right fit.Continue Reading

• Is the XenServer hypervisor worth the cost?

  There is a free, easy-to-obtain version of Citrix XenServer, but additional features and commercial support from Citrix -- which some shops might need -- require a license.Continue Reading

• Why upgrading to a Gen 6 Fibre Channel network is a good idea

  Upgrading to a next-gen Fibre Channel network provides the added performance needed to meet the demands of evolving technologies and workloads, along with other benefits.Continue Reading

• What the CI process can and can't do for software delivery

  Continuous integration, software delivery and deployment are distinct software lifecycle stages, but they are far more complementary than competitive in modern dev methodologies.Continue Reading

• Evaluate Oracle VM Server as a potential hypervisor

  Oracle VM provides useful features such as high availability and live migration, but it's important for admins to size the server for the workloads it's intended to host.Continue Reading

• Weigh Amazon SageMaker ease of use against needed AI skills

  SageMaker shouldn't be viewed as the AWS machine learning cure-all but, instead, as a potential option for developers with some AI and data analysis background.Continue Reading

• Azure Stack growing pains could weigh on enterprise appeal

  Microsoft's hybrid cloud platform continues to pique the interest of enterprise IT shops but still lacks the maturity and breadth of the Azure public cloud.Continue Reading

• The DevOps hiring process should be audition-based

  How do we ensure competence? Certification is now a big business, but the way we test a 6 year old should differ from the way we test a doctoral candidate or DevOps engineer.Continue Reading

• Red Hat Virtualization hypervisor adoption considerations

  IT admins considering Red Hat Virtualization might inadvertently overlook certain system requirements or forget to consider whether they need support.Continue Reading

• Most jobs in the IT industry pay well, but skills matter

  A survey of tech professionals identified which IT skills are most in demand. Find out how salaries compare from region to region, and how expertise affects compensation.Continue Reading

• Benefits of infrastructure as code range from speed to scaling

  Provisioning large numbers of servers takes time. One of infrastructure as code's benefits is that once you declare a desired state, code maintains that environment with ease.Continue Reading

• Microservices development will fail with monolithic mindset

  Enterprises that build microservices with traditional development tools and practices can run into problems in configuration and dependency management.Continue Reading

• Answers to NetApp FlexPod commonly asked questions

  Wondering which version of FlexPod is ideal for your situation? In this FAQ, find out the answer to this, as well as other common NetApp and Cisco FlexPod questions.Continue Reading

• Open source microservices management trends alter software delivery

  Open source trends and projects have shaken up the software delivery landscape by aiming to run and manage microservices in cloud-native environments.Continue Reading

• 6 features your multi-cloud management tools should have

  When evaluating cloud management platforms, IT decision-makers should make sure they have these key functions and that they meet their organization's specific requirements.Continue Reading

• Sustain high quality in low-code app development

  Organizations can keep their standards high and their programming low if they follow these guidelines for a low-code, model-driven approach to software development.Continue Reading

• Why Intel Optane SSDs have 'failed'

  Why haven't SSDs built on 3D XPoint taken off yet? Don't blame the technology; blame the marketing behind Intel Optane. New Optane NVDIMMs could fare better.Continue Reading

• How has software-defined networking security evolved?

  Software-defined networking security means more than just microsegmentation. Enterprises can also use SDN to assign security zones, improve monitoring and help with automation.Continue Reading

• Learn the value of exploratory testing vs. scripted testing

  In this podcast, testing expert Matt Heusser explains how exploratory and scripted tests differ and how they complement each other.Continue Reading

• Microservices challenges fluster even the sharpest IT shops

  Freed from the needs of a large and traditionally structured application, a development team working in the microservices architecture builds apps via services that can be more easily isolated, manipulated, updated and fixed. Still, developers and ...Continue Reading

• Move to NVMe technology will depend on need and speed

  As a replacement for the SCSI storage protocol, NVMe can provide more responsive storage and lower latency. But transitioning to NVMe in the data center requires thorough planning.Continue Reading

• How a domain-specific language affects configuration management

  Learn a domain-specific language -- it's easier than French! A DSL's programming style enables administrators to operate with more precision and flexibility, but don't write off YAML yet.Continue Reading

• Compare cloud API management tools from AWS, Azure and Google

  While the API management tools from top cloud providers share some functionality, there are key differences that developers -- especially those in a multi-cloud model -- should know.Continue Reading

• Wireless-first networks verge on wireless-only, but concerns remain

  A wireless-first strategy could spread among enterprises and proceed toward wireless-only. IT staff, however, should heed concerns around capacity, management and cost.Continue Reading

• Hyper-converged products offer big benefits to IT environments

  Hyper-converged technology offers benefits such as scalability to help reduce the storage footprint, and enables organizations to pick the hardware and configuration to best suit their needs.Continue Reading

• How network operators can differentiate SD-WAN services

  Providers' SD-WAN services currently compete largely on cost, but network operators hope to gain market share with network-based SD-WAN feature differentiation.Continue Reading

• What IPv6 features can be found in the latest specification?

  The IPv6 specification is now becoming a full-fledged internet standard. New IPv6 features focus on enterprise reliability and operational and security considerations.Continue Reading

• How Cisco's Viptela buy affects branch routers, IT customers

  Zeus Kerravala says Cisco's ISR isn't going anywhere and discusses what its use of Viptela's software-defined WAN means for the IT giant's future, its product line and its customers.Continue Reading

• Blockchain-microservices pairing not an enterprise reality yet

  Despite some specific use cases, experts don't expect to see many enterprises combine blockchain and microservices -- at least, not yet.Continue Reading

• Let's develop best practices for security in DevOps

  We've turned to DevOps and microservices because they've made it faster and easier to release and update applications. It's past time we developed security practices for them.Continue Reading

• Datrium open converged infrastructure makes HCI flexible

  Datrium calls its less rigid form of converged infrastructure open convergence to highlight its greater scaling flexibility versus converged or hyper-converged infrastructures.Continue Reading

• XCP-ng offers new hypervisor option for cost-conscious shops

  A new open source fork of Citrix XenServer includes many features proprietary hypervisors offer, but it's not likely to displace market leaders any time soon.Continue Reading

• Active-active data centers key to high-availability application resilience

  Enterprises dependent upon a high-availability application should investigate active-active data center designs to ensure reliability and resiliency.Continue Reading

• Converged data center migration practices to avoid data loss

  Refreshing data center hardware is no simple task, especially for organizations with multiple workflows. Before completing an upgrade, make a plan for backups and workload management.Continue Reading

• Legacy roots still hinder Oracle and IBM cloud strategies

  As IBM and Oracle look to shift away from legacy systems and hone in on IaaS, it won't be a clean cut. Still, each vendor has its sweet spot in the overall cloud market.Continue Reading

• The road to effective bot development in DevOps environments

  A bot that simply helps you help yourself goes a long way in a DevOps environment. One bot that does one thing really well is better than an army of chatbots.Continue Reading

• AWS IoT Analytics churns device data into insights

  To tap into the business value of IoT data, organizations first need the right set of tools. Compare these AWS analytics services and the features they bring to the table.Continue Reading

• Which SD-WAN security concerns should I tackle first?

  IT teams thinking about software-defined WAN technology should assess a few SD-WAN security concerns before deployment to make sure it's worth the investment.Continue Reading

• Nutanix hyper-converged Flows into multi-cloud and more

  With the introduction of Flow, Beam and Era, Nutanix has made a clear statement that it's aiming for a comprehensive Nutanix enterprise cloud OS.Continue Reading

• Assess technology and products from top SD-WAN vendors

  SD-WAN products and services offer a variety of features and deployment options. Learn how top SD-WAN vendors stack up when it comes to addressing your key considerations.Continue Reading

• How NVMe technology and NVMe over Fabrics will change storage

  NVMe-oF is taking NVMe's benefits to the next level, letting devices based on the technology be used over distances and scaling to a larger number of devices.Continue Reading

• NVMe-oF and its many benefits take NVMe to the next level

  NVMe over Fabrics is revolutionizing the storage market by making full use of data center capacity and becoming an effective replacement for SAN environments.Continue Reading

• Software networking supports campus network convergence

  Software networking, along with intent-based capabilities, can help improve campus network visibility and authentication, while also supporting Ethernet and Wi-Fi convergence.Continue Reading

• Accelerated processing units advance data center performance

  As you come across more complex data center workflows, you can begin exploring options for accelerated processing, such as GPUs or TPUs.Continue Reading

• Key considerations when buying AWS cost management tools

  Third-party management tools can keep costs down in AWS environments, particularly in a multi-cloud strategy. Learn how to evaluate these tools and the features that they offer.Continue Reading

• Benefits of wireless networks extend to disaster recovery plans

  In a business continuity and disaster recovery plan, IT resilience is key. Find out how the benefits of wireless networks can help keep businesses running.Continue Reading

• Achieve reactive microservices architecture with minimal effort

  Reactive systems philosophy lends itself to microservices architecture because it stresses four core principles of responsivity, resilience, elasticity and message-driven communication.Continue Reading

• How micro modular data centers simplify complex network routes

  The deployment of prefabricated micro modular data centers could ease network traffic to customer premises and multiple clouds by processing data locally at the network edge.Continue Reading

• SCVMM vs. Hyper-V Manager: Which tasks are best suited to each?

  Although SCVMM offers capabilities far exceeding those of Hyper-V Manager, Hyper-V Manager has the advantage of being simpler to use and not requiring an additional license.Continue Reading

• NVMe flash storage is shaking things up

  The development of the nonvolatile memory express protocol is a huge step forward in allowing enterprises to maximize the benefits inherent to flash storage. NVMe puts storage closer to the CPU, reduces latency and increases the amount of parallel ...Continue Reading

• Catch the next wave of digital IT transformation: Learning tech

  IT learning technologies, such as machine learning and AI workloads, are gaining traction and could be the next wave of IT investment that drives competitive advantages.Continue Reading

• Understanding data storage and its import eludes younger IT folks

  Jon Toigo has a lot to say about the consistent disparagement and disregard many young people in the IT industry show toward data storage technology and management.Continue Reading

• The challenges of flash enterprise storage and how to beat them

  Blazing fast all-flash data centers raise important issues. It's expensive to equip DR sites and then there's all that stale data. Find out how to counteract these issues.Continue Reading

• NVMe market and technology rapidly evolve

  The tipping point of NVMe acceptance is fast approaching as more enterprises consider adopting the technology to maximize SSD flash investment and performance.Continue Reading

• How NVMe technology will rock the enterprise storage boat

  NVMe flash speeds up storage and radically alters server connectivity. How will enterprises adopt NVMe storage and how well will it work with existing technologies?Continue Reading

• Storage conferences aren't what they used to be

  If you're an IT pro looking for a good storage user conference these days, you'll probably have to go through one or more of your storage vendors to find one.Continue Reading

• How do I integrate storage into a blade server architecture?

  Blade servers come in a variety of configurations. In order to effectively manage your data center, you'll want to consider your storage needs, blade location and types of data workflows.Continue Reading

• Nvidia GPU Cloud marries data science and containers

  With its GPU Cloud, Nvidia offers a way to deploy data science workloads that span on-premises systems and the public cloud -- with containers playing a big role.Continue Reading

• Origin authentication a small step toward resolving BGP security issues

  Although content verification, origin authentication and shared information can address aspects of BGP security, it's unlikely we'll be able to resolve the issues completely.Continue Reading

• Social concept points to an SDN model with two control planes

  It might not seem like control planes and SDN models have a lot in common with a social concept, but together, they could highlight how business intent and operations inform network design.Continue Reading

• A DevOps developer should be adaptable, creative

  Unlike in the past, companies don't necessarily look to hire developers with hard technology skills. DevOps is changing the rules, so, for developers, it's time to get creative.Continue Reading

• It's time to tap into the business value of cloud computing

  With increasing market maturity, all cloud adopters -- not just the Netflixes of the world -- have a chance to translate the technology into a competitive business edge.Continue Reading

• BigQuery vs. Redshift debate centers around cost, management

  Google BigQuery and Amazon Redshift remain two popular options for a data warehouse in the cloud. But, to choose between them, enterprises need to factor in some distinct differences.Continue Reading

• Storage networking technologies explained

  Make sure you know the differences among network fabrics, such as Ethernet, Fibre Channel and InfiniBand, before making decisions about your storage network infrastructure.Continue Reading

• What's a cloud migration factory, and how does it work?

  When properly implemented -- and understood -- a cloud migration factory combines the right mix of people, processes and tools to smoothly transition an app into the public cloud.Continue Reading

• Compare leading on-premises and cloud-managed WLAN products

  In order for your organization to select the WLAN architecture that will best meet its needs, you must compare product types, deployment options and capabilities.Continue Reading

• Composable infrastructure platform FAQs get answers

  While the goal of hyper-converged infrastructure and composable infrastructure are much the same, the way they achieve that objective of on-demand IT infrastructure differs.Continue Reading

• 5D data storage and the future of optical technology

  Researchers say revolutionary 5D optical storage could protect hundreds of terabytes of data for billions of years, far beyond the capabilities of current storage media.Continue Reading

• 3D NAND technology: What it is and where it's headed

  Following a recent NAND flash shortage, 3D NAND is seeing renewed interest from consumers and vendors. Discover what makes the technology a compelling flash memory option.Continue Reading

• AWS cost management tools wrangle unwieldy expenses

  It can be a challenge to manage AWS costs, and native tools might not effectively address it. Learn how third-party vendors can help.Continue Reading

• Weigh the pros, cons of AWS CodeCommit for source control

  Before developers commit to AWS' native source control service, they should carefully evaluate the benefits and tradeoffs compared to alternatives like GitHub.Continue Reading

• Three log analytics use cases set better ops in motion

  The path to more resilient, bug-free and available IT deployments is hiding in plain sight, in log data. Parse short- and long-term data these three ways to improve operations.Continue Reading

• Utilize microservices to support a 5G network architecture

  To satisfy next-level network promises, 5G networks should be supported by a microservices-based infrastructure, as monolithic architectures won't meet demands.Continue Reading

• Why object storage is becoming an alternative to RAID

  RAID is a well-established storage technology, known for being reliable and secure. But as data volumes grow, more flexible, effective RAID alternatives are gaining a following.Continue Reading

• Use AWS SAM to consistently manage serverless apps

  AWS Serverless Application Model can simplify the management of serverless apps. Use this step-by-step example to get started with the service.Continue Reading

• Midyear 2018 telecom trends: Operators broaden their focus

  Midyear 2018 telecom trends show operators looking to increase profits on a number of fronts ranging from new investments, network automation and rethinking the 5G transition.Continue Reading

• How gRPC improves microservices load balancing on Kubernetes

  Kubernetes networking can be a challenge, but the gRPC protocol can help software pros focus on the application logic rather than worry about how to handle network request calls.Continue Reading

• Cloud billing surprises help pinpoint app performance issues

  To assess cloud app performance, don't forget to closely monitor monthly bills from your IaaS provider. They might point to inefficiencies you'd otherwise overlook.Continue Reading

• Is the CTO the new standard for a DevOps leader?

  For DevOps initiatives to work, they need support from the C-suite. With more companies focusing on products, not services, is the CTO the flagbearer of DevOps leadership?Continue Reading

• Choose the best PaaS tool for your app dev needs

  Given the vast and rapidly evolving PaaS market, dev teams often struggle to find the tool that's best for them. Use this guide to review key PaaS benefits and provider options.Continue Reading

• Building and implementing a true SDDC platform

  Data center technology must keep up with changing infrastructures. With a software-defined data center, organizations can gain flexibility and automation.Continue Reading

• Debug more quickly with AWS CodeBuild local support

  AWS CodeBuild's local features serve as much-needed support for dev teams that can't afford lengthy wait times. Here's how to implement these features to ramp up development.Continue Reading

• GPUs, FPGAs increase software-defined data center performance

  Some applications in your SDDC might need special hardware so they can function at their best. GPUs and FPGAs are an effective way to increase performance.Continue Reading

• New details released on Huawei's intent-based network

  ZK Research offers details on Huawei's new Intent-Driven Network and what its hardware and the software can do to smooth network glitches and even raise security.Continue Reading

• New vSAN 6.7 features boost failover, ease management

  The latest version of vSAN puts the hyper-converged storage software into a wider range of use cases with better support for failover and a smoother management user interface.Continue Reading

• Options for DNS in networking address growing challenges

  A need for modern DNS in networking has grown out of increased cloud use and distributed applications. Now, vendors are offering these services for internal enterprise use.Continue Reading

• Cato Networks adds 'identity awareness' to SD-WAN as a service

  Cato Networks SD-WAN as a service was updated this week with identity-aware routing. The vendor claims identity awareness can simplify network operations and better meet business goals.Continue Reading

• Can hyper-converged systems benefit from SDN architecture?

  Hyper-convergence combined with software-defined networking architecture might seem like hyper-hype, but SDN offers many network capabilities required of hyper-converged systems.Continue Reading