Evaluate

Evaluate

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

• What do you know about continuous software development?

  What's the difference between continuous development and deployment? Take the quiz to see if you can distinguish among all the continuous software processes. Continue Reading

• IT spending priorities for 2018 include cloud and flash storage

  More than half of respondents to our survey have larger IT budgets this year, and their storage spending is focused on ways to manage massive data growth. Continue Reading

• Navigating the network ADC buying process

  Learn how to assess your organization's needs for an ADC device and to evaluate the different application delivery controllers in the market to find the right fit. Continue Reading

• IoT initiatives and other emerging workloads force data center change

  Internet of things projects and other new technology, such as analytics and machine learning, are tied to software-defined storage and public cloud use, changing the face of IT. Continue Reading

• Cohesity's hyper-converged secondary storage takes on data growth

  An out-of-the-box secondary storage strategy to deal with the coming deluge of file and object data promises to overcome scalability, management and capacity limits of NAS. Continue Reading

• Many enterprises aren't prepared for a cloud service outage

  Some businesses have no idea what a cloud outage will cost them and who takes responsibility for restoring data and workloads, the customer or the cloud service provider.Continue Reading

• Three trends causing the rapid commoditization of AFA storage

  Advancing technology and changing market forces have shifted the dynamics in the all-flash array market, opening it up to new challengers and benefiting customers.Continue Reading

• NVMe technology is but a first step toward bigger things

  NVMe is an inevitable move forward for flash technology that begins the transition to storage-class memory and will lead to even more significant storage advances.Continue Reading

• Assess and select the right application monitoring tools

  Select the most effective APM platform for your application environment by examining what leading vendors offer for monitoring, reporting and analysis features.Continue Reading

• Software-based networking: The engine for a dynamic network

  Vendors are responding to demand for more interoperable networking products, which lets software-based tools enhance networking flexibility and responsiveness.Continue Reading

• The role of SDN in 5G technology and the WAN: Can it scale?

  Network operators have a narrow window to figure out if SDN in 5G technology can scale well enough to move it beyond the data center and into the WAN.Continue Reading

• Composable architecture keeps hardware flexibility

  With composable systems, an IT admin can get more choice from the devices on the back end and more choice on the devices it delivers the virtualized resources to.Continue Reading

• AFA storage tackles big data analytics challenges

  The latest generation of all-flash array storage is delivering the high performance and low latency required to support petabyte-scale big data analytics workloads.Continue Reading

• Use Windows Server deployment for feature-filled HCI

  Windows Server 2016 not only supports a hyper-converged infrastructure implementation, but brings with it a rich set of features for both performance and security.Continue Reading

• The best multi-cloud strategy is to just ignore the hype

  Vague vendor and analyst definitions for multi-cloud only confuse business leaders and put IT professionals in a precarious position.Continue Reading

• Compare virtual private cloud server providers

  Cost is an important factor to consider when evaluating different VPC providers, but the kind of hardware and data lines the providers offer plays a role, too.Continue Reading

• DevOps and security can coexist with a little planning

  If you want to bring the complicated-sounding DevSecOps into your organization, start with these three easy steps from Akamai's Ari Weil. Start where you are and ask a lot of questions.Continue Reading

• Cloud-native low-code platforms rival third-party options

  To choose between native and third-party low-code tools, application development teams need to weigh the benefits of consolidation against the risk of lock-in.Continue Reading

• How can I prevent a DDoS attack program?

  DDoS programs overwhelm networks with a torrent of requests. How can you prevent a DDoS attack, and what are the steps you can take to keep your networking environment secure?Continue Reading

• How open source Ceph compares to Linux Ceph products

  Ceph software-defined storage is available for free, thanks to its open source nature. However, in some situations, a commercial Linux Ceph product could be the way to go.Continue Reading

• Top application delivery controllers offer range of options

  The leading vendors in the application delivery controller market offer a broad range of physical and virtual appliances, with varying throughput levels and diverse function sets. Which product is right for you?Continue Reading

• Virtual private cloud vs. private cloud differences explained

  Virtual private clouds and private clouds differ in terms of architecture, the provider and tenants, and resource delivery. Decide between the two models based on these distinctions.Continue Reading

• Why take the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner exam?

  Even if you're not an IT pro, you can ace the AWS certification exam. Break down the communication walls between nontechnical staff and cloud experts by obtaining this AWS certification.Continue Reading

• New CDN services give providers an edge in WAN marketplace

  With enterprises moving workloads to public cloud, the CDN services market could see growth in security and performance services, as providers exploit their network-edge locations.Continue Reading

• Users demand more from containers in cloud

  Technology is always advancing, but it needs to march in the direction that users want. Containers are maturing, but plenty of IT pros still want more from the technology.Continue Reading

• IaaS and PaaS blurred lines increase lock-in risks

  There are three distinct cloud service categories: IaaS, PaaS and SaaS. However, IaaS and PaaS are getting a little too close, and you need to be aware of vendor lock-in risks.Continue Reading

• Hybrid cloud advantages and disadvantages explained

  Hybrid cloud is touted as providing the best of both private and public clouds, but this type of infrastructure comes with its own pros and cons, such as flexibility and complexity.Continue Reading

• Who put the AI in software?

  With artificial intelligence, anything seems possible. And that leaves a whole lot of room for the imagination to wonder about how the use of AI in software tools can change how the work gets done -- and who does it.

  The anxiety is ...Continue Reading

• Serverless technology obfuscates workflows, performance data

  Serverless and microservices reshape the application stack into something that looks like a swath of stars in the sky. How do you find a slow, misconfigured component in this interconnected galaxy?Continue Reading

• SD-WAN benefits the changing network connectivity landscape

  In the latest networking advance, SD-WAN benefits the evolving network connectivity landscape by allowing customers to use less expensive internet links and keep MPLS for important traffic.Continue Reading

• Guide to buying server performance monitor software

  Integration, storage and vendor support all affect whether a performance monitoring tool is right for an organization. Mull over these ten factors to choose the right one.Continue Reading

• Single pane of glass for multi-cloud management still elusive

  Unified management for multi-cloud remains a work in progress. Vendors have yet to produce the perfect single-pane-of-glass tool -- and some IT teams can't afford to wait for one.Continue Reading

• DevOps is key to low-code BPM, digital process automation

  Low-code BPM and emerging digital process automation tools empower business-side app development. But without BPM developers and DevOps management, automation can lead to chaos.Continue Reading

• AI in software testing has arrived. Here's why robots rule.

  AI promises to make software testing faster and much more accurate. New tools are available, but it will take time for artificial intelligence to become ubiquitous in testing.Continue Reading

• Network-as-a-service market blossoms as demands grow

  The network-as-a-service market is attracting more attention, as enterprises look for ways to outsource some of their infrastructure needs to providers.Continue Reading

• Amazon FreeRTOS aims to simplify, secure IoT deployment

  Operational technology teams have been slow to update microcontroller software due to safety and logistics concerns, but Amazon FreeRTOS aims to ease that process for AWS users.Continue Reading

• Cisco advances Network Assurance Engine, network verification tech

  The Cisco Network Assurance Engine, a network verification tool, will add support for more third-party devices and platforms. Cisco's Sundar Iyer shares plans.Continue Reading

• An up-close and in-depth look at APM software vendors

  Read this in-depth roundup on some of the top APM tools in today's market and what they can provide for root cause analysis, infrastructure monitoring and AI.Continue Reading

• Take the converged vs. hyper-converged infrastructure quiz

  Before you start the decision-making process over which IT approach you should take, quiz yourself on your hyper-converged and converged platform knowledge.Continue Reading

• Hybrid cloud providers offer different architecture types

  Hybrid cloud means different things to different vendors; some set aside part of the public cloud for private cloud purposes and others simply support an on-premises private cloud.Continue Reading

• Four situations where a multi-cloud strategy makes sense

  Many businesses can benefit from using multiple cloud services, especially if they need to ensure reliability, protect privacy, remain flexible and optimize the cloud experience.Continue Reading

• Three solid-state storage advantages that boost HCI performance

  There are many advantages to including solid-state storage in your hyper-converged infrastructure plans, such as better performance and lower power costs.Continue Reading

• Support for Node.js in AWS Lambda slowly, but surely, evolves

  Developers who need the latest version of Node.js for a serverless platform might turn to Lambda rivals to meet that need. But AWS' slow pace of support has quickened -- somewhat.Continue Reading

• Gordon: Trends driving network access control systems

  Pulse Secure executive Scott Gordon cites industry trends driving the vendor's new product launch and how endpoint security is driving shifts in network access control systems.Continue Reading

• Edge computing, cloud data centers drive decentralized IT

  This week, bloggers explore the growth of decentralized IT, thanks to edge computing; Infoblox DNS security updates; and how machine learning is becoming a feature, rather than a product.Continue Reading

• AWS' managed Kubernetes service faces tough competition in GKE

  Amazon's native integration of Kubernetes puts all the major cloud providers on the same playing field, but it's not an even match.Continue Reading

• Hyper-converged IT options should match your workload needs

  Moving to a hyper-converged infrastructure requires a great deal of study and planning. That starts with knowing what workloads you plan to run on the HCI system.Continue Reading

• Business needs define your hyper-convergence technology choices

  Base your HCI products of choice around the workloads you run, the architecture they run on and any present or future cloud plans you have for them.Continue Reading

• Hybrid cloud deployment demands a change in security mindset

  To fully protect data in a hybrid cloud model, enterprises need to scrutinize integration points, network access controls and the policies they have in place.Continue Reading

• Despite WLAN speed growth, do we really need mGig?

  Networking vendors introduced mGig to support 802.11ac Wave 2 devices within enterprise networks. But do you really need to upgrade to accommodate the new WLAN speed?Continue Reading

• How software-defined networking layers work with HCI

  The network function of a hyper-converged infrastructure has been the most difficult to virtualize, but adopting an SDN approach can make it easier for your organization.Continue Reading

• Which app is apt: native app vs. hybrid app?

  Developers have to know what type of application best fits them. Learn about native applications and hybrid applications to decide what works for your enterprise.Continue Reading

• Brace your IT operations team for a cloud migration

  A cloud migration isn't as easy as some providers suggest. Use these five tips to prep your IT ops teams for the big management and support changes that lie ahead.Continue Reading

• Select the best container monitoring tools for your environment

  Organizations that run containers should monitor them, too. Choose container monitoring that integrates into other systems monitoring tools, or take a different route.Continue Reading

• DevOps, cross-platform, test are top mobile developer skills

  Learn about four mobile app dev skills and experience enterprises value: Agile, DevOps, cross-platform and test-driven development, and newer, native languages Swift and Kotlin.Continue Reading

• Leading hybrid storage arrays offer flexibility, scalability

  By examining how leading hybrid storage systems address scalability, system management and company size, your organization can select the array that will best meet its needs.Continue Reading

• Early adopters face AWS Lambda cost management challenges

  Serverless computing abstracts away infrastructure management responsibilities, but some customers find that this convenience comes with a price that's not easy to estimate or manage.Continue Reading

• Azure Machine Learning services ease data science struggles

  With Azure machine learning services, such as Workbench, Experimentation and Model Management, Microsoft hopes to address common data science challenges in the enterprise.Continue Reading

• Protect your serverless app with this mix of AWS tools

  As they move to serverless platforms, such as Lambda, development and operations teams need to acquire a new mindset -- and set of tools -- to keep their workloads safe.Continue Reading

• Seven ways to unlock the power of all types of unstructured data

  New storage services have emerged to help IT pros maintain and deliver access to ever-larger and more valuable data sets, particularly all types of unstructured data. These include data sets for big data analysis, DevOps, storage self-service and ...Continue Reading

• How to get the full benefits from NVMe flash storage

  Consolidate and increase the density of your organization's workloads in a flash storage system to take full advantage of NVMe's parallelism and reduced latency.Continue Reading

• Networking elements of a digital transformation framework

  Establishing a digital transformation framework includes adopting advanced technologies. Networking pros play a crucial role in managing this new wave of innovation.Continue Reading

• Enterprise network management in the wake of vendor consolidation

  Consolidation is a driving force among networking vendors, but network professionals have to actively consider how those changes affect enterprise network management.Continue Reading

• Latest data storage technology takes application-centric approach

  These data storage strategies support the use cases customers want without breaking the bank or forcing them to buy technology they don't really need.Continue Reading

• SAN purchase and deployment criteria by the numbers

  Capacity and application needs drive businesses to deploy new storage area network systems, while criteria such as number of LUNs and multipathing are key to purchasing decisions.Continue Reading

• Wireless networking technology helps craft IT modernization

  A long-term care business looks to wireless network technology and Active Directory to kick off its IT modernization plan and business growth.Continue Reading

• Learn storage techniques for managing unstructured data use

  Rearchitect storage to maximize unstructured data use at the global scale for larger data sets coming from big data analytics and other applications.Continue Reading

• A multi-cloud strategy provides more options and headaches

  The days of the cloud as a single, homogenous entity are long gone. Going forward, you'll likely have a multi-cloud storage strategy and work with multiple service providers.Continue Reading

• Big data network analytics: The next big thing

  Networking managers are trying to keep track of an ever-increasing number of moving pieces. To do so, they are turning to a new class of big data network analytics that applies machine learning and artificial intelligence to help improve performance...Continue Reading

• Network data analytics must work alongside human ingenuity

  Network data analytics offer a key tool in the arsenal of monitoring and understanding network behavior. But network professionals can't forget another crucial element -- themselves.Continue Reading

• Network analytics tools deepen with machine learning and AI

  Network analytics tools that utilize machine learning and AI can help IT pros with monitoring and performance evaluation, and provide business insight. But a holistic view of the network using analytics is still on the horizon.Continue Reading

• SaltStack Enterprise GUI features outreach Salt Open territory

  For enterprise IT shops that require a mix of reports on systems, and audit compliance, SaltStack Enterprise offers more than the pure open source version of Salt.Continue Reading

• Buy the right APM software with these key features in mind

  Compare and evaluate what notable vendors in the APM market offer in terms of monitoring, reporting and analysis capabilities, as well as emerging AI functionalities.Continue Reading

• Improvements and features of the new POE standard, IEEE 802.3bt

  The new IEEE 802.3bt standard focuses on Power over Ethernet to improve efficiency and support the proliferation of edge devices, from lighting systems to point-of-sale.Continue Reading

• Igneous Systems CEO: Data protection market transforming

  Igneous is seeking to take hold of a market that's 'up for grabs.' The vendor's Hybrid Storage Cloud provides backup and archive of unstructured data, as well as data management.Continue Reading

• Don't quit your day job to build smart-home applications

  Plenty of effort goes into the creation of Alexa skills and Google actions, but the market for those smart-home apps has yet to fully materialize for developers.Continue Reading

• Azure Migrate aims to attract VMware workloads to the cloud

  A new Azure service removes a lot of the guesswork for IT teams that want to move VMs to Microsoft's public cloud. But will a lack of early support from VMware hurt its appeal?Continue Reading

• Examine CORD architecture's benefits and challenges

  CORD architecture offers service providers a compelling way to combine open hardware and software in the central office, boost service delivery and enable NFV capabilities.Continue Reading

• The on-premises vs. cloud-managed WLAN architecture debate

  Although on-premises WLANs and cloud WLANs both offer significant advantages, determining which approach will provide the best return depends on several factors.Continue Reading

• Make the most of the hyper-converged cloud

  Hyper-converged infrastructures are similar to public cloud platforms in the way they use virtualization of resources. That makes them obvious partners in an IT architecture.Continue Reading

• Organizations don't have to pick private or public cloud

  Organizations don't necessarily have to decide between using a public or private cloud. For some companies, the answer is both. For others, it's neither.Continue Reading

• How Amazon Transcribe opens the door for speech recognition

  Amazon's audio transcription service, Transcribe, has caught developers' eyes for a number of reasons, but make sure its early limitations don't land you in trouble.Continue Reading

• Salary snapshot: Which city has the highest DevOps pay scale?

  Salary data from Glassdoor shows DevOps experience continues to give paychecks a substantial advantage over other developer roles. If you want to make the most money, move to San Francisco.Continue Reading

• With more providers, security issues in cloud computing rise

  We hear a lot about the pros and cons of a multi-cloud strategy, but a surprising number of organizations don't think they need to worry about it. They do.Continue Reading

• Build a data lake in AWS for analytics success

  It can feel overwhelming to migrate data to AWS for analysis. But, while there are challenges, Quick Start guides and services like Snowball and Glue ease the process.Continue Reading

• Simplify multi-cloud management with two abstraction models

  To streamline management and reduce complexity in a multi-cloud model, enterprises can turn to two abstraction techniques: resource and orchestration.Continue Reading

• Are hyper-converged infrastructure appliances my only HCI option?

  Preconfigured hyper-converged appliances aren't your only option anymore. Software-only and build-your-own hyper-converged infrastructure have unique pros and cons.Continue Reading

• Hyper-converged computing and VDI fit together well ... mostly

  The flexibility and ease of use of hyper-convergence fit the needs of VDI, but you should also consider other benefits and drawbacks of HCI in a VDI platform.Continue Reading

• Build the Kubernetes home lab that's right for your job

  Kubernetes and the growing number of commercial container management tools based on it require specialized skills and experience from the application to the infrastructure.Continue Reading

• The hyper-converged network becoming more common in HCI

  Virtualizing the network in a hyper-converged system has been the toughest part, but there are products on the market that achieve some of that function.Continue Reading

• BPM in cloud evolves to suit line of business, IoT

  While on-premises BPM tools have caused a tug of war between lines of business and IT, the cloud helps appease both sides. Here's what to expect from this cloud BPM trend and more.Continue Reading

• Casemore: Cloud, as-a-service honing networking industry trends

  Cloud and as-a-service delivery are bringing new urgency to networking. IDC analyst Brad Casemore cites the key networking industry trends worth watching in 2018.Continue Reading

• Now data center interconnect lets traffic ride the cloud

  SD-WAN and cloud data center interconnect options are becoming more common as a supplement or replacement for the traditional WAN. Should you to consider either, or both?Continue Reading

• Management tools emerge from VMware-AWS partnership

  VMware provides a series of tools, including Discovery, Cost Insight and Wavefront, to lighten the multi-cloud management burden for VMware Cloud on AWS customers.Continue Reading

• 5G service lifecycle automation may be key to business cases

  Network operators need a 5G service lifecycle automation roadmap that leads to revenue-producing business cases to make the evolution to 5G worth the investment.Continue Reading

• Digital transformation process includes the network

  The digital transformation process puts pressure on the network to support new technology. Network pros need to be transformative, too, adapting new skills to interact with business.Continue Reading

• Converged secondary storage for data protection carries risk

  Using converged infrastructure for the secondary storage in your data protection plan can be valuable, but you need to weigh the benefits and drawbacks before choosing that path.Continue Reading

• The future of SDN in 2018 moves toward increased automation

  Future SDN trends could show variations of the technology becoming more prominent among enterprises, as organizations look increasingly toward programmability and automation.Continue Reading

• Which is better for WLAN support: Mac or Windows?

  Choosing the right laptop for WLAN support usually boils down to Macintosh versus Windows. But of the two, there is only one OS clearly up to the task, our expert maintains.Continue Reading

• Hyper-V Manager update in Windows Server 2016 replete with features

  Microsoft developed several improvements to Hyper-V Manager in Windows Server 2016. These new Hyper-V features improve VM management with added security and flexibility options.Continue Reading