Evaluate

Evaluate

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

• How to make machine learning systems work in the network

  Machine learning systems in networks are gaining acceptance, but our expert cautions that humans and APIs are still needed to keep complexity at bay. Continue Reading

• Build the right hyper-converged cloud for your apps

  Picking the right hyper-converged hardware and software for your application workload requires understanding how the elements of HCI can best be combined for your needs. Continue Reading

• Review chatbot development options in public cloud

  As users look to interact with applications via more natural language and text, chatbots become increasingly popular. And many developers turn to the public cloud to create them. Continue Reading

• Explore Ansible for DevOps configuration management

  The configuration management tool is adept at managing workloads across different infrastructure environments. This Ansible overview preps admins to automate apps and infrastructure. Continue Reading

• How developers can use SageMaker for DevOps machine learning

  SageMaker from AWS gives software developers a way to tackle AI and machine learning. But expert Torsten Volk said it will also require lots of experimenting. Continue Reading

• How cloud vets can advance along an AWS career path

  Cloud training companies often gear their material toward newcomers. But experienced cloud professionals can enhance their knowledge, too, with some dedication.Continue Reading

• Azure B-series VMs reduce resource waste for bursty apps

  Paying only for the resources they consume is the ultimate goal for many enterprises in the cloud. Azure's B-series VMs make that goal more attainable -- for certain workloads.Continue Reading

• How to deploy IoT Lambda on AWS Greengrass-connected hardware

  Not all Lambda functions are built the same. Follow this advice, and implement best practices to account for Lambda limitations and features in Greengrass edge deployments.Continue Reading

• Unikernels vs. containers: See the lightweight championship fight

  The drive to minimize app hosting resources yielded unikernels and containers, the IT equivalent of a tiny house and apartment. Containing only the barest essentials, unikernels pose unique benefits and challenges.Continue Reading

• Interest in 5G wireless networks ramps up

  The ability for businesses to use 5G wireless networks is closer to becoming a reality as carriers continue to deploy 5G trials across cities in the U.S. and globally. While the technology that promises faster broadband speeds and enhanced data ...Continue Reading

• The sky's the limit with 5G wireless communication

  As the reality of 5G wireless communications builds, enterprises are looking toward new ways of doing business with higher speed and increased capacity.Continue Reading

• Engineer uses Cisco DNA Center to combat network challenges

  Durham County hopes Cisco DNA Center and network automation create efficient, seamless experiences for IT managers and users, after redesigning its data center with Cisco's ACI.Continue Reading

• Small SDN providers' cost, flexibility appeal to enterprises

  VMware's NSX and Cisco's ACI are the main SDN providers on the stage, but smaller vendors can offer enterprises flexibility and cost savings.Continue Reading

• New 5G wireless technology trials spark enterprise interest

  New 5G wireless technology promises super-fast network speeds and massive capacity. Businesses that require low latency and high throughput could see the advantages first.Continue Reading

• Make smart container hosting decisions for enterprise IT

  Containers promise enticing benefits, so when they hit real-world production IT, they must land on a hosting infrastructure built for new challenges and capabilities.Continue Reading

• When data APIs go neglected, business intelligence suffers

  Many businesses have mature API management practices in place for integration via REST APIs and application APIs. Unfortunately, those API strategies can create data silos for most business ...Continue Reading

• Want a DevOps success story? Try employee net promoter score

  The more likely an employee is to recommend an employer to a friend, the more likely the company is healthy and successful. Here's how to apply that practice to DevOps.Continue Reading

• What are the emerging trends in software development?

  It's not about the quantity of software releases, but about the quality, according to industry experts. Look for test automation, a big role for cloud and another telling trend.Continue Reading

• Latest AWS machine learning service takes aim at AI novices

  The latest service in AWS' AI portfolio, Amazon SageMaker, is designed to simplify the deployment of new machine learning models, but still requires data science skills.Continue Reading

• Build data storage reliability into a backup infrastructure

  In today's market, there are a variety of data backup options. Here's how to make sure your organization's essential data will always be there when it is needed.Continue Reading

• Compare managed Kubernetes services from AWS and Azure

  AWS and Azure have both rolled out a managed service for Kubernetes, and while their overall aim is the same, there are key differences users should note.Continue Reading

• Serverless cloud providers aim to ease adoption in 2018

  As the buzz around serverless computing carries over into 2018, providers will look to simplify adoption in several ways, including more support for hybrid cloud.Continue Reading

• Why the promise of low-code software platforms is deceiving

  Low-code/no-code platforms mean anyone can code, right? Wrong. Columnist Bob Reselman explains why this is a dangerous thought for enterprises.Continue Reading

• Which tools does NSX use for virtual network management?

  NSX uses VMware services, such as vRealize Operations Manager and VMware Integrated OpenStack, and integrates with third-party platforms for security and virtual network management.Continue Reading

• Is there a software developer age limit? Apparently, it's 45

  Software development is a young person's purview, according to a Harvey Nash Technology Survey. Expert David Savage explains how over-45s can stay in the game.Continue Reading

• The managed services trend reaches the software-defined WAN

  Managed SD-WAN services are like having a capable droid at your side when disaster strikes. Consider an MSP to keep your software-defined WAN performing optimally.Continue Reading

• Prepare for these cloud computing technologies in 2018

  Not sure what to expect, exactly, in the cloud computing market in 2018? Three of our Advisory Board members share their top predictions.Continue Reading

• EKS enters the fray of container orchestrator options

  Amazon EKS relieves some of the headaches that have plagued the provider's Elastic Container Service. Here's an overview of key features and how to get started with a migration.Continue Reading

• Fog computing architecture posing challenges for IT

  Fog computing architecture designs are gaining traction, as users demand accessibility to apps and services. But the approach can cause challenges for IT.Continue Reading

• API management platform trends to watch in 2018

  As major vendors move to acquire and integrate API management platforms, business should get to work crafting a holistic API strategy.Continue Reading

• Cloud conferences to check out in the first half of 2018

  For beginners and experts alike, cloud conferences are a good way to gain industry knowledge and sharpen your skills. Here are some to pencil in over the next several months.Continue Reading

• CASBs address wide range of cloud security concerns

  Cloud and distributed apps create complex security challenges. CASBs aim to resolve these issues with features for threat protection, data loss prevention and more.Continue Reading

• An IT automation strategy wilts under cloud's shadow

  Organizations have been striving to keep abreast of IT automation trends, but with the ongoing cloud takeover, operations must consider new skill requirements instead.Continue Reading

• Application delivery controllers evolve to meet new demands

  ADC devices have evolved to deliver a wide range of functionality, including web application firewall, denial-of-service protection, SSL offload and scalable performance.Continue Reading

• Container orchestration tools ease distributed system complexity

  Containers simplify some aspects of enterprise apps, but the deployment process is no walk in the park. Orchestration tools bring standardization and automation to complex hosting scenarios.Continue Reading

• Understanding the benefits of serverless functions

  The use of serverless functions can help developers minimize the time spent managing resources by segmenting third-party dependencies. Zach Flower explains.Continue Reading

• Which VMware NSX features handle networking and security?

  The VMware NSX network virtualization platform provides a flexible software-defined networking overlay and granular security to round out the company's software-defined data center.Continue Reading

• How to choose the best hardware for virtualization

  Selecting the best hardware for virtualization is the foundation of maintaining or designing a robust, reliable and scalable data center.Continue Reading

• Google cloud features evolve to turn up the heat on AWS

  Google made several moves in 2017 in an attempt to close the gap between itself and market leader AWS. But will those efforts be enough to win over new customers?Continue Reading

• What are the benefits of the NSX network virtualization platform?

  VMware's NSX network virtualization platform applies software-layer abstraction to networking, adds network functionality and enforces granular security policies.Continue Reading

• Factors to consider before evaluating hybrid storage systems

  The right hybrid flash storage can help an organization maximize its storage capacity and improve performance. Learn what factors to consider before evaluating hybrid storage arrays.Continue Reading

• Are DevOps responsibilities in production unfair to developers?

  When Nike.com gave developers live production support responsibilities, the shakeup unearthed fundamental questions about app design and support processes.Continue Reading

• Evaluate VMware, public cloud provider integration

  Hybrid cloud providers don't yet have the seamless integration they promised. VMware cluster admins need to evaluate available options in order to formulate a VMware cloud strategy.Continue Reading

• Spectre, Meltdown vulnerabilities put SDS, HCI at risk

  Spectre and Meltdown patches should be applied to hyper-converged and other software-defined storage products that run on hosts with user installed application processes.Continue Reading

• Testers face pressure to improve software technical skills

  If you want to stand out from the testing crowd, spend some time acquiring technical skills. Expert Matthew Heusser offers an on-point tester training curriculum.Continue Reading

• Hypervisor software and your hyper-converged infrastructure

  The hypervisor layer in HCI is becoming an expected feature, but it is important to know what role it plays and how it can affect the rest of the components.Continue Reading

• It's tough to explain DevOps, that nebulous IT concept

  DevOps is more about goals and aspirations than any set of practices or tools. Right? Or is it just about collaboration and culture? Either way, it's tough to define DevOps.Continue Reading

• Hyper-converged vs. converged labels don't apply to some products

  Converged and hyper-converged infrastructure labels are becoming less clear as vendors such as NetApp and Datrium introduce products that allow for scaling components separately.Continue Reading

• How Red Hat assembled an open source hyper-converged platform

  By combining Gluster Storage with its Red Hat Virtualization software, Red Hat has thrown its own cap into the software-only HCI ring with an open source offering.Continue Reading

• The role of HCI in the hyper-converged cloud

  HCI and the cloud have virtualization at their cores, which makes the two platforms a good combination for organizations planning a hybrid cloud IT architecture.Continue Reading

• Three Amazon AI-based projects to get your dev team rolling

  Amazon AI technologies expand capabilities for enterprise developers. Try out these sample AI projects to familiarize yourself with deep learning and image recognition features.Continue Reading

• BPM market advances around AI, cloud technology

  As AI, microservices and other emerging technologies transform the BPM industry, enterprises need to carefully navigate their business processes to the cloud to avoid GRC risks.Continue Reading

• Serverless, containers shape future of cloud computing

  Experts seem to agree that serverless platforms, containers and the eventual merging of the two will be the biggest cloud trends to follow this year.Continue Reading

• VMware security products create balance between front and back end

  VMware security products, such as NSX and AppDefense, eliminate some of the problems associated with other security offerings to maintain performance levels and user experience.Continue Reading

• App development teams brace for big change in 2018

  Multi-cloud, blockchain and more sophisticated PaaS tools are three trends expected to reshape app development practices in 2018. Is your team ready for the change?Continue Reading

• It's critical to create the correct DevOps team structure

  With new-to-DevOps enthusiasm, some companies go too far when it comes to creating teams or dividing responsibilities. Chris Tozzi outlines the warning signs of too much DevOps.Continue Reading

• Providers continue to push hybrid cloud technologies in 2018

  The hybrid cloud market changes rapidly, as major cloud providers release new services to bridge private and public platforms, but for now, management challenges remain.Continue Reading

• Quiz yourself on Red Hat virtualization pricing and updates

  The Red Hat Virtualization platform can be a powerful tool in your arsenal. Take this quiz on RHV pricing, updates and functionality to see if you know your stuff.Continue Reading

• VMware SaaS strategy bridges requirements from data center to cloud

  VMware's effort to embrace SaaS tools might seem counterintuitive, but it's a move that recognizes both the appeal of the cloud and the continued necessity of on-site data centers.Continue Reading

• The ITIL 2018 update better catch up to modern IT

  When ITIL last updated, DevOps was in its infancy. In the face of rapidly evolving IT practices and technologies, ITIL 2018 must be powerful and usable for diverse IT organizations.Continue Reading

• Hybrid cloud, SDDC products boost quarterly VMware revenue

  According to VMware's Q3 2018 earnings report, the company received a nice boost from VMware Cloud on AWS, but NSX and vSAN remain the biggest contributors to VMware revenue.Continue Reading

• IT ops pros predict routes to DevOps efficiency in 2018

  Operations admins have a lot on their plates already, and they'll pile on more in 2018. These IT pros and analysts share what's coming and how to handle it.Continue Reading

• What Linux storage benchmarking tools are best?

  Several tools and commands can come in handy to storage admins looking to benchmark I/O performance on Linux systems. But not all benchmarking tools are created equal.Continue Reading

• Storage startup trends: Vendors to watch in 2018

  Another year is behind us, and 2017 wasn't kind to enterprise-storage startups, as a bunch went belly up or sold off their assets. Not deterred by this recent history and startup trends, a new group of companies has emerged to try and make an impact...Continue Reading

• Future of data storage technology: Transformational trends for 2018

  Risk-averse enterprises finally accepted the cloud in 2017, and we didn't even notice. Expect the same for these data storage technology trends in the new year.Continue Reading

• IT infrastructure automation boosts digital initiatives

  Embracing automation through concepts like composable infrastructure cuts back on the use of manual IT tasks, which inhibit the success of digital business.Continue Reading

• Persistent storage-class memory to revolutionize data centers

  Since it doesn't lose data during power outages, persistent memory will revolutionize direct-attached storage in particular and the cost/performance ratio of computing overall.Continue Reading

• What's behind the rise of the software-defined storage market

  The software-defined approach to storage is catching on. However, for now, enterprises prefer preconfigured SDS products bundled with hardware for easier deployment.Continue Reading

• Eight data storage startup vendors to watch in 2018

  Even as other storage startup companies fail, newcomers have appeared to take on established enterprise vendors. Can they ride the momentum for flash, hybrid cloud and SDS?Continue Reading

• NVMe flash storage doesn't mean tape and disk are dying

  The advent of NVMe, software-defined storage and other newer storage technologies doesn't mean we'll be looking at all-silicon-based storage any time soon.Continue Reading

• SDS, HCI and CDP are key to dream enterprise storage system

  Easy to implement and manage may be the buzzwords of the day for enterprise data storage systems, but too often daily experiences of IT professionals belie that rosy scenario.Continue Reading

• How does SD-WAN manage real-time network traffic performance?

  Most people have experienced poor quality when it comes to real-time network traffic, like VoIP and video. But SD-WAN can help prioritize traffic and improve reliability.Continue Reading

• The case for private cloud vs. public cloud implementation

  Take security, compliance, cost and scalability into account when deciding between a private and public cloud. Also, think about the future potential of hybrid cloud adoption.Continue Reading

• Azure App Service Isolated boosts security and PaaS performance

  Aimed at organizations with unique security needs, Azure App Service Environment v2 lets applications run in a dedicated network without sacrificing scale or performance.Continue Reading

• Make the case to follow a container strategy at your company

  Sorting through container management software can be overwhelming. Determine what your organization actually needs in terms of security and cloud capabilities before leaping in.Continue Reading

• Unleash application dependency mapping tools to combat outages

  Create a detailed map of application dependencies from the CMDB and cloud resources and help prevent unexpected outages.Continue Reading

• Four ways the container ecosystem will evolve in 2018

  The container market constantly evolves, as new technologies and uses emerge. See what the new year will bring with these four container predictions around IoT, Windows and more.Continue Reading

• PKS complements VMware's cloud-native application portfolio

  Pivotal Container Service takes a DevOps-oriented approach to containers and improves VMware's cloud-native application strategy by adding Kubernetes support to vSphere.Continue Reading

• Aurora Serverless leads next wave of cloud database features

  IT teams face a notoriously difficult task when it comes to database scaling and management. New Amazon Aurora features can ease some of these woes and potentially reduce costs.Continue Reading

• What breakthroughs we won't (and will) see in DevOps 2018

  Will 2018 be the best of times for DevOps? Perhaps. But there's no doubt sweeping changes on the developer and operations sides are coming. Here's what to prepare for.Continue Reading

• Looking ahead to the biggest 2018 tech trends in networking

  The year ahead will force IT professionals to break out of their comfort zones and embrace 2018 tech trends that are reshaping the enterprise networking field.Continue Reading

• Why you should get on board with software testing trends

  Will your organization design a machine learning app in 2018? Or should you pick up DevOps skills to be in demand as a tester? These trends will all have a major effect on software testing.Continue Reading

• Amazon QuickSight tutorial: Get started with data analysis

  While Amazon QuickSight comes with some tradeoffs that data scientists should note, this tutorial walks you through key features that might be of interest to your analytics team.Continue Reading

• Want to understand DevOps? Look to open source's history

  Studying the past in order to not repeat it is something that can be applied to DevOps, too. Expert Chris Tozzi outlines how to understand DevOps by studying open source.Continue Reading

• Evaluate ChatOps tools and bots for the right fit

  ChatOps is still a niche in IT operations and DevOps shops, but organizations that have set it up love it. That means you should join the fun and give it a try. Here's what you need to know about ChatOps tools.Continue Reading

• Four telecom infrastructure trends driving network of the future

  Four telecom infrastructure trends -- SDN, NFV, IoT and 5G -- are driving the network of the future, but telecom networks are more likely to transform in 2020, not 2018.Continue Reading

• Automated networks mean clearing some key hurdles first

  Obstacles facing IT adoption of automation in the network including training and trust. Now's the time to clear these hurdles and reap the benefits of an automated future.Continue Reading

• How can network management systems boost troubleshooting?

  What can IT teams do to combine network management systems and application performance management tools to boost troubleshooting in enterprise infrastructure?Continue Reading

• Choose the right VMware certification to boost your career

  With so many VMware certification levels and specialization tracks, it's easy to get in over your head. Fortunately, this expert advice can help steer you straight.Continue Reading

• NVMe SSD storage costs won't hinder market takeover

  Storage vendors agree that NVMe will become the default for solid-state drives, but it must still overcome cost and configuration challenges.Continue Reading

• Common Amazon EBS performance issues, and how to troubleshoot them

  Having EBS trouble? You're not alone. Use these troubleshooting tips to work through common EBS issues, such as stuck volumes and slow performance.Continue Reading

• Hybrid storage arrays join multiple storage types to cut costs

  Despite being more complex than all-flash or all-hard disk drive systems, hybrid systems offer the speed and low latency of flash and the economy of HDDs, tape or cloud.Continue Reading

• Use SpoofGuard to defend against malicious activity in VMware NSX

  SpoofGuard monitors network traffic to identify malicious activity and prevent phishing attacks. Before you enable SpoofGuard in NSX, there are a few things you should know.Continue Reading

• Build an application migration plan step by step

  To migrate apps to the cloud, start with nonessential workloads and move to more mission-critical ones from there. But, remember, some apps might not be suited for cloud at all.Continue Reading

• Cloud storage providers: What should you look for?

  With so many cloud storage options on the market, it's hard to choose the right one. To start, determine whether you need a business service or if a consumer cloud will suffice.Continue Reading

• Explore the benefits, tradeoffs of GPU instances in cloud

  While GPU instances can give compute-intensive apps the processing boost they need, not all workloads -- or budgets -- will benefit from these cloud instance types.Continue Reading

• The hottest data storage technology trends for 2018

  For the past 15 years, Storage magazine has identified the hottest data storage technology trends you'll want to follow in the coming year. All of our selections may be "newish" tech, but they're also tried and true, having demonstrated their...Continue Reading

• Four rules to craft an enterprise data archiving strategy

  Follow these four rules to redesign your data archiving system in a way that ramps it up gradually, keeps data flowing from primary storage to the archive and makes everyone happy.Continue Reading

• Is Caringo leading the next wave in object-level storage?

  Caringo facilitates and simplifies cross-platform data movement by bridging its proprietary object storage system to Microsoft Azure object storage service.Continue Reading

• The future of networking technology is playing out right now

  To prepare for the future of networking technology, IT managers must understand evolving concepts like hyper-convergence, SD-WAN and intent-based networking.Continue Reading