Evaluate

Evaluate

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

• Amazon Route 53 benefits include efficient domain management

  There are many domain hosting options, but Amazon Route 53 stands out from the pack for resolution speed -- especially among AWS users. Route 53 offers these benefits for users. Continue Reading

• Comparing containers and VMs for multi-tenant apps

  Secure containers is a big concern when comparing virtual machines and containers for multi-tenant apps. Learn what each has to offer and which works best for your organization. Continue Reading

• Layer 3 switches explained

  Layer 3 switches are important in enterprise networks -- particularly in designs with many subnets and virtual LANs. What is a Layer 3 switch, what can it do for you, and how does it differ from a regular switch or router? Continue Reading

• AWS Lambda functions have storage capacity, longevity limitations

  AWS Lambda's high scalability can serve as a limitation, as data can be lost if too much strain is placed on the data store. These methods can work around Lambda memory limitations. Continue Reading

• How will virtual router software benefit the networking industry?

  Although virtual router software has been around for more than a decade, 2017 could be the year vRouting experiences greater adoption due to its available use cases. Continue Reading

• Take a deep dive into software-defined storage products

  Understanding the software-defined storage market is key to getting real value from an implementation, as is proper research and planning before making any product or vendor decisions.Continue Reading

• Managing apps essential in realizing their business value

  Apps have taken center stage, but in order to exploit their value, enterprises have to find a way of managing apps that works best for them.Continue Reading

• Choose cloud configuration management tools for multiple platforms

  The multicloud model presents unique configuration management challenges. When choosing a tool, enterprises should compare cloud native and third-party options carefully.Continue Reading

• Status report 2017: NFV deployments grow; standards issues remain

  Large service providers are continuing their NFV deployments, which will enable 5G wireless and IoT. But management, orchestration and standards questions remain.Continue Reading

• Awareness of shared-responsibility model is critical to cloud success

  When companies move to the cloud, it's paramount that they know where the provider's security role ends and where the customer's begins. The shared-responsibility model is one of the fundamental ...Continue Reading

• Five factors to consider before buying all-flash storage arrays

  Before purchasing all-flash array storage, you should determine whether your site plans to integrate AFA storage into its existing infrastructure or to start a new storage silo.Continue Reading

• Everything you need to know about testing .NET applications

  For the most efficient testing, you need the right tools for the job. Expert Matt Heusser explains in detail all the testing tools for tackling apps built with Microsoft's .NET.Continue Reading

• HPE Unified Functional Testing allows for application test automation

  The HPE Unified Functional Testing platform provides users with interactive tools for creating and executing automated app testing tasks on desktop, mobile and web platforms.Continue Reading

• An overview of the eggPlant testing tool for test automation

  The eggPlant testing tool provides developers and testers with software to create, schedule and execute automated testing and debugging tasks on a variety of mobile platforms.Continue Reading

• Building a business case for all-flash array storage

  To make a business case for purchasing AFA storage, you must first understand what your applications need in terms of IOPS, latency and throughput.Continue Reading

• Customer-focused strategy more key than digital transformation hype

  The tech industry's chatter about digital transformation and disruption are scare tactics that shouldn't distract companies from making purchases based on a customer-focused strategy.Continue Reading

• The state of flash storage performance

  All-flash arrays have virtually eliminated flash storage performance issues, for now. But applications and user expectations will eventually catch up. Innovations in flash technology -- such as nonvolatile memory express and storage-class memory (...Continue Reading

• Infrastructure provisioning made easier with hybrid cloud storage

  Storage provisioning delays slow down IT initiatives and negatively impact both revenue and the bottom line, which make hybrid clouds a realistic and attractive option.Continue Reading

• Overcome problems with public cloud storage providers

  Security and compliance concerns are chief obstacles to public cloud storage adoption, as IT managers are hesitant to have their critical data reside outside the data center.Continue Reading

• SAN arrays maintain primary data storage dominance, for now

  Solid-state flash is the most sought-after technology for primary storage, as storage area networks remain the main focus of increasing capacity for most enterprises.Continue Reading

• The state of flash storage systems

  Making flash storage performance even faster has little to do with the media itself and more to do with the storage infrastructure that surrounds it.Continue Reading

• Data storage infrastructure starts with science-fiction inspiration

  Find out what happens when you take a cue from an old science-fiction movie and build an 'interocitor' that becomes its own storage infrastructure.Continue Reading

• Classification of data can solve your data storage problems

  Having a data classification process in place can make your data smart enough to know what to do with itself, allowing you to attain the holy grail of enterprise data storage.Continue Reading

• SDN service for sale ... from a healthcare provider?

  Early NSX adopter BayState Health is weighing the possibility of a future as an SDN service provider -- using multi-tenancy to run other organizations' networks parallel to its own.Continue Reading

• Managed enterprise network services gain traction

  As network demands become increasingly complex, many enterprises are turning to managed network services, outsourcing maintenance to third-party providers.Continue Reading

• Exploring the three major types of software testing tools

  Application testing tools make enterprises' app development more efficient. Learn more about automation, coverage and bug tracking tools.Continue Reading

• Are there IT jobs in cloud capacity management?

  If a company moves only 30% of workloads from its data center to the public cloud, that will reduce IT ops demand. Is there still a role for the ops engineer?Continue Reading

• AFA storage has total cost of ownership advantages over HDDs

  All-flash array storage TCO advantages, including reduced power and cooling and increased performance, can help an organization justify its use to store their active workloads.Continue Reading

• AFA storage advances may mean the end of the hybrid market

  Flash price drops and speed boosts make the all-flash array the smart choice over hybrid storage arrays for most enterprise users, not just those with high-performance computing needs.Continue Reading

• Compare offline data migration services from AWS, Azure and Google

  Sending a storage disk to a cloud provider seems like an antiquated data-migration method, but it's a common choice. Here's how AWS, Azure and Google manage the process.Continue Reading

• Storage Spaces Direct a key option in Windows Server 2016 features

  Windows Server 2016 includes new and updated capabilities with Storage Spaces, Storage Replica, Storage Quality of Service, data deduplication and Resilient File System.Continue Reading

• Not playing games: The GPU vs. CPU question gets more interesting

  Putting thousands of cores to work makes perfect sense when you're powering a video game. But graphics processing units, or GPUs, can't serve much practical purpose in a corporate data center, can they?

  The GPU vs. CPU discussion isn't as odd as ...Continue Reading

• When and how to use a FIFO queue in SQS

  Using FIFO queues in Amazon SQS support Exactly-Once Processing and keep tasks in order. But they can create bottlenecks if used with the wrong workloads.Continue Reading

• State and threading: Key concepts in a .NET microservices architecture

  There are a number of reasons why implementing a .NET microservices architecture presents a challenge. Tom Nolle explains how to marry .NET and microservices.Continue Reading

• Hyper-convergence: It's for more than primary data storage

  The lines between primary and secondary storage and applications such as hyper-convergence remain blurry. But they are a starting point for further discussion.Continue Reading

• Businesses use enterprise file sync-and-share market to collaborate

  Enterprise file sync and share solves numerous business problems by offering organizations a way to provide more secure document sharing and collaboration.Continue Reading

• 'Holistic' data protection tools, a marketing meme on the rise

  Though vendors are calling their data protection products 'holistic,' they should blend security and disaster recovery services to improve their functionality.Continue Reading

• Orchestration software: The functions and vendors to watch

  Enterprises must keep their IT processes on track to stay ahead in the DevOps era. Solid orchestration software will pull automation tasks together and accelerate workflows.Continue Reading

• Software networking supports wide range of deployment use cases

  Software networking includes elements of SDN, NFV and network virtualization, which have taken the industry by storm; it also supports advances like 5G wireless and hybrid cloud.Continue Reading

• How do you recreate a missing VMDK descriptor file?

  The descriptor file plays an essential role in a virtual machine disk file, pointing to the larger data file and other VMDK information. So, what do you do when it goes missing?Continue Reading

• Identify and reduce multicloud integration costs

  When using multiple cloud providers, application integration costs can grow quickly. To prevent billing surprises, carefully plan application deployments and workflows.Continue Reading

• Future of the Ethernet drive may hinge on NVMe over Ethernet

  Despite their debut two years ago, drives that connect via Ethernet have been mostly a curiosity. The Ethernet flavor of NVMe over Fabrics may change that.Continue Reading

• The future of containerization goes more abstract

  Containers have benefits over VMs in the data center, but the future of containerization is broader than that.Continue Reading

• Open source network software promises major industry shifts

  Let the disruption commence! Observers say it's high time the networking sector accepts and sorts out open source, arguing it's not a question of if enterprises use it, but how.Continue Reading

• SD-WAN vendors enjoy rave reviews from happy users

  Compared to data center SDN companies, SD-WAN vendors seem to have it easy, with a relative slew of satisfied customers eager to share their deployment stories.Continue Reading

• Using Azure Site Recovery for data and VM replication

  Data replication is a critical part of a disaster recovery plan, and the devil is in the details. Ease your plan with automation through Azure Site Recovery.Continue Reading

• Use automated vSphere Update Manager for more controlled patching

  The most recent version of vSphere Update Manager helps reduce the stress of patching hosts, VMs, virtual appliances and more. Set it up in just a few simple steps.Continue Reading

• Application containers offer a new approach to SOA

  Traditional SOA and containerized infrastructure share many common goals, but containers offer better efficiency and manageability. How can enterprises bring the two together?Continue Reading

• How to navigate the public cloud service provider selection process

  Learn how to determine if your organization could benefit from public cloud storage and how to select the public cloud provider that will best meet your needs.Continue Reading

• Dig into the Exchange 2016 hardware requirements

  A move to Exchange 2016 may mean increased costs to hardware that can support the latest Microsoft messaging platform.Continue Reading

• A look at the services the leading public cloud vendors provide

  Examine the leading public cloud service providers and the features each offers, including backup and recovery, archival, hybrid cloud storage and cloud analytics.Continue Reading

• Test your knowledge of big data cloud services

  Big data in the cloud is a big deal. But without the right management and analytic tools, you won't get far. Test your knowledge of big data tools in the cloud with this quiz.Continue Reading

• Top cloud and data center technologies win Impact Awards

  Plenty of data center technologies enter the market, aiming to solve this problem or that problem. (Or every problem, if the hype is to be believed.) But which products really hit the mark? Which ones stand out, coming along at just the right moment...Continue Reading

• 2017 Impact Awards honor the best IT products and services

  The votes are in. From AWS partners to system management, Modern Infrastructure readers recognize the best IT products in the 2017 Impact Awards.Continue Reading

• How does Azure Premium Storage billing work?

  For Azure Premium Storage, are users billed by how much storage capacity they actually use or how much they reserve or allocate?Continue Reading

• Breaking down the costs of cloud storage

  Storage is a primary reason enterprises move workloads to the cloud. But before shipping off your data, learn how region, capacity and other factors shape cloud storage costs.Continue Reading

• Automated deployment tools mitigate the risk of human error in DevOps

  There are dozens of application and infrastructure automation tools for IT shops. Choosing the right one requires project and feature evaluation.Continue Reading

• API growth forcing vendors to take notice or risk losing out

  The API is fast becoming a must-have in modern networking. But API growth is forcing vendors to rethink how they want their devices to be configured and managed.Continue Reading

• Real-life change management examples prove it's harder than it looks

  Whether your IT shop rigorously follows a service management framework or takes a laissez-faire approach to changes, these examples help hone change management procedures.Continue Reading

• The what, why and how of the TOSCA cloud standard

  As the acceptance of DevOps rises, the TOSCA standard has become a popular option for cloud application deployment. Here's a closer look at how it works.Continue Reading

• All-flash array market advances outpace demand, create opportunities

  Scott Sinclair says high-density, high-capacity all-flash storage arrays are a disruptive technology ahead of customer demand for now, but businesses will realize they need it.Continue Reading

• How to build a private storage cloud

  Building internal cloud storage must account for elasticity, choosing the right platform, allowing for workflow, and stack deployments and public cloud integration.Continue Reading

• Top enterprise storage vendors to watch in 2017

  Check out our comprehensive forecast of what challenges and opportunities the top enterprise storage vendors are expected to face in the coming year.Continue Reading

• A dozen data storage vendors to watch in 2017

  Hyper-convergence, solid-state, software-defined storage and the cloud have revolutionized the way we deploy, manage and secure storage. How the dozen leading data storage vendors presented here navigate the challenges and opportunities created by ...Continue Reading

• Will NFV standards address orchestration in the near future?

  NFV standards for orchestration are affected by the number of standards groups and service providers' individual approaches, says SDN expert Lee Doyle.Continue Reading

• Start your hybrid cloud implementation off on the right foot

  Hybrid cloud storage has garnered a lot of interest because it offers cost savings and scalability. But there are some key concerns to think about before you dive in.Continue Reading

• VMware's vCenter HA makes up for vCenter Server shortcomings

  VMware vCenter 6 High Availability saves administrators the time and effort of having to log in to hosts individually to track down vCenter should they forget to restrict it.Continue Reading

• Compare the best Linux distros for enterprise servers

  Any of the popular Linux distributions can run on enterprise servers, but here's how to decide which is best for you. Compare SUSE, Red Hat, Oracle and Ubuntu Linux OSes.Continue Reading

• Choose the best Google cloud instance types for your workloads

  Not all workloads are the same -- some require more CPUs, while other require more memory. Fortunately, Google's range of cloud instance types offers enterprises a lot of options.Continue Reading

• Agent vs. agentless: Monitoring choices for diverse IT ops needs

  All management tools must run on a device, but the standards for agent and agentless monitoring vary widely. The determination is easier once you understand monitoring data needs.Continue Reading

• Keep tabs on the following data storage startup vendors in 2017

  Our list of the top data storage startups to watch offers products for containers, data analytics, in-memory databases, NVMe flash and object storage.Continue Reading

• Four criteria for evaluating public cloud storage providers

  Prior to selecting a public cloud service provider, it's essential that you understand what each vendor offers and how their services can best meet your organization's needs.Continue Reading

• Consider these Linux I/O scheduler options for storage performance

  To optimize Linux performance, IT teams should examine the I/O scheduler currently in use, and evaluate alternatives, such as deadline and Completely Fair Queuing.Continue Reading

• Build a data center shutdown procedure to prepare for the worst

  A data center shutdown checklist helps IT teams focus on backup, testing and system verification before pulling the plug and losing valuable information.Continue Reading

• Focus attention on a cognitive data management system

  Jon Toigo advises paying less attention to storage component stories and more to system-focused narratives such as a cognitive data management process.Continue Reading

• Hyper-convergence meets private cloud platform requirements

  Infrastructure choice and integration are fundamental to capitalizing on all that a private cloud environment has to offer your organization.Continue Reading

• Perform a PaaS pricing comparison for public cloud

  When choosing a platform, enterprises need to focus on features and prices for Azure, Google and AWS. Take a look under the hood before you take it for a spin.Continue Reading

• Why -- and how -- BizDevOps is going to change everything

  BizDevOps is the latest in software development approaches and is considered a next-gen DevOps. Find all there is to know about this trend and why businesses are racing after it.Continue Reading

• How eMMC 5.0 can improve your organization's small storage needs

  The latest eMMC specification puts the tiny flash storage devices on a level playing field with many SSDs when it comes to speed -- but eMMC is still the smallest flash drive.Continue Reading

• Why orchestration services are important in the DevOps age

  Automation and orchestration services are critical for modern IT systems to function well. Learn more about how these functions facilitate IT processes and workflows.Continue Reading

• Identifying the IT operations analytics product your enterprise needs

  This guide to IT operations analytics tools explains how ITOA works so networking pros can determine the most important features and assess vendor offerings.Continue Reading

• Real-time app development helps minimize delays

  The differences between real-time and near real-time application development are invisible to the naked eye, but everyone suffers from delays in app builds and execution.Continue Reading

• Juniper launches hybrid cloud network services on Amazon

  Juniper Networks is offering its MX router and SRX firewall on the Amazon cloud. Hybrid cloud network services are available on the Amazon Marketplace.Continue Reading

• Four top products leading the way in multicloud management

  In this multicloud review, see the top multicloud management products. How do they approach different cloud environments, and what separates them from each other?Continue Reading

• Practice cloud resource management to reduce sprawl, cut costs

  Some organizations go overboard with cloud deployments, paying for more resources than they actually need. Follow these steps to decrease wastefulness and increase cost efficiency.Continue Reading

• Differences between SSD caching and tiering technologies

  Brien Posey looks at popular ways of using SSD as cache, including write-around, write-through and write-back, as well as how the technology compares with SSD tiering.Continue Reading

• Three advances making NFV deployments better for the business

  NFV deployments made progress this year, thanks to three significant developments, but will they be enough to make NFV's business case more compelling among other industry changes?Continue Reading

• Use these DevOps examples to reimagine an IT organization

  These before and after DevOps adoption stories from real IT organizations yield insights into processes and tools, metrics for success and mistakes made.Continue Reading

• What alternatives to HTTP are there for microservices?

  Using HTTP as the bus for traffic between microservices can create some unwanted impacts, including more TCP/IP overhead. Mark Betz goes over some useful alternatives to HTTP.Continue Reading

• WAN access options multiply when buying network services

  A new menu of WAN access options means companies have a wide variety of means to reach cloud and network services. But more choice also means more potential pitfalls.Continue Reading

• Which caching engines does Amazon ElastiCache support?

  Amazon ElastiCache supports Redis and Memcached as in-memory caching engines. What are the main features of each and how do they differ?Continue Reading

• Custom AWS metrics maximize use of CloudWatch Logs

  Unlike standard app dev methods, serverless computing with AWS Lambda does not enable easy debugging. These tools can help developers keep an eye out for Lambda errors.Continue Reading

• The steps in selecting the right configuration management system

  Configuration management helps enterprises standardize IT systems and eases updates. This guide assists buyers in selecting the right tools for their CM systems.Continue Reading

• CN Tower climbs heights with mobile engagement platform

  The CN Tower, Canada's tallest building, implements an Aruba mobile engagement platform to connect with customers.Continue Reading

• With Amazon cloud storage, know what's in store

  Amazon cloud storage comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. There's Amazon Simple Storage Service (S3), Glacier and Elastic Block Store (EBS), among others. Which is right for your organization -- and in which uses? And what else is on the market? ...Continue Reading

• How to implement DevOps in AWS

  Implementing DevOps in AWS is serious work, but it might not be the daunting task it seems. AWS supports DevOps efforts by providing services to build, store and deploy applications. DevOps features are accessible in AWS, continuous integration and ...Continue Reading

• CFEngine configuration management tool up close and in-depth

  CFEngine is a widely known and used configuration management tool. Learn about its primary features and functions and if and how your organization could benefit from it.Continue Reading

• Inside Docker configuration management functions

  Docker may not be a standard configuration management tool, but it possesses a set of capabilities that have made it a growing player in the CM market.Continue Reading

• Manage Btrfs snapshots with the SUSE Snapper utility

  Learn how to use Btrfs snapshots with Linux utilities, such as Snapper and GRUB2, to revert back to previous states in the event of a configuration mishap.Continue Reading

• The Cobbler configuration management tool's ins and outs

  Cobbler is a configuration management tool best suited for Linux-based IT environments. Learn more about this tool and if it can benefit your enterprise.Continue Reading