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• Understand VMware virtual machine files

  Effectively navigate each of the VMware VM file types, such as the flat.vmdk file and the VSWP file, to simplify VM management tasks. Continue Reading

• NVMe storage know-how for an easy and optimized transition

  Discover who's making the move to NVMe technology, how to ease the transition to and maximize the performance of this new storage technology, and find out where it's headed next. Continue Reading

• Pick the right colocation site for your organization

  Colocation is more than signing a contract and installing hardware. Evaluate redundancy, rack space real estate and distance to ensure a successful colo partnership. Continue Reading

• How API gateways work -- and why you need them

  Learn the essentials of both API gateways and API design. Then, grasp how to use them to modernize monolithic apps and facilitate cloud-native microservices. Continue Reading

• Can you accurately measure SLA expectations and results?

  Realistic SLA expectations rely on accurately defined criteria, properly set. Test your knowledge of SLA measurements and learn to tailor contracts that avoid costly consequences with this quiz. Continue Reading

• Definitions to Get Started

  • What is an API (application programming interface)?
  • What is a SAN? Ultimate storage area network guide
  • What is a data retention policy?
  • What is multi-access edge computing? Benefits and use cases

  • What is 5G?
  • What is 6G? Overview of 6G networks & technology
  • phase-locked loop (PLL)
  • What is millimeter wave (mmWave)?

  View All Definitions

• How to set up a CI/CD pipeline in the Azure DevOps console

  Follow the steps in this how-to video from Matt Browne of TechSnips to quickly get your web app up and running on Microsoft Azure with a CI/CD pipeline.Continue Reading

• Examine 4 hybrid cloud options from bursts to SaaS to CI/CD

  Hybrid cloud can provide an enterprise with a happy medium of cloud and on-premises benefits. Unsure where to begin? Try setting up hybrid web services, software services or development tools, and other practical approaches.Continue Reading

• Server hardware to run ROBO virtual workloads

  Examine remote office/branch office technology trends, review server hardware options and ensure you can effectively manage virtual resources before implementation.Continue Reading

• Is your SSD storage acumen up to snuff?

  Take our quiz to find out if you're up to speed on solid-state technology in areas such as SSD form factors, management strategy, security and innovation.Continue Reading

• Learn how to use Salt orchestration with an example

  Admins can use orchestration features in Salt to centrally control a group of minions and machines. Follow this example, which features Orchestrate Runner, to get started.Continue Reading

• How do you build Windows Server 2019 cluster sets?

  Microsoft debuted cluster sets in its Windows Server 2019 release. Here's a rundown on how to deploy this high availability feature in your organization.Continue Reading

• Use the Ballerina language to ease into cloud microservices

  With native integration features, Ballerina promises to take care of lower-level technological considerations, while developers focus on building features.Continue Reading

• NVMe over fabrics options and opportunities

  NVMe-oF is rapidly expanding across the network as new options become available. Discover what you need to know to implement the technology at your organization.Continue Reading

• Cloudability

  Cloudability is a software vendor that provides financial management tools for monitoring and analyzing cloud computing costs.Continue Reading

• How to strategize for WAN and SD-WAN performance monitoring

  The importance of WAN performance monitoring hasn't decreased with the introduction of SD-WAN and other technologies. Enterprises still need to enforce proper monitoring strategies.Continue Reading

• Cloud connectivity tests the bond between enterprises, WAN providers

  Collaborating on cloud connections can strengthen or strain relationships between enterprises and service providers. Service-level agreements, in particular, can be tested.Continue Reading

• Is HCI but a stop on the road to composable architecture?

  Find out if composable infrastructure is the next step in the evolution of HCI, if it is a completely different type of IT infrastructure or if the truth is somewhere in between.Continue Reading

• AWS Security Hub centralizes an organization's cloud security view

  AWS Security Hub consolidates an admin's sprawl of cloud assets into dashboards for better security insights. But its resource limitations may blunt its effectiveness, for now.Continue Reading

• What Windows Server 2019 SDN features should I know about?

  Administrators in highly virtualized environments can tap into enhanced Windows Server 2019 SDN functionality to run Hyper-V VMs more efficiently.Continue Reading

• What features make up Windows Server 2019 cluster sets?

  Windows Server 2019 takes clustering to a new level with the cluster sets feature that wraps another layer of high availability around critical VMs.Continue Reading

• Quick quiz on creating APIs and managing APIs

  API management and development processes are complicated, and developers need to know their way around many types of APIs. Prove what you know about creating APIs and managing them.Continue Reading

• How to configure Windows container networking

  The default network setting for Windows containers is Network Address Translation, but you can also set up a transparent Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol or non-DHCP network.Continue Reading

• How do cloud data centers affect network bandwidth requirements?

  When deciding which applications to move to a cloud data center, enterprises should consider network bandwidth requirements and latency, among other factors.Continue Reading

• Get started with PowerShell Core on Linux

  PowerShell Core lets you configure and manage Windows, Linux and Mac-based servers in the data center. Learn how to install and navigate the command-line shell in this tip.Continue Reading

• Study up on the best certifications for testing professionals

  Before you invest time into a certification course, decide if you want to step into a new career or want recognition for hard-earned experience. Then, peruse the apt certification options.Continue Reading

• How blockchain storage could benefit the enterprise

  Whether your organization is a potential buyer or seller of blockchain data storage, the technology could change how you look at storage. Discover where blockchain is headed.Continue Reading

• Amazon Forecast melds time series data with machine learning

  Consider Amazon Forecast to help with data predictions, resource planning and more. Find out how the service works and ways it can be customized to meet enterprise needs.Continue Reading

• data deduplication

  Data deduplication is a process that eliminates redundant copies of data and reduces storage overhead.Continue Reading

• Take steps now to ready your network for 802.11ax specification

  The 802.11ax specification promises higher speeds and lower latency. Preparing now will help you make the transition easier. Here's what you need to know.Continue Reading

• Essential hyper-converged cloud questions answered

  Hyper-convergence can help make taking a cloud or multi-cloud approach to your architecture easier to implement, manage and scale. Read on to find out how and why.Continue Reading

• Windows Server 2019 features admins should explore

  This slideshow of Windows Server 2019 features highlights some of its key additions built to bring more flexibility and reliability to the enterprise.Continue Reading

• Move into better QA with shift left and shift right testing

  App dev teams face pressure to deliver software frequently and to a high-quality standard. Make QA an ongoing and teamwide effort to achieve these sometimes contradictory goals.Continue Reading

• Grasp these basic Salt configuration management concepts

  Not sure how Salt conveys configuration instructions to systems? Wonder if your programming skills will carry over to the tool? Use these best practices and tips to assess Salt.Continue Reading

• AWS App Mesh faces tough race in microservices market

  As AWS and its rivals continue to evolve their service mesh technologies, they'll have to do so with enterprise demands, including those for multi-cloud capabilities, top of mind.Continue Reading

• IT pros must adapt to Azure certification path changes

  Microsoft reworked its Azure certifications recently and offers an upgrade path for IT pros with older credentials, but there is little time before the transition tests expire.Continue Reading

• Test your knowledge of cloud computing types

  Not all cloud architectures are created equal. Complete this quiz to learn about which cloud models, management tools and features are helpful to data center admins.Continue Reading

• Words to go: Google cloud security services

  Digging through all of Google's cloud security tools can seem overwhelming. Get a snapshot of key services, and when to use them, with this quick list.Continue Reading

• network convergence

  Network convergence is the efficient coexistence of telephone, video and data communication within a single network.Continue Reading

• Create Hyper-V containers in Windows Server 2016

  Once you enable the Hyper-V role and Windows container feature, install Docker Engine, container modules and a base OS image to prepare the host for Hyper-V container deployment.Continue Reading

• How serverless works to usher in a new era of applications

  Dive into this architecture-centric guide on serverless computing that includes API management tips and advice on when to implement serverless microservices designs.Continue Reading

• Is QLC NAND the right choice for you?

  QLC drives can offer high storage capacity and low cost per gigabyte, but speedier alternatives may hold more appeal for some organizations. When does a switch to QLC make sense?Continue Reading

• Effective multi-cloud storage strategies and management techniques

  Is storage in a multi-cloud environment right for your organization? See what you need to do to deploy, manage and effectively use multi-cloud for data storage.Continue Reading

• What advantages do Windows Server cluster sets offer?

  Administrators don't need to stress about workload uptime with a new Windows Server 2019 clustering feature, which makes sharing resources and moving VMs easier.Continue Reading

• Network operating system advantages extend to white box switching

  The network operating system is changing, moving toward software acceleration, open APIs and white box switching. Learn more about the advantages and disadvantages of the new NOS.Continue Reading

• Hyper-converged integrated systems crucial to long-term HCI success

  No HCI platform exists in a silo. Learn why hyper-converged systems must communicate, interact and integrate with third-party management tools and the wider IT infrastructure.Continue Reading

• A data center planning and design guide for IT pros

  Data center design and management now goes beyond servers and networking cables. Defining budget and IT goals helps set an effective roadmap for data center architecture.Continue Reading

• Automation drives next wave of multi-cloud management tools

  The current cloud landscape indicates a clear need for management tools that can span multiple platforms -- and they'll likely place an emphasis on automation, abstraction and orchestration.Continue Reading

• AI in networking presents opportunities for service providers

  Network installers and managed service providers can reap key benefits with AI in networking, including better productivity, staff management and customer response.Continue Reading

• Server Core vs. GUI: Is Server Core ready for prime time?

  IT Director Christopher Rivers says the Windows Admin Center is a step in the right direction to boost adoption of Server Core, but administrators will still encounter challenges.Continue Reading

• How do SDN protocols compare to those used in SD-WAN?

  Traditional SDN controllers use northbound and southbound APIs to communicate. But software-defined WAN controllers don't rely on those same SDN protocols.Continue Reading

• Words to go: Aspects of an IT monitoring strategy

  To establish an IT monitoring strategy can feel overwhelming, but guarantee efficiency in systems and application performances. Review the core methods and fundamental tools.Continue Reading

• What are some common Windows Server 2019 SDN errors?

  The complexity of setting up and managing Microsoft SDN can increase the risk of administrators facing common networking errors that are difficult to troubleshoot.Continue Reading

• Wireless network configuration basics: 5 steps to follow

  Different wireless networks have different requirements. However, some common principles exist for strategizing your wireless network configuration steps.Continue Reading

• What is white box testing?

  White box testing is a software testing methodology in which the code structure is known and understood by the tester.Continue Reading

• The hyper-converged network benefits from commingling HCI, SDN

  Merging software-defined networking with hyper-converged infrastructure platforms should simplify and ease the deployment, scaling and management of hyper-converged networks.Continue Reading

• Why would an organization move to intent-based networking?

  Intent-based networking doesn't use any magical commands. But it does use a heavy dose of automation, which might cause some network teams to be wary of the new approach.Continue Reading

• How to improve your networking career path in 3 steps

  Network technology is always changing. As a result, your IT network skills need to evolve, as well. Take a look at three steps you can take on your networking career path.Continue Reading

• What is intent-based networking and how does it work?

  Intent-based networking might be the future of networking, but it needs to be more than just another networking strategy that offers advanced automation and simplified provisioning.Continue Reading

• What key SDN features are in Windows Server 2019?

  Microsoft SDN capabilities got a boost in Windows Server 2019 to wrap more security around VMs and make networking tasks less painful to execute.Continue Reading

• How do network virtualization and network abstraction compare?

  Network virtualization and network abstraction share similarities, like supporting the creation of virtual resources, but the two approaches vary in complexity and outcome.Continue Reading

• Hot data storage technology trends for 2019

  Hot storage tech trends for 2019 include cheaper, denser flash and multi-cloud data management that can benefit the consumer and create better performance and data protection.Continue Reading

• How to prepare your data center for an HCI appliance

  Vendors tout hyper-converged infrastructure as a plug-and-play offering, but before you install anything in your data center, be sure your network supports the hardware.Continue Reading

• Hyper-converged cloud key to private cloud success

  Granular scaling and rapid deployment help make hyper-converged infrastructure the ideal platform for building out, deploying and scaling out a private cloud.Continue Reading

• A brief index of network configuration basics

  This glossary of terms provides a brief overview of network configuration and some of the crucial components involved -- many of which remain as necessary as ever.Continue Reading

• New types of cloud services bring the cloud to you

  Would your hybrid experience be improved by placing technology from a cloud service provider directly into your data center? Here's how to evaluate that option.Continue Reading

• New cloud service models put providers in the data center

  All of the major cloud players now offer on-premises hardware or specific technologies to make a data center look and feel more like the public cloud. What's driving this trend?Continue Reading

• Hone these top 5 data center skills in 2019

  As data centers become more software-based, admins should prepare themselves by learning about the cloud, containers, DevOps and artificial intelligence.Continue Reading

• How much does Azure Update Management cost?

  The Azure Update Management cost is free, but organizations that require the tool's advanced features might have to contend with additional fees.Continue Reading

• Network configuration basics: Focus on users and software tools

  When configuring a network, keep a detailed and updated document to track user needs and network changes. And, of course, take advantage of network configuration software.Continue Reading

• Considerations for a successful DCIM implementation

  Selecting the right DCIM software is a complicated process. Make sure you have executive buy-in, vendor support and defined goals to get the best return on investment.Continue Reading

• Get to know the version control process

  Distributed version control systems use is on the rise, particularly because they aid in collaborative development. Learn the basics of version control to get started.Continue Reading

• Follow this enterprise cloud automation and orchestration guide

  Automation and orchestration play a big role in cloud computing. Learn the basics, how these technologies work in hybrid and multi-cloud environments and which tools are available.Continue Reading

• These tools help build microservices in Java

  Depending on the mission, developers need to align their tool choices with one of two paths for Java microservices. Here's what you need to know.Continue Reading

• AWS Outposts continues the trend of 'cloud-down' hybrid

  AWS Outposts may not make an impact until 2020, but organizations still need to prepare for Amazon's on-prem cloud service to see if the 'cloud-down' approach fits their needs.Continue Reading

• How to document software requirements without hating your job

  Software requirements specifications explain, in painstaking detail, what is expected of a project. So, why develop without one? It's not worth the risk. Read why an SRS is vital.Continue Reading

• 7 misconceptions about the NVMe protocol and NVMe technology

  See what you need to know to avoid some of the common misperceptions about NVMe technology and making possibly expensive mistakes with your organization's NVMe architecture.Continue Reading

• How NFV architecture works

  NFV enables organizations to virtualize operations and replace network equipment such as routers and switches. It's built on three components: VNFs, NFVI and the MANO framework.Continue Reading

• 5 ways to smooth the road to hybrid cloud deployment

  In the move to hybrid cloud, security, app requirements and monitoring are just a few of the many factors to consider. Follow these guidelines for a smooth deployment process.Continue Reading

• Advantages of object storage and how it differs from alternatives

  File and block storage might provide better performance, but granular metadata and near-infinite scalability make object storage equally beneficial.Continue Reading

• Get multi-cloud storage off on the right foot

  See the questions to ask and the various players to query as you get started with your multi-cloud strategy. Success is all about gathering the right information upfront.Continue Reading

• An architect's guide to microservices security

  Whether you're new to distributed architecture or well underway with deployment, this guide on microservices security covers the basics through advanced tooling and strategies.Continue Reading

• Get the most out of managed Kubernetes with these guidelines

  Kubernetes has a lot to offer, but you can only reap those benefits with the right service management approach. Use these five tips to find the best fit for your enterprise.Continue Reading

• How to configure SSL on IIS with PowerShell

  SSL encryption is a necessary component when building an IIS website that communicates with the outside world. Use this PowerShell tutorial to streamline the deployment process.Continue Reading

• How well do you know open source PowerShell Core?

  Do you know how PowerShell Core differs from Windows PowerShell? Find out with this quiz on the open source PowerShell management utility.Continue Reading

• How to configure a gMSA for Windows containers

  You must start Windows containers with a CredentialSpec file and gMSA name to enable applications to use gMSA credentials in place of local system and network service accounts.Continue Reading

• Words to go: Azure migration services

  Before Microsoft shops begin to move workloads from on-premises data centers to Azure, they should carefully choose a migration tool to help forge their path.Continue Reading

• Hone your skills to be an IT infrastructure architect

  IT architecture relies on most skills that sys admins have picked up already but also demands a few more. Learn the responsibilities and the requirements for this advancement.Continue Reading

• 10 top tips to maximize hyper-converged infrastructure benefits

  The most-read hyper-converged tips of the past year represent a range of best practices for procuring and implementing HCI as all or part of your overall data center architecture.Continue Reading

• Pick up CI/CD, version control in this Azure DevOps tutorial

  Microsoft's rebranded Azure DevOps helps teams take a software project from start to finish. Walk through the service's components, from project planning to pipelines and testing.Continue Reading

• How to integrate DevOps QA testing on AWS

  QA testing is an overlooked, but important, part of DevOps. For workloads on AWS, use CodeBuild, CodeCommit and other tools to make the most of your workflow.Continue Reading

• What are some Microsoft SDN features in Windows Server?

  SDN functionality helps administrators shape network traffic to reduce congestion and boost security. Discover what other SDN features Microsoft added to its Windows Server offerings.Continue Reading

• Amazon Aurora

  Amazon Aurora is a relational database engine from Amazon Web Services. The engine is MySQL-compatible, which means code, applications and drivers used in databases relying on MySQL can be used in Aurora with minimal or no changes.Continue Reading

• Q&A: Will Microsoft artificial intelligence change your job?

  Technical architect Jason Wynn says the data center is already on the path to a more autonomous future due to the acceleration of Microsoft artificial intelligence efforts.Continue Reading

• How to write and structure worthwhile SRS documentation

  Software projects contain many moving parts, and a miscommunication can derail them easily. Keep everyone on the same page with clear and exhaustive requirements specifications.Continue Reading

• Storage Migration Service eases Windows Server transfers

  See how SMS eases the process of migrating Windows servers, simplifying the administrator's job and minimizing the disruptions to users and applications.Continue Reading

• Top five data center trends to watch in 2019

  In 2019, data center admins should research how technologies such as AIOps, chatbots and GPUs can help them with their management, help desk and processing needs.Continue Reading

• HashiCorp

  HashiCorp is a software company that provides a suite of modular DevOps infrastructure provisioning and management products.Continue Reading

• How does Azure Update Management handle integration?

  Azure Update Management works with other Microsoft administrative tools to give IT pros a more complete offering to patch operating systems.Continue Reading

• How to set up and enforce Azure multifactor authentication

  Azure Active Directory offers multifactor authentication to further secure login credentials. Get started with these instructions to set up this Microsoft cloud service.Continue Reading

• Hybrid cloud vs. multi-cloud storage: Choose wisely

  Stuck deciding between hybrid and multi-cloud? When it comes to cloud storage, it's important to choose the right approach for the task at hand, which will vary by business.Continue Reading