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• This PowerShell module takes control of NTFS permissions

  One simple install of the File System Security PowerShell Module can help manage NTFS permissions for user access to folders. Continue Reading

• How do I configure vSphere HA for automatic failover?

  I want to install a virtualization environment with physical servers for failover and a storage server to boot up some virtual servers in our network. How can I do this? Continue Reading

• Define project scope in terms of time, money and quality

  We all want our projects to be on budget, on time and of high quality, but not necessarily in that order. What is your advice for balancing these needs? Continue Reading

• orthogonal

  Orthogonal concepts have their roots in advanced mathematics. They are also associated with software development, storage and networking. Continue Reading

• Resolve a network bottleneck with these techniques

  Data center network performance problems will disappear with fixes from a simple reorganization through a strategic overhaul. 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 do I size the physical server to host virtual machines?

  I want to convert a physical machine to a virtual machine. How can I select and size the right server infrastructure to host VMs?Continue Reading

• How to troubleshoot VMware vSphere Replication issues

  When problems occur with the tool you use to protect your data, it's imperative to track down the logs that can help restore order.Continue Reading

• IIS exploits in Windows Server and how you can fix them

  There are several flaws in IIS that can jeopardize the security of Windows servers. Here are some of the top threats and how to solve them.Continue Reading

• Take data center efficiency to the max on three-phase power

  Three-phase circuits provide considerably more power efficiency to data center equipment, but phase balancing can trip up deployments.Continue Reading

• Cultivating the API Economy

  How can hacking be used to make better APIs? Find out the answer and get more API tips in this report from DeveloperWeek 2015.Continue Reading

• Master Linux service management on System V and systemd

  Managing services on Linux is an essential task for administrators. Learn to work with either System V or systemd.Continue Reading

• Four principles for staying true to real Agile

  Over time, software teams develop their own variants of Agile. Here's how to make sure your practice remains aligned with the spirit of Agile.Continue Reading

• AWS vs. Google comparison guide

  AWS and Google are slugging it out in the public cloud ring -- going blow for blow on price and features. How do they compare on performance and cost?Continue Reading

• Microsoft System Center Operations Manager Management Pack (Microsoft SCOM Management Pack)

  A System Center Operations Manager (SCOM) Management Pack is a pre-fabricated rule set intended to extend and configure SCOM for specific services or applications.Continue Reading

• Here and there: Blending on-premises and cloud environments

  Data center technologies and strategies are evolving toward a blend of infrastructures that reside partly on-premises and partly in the cloud. More and more, IT shops are being asked to coordinate technology resources rather than simply control them...Continue Reading

• How do I use SR-IOV for Hyper-V VMs?

  Single Root I/O Virtualization, or SR-IOV, can help reduce latency and increase I/O throughput when enabled for Hyper-V VMs.Continue Reading

• Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud features explained

  AWS EC2 is a cloud service that's easy to use and easy to set up if companies understand its many facets and features.Continue Reading

• When and how to use the AWS Command Line Interface

  Sometimes a command line is needed for application management. Learn how and when to use the AWS Command Line Interface.Continue Reading

• Eight data center technologies to test in the new year

  As the hype from 2014 dissipates, the new year rings in hot new technologies. IoE, hybrid clouds and other tech innovations make the data center run more efficiently.Continue Reading

• How are SSD garbage collection, wear leveling and TRIM different?

  While using solid-state drives in a vSphere environment can give a boost to VMs that require high performance, it's important to know how certain longevity features function in the storage hardware.Continue Reading

• How much longer will that SSD last in a vSphere server?

  Even modestly sized SSDs can be more expensive than traditional hard drives, but do the benefits outweigh any concerns about longevity?Continue Reading

• How do hardware profiles work in Microsoft Virtual Machine Manager?

  The Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager allows the creation of hardware profiles, which help to provision virtual storage. Brien Posey explains how to use the tool.Continue Reading

• SaaS platform changes: Is there a migration model?

  Is there a data migration model if a company leaves the SaaS platform it has been using? Read this expert answer to find out.Continue Reading

• This data center cost calculator keeps you on budget

  Calculating every data center expense can be challenging, but with the right spreadsheet -- and formulas -- you will accurately assess the total cost.Continue Reading

• What criteria are most important when evaluating cloud storage costs?

  With cloud storage pricing models varying so much, it makes sense to compare summaries of these criteria to be sure you make the right choice.Continue Reading

• How do requirements relate to acceptance criteria?

  Requirements and acceptance criteria often seem to be essentially the same thing, but that's not quite true.Continue Reading

• How is big data changing data archiving strategies?

  Analyst Jon Toigo explains why performing analytics on big data sets means that data is no longer considered cold, reducing the importance of archives.Continue Reading

• Read and write considerations when designing APIs

  This is the third installment of a four-part series offering enterprise architects advice for designing APIs.Continue Reading

• Server form factors: A guide to rackmount, blade servers and more

  Which type of server is right for you? The data center's budget, technology and reliability will steer you toward rackmount or blade servers.Continue Reading

• Essential guide to desktop and laptop solid-state drives

  Essential guide to laptop and desktop SSDsContinue Reading

• How does Exchange Native Data Protection work?

  Take a look at what Exchange Native Data Protection does in Exchange 2013 to decide if it fits into your organization.Continue Reading

• How does write back cache improve performance?

  With Windows Server 2012 R2 and earlier, admins have access to write-back caching, leading to reasonable improvements for mission-critical workloads.Continue Reading

• Does AWS CloudFront work with static and dynamic content?

  Dan Sullivan reviews AWS CloudFront and the two types of content it works with, static and dynamic.Continue Reading

• Answering common VMware NSX platform questions

  VMware's network virtualization product promises both flexibility and security in one of the few areas where innovation has lagged in the data center.Continue Reading

• The case for cloud storage: Cloud considerations and strategies

  Before deploying your cloud storage project, learn about cloud storage use cases, how to do a cloud cost analysis and keeping data safe in the cloud.Continue Reading

• What's the best data center network topology?

  You need to know these most common data center network topologies, and check out a host of alternative topologies waiting in the wings.Continue Reading

• What do you need to roll out application containerization?

  Containers have a significant following these days, thanks to Docker. Find out how containers can help and what you need to get started.Continue Reading

• The need for application-aware storage

  Server virtualization leads to unpredictable workloads. Application-aware storage could be the answer.Continue Reading

• Benefits of Amazon SES in the enterprise

  Marketing firms and online gaming companies often look for less expensive ways to send bulk email to customers or would-be buyers. Here's a look at what Amazon SES has to offer.Continue Reading

• Are more than five nines of availability really possible?

  When cloud durability is added to the mix, cloud providers are able to tout a high number of nines of availability.Continue Reading

• Network programming skills from scripting to DevOps: What to learn

  Networking pros don't need to become code monkeys, but a little network programming can go a long way toward advancing their careers.Continue Reading

• Understanding the connection between AWS, DevOps

  David Linthicum explains the connection between AWS and DevOps, how it brings together development and operations to produce better applications and reduce the time it takes to improve and deploy them, and the Amazon Web Services that support it.Continue Reading

• Tracking user activity with AWS CloudTrail

  AWS CloudTrail is a Web service that keeps track of AWS API calls in your account and stores logs from multiple accounts and multiple regions in the same S3 bucket. Learn to turn on AWS CloudTrail and to find and read log files.Continue Reading

• FAQ: Software testing in the cloud

  Tackle the basics of testing software in the cloud with these answers to frequently asked questions.Continue Reading

• Component cloud model powers agile application development

  In the future, IT pros see cloud as a place to spin up applications to respond to problems on the fly. The component cloud model is just step one.Continue Reading

• What is object storage technology (and why should you care)?

  Object technology offers scalability, economical operation and better data management; but it's very different from file and block storage systems.Continue Reading

• What you need to know about flash caching

  Using solid-state storage as cache can boost server and application performance dramatically, but the kind of flash cache you choose is critical.Continue Reading

• Protecting cloud networks against DDoS and DoS attacks

  DDoS and DoS attacks are simple to implement but more difficult to prevent. How can these attacks on cloud services be avoided?Continue Reading

• Three considerations to ensure data storage efficiency

  Vendors often claim their products cut out storage inefficiency, but administrators can make a difference as well with some planning.Continue Reading

• A few ways to configure Linux firewalld

  The method for configuring Linux servers' firewalls changed with RHEL 7 and other new distributions. Learn how to set up firewalld, and what to avoid.Continue Reading

• Process large data sets quickly with Amazon Elastic MapReduce

  Learn how to distribute large amounts of data to Amazon S3 using the Amazon EMR cluster.Continue Reading

• Build your knowledge of UML diagrams

  These six questions will help you build a better understanding of UML diagrams.Continue Reading

• What's the best Linux OS for your enterprise data center?

  With several updates to supported Linux OSes, how do you know which to run in your data center? This guide will help you make an informed decision.Continue Reading

• Sizing, pricing Amazon Web Services EC2 instance types

  Bill Claybrook compares complex sizing and pricing issues when choosing EC2 instance types.Continue Reading

• The right way to rename VMs with vSphere Storage vMotion

  A quirk in older ESX/ESXi versions will not result in a prompt rename of a VM until it has moved to another data store.Continue Reading

• Untangle cloud billing knots across multiple providers

  Tracking your spending while using multiple cloud accounts can be a budgeting nightmare, but services are available to simplify the process.Continue Reading

• S3 Browser: Amazon's adaptable data storage interface

  Learn how to use the SS3 Browser and how to benefit from it.Continue Reading

• Working with OpenStack storage: Tips on Cinder, Swift and the cloud

  This guide explores the block, object and cloud storage offerings from OpenStack, one of the most sought-after open source storage platforms.Continue Reading

• How to clear a clogged core dump in VMware ESXi

  With a little manipulation via SSH or ESXi Shell, a locked core dump file can soon be just a distant memory for your ESXi environment.Continue Reading

• Successful DevOps practices from the start

  Here's all you need to know to get started with DevOps, from identifying goals and roadblocks, to useful tools to scale DevOps to the next level.Continue Reading

• Examining the future of the RAID volume

  Expert Jon Toigo provides a set of tips to answer key questions regarding RAID's place in today's storage world, and whether it will be replaced.Continue Reading

• How does a scale-out NAS environment affect storage management?

  Phil Goodwin explains how scale-out NAS systems simplify storage management through a single point of control and by combating performance problems.Continue Reading

• All about Agile and ALM

  When it comes to deployment strategies, mobile app capabilities, cloud computing issues and security, there's a lot to learn about Agile ALM.Continue Reading

• A tiered storage model is different from caching

  In this podcast, Evaluator Group strategist Randy Kerns looks in-depth at today's tiered storage model, including how it differs from flash caching.Continue Reading

• Choosing storage for streaming large files in big data sets

  Learn how to select storage that can both scale and perform to effectively stream large files in big data environments.Continue Reading

• Hyper-V networking: The three virtual switches that fuel connectivity

  In this Hyper-V networking primer, learn about the three virtual switches behind Microsoft virtualization connectivity.Continue Reading

• Choosing the right data snapshot approach

  Independent backup expert Brien Posey compares the various methods for creating a data snapshot in this Expert Answer.Continue Reading

• External storage might make sense for Hadoop

  Using Hadoop to drive big data analytics doesn't necessarily mean building clusters of distributed storage; a good old array might be a better choice.Continue Reading

• Building a better archival storage strategy

  This guide walks through important tips and considerations regarding storage archive design strategies and technologies.Continue Reading

• How Agile ALM tools shape business agility

  Learn how Agile ALM tools can increase agility in businesses.Continue Reading

• Amazon's data flow PaaS: AppStream and Kinesis

  Learn why AppStream and Kinesis are different kinds of data flow services.Continue Reading

• Is Amazon CloudSearch superior to do-it-yourself search tools?

  Big data can be incredibly valuable for enterprise business intelligence. But to extract that value, you must choose the most appropriate search tool.Continue Reading

• How DRAM or NVRAM cache can reduce flash SSD write amplification

  DRAM/NVRAM caching provides SSD systems with better performance while reducing flash SSD write amplification.Continue Reading

• Basic Linux commands for new Linux server administrators

  To manage Linux servers, administrators need a set of basic commands to view and start processes, as well as utilities that make life a little easier.Continue Reading

• Amazon Kinesis: When to use Amazon's new big-data processing service

  In this expert answer, Chris Moyer offers advice on using Amazon Kinesis for near-real-time processing of streaming big data.Continue Reading

• Using the RESTful API as an onramp to object storage

  RESTful APIs are essential in moving data on and off of object storage systems. Expert Marc Staimer describes the three options currently available.Continue Reading

• Creating a reliable and fast SAN network design with iSCSI

  There are three tenets of designing an iSCSI network correctly. Proper iSCSI deployment yields affordable and reliable network access for the SAN.Continue Reading

• Should you migrate to Windows Server 2012 R2?

  It's time to seriously consider migration plans for Windows Server 2012 R2. Learn best practices, what's new and more.Continue Reading

• Deciding why and when to use an integration framework

  An integration framework is an important tool for managing the movement of data between applications and organizations.Continue Reading

• Considering migration to the cloud? Answer five key questions first

  In this Q&A, Todd DeCapua of Shunra Software Ltd. discusses considerations for minimizing risk and maximizing benefits in a migration to cloud.Continue Reading

• Your data lives where?! Strange and secure data center locations

  In these data center pictures, tour barges, former mines and oil rigs. Sometimes a strange location makes the most sense for a secure data center.Continue Reading

• A closer look at virtual hard disks in Windows Server 2012 R2

  The VHDX format includes performance-enhancing features and capabilities that let virtual servers recover VMs with little to no data loss.Continue Reading

• Your next job may be 'network programmer': What you'll need to know

  SDN brings flexibility to networking, but this will require engineers to gain new skills in order to fill the emerging role of network programmer.Continue Reading

• A look inside the DevOps movement

  DevOps is a culture, not a job or procedure for an IT team. That said, there are DevOps tools and organizational strategies to help you get there.Continue Reading

• Data center network design moves from tree to leaf

  Leaf-spine designs are pushing out the hierarchical tree data center networking model, thanks to the popularity of Ethernet fabric networks.Continue Reading

• Compression eases Live Migration process in Windows Server 2012 R2

  By using Live Migration compression, smaller VM files are transferred more quickly between systems and have fewer resent or dropped packets.Continue Reading

• How Remote DMA improves Live Migration in Windows Server 2012 R2

  The RDMA feature can use high-throughput, low-latency data exchanges to improve Live Migration's performance in Windows Server 2012 R2.Continue Reading

• VMware vSphere App HA

  VMware vSphere App HA is virtual appliance introduced with vSphere 5.5. It works with vSphere HA (high availability) host monitoring and virtual machine monitoring to improve application uptime.Continue Reading

• API design: How to properly build an application program interface

  Don't let your entire API project go awry. Knowing the applications well is just one way to nail the design and foster developer loyalty.Continue Reading

• Complete guide to Hadoop technology and storage

  Learn how Apache Hadoop works, some of its benefits and drawbacks, and what it means for big data and cloud storage.Continue Reading

• Windows Server 2012 R2 Storage Spaces addresses storage growth demands

  Windows Server 2012 R2 Storage Spaces offers an alternative to traditional SAN storage and includes updates for virtualizing shared storage.Continue Reading

• Erasure coding tradeoffs include additional storage, disk update needs

  Erasure coding tradeoffs include requirement for additional data storage, need to update extra disks for redundancy purposes, UC professor cautions.Continue Reading

• What's the best number of virtual machines for a data store?

  The best number of virtual machines on each data store depends on, among other things, the performance needs of each virtual machine.Continue Reading

• Erasure coding brings trade-off of resilience vs. performance

  IT's decision on using erasure coding in storage rests on data importance, durability more than amount of data, says storage consultant Marc Staimer.Continue Reading

• Wikibon CTO: Erasure coding can help reduce data backup costs

  Erasure coding can help reduce the data needed for backups and lower the cost of backup and recovery over the traditional approach, Wikibon CTO says.Continue Reading

• The evolution of network control

  The degree of network control IT pros possess is expanding with new tools and solutions. Learn the latest about network management and monitoring.Continue Reading

• Are there alternatives to the OpenFlow protocol?

  Jason Edelman explains OpenFlow protocol alternatives and what's important in determining which southbound protocol will work for you.Continue Reading

• VMware vCenter Mobile Access (VMware vCMA)

  VMware vCenter Mobile Access (VMware vCMA) is a virtual appliance used by admins to manage a data center from mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets.Continue Reading

• Virtual security tactics for Type 1 and Type 2 hypervisors

  It's no surprise that Type 1 and Type 2 hypervisors require different security considerations, but we asked an expert to clarify.Continue Reading

• VMware DRS quiz: Rules, settings, requirements and best practices

  Knowing how to use VMware DRS is key to getting the most out of vSphere, so quiz yourself on its features. A high score could mean high utilization.Continue Reading