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Learn to apply best practices and optimize your operations.

• IT capacity planning takes new shape in the cloud

  Migrating applications off premises to the cloud requires a new capacity planning approach: Develop a detailed cloud strategy, and carefully track upgrade schedules. Continue Reading

• Features disaster recovery-as-a-service providers must offer

  A cost-effective disaster recovery as a service lets organizations of all sizes implement a dependable disaster recovery plan. Disaster recovery-as-a-service providers replicate or back up customer data to cloud data centers and then -- should ... Continue Reading

• Explosion in unstructured data storage drives modernization

  Increasing amounts of unstructured data are a key part of modern secondary storage environments with their distributed file systems and a scale-out object storage design. Continue Reading

• Navigating cloud-based data storage requires some caution

  Cloud services are economical and easy to use -- if you know the ropes. Approach cloud computing issues with caution; you just might run into familiar on-premises storage problems. Continue Reading

• Cloud data backup services minimize outage, security risks

  Backups are critical in any cloud strategy, but where you store that data is just as important. Explore these automated backup tools and services to avoid risks later. Continue Reading

• CloudFormation StackSets drive cross-account automation

  AWS gave its automation capabilities a boost with the release of CloudFormation StackSets, a feature that lets dev teams deploy stacks across multiple accounts and regions.Continue Reading

• Work Lambda into Amazon SQS queues to prevent backlogs

  Amazon SQS enables users to process and track tasks in a queue. Combine it with Lambda and CloudWatch to add extra message processing functionality.Continue Reading

• Reduce AWS costs with volume discounts, Reserved Instances

  AWS volume discounts sound simple -- the more you buy, the less you pay. But cost savings can vary based on the services you use and whether Reserved Instances play a role.Continue Reading

• A Red Hat Satellite tutorial to install an update server

  With Red Hat Satellite, IT ops can deploy an update server to simplify patching. Follow this step-by-step tutorial to install the server, attach subscriptions and devise a sync plan.Continue Reading

• Use Azure availability sets for patching to achieve the best uptime

  Ops' responsibility doesn't end once in a public cloud; in fact, it can get more confounding. Learn the best route to update Azure cloud instances and what mistakes to avoid.Continue Reading

• With Btrfs file system gone in RHEL 8, look at alternatives

  In the XFS, Ext4, Btrfs and ZFS comparison, Linux users will say goodbye to Btrfs in RHEL 8. Learn more about your options and what can fill the gaps once development halts.Continue Reading

• Dell EMC acquisition: The deal of the century a year later

  A year has passed since the Dell EMC acquisition, the biggest transaction in the history of IT. With the benefit of hindsight, we examine the positives, negatives and uncertainties of the deal. Did Dell buy the world's biggest storage vendor, or did...Continue Reading

• How to choose a live kernel patching extension

  Ksplice and kpatch offer similar live kernel patching services on a Linux system, but differences between function-level services and technical support showcase their differences.Continue Reading

• Users want hybrid cloud networking to be simple

  As more services move to the cloud and become more mobile, if the network is invisible and performs well, IT pros are doing their jobs in users' eyes.Continue Reading

• Standardize configuration management software for smoother DevOps

  If your organization uses different configuration management software for development and operations, you're not alone. Even better, it's no engineering feat to migrate to one main tool.Continue Reading

• Mobile app architecture is nothing without MBaaS

  Many companies today are turning to MBaaS platforms that take the pain out of mobile app architecture by enabling microservices and making API management the center of the system.Continue Reading

• Prevent hacked AWS accounts from wreaking havoc

  Security should be a top priority in public cloud deployment, but breaches are still possible. If your AWS account has been hacked, follow these steps to minimize the impact.Continue Reading

• Why the future of IT jobs may give techies a pass

  Citizen data scientists are now equipped with tools like low-code platforms, AI and automation and are revolutionizing the world of IT. Learn what this means for you.Continue Reading

• What are the best database services for PaaS offerings?

  When you move to PaaS for your web-based apps, remember to think about database services. Consider the benefits of moving your database to a fully supported cloud infrastructure.Continue Reading

• AWS root account access is a treasure for attackers

  Don't fall victim to a hacked root account. Create and work within new AWS accounts, and then apply the least amount of privilege necessary to prevent a costly mistake.Continue Reading

• PowerShell scripts enable automated cloud deployments

  This step-by-step tutorial walks through the process to automate an Azure deployment; start with launching the virtual server, and finish with the deletion process.Continue Reading

• What happens when you violate affinity or anti-affinity rules?

  Just because VM placement is flexible doesn't mean you should take it for granted. Affinity rule conflicts can take a serious toll on the functionality of multiple VMware platforms.Continue Reading

• How can I guarantee the best Ceph performance?

  Ceph object storage performance is largely based on network speed, but journal disks and the right file system for object storage devices also play a role.Continue Reading

• Can I replace HDDs with SSDs to support in-memory storage?

  Replacing all your HDDs with SSDs won't solve the storage issues associated with in-memory databases. Look to hyper-convergence and NVDIMMs instead.Continue Reading

• Build a DevOps version control process for IT infrastructure

  Infrastructure admins can turn to the DevOps version control process for all IaC updates. Learn the basics, then follow along with an example in Git.Continue Reading

• Ansible variables give structure to playbook execution

  Ansible playbooks tell the IT automation system how to complete a task. Use variables in a playbook to tell Ansible how to interact with the available resources.Continue Reading

• Back-end storage considerations for in-memory processing

  Storing hot data in main memory removes the latency associated with hard disk and solid-state storage operations; it's the best option for need-it-now data.Continue Reading

• Your enterprise data management strategy needs a superhero

  Data management products are the Superman, not the Batman, of storage. They have built-in superpowers that provide the innate power needed to manage data.Continue Reading

• Persistent storage readied for containerized applications

  Traditional application architectures are limited in their ability to scale and meet the demands of today's fast-growing data, cloud and IT environments. Containerization -- with its support for Agile design, development and deployment methodologies...Continue Reading

• The power and benefits of encouraging IT disruption

  IT can't remain a reactive cost center and cheerful help desk, but must become a competitive, cutthroat service provider and powerful champion of emerging disruptive technology.Continue Reading

• How to determine the true cost of flash

  If you want to add flash storage, it's important to consider the cost per IOPS and gigabyte compared to HDD volumes, as well as the difference between consumer and enterprise SSDs.Continue Reading

• Apply DevOps best practices to the BPM lifecycle

  Developers are better equipped at managing both the development and business side of the BPM workflow. Learn about the BPM lifecycle and its impact on DevOps.Continue Reading

• A deployment pipeline keeps infrastructure ducks in their rows

  IT infrastructure is difficult to get right. Whether to stand up a test/dev server or deploy a new app to production, infrastructure developers turn to a deployment pipeline to build IT.Continue Reading

• How can a VM storage policy improve vSAN cluster redundancy?

  FTT dictates how many failures can occur in a vSAN cluster without sacrificing availability. How can you use a VM storage policy to define the amount of Failures To Tolerate?Continue Reading

• Private cloud implementation guide

  Wondering how to pull off a private cloud deployment? Plan ahead, design for the future and make sure you have built up the right knowledge base.Continue Reading

• Should I be concerned about SSD lifespan?

  HDD and RAID vendors have stirred up FUD around the lifespan of SSD drive cells, but companies considering solid-state don't have to worry about arrays wearing out.Continue Reading

• Get answers to your Office 365 security and compliance questions

  Moving an email server to the cloud has its advantages, but there are compliance questions that admins have in Office 365. Know the answers before making the jump.Continue Reading

• In a microservices app, how many microservices are too many?

  How many microservices are optimal for your microservices app? DevOps analyst Chris Tozzi explains how to use containers, codebase analysis and other tactics to decide.Continue Reading

• Why some Wi-Fi jobs are best for WLAN professionals to avoid

  Some Wi-Fi jobs can become nearly impossible to complete. When engineers contend with inflated expectations or bad designs, it may be best to walk away.Continue Reading

• Cloud management platforms offer a unified approach to hybrid IT

  While more cloud platforms can mean more challenges, the right management platform makes an admin's job easier. But with all the options, how do you know which one to choose?Continue Reading

• Chef Habitat offers a different take on configuration management

  Chef Habitat's strategy focuses on the dynamic application environment instead of static servers, approaching configuration management with a new focus.Continue Reading

• Disaggregation enables on-demand resource pool management and creation

  Disaggregation may not be a new concept, but it has become more important to IT in recent years. Here, it means breaking computers down to the core elements of compute, memory, I/O, storage, cache, network fabric and so on, to enable resource pool ...Continue Reading

• New options for managed network service providers benefit enterprises

  SDN, NFV and SD-WAN are creating a new set of software-based offerings that managed network service providers can roll out to enterprises faster and at lower cost.Continue Reading

• Construct a chain of commands with the PowerShell pipeline

  The pipeline in PowerShell connects multiple cmdlets to assemble complex commands to give administrators advanced management control over their systems.Continue Reading

• How a backup data retention policy combats growing storage needs

  While a thorough backup system can protect your data, it can also lead to a rapid increase in the amount of data you have stored. A policy-based storage system may be able to help.Continue Reading

• What is the future of container deployment?

  Container deployment continues to evolve with the help of VM models, microservices and DevOps. Learn how the container architecture can impact your business goals.Continue Reading

• Everything you need to know about OpenStack modules

  OpenStack continues to evolve in an effort to compete with AWS. The modules that are available now make OpenStack a viable enterprise option.Continue Reading

• Making the case for an all-flash data center

  Companies should ditch hard disk drives and outfit their data centers entirely with flash storage; vendors have solved old solid-state problems, such as wear time and cost.Continue Reading

• Object storage use cases coming to a data service near you

  Object storage, unlike traditional file and block storage, is well-suited to manage vast amounts of unstructured data.Continue Reading

• ECX 2.6 includes intelligent data management

  Catalogic Software's approach to snapshot creation and management delivers pragmatic features to DevOps and more with the release of ECX 2.6.Continue Reading

• Test your knowledge of API management tools and techniques

  Are you on top of your game when it comes to API management tools, techniques and strategies? This quiz will test your knowledge when it comes to cultivating your API ecosystem.Continue Reading

• Should you run MySQL on VMs or physical machines?

  Take stock of your current environment, including instance types, orchestration systems and storage devices, before deciding whether to deploy MySQL to VMs or physical machines.Continue Reading

• Configure NIC teaming with different modes in Hyper-V

  The switch independent mode uses different switches and can support both active/active and active/standby operation, while the dependent mode only uses one switch.Continue Reading

• Debug an Active Directory domain join failure on Windows Server

  The domain join process typically works without issue. But when a device can't connect to Active Directory, the administrator must seek the culprit from the usual suspects.Continue Reading

• How is private cloud support divided between IT and providers?

  When companies choose a private cloud storage provider, it's important that they understand what the internal IT department is responsible for, as opposed to what the provider will support.Continue Reading

• Step up from ops on your IT career path

  IT operations professionals with accumulated skills in application management, cloud migration or security enforcement could make a forward move to one of these specialist roles.Continue Reading

• Use SIOC to create and apply IOPS limits and storage policies

  VMware Storage I/O Control uses vSphere APIs for I/O Filtering to quickly establish and apply IOPS limits to VMs that regularly access your data store.Continue Reading

• Follow these steps to assign vSphere permissions and roles

  Admins can use vSphere permissions to assign VM controls to different IT groups within their enterprise. Follow the networking example below to get started.Continue Reading

• Server OS patching doesn't have to be as painful as you fear

  OS patching is like a mechanic's job -- you need different tools for different makes and models. SCCM, Satellite and Landscape provide upkeep for IT's sports cars and SUVs.Continue Reading

• What are the benefits of private cloud over popular alternatives?

  Don't overlook the advantages of private cloud when choosing a cloud storage implementation. Security, cost and ease of transition make it a viable option.Continue Reading

• Integrate Ceph object storage in a VMware vSphere environment

  It can be challenging to integrate Ceph in a VMware environment, but with the right interface, vSphere administrators can reap the rewards of object storage.Continue Reading

• Strategies to accelerate AWS Lambda functions

  In this chapter excerpt from Serverless Architectures on AWS, author Peter Sbarski shares five tricks developers can use to improve Lambda function performance.Continue Reading

• Know your AWS downtime limits

  Enterprises have different standards of downtime tolerance, which often vary between applications. Properly set your expectations and avoid unnecessary -- and unwanted -- downtime.Continue Reading

• What to expect in OpenStack releases Pike and Queens

  OpenStack Pike, Queens and Rocky will include much-needed features and updates that will simplify user interfaces and improve the function of existing APIs.Continue Reading

• Three DevOps toolchain options refine IT automation

  DevOps tools that don't interconnect form a bottleneck that teams can easily avoid -- or retroactively remedy -- if the CI/CD workflow merits the time commitment.Continue Reading

• DevOps doesn't need stateful containers with storage, but apps do

  DevOps is giving up its hold on the container world, as persistent storage makes the stateless environment work for end-user applications, not just developers.Continue Reading

• Container ecosystem needs to expand its persistence of vision

  Persistent storage for containers will become a necessity as the stateless computing method becomes less about just DevOps and more about end-user applications.Continue Reading

• How to cut false security, malware alerts in hybrid cloud

  The bad news: IT teams are deluged by false security and malware alerts with their hybrid clouds. The good news: New tools are here to help.Continue Reading

• Solving enterprise-class storage challenges in the age of convergence

  In this age of data center convergence, with technology evolving faster than ever, planning how to transition from traditional yet rigid environments to more agile software-defined ones is among the trickiest challenges facing IT shops today. ...Continue Reading

• Three approaches to strategic data management: Good, better and best

  It's time organizations take a more mature and sophisticated approach to data management techniques and make the most of the data they generate and consume.Continue Reading

• New use cases for flash data storage benefit enterprises

  Adoption of protocols such as NVMe and memory bus-based flash DIMMs helps flash storage devices keep pace with the most demanding use cases.Continue Reading

• Optimize your public cloud cost management strategy

  Businesses often tout lower costs as a benefit of public cloud, but without proper management and monitoring, costs can climb quickly. Learn how to keep your spending in check.Continue Reading

• Four private cloud design pointers to ensure success

  To design a successful private cloud, lay the groundwork: Plan beyond the five-year mark, determine who will manage images and make it highly available.Continue Reading

• Open source network software matures, but needs incentives for use

  Open source network software is maturing, but the networking industry needs to create compelling economic incentives for large suppliers and buyers to contribute, as well.Continue Reading

• IT asset tracking informs better capacity, management decisions

  Detailed IT asset inventories are a result of granular asset tracking and lead to better server and storage management -- among other benefits.Continue Reading

• Choose the best public cloud instances for your apps and budget

  Cloud computing instances can make or break application performance -- and costs. Evaluate your workloads to determine the right instance type and size before deployment.Continue Reading

• Manage Linux servers with a Windows admin's toolkit

  Even Microsoft recognizes it's no longer just a Windows world. Here's what Windows administrators can do to pick up Linux management and monitoring.Continue Reading

• No-code/low-code project management best practices

  Before setting your no-code/low-code product into motion, you must prepare your organization. Expert Zach Flower discusses the importance of collaboration and communication.Continue Reading

• Why the NAND flash shortage exists and what to do about it

  The current NAND flash market product shortage means SSD prices won't dip below hard disk drives any time soon. Make sure to ask your vendors about their supply situations.Continue Reading

• Lessons fall from the cloud, changing data center strategies

  The transformative power of cloud computing is long past the point of being news. The cloud model, after all, has irrevocably changed how IT functions. What's interesting to consider is how cloud technologies and methodologies are changing even how ...Continue Reading

• Deploy patches safely and sanely in a CI/CD workflow

  Enterprises engaged in a CI/CD workflow must patch systems and apps strategically. There are multiple technologies to consider, including immutable infrastructure and automation.Continue Reading

• Log management systems benefit greatly from AI

  Organizations with massive volumes of IT operational data need log management tools that can quickly and adeptly process it. AI embedded into tools might be the answer.Continue Reading

• Justify CMDB ROI with these strategies

  IT pros can easily list off CMDB benefits. But when it comes to convincing the business to pay for a CMDB implementation, you'll need to discuss ROI.Continue Reading

• Planning is paramount for a private cloud environment

  Almost any organization of any size can enjoy the flexibility and cost savings that often accompany a private cloud implementation. It's not just for startups.Continue Reading

• Helpful steps toward an easy private cloud implementation

  There are many aspects of an overall private cloud infrastructure that affect your organization's cloud storage plans, and knowing what to look for is vital.Continue Reading

• Integrate vRealize Log Insight and NSX for centralized logging

  VMware added vRealize Log Insight NSX in version 6.2.3. This central logging system receives log entries from ESXi hosts and helps identify issues in your NSX deployment.Continue Reading

• AWS certification types with the most street cred

  Passing an AWS certification exam is often a top benchmark on a cloud pro's resume. These AWS certifications are considered the most difficult -- and valuable.Continue Reading

• Building an IT resiliency plan into an always-on world

  A multipronged approach is the best protection against unaffordable and unacceptable downtime in today's 24/7 business cycle.Continue Reading

• Managing wireless networks: How to address the key challenges

  One challenge in managing wireless networks is that the tools and tech are changing rapidly. Here’s what network pros need to know now.Continue Reading

• DevOps lab: Build Vagrant VMs to learn immutable infrastructure

  This article is part of a series to help IT ops professionals learn DevOps by building a home lab. In this first step, a cluster of Vagrant VMs represents immutable infrastructure.Continue Reading

• Learn DevOps techniques and tools in this home lab setup

  This DevOps lab uses Linux VMs and Docker containers to teach administrators the basics of immutable infrastructure, configuration automation and other modern IT concepts.Continue Reading

• Use the VMware Host Client to manage single ESXi hosts

  The VMware Host Client is faster and more secure than the vSphere Flash-based client, but it has yet to reach maturity. Here are some other tools you can use to manage ESXi hosts.Continue Reading

• Tier 0 storage moves to NVMe to meet demand for speed

  Tier 0 has been fast and proprietary, but nonvolatile memory express is changing that second part as a standard programming interface for PCIe SSDs.Continue Reading

• The status of NAND flash memory now and in the near future

  Flash memory chips have driven a revolution in storage, and faced a recent shortage because of huge demand. That's easing, and advances in NAND technology show a great future.Continue Reading

• Let's talk about IT infrastructure and emerging technologies

  Work closely with hardware specialists and engineers in the data center, as emerging compute, network and storage technologies have ramifications beyond the racks.Continue Reading

• 2017 IT spending trends for data storage

  For the 15^th year, Storage magazine has surveyed storage pros to learn about their IT spending trends for the coming months. As you'd expect, the cloud continues to pick up steam for both primary and secondary projects, while ...Continue Reading

• Essential elements of copy data management

  The next chapter written in the book of computer science should be all about management of copy data, the core function of IT.Continue Reading

• Copying virtual machines with VMware vSphere Replication

  Now that you've completed the installation and configuration, it's time to walk through the process of how vSphere Replication works.Continue Reading

• What are some ways to stop and restart OpenStack instances?

  Admins can pause, suspend, shelve or stop a compute instance in OpenStack. But what are the key differences between each option?Continue Reading

• Set Salt configuration management free without a master

  Salt configurations usually involve at least one minion controlled by a master, but that's not always necessary. See how to use Salt to run a single machine in masterless mode.Continue Reading