Opinion

Opinion

• The switch to 400 GbE may be closer than you think

  Several dynamics are driving the need for 400 GbE infrastructures, including the increase in server density, private cloud applications and network edge data.  Continue Reading

• AWS acquisitions continue with focus to build on core services

  Explore what AWS' recent IT purchases say about the cloud vendor's overall acquisition strategy and why it likes to make the smaller deals instead of any big splash.  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

• AWS' blockchain approach takes divergent paths

  AWS was slow to embrace blockchain but now offers two approaches to the concept. Review the specs of Quantum Ledger Database and Amazon Managed Blockchain.  Continue Reading

• Top 5 enterprise storage trends of 2018

  Dave Raffo won't pretend to know what 2019 will bring to the world of enterprise data storage, but he does know what he learned while following the data storage industry in 2018.  Continue Reading

• Cloud repatriation and the trend away from all things cloud

  Companies are starting to backtrack when it comes to their enthusiasm for public clouds. More and more are bringing workloads and storage resources back in-house.  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 ops teams stay relevant during a shift left in DevOps

  IT operations administrators should not perceive the shift left in DevOps as a threat to their relevance, but rather as a catalyst for a change in their priorities.  Continue Reading

• Acquisition talk mounts as Kurian plots Google's cloud plans

  It may not be a question of if, but when Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian makes acquisitions to round out the company's cloud platform portfolio.  Continue Reading

• How AWS, Azure and Google approach service mesh technology

  While AWS, Azure and Google all offer service mesh technologies to streamline microservices management, they also have distinct differences users should understand.  Continue Reading

• Why I moved from programming to a software testing role

  Testers rejoice when they find flaws, even as project managers gnash their teeth. Matt Heusser explains how, in QA, he learned to stop worrying about deadlines and love the delay.  Continue Reading

• It's time to rethink app migration strategies for cloud

  As applications increasingly become a collection of services rather than monolithic pieces of software, enterprises will start to question and rethink traditional migration practices.  Continue Reading

• Prepare for these 3 cloud computing challenges in 2019

  As enterprise cloud strategies continue to mature, IT teams will face a new set of challenges in 2019, ranging from cost governance to the management of complex, heterogeneous architectures.  Continue Reading

• 6 emerging trends in wireless networking technology for 2019

  In 2019, expect to see some interesting trends in wireless networking technology, including a surge in millimeter waves, the budding potential for end-to-end network analytics and, of course, the ongoing development of 5G services.  Continue Reading

• IT organizations anticipate DevOps evolution in 2019

  DevOps shifts around like ice cubes skate across water: quickly and always toward its outer limits. Kurt Marko explores some areas where DevOps will go in 2019.  Continue Reading

• How the developer experience builds trickle-down usability

  Developer experience is the equivalent of user experience (UX). The way developers experience tools and consume libraries matters and leads to better engagement.  Continue Reading

• Without DevOps metrics, forget about DevOps glory

  DevOps doesn't provide easy comparison points to quantify improvements. So how do you know if you're on the path to success or just spinning your wheels?  Continue Reading

• Expect more container evolution, growth in 2019

  Containerization shows no sign of winding down. With technologies, product options and providers focused on technological improvement, container ecosystems will develop rapidly in the coming year.  Continue Reading

• The top 9 trends in network technology for 2019

  In the new year, expect SDN and SD-WAN to come back down to earth. Meanwhile, multi-cloud, edge computing and intent-based networking will ramp up. Plus, data centers are not dead.  Continue Reading

• AI for IT operations means smarter, safer deployments

  Anticipate developments in AIOps and IT automation in 2019, particularly in major spaces such as IT security. Help your organization look forward and adopt smarter automation.  Continue Reading

• A look at the AWS hardware update that fuels its A1 instances

  In case you missed the reveal of AWS' A1 instance type at re:Invent, the updated hardware that underpins these VMs could have a major effect on your cloud workloads.  Continue Reading

• Key IT skills to make you current and capable in an ops role

  With the rapid pace of IT, it's easy to lose your edge -- even for technologically curious ops professionals. Master a balance of the best IT and people skills to get ahead in modern operations.  Continue Reading

• Third-party partners fill gaps in AWS' multi-cloud support

  Even if AWS lags behind Microsoft and Google on its public embrace of multi-cloud, there are tools and services available for users who want to go that route.  Continue Reading

• What's next for VMs vs. containers as isolation, performance evolve?

  With advances from Docker, Kubernetes and other container technologies, an ecosystem is emerging that threatens the existence -- or at least importance -- of VMs in enterprise IT orgs.  Continue Reading

• 6 emerging technologies that belong in an IT operations plan

  A penny saved is a penny earned. But when it comes to AI, specialized compute engines and these other key emerging IT operations areas, a penny saved today is a dollar wasted -- or worse -- in the future.  Continue Reading

• Public cloud workload success requires IT leadership

  IT must change with the times and adapt to the reality that others within the organization can now procure and provision cloud resources without their input.  Continue Reading

• Automated data management is a crucial part of IT's future

  Automating data management will play an important role in helping us cope with the coming zettabyte apocalypse, a time when the amount of data generated will overwhelm storage resources.  Continue Reading

• Predictive storage analytics can watch your storage for you

  Don't ask if your next storage array or software will have predictive analytics. Ask what those analytics can do for your specific systems and applications.  Continue Reading

• It's time to automate the help desk ticketing system

  The help desk is no admin's favorite job -- and no user's favorite place. But with a little automation and AI, the help desk can become a more palatable experience for both parties.  Continue Reading

• AWS cloud strategy gives nod to on-premises needs

  Amazon RDS on VMware signifies a major move on premises to compete with other cloud providers and appease customers. But how far will AWS go from its cloud-only roots?  Continue Reading

• AWS, Microsoft and Google push on with hybrid cloud strategies

  As enterprises' appetite for hybrid cloud grows, the rivalry between AWS, Microsoft and Google will increasingly revolve around on-premises environments.  Continue Reading

• Invest in an IT infrastructure upgrade -- or keep fixing it

  Because upgrades to infrastructure equipment can be expensive and difficult, the easier decision is to renew a support contract. But delay comes at a cost, too.  Continue Reading

• Quantum supremacy and the path to encryption chaos

  Widespread use of quantum computing isn't as far into the future as some might think. When it arrives, this powerful computing technology could turn IT security upside down.  Continue Reading

• Does DevOps for operations mean learning how to code?

  What do operations folks need to know before they dive into DevOps? Automation is the key to a responsive environment, and users are your guiding light.  Continue Reading

• DevOps to DevSecOps adjustment banks on cross-group collaboration

  It takes collaboration across several levels -- between the C-suite and in cross-functional teams -- to successfully move to DevSecOps and meet compliance requirements.  Continue Reading

• Good teams come clean about their IT competence

  How is your company culture going to stay up to date on IT trends? Don't let that question linger, since, sooner or later, you'll work with a technology you don't understand at all.  Continue Reading

• Lambda support for OpenFaaS among wish-list items

  Lambda got a long-awaited upgrade with SQS support, but AWS has more work to do. Here are a few more integrations that could improve Lambda and expand its uses.  Continue Reading

• Maximize cloud storage benefits with cloud-native data

  A cloud storage strategy must acknowledge that storage is but one part of cloud use and involves storage and compute, as well as data that's accessible to all cloud resources.  Continue Reading

• StorOne storage is set to disrupt the software-defined market

  StorOne's TRU Storage technology raises the bar for software-defined storage by gathering together universal pools of storage across disparate hardware that any workload can use.  Continue Reading

• Yes, a true private cloud can now be built

  Forget everything you've heard about private cloud storage and start over with a true set of building blocks designed to let you create a public cloud-like infrastructure.  Continue Reading

• How to compare Windows and Linux for enterprise workloads

  How do Windows and Linux rank when it comes to running production workloads? Organizations should consider more than just the initial cost.  Continue Reading

• Automation poses risk and reward for cloud operations teams

  While there's some concern among IT staff that automation will displace jobs, don't panic yet. There are several ways to stay relevant, and even thrive, in the age of automation.  Continue Reading

• SQL Server deal portends problems with AWS BYOL approach

  A BYOL approach gives enterprises flexibility with their cloud vendors, but be sure to have an exit strategy in case any licensing agreements come to end.  Continue Reading

• AWS' managed cloud services lighten the load for IT

  AWS continues to find ways to move up the stack and ease the burden on IT. Take advantage of these services to improve productivity, and stop worrying about low-level maintenance.  Continue Reading

• How to drive an effective DevOps for business approach

  Don't adopt DevOps for the sake of operational and development efficiency. Do DevOps because it yields business gains. In fact, what you should be doing is BizDevOps.  Continue Reading

• Nvidia partnership bolsters VMware live migration capabilities

  As part of vSphere 6.7.1, admins can now live migrate virtualized workloads supported by vGPUs. The Nvidia and VMware partnership improves high-capacity management capabilities.  Continue Reading

• Access networking layer ready for software-defined reboot

  After years of stagnation, the access-layer network is in need of a makeover. Implementing software-defined configurations is perhaps a good place to start.  Continue Reading

• The journey to DevOps starts with solving problems

  If you want to do DevOps, don't just follow the prescribed strategies and roadmaps that other companies lay out. Assess your own process, and start addressing your own problems.  Continue Reading

• With NVMe-oF, who needs rack-scale PCIe?

  NVMe over networks is winning out as the best way to offer shared, flash-based storage systems, with Dell EMC, NetApp, Pure Storage, Western Digital and startups in the game.  Continue Reading

• 4G LTE or 5G could be your branch office backup internet connection

  As of May, Citrix has entered this space, too.  Continue Reading

• Too many tools hobble network management design

  'Measure twice, cut once' doesn't work for network management. It's time for the industry to consider a new way to coordinate network management design tools.  Continue Reading

• NVMe over FC is happening, and it's time to prepare

  The extent to which the recently published FC-NVMe standard lowers performance latencies in Fibre Channel SANs will be interesting to watch in the coming months.  Continue Reading

• Market for network performance tools enters vendor consolidation phase

  Recent acquisitions of network performance monitoring and diagnostic tool vendors signal market consolidation.  Continue Reading

• What's VMware's goal with its Virtual Cloud Network release?

  Attendees saw a noteworthy turnabout at VMworld 2018. With its Virtual Cloud Network announcement, VMware signaled its new vision of cloud, and the network is the center of its strategy.  Continue Reading

• Definition of hyper-converged infrastructure evolves, as do products

  Defining hyper-convergence can be a challenge. Focus instead on learning about hyper-converged infrastructure product options and how they fit your data center and cloud plans.  Continue Reading

• Nyansa's Voyance uses machine learning to improve Wi-Fi troubleshooting

  Wi-Fi woes trip up company business, but a tool that uses machine learning can help. Read this review that covers one company's experience with Nyansa's Voyance tool.  Continue Reading

• AWS is still the go-to cloud for SMBs, despite viable alternatives

  AWS opened the door for the cloud among SMBs with its initial IaaS offering, while competition from Microsoft and Google continues to play catch-up in the marketplace.  Continue Reading

• Machine learning services in cloud aim for AI accessibility

  Machine learning is a complex technology that requires data science skills. Cloud providers have tried to change that and make AI more accessible. But are those efforts working?  Continue Reading

• Get into DevOps with cross-functional skills and culture

  There's no well-traveled path to a DevOps career. But it's not rocket science. Learn how to explain DevOps and master skills, such as CI/CD, and you'll be on your way.  Continue Reading

• The DevOps hiring process should be audition-based

  How do we ensure competence? Certification is now a big business, but the way we test a 6 year old should differ from the way we test a doctoral candidate or DevOps engineer.  Continue Reading

• Emotional intelligence in the workplace makes a difference

  Technologists need to know people as well as they know their craft. Applying emotional intelligence in the workplace helps convey ideas and change organizations.  Continue Reading

• Big data processing could be the way all data is processed

  Some organizations take their time with new technologies to let first adopters suffer the growing pains. But there's no treading water in the big data stream; the current won't wait.  Continue Reading

• Why Intel Optane SSDs have 'failed'

  Why haven't SSDs built on 3D XPoint taken off yet? Don't blame the technology; blame the marketing behind Intel Optane. New Optane NVDIMMs could fare better.  Continue Reading

• How Cisco's Viptela buy affects branch routers, IT customers

  Zeus Kerravala says Cisco's ISR isn't going anywhere and discusses what its use of Viptela's software-defined WAN means for the IT giant's future, its product line and its customers.  Continue Reading

• Let's develop best practices for security in DevOps

  We've turned to DevOps and microservices because they've made it faster and easier to release and update applications. It's past time we developed security practices for them.  Continue Reading

• The road to effective bot development in DevOps environments

  A bot that simply helps you help yourself goes a long way in a DevOps environment. One bot that does one thing really well is better than an army of chatbots.  Continue Reading

• Q&A: Eric Mizell explains the reliability challenges of DevOps

  DevOps teams face significant challenges, tasked to deliver code faster than ever. OverOps' Eric Mizell believes, though, continuous reliability can go hand in hand with CI/CD.  Continue Reading

• Amazon Sumerian an experimental service with enterprise potential

  AWS' foray into virtual reality and 3D apps simplifies certain tasks for developers, but the vendor could struggle to find an audience among enterprise customers.  Continue Reading

• Catch the next wave of digital IT transformation: Learning tech

  IT learning technologies, such as machine learning and AI workloads, are gaining traction and could be the next wave of IT investment that drives competitive advantages.  Continue Reading

• Understanding data storage and its import eludes younger IT folks

  Jon Toigo has a lot to say about the consistent disparagement and disregard many young people in the IT industry show toward data storage technology and management.  Continue Reading

• Storage conferences aren't what they used to be

  If you're an IT pro looking for a good storage user conference these days, you'll probably have to go through one or more of your storage vendors to find one.  Continue Reading

• Social concept points to an SDN model with two control planes

  It might not seem like control planes and SDN models have a lot in common with a social concept, but together, they could highlight how business intent and operations inform network design.  Continue Reading

• A DevOps developer should be adaptable, creative

  Unlike in the past, companies don't necessarily look to hire developers with hard technology skills. DevOps is changing the rules, so, for developers, it's time to get creative.  Continue Reading

• It's time to tap into the business value of cloud computing

  With increasing market maturity, all cloud adopters -- not just the Netflixes of the world -- have a chance to translate the technology into a competitive business edge.  Continue Reading

• A DevOps mindset shouldn't overemphasize speed

  DevOps isn't really about the fastest release process. Ultimately, DevOps should make the user's life better. Find a balance between velocity and utility.  Continue Reading

• Workplace culture is about cultivating behaviors, not beanbags

  To really do DevOps, organizations will have to address and cultivate more effective workflows. It's not as easy as bringing in beanbags and pingpong tables.  Continue Reading

• Is the CTO the new standard for a DevOps leader?

  For DevOps initiatives to work, they need support from the C-suite. With more companies focusing on products, not services, is the CTO the flagbearer of DevOps leadership?  Continue Reading

• New details released on Huawei's intent-based network

  ZK Research offers details on Huawei's new Intent-Driven Network and what its hardware and the software can do to smooth network glitches and even raise security.  Continue Reading

• Should IT share data analysis from network management consoles?

  By making data analysis available from a network management console, IT groups could offer their lines of business better insights into end-user productivity.  Continue Reading

• Cato Networks adds 'identity awareness' to SD-WAN as a service

  Cato Networks SD-WAN as a service was updated this week with identity-aware routing. The vendor claims identity awareness can simplify network operations and better meet business goals.  Continue Reading

• Vendors vie for a piece of the SD-WAN market share pie

  The SD-WAN vendor market is showing some signs of consolidation. But it will remain volatile in the near term, and that should prove beneficial to customers.  Continue Reading

• Hybrid cloud strategies should be reimagined as multi-cloud

  The tech industry needs to change the way it defines hybrid cloud. A multi-cloud environment is often a more accurate description and worthwhile goal.  Continue Reading

• Modern service management, DevOps streamline app administration

  DevOps and service management are synonymous in modern IT, insofar as their guidelines match. Regardless of the term, ensure organizational practices are built for today's reqs.  Continue Reading

• MU-MIMO technology boosts system capacity for WLANs

  MU-MIMO technology might not be magic, but it upgrades WLAN performance and system capacity so well that some network engineers might call it magical.  Continue Reading

• Satisfy GDPR standards and identify issues early in the pipeline

  GDPR requirements are here to stay. Get your developers involved early and shift security left to make your pipeline secure. Everyone is responsible for compliance now.  Continue Reading

• Clarifying what cloud and virtualized data storage really mean

  Cloud storage doesn't always mean the public cloud. Virtualization and virtualized data storage aren't always about virtual servers and desktops. Find out what's really going on.  Continue Reading

• Salary snapshot: Embrace an entry-level DevOps role

  New DevOps engineers make much more than their software engineer counterparts. If you have DevOps skills, maybe it's time to rebrand.  Continue Reading

• Transforming a legacy network through digital transformation

  In a recent keynote speech, GE's CTO Chris Drumgoole outlines the transformation of a corporate giant's network from traditional and sluggish to limber and cloud-enhanced.  Continue Reading

• AWS' market share growth depends on enterprise focus

  While AWS remains the clear leader in the public IaaS market, the vendor's future success depends on how it addresses the more foundational needs of its enterprise customers.  Continue Reading

• Tackle DevOps compliance challenges with automation

  The same DevOps principles that help address compliance issues should be the same principles that are applied to development in the first place.  Continue Reading

• How is the future of PowerShell shaping up?

  Microsoft no longer develops PowerShell behind closed doors. While there are perks to the tool's move to open source, users must cope with the consequences of the shift.  Continue Reading

• Avoid runaway costs to keep a cloud budget in check

  Wasteful spending is still a prominent issue for enterprises in the cloud. Admins need to do their homework -- before migration -- to rein in runaway cloud costs.  Continue Reading

• Emerging PaaS model puts cloud app dev into the fast lane

  As they grapple with application backlogs and a shortage of seasoned, business-savvy developers, enterprises will increasingly look to drag-and-drop programming options.  Continue Reading

• Don't overestimate the benefits of serverless computing

  It's natural to be curious about new technologies, but the hype around serverless computing far outweighs its practical advantages.  Continue Reading

• How the three phases of automation dictate human employment

  Automation might end human employment as we know it. The final result is in question, but we can draw clues from the relationship between automation and employment.  Continue Reading

• Challenges of blockchain muddle understanding of the technology

  There is a lot of hype about blockchain and how it might be used within networking operations. But just understanding the technology and what it actually does might be among the biggest challenges of blockchain.  Continue Reading

• How to save DevOps from cargo cult programming

  The meaning of DevOps -- better cooperation between developers and operations professionals -- has been lost in many companies. Expert Theresa Neate explains what has to happen.  Continue Reading

• Software-based networks lay foundation of networking's future

  Software-based networks are evolving, reshaping how companies do business and blending into legacy networking. Enterprises will have to sort out which approaches work best.  Continue Reading

• Top IaaS providers slowly warm up to multi-cloud

  While major IaaS vendors all offer some flavor of multi-cloud support, they still have work to do to help customers achieve the dream of seamless portability.  Continue Reading