IT Operations
Top Stories
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Tip
14 Aug 2026
Prompts vs. loops: Why prompt engineering won't build your AI workforce
Execution loops move enterprise AI beyond prompt engineering, enabling agents to plan, act, verify results, recover from failures and deliver outcomes. Continue Reading
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Tip
14 Aug 2026
5 reasons hardened images are seeing a resurgence
Hardened container images reduce software supply chain risk by minimizing vulnerabilities, improving compliance, reducing toil and boosting performance. Continue Reading
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Feature
24 Feb 2021
How to find the best server virtualization management software
Choosing the right server virtualization management software is critical to meeting your organization's current and future needs. Continue Reading
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Tip
23 Feb 2021
Memory management strategies improve VM performance
There are several memory management options, each with their own use cases. Understanding the differences can help admins optimize virtual memory and mitigate resource contention. Continue Reading
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Tip
22 Feb 2021
5 prerequisites for applying AI to an ops environment
For organizations that want to apply AI to their ops environments, IT teams must precede the starting line with an understanding of what AI can do -- and what they want from it. Continue Reading
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Tip
18 Feb 2021
The remote workforce is redefining mission-critical apps
The explosion in remote work doesn't just mean more work calls in your pajamas. IT must be prepared to support application performance and availability as mission-critical. Continue Reading
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Tip
17 Feb 2021
5 types of server virtualization explained
Hypervisor-based might be the most common form of server virtualization in organizations, but there are other options to consider, including hardware-assisted and OS-level. Continue Reading
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Tip
16 Feb 2021
Docker security checklists mitigate container cyberthreats
To improve container security, admins can use a Docker security checklist and combat common vulnerabilities, such as gain privileges and corrupt Docker images. Continue Reading
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Tip
12 Feb 2021
Evaluate open source vs. proprietary AIOps tools
Cut through the market hype surrounding AIOps to find the tool that suits your needs, comparing the pros and cons of open source vs. proprietary tools. Continue Reading
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News
12 Feb 2021
Dynatrace expands observability tools with an eye toward BI
With new features and roadmap plans, Dynatrace looked past IT observability toward becoming a broader business intelligence platform. Continue Reading
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News
10 Feb 2021
New Relic condenses observability views for fast IT response
New Relic Explorer reflects a need for simple, quick troubleshooting within observability tools from enterprises whose businesses increasingly depend on application performance. Continue Reading
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News
10 Feb 2021
Microsoft plugs Windows zero-day for February Patch Tuesday
Microsoft addresses 56 total unique vulnerabilities, including six that were publicly disclosed, and gives administrators their second dose for August's Zerologon issue. Continue Reading
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News
09 Feb 2021
Elasticsearch license schism stirs open source funding fears
Elasticsearch license changes have forced a fork, which could broaden choices for IT buyers interested in that project. But worries also linger about open source sustainability. Continue Reading
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Tip
09 Feb 2021
Compare some of the top online IT training providers
Everyone learns differently. So, to find the right training provider to match your style, weigh the pros and cons of these five options before you subscribe. Continue Reading
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Tip
05 Feb 2021
Conduct a blameless postmortem and focus on the problem
Postmortems don't need to be about who's at fault for a failure. Rather than point fingers, focus on the bigger picture. Nobody wants ridicule, but everyone wants a solution. Continue Reading
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News
04 Feb 2021
Cisco folds vulnerability management into AppDynamics AIOps
A new module for AppDynamics' AIOps platform uses APM data to perform vulnerability management monitoring and automated attack blocking as DevSecOps market buzz continues. Continue Reading
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News
03 Feb 2021
New CloudBees CEO eyes IPO, M&A to build DevOps tools
CloudBees co-founder Sacha Labourey will lead product strategy for the company's DevOps tools, while new CEO Stephen DeWitt readies the business for its next stage of growth. Continue Reading
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News
02 Feb 2021
Atlassian cloud sweetens licensing deal for enterprises
An Atlassian Cloud Enterprise licensing update furthers its appeal to customers contemplating a move to SaaS to offload and streamline IT ops. Continue Reading
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Tip
01 Feb 2021
Use Amazon EMR with Apache Airflow to simplify processes
Explore Amazon EMR, looking at use cases such as MapReduce and integration with Hadoop. Then, see how it works with Apache Airflow and learn how to get started. Continue Reading
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News
29 Jan 2021
NIST drafts service mesh guidance for DevSecOps
A new NIST special publication shows how a service mesh can enhance access control for DevSecOps shops, but the network architecture hasn't gained widespread deployment. Continue Reading
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Tip
29 Jan 2021
Azure Information Protection P1 vs. P2: What's the difference?
Azure Information Protection adds security to files such as sensitive emails and files copied to flash drives. See which features Microsoft offers in its two licensing levels. Continue Reading
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Answer
29 Jan 2021
Kubernetes deployments vs. pods: What's the difference?
Pods and deployments are both important to using Kubernetes in production, but they're not the same. Learn the role each one plays in building and managing containerized applications. Continue Reading
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Feature
28 Jan 2021
IT observability and monitoring illuminate application data
Observability extends beyond traditional IT monitoring tools and processes to arm DevOps teams with the level of insight they need. Continue Reading
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News
27 Jan 2021
Rancher Longhorn hones Kubernetes storage for edge computing
Kubernetes storage products such as Rancher Longhorn target edge computing environments, as adoption of the trend creates a fresh opportunity for container infrastructure. Continue Reading
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Opinion
26 Jan 2021
Where does NoOps fit in the future of IT Ops?
NoOps might stand for No Operations, but the goal is to improve processes, not eliminate them. Learn how steps toward automation and cloud migration can change IT operations. Continue Reading
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News
25 Jan 2021
Enterprises gear up for surge in cloud security M&A
Users look forward to benefits and brace for potential risks as experts say Red Hat's acquisition of StackRox portends major consolidation in cloud security this year. Continue Reading
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Tip
22 Jan 2021
Logging as a service isn't SIEM -- so what is it?
What is LaaS and how does it work? Storing logs in the cloud can be a voluminous -- and expensive -- challenge, but the cloud offers a variety of enticing benefits. Continue Reading
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News
21 Jan 2021
Flush with funds, rising DevSecOps vendor reveals roadmap
Lacework has a fresh $525 million to help develop its machine learning-driven DevSecOps product, which integrates into CI/CD pipelines. CEO Dan Hubbard reveals his expansion plans. Continue Reading
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Tip
19 Jan 2021
Evaluate Spinnaker vs. Jenkins for CI/CD
Jenkins is one of the most popular CI/CD tools available, but Spinnaker enables IT teams to manage complex pipelines. Is one better than the other, or should 'vs.' be swapped with 'and'? Continue Reading
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Tip
15 Jan 2021
5 AIOps skills to add to your DevOps resume
Organizations use AIOps to address complexity, but these tools don't exist in a vacuum. See the top skills needed to successfully implement them. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
14 Jan 2021
SharePoint Online PowerShell commands for admin tasks
You can avoid the admin portal when you pick up your PowerShell game and learn how to manage cloud-based resources in Office 365, including the SharePoint collaboration platform. Continue Reading
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Tip
13 Jan 2021
Manage cluster resources with Kubernetes requests and limits
Proper Kubernetes cluster management starts at the pod level. Learn about Kubernetes limits and requests, and how Resource Quotas and Limit Ranges work to control resource consumption. Continue Reading
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News
13 Jan 2021
Microsoft Defender zero-day fixed for January Patch Tuesday
In addition to the fix for its antivirus software, Microsoft also corrected a publicly disclosed printer driver flaw that affected Windows client and server systems. Continue Reading
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Tip
12 Jan 2021
Explore Bottlerocket's benefits and limitations
Everything has pros and cons, but the question is whether the good outweighs the bad. Evaluate what Bottlerocket has to offer, and how it compares to Alpine Linux as a container OS. Continue Reading
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Tip
11 Jan 2021
WUfB vs. WSUS: Which handles Windows updates better?
Trying to get a handle on Windows updates can frustrate even the most seasoned administrators. Which of these two patch management tools fit best in your environment? Continue Reading
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News
07 Jan 2021
Red Hat buys Kubernetes security player StackRox
Red Hat will donate StackRox Kubernetes security software to open source and build it into its OpenShift platform, while preserving support for cloud Kubernetes platforms. Continue Reading
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Tip
07 Jan 2021
4 monitoring and alerting best practices for IT ops
Monitoring is vital in modern IT environments, but the variety of metrics to track can swiftly overtake admins' capacity -- and sanity. Continue Reading
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News
06 Jan 2021
GrubHub's infrastructure-as-code feeds pandemic resiliency
GrubHub SREs fostered more consistent deployment patterns for resources such as DNS and AWS load balancers with a move to self-service infrastructure-as-code tools for DevOps teams last year. Continue Reading
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Tip
06 Jan 2021
OpenShift Virtualization 2.5 simplifies VM modernization
Red Hat's OpenShift platform enables admins to take a phased approach to retiring legacy applications while moving toward a container-based environment. Continue Reading
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Tip
30 Dec 2020
Get to know Oracle VM VirtualBox 6.1 and learn to install it
Oracle VM VirtualBox offers a host of appealing features, such as multigeneration branched snapshots and guest multiprocessing. Continue Reading
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Tip
29 Dec 2020
What is SRE in DevOps and how do they work together?
Site reliability engineering and DevOps share a close relationship -- but it's not always clear what, exactly, that relationship is. Walk through the basics of SRE, and its place in DevOps methodologies. Continue Reading
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Feature
28 Dec 2020
A day in the life: What does a site reliability engineer do?
Site reliability engineering is still a relatively new job role, and it's challenging to get a clear picture of the day to day. Learn what one SRE's role looks like with this profile. Continue Reading
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Tip
22 Dec 2020
Understand the differences between VPS vs. VPC
Both a VPS and a VPC distributes resources and hosts applications, but a VPS is, essentially, a VM used as a server, whereas a VPC is a full private cloud environment. Continue Reading
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Tip
22 Dec 2020
How AI in the help desk transforms IT support
For IT help desk staff, it should no longer be a question of whether AI will transform their jobs -- but when. Prepare for changes around ticket workflows, troubleshooting and more. Continue Reading
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Tip
22 Dec 2020
Azure AD Premium P1 vs. P2: Which is right for you?
Azure Active Directory is more than just Active Directory in the cloud. See how the premium editions of the directory service stack up to find the best fit for your organization. Continue Reading
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News
21 Dec 2020
Enterprises reckon with Kubernetes cluster scale
Kubernetes has landed in enterprise production -- the next task is for it to expand to accommodate very large clusters, as well as many small clusters for multi-cloud and edge computing. Continue Reading
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Feature
18 Dec 2020
ITSM and DevOps don't have to be at odds
Is it possible for ITSM and DevOps to coexist within the same organization? It is, but it raises plenty of questions about how and whether they are a good fit. Continue Reading
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Tip
18 Dec 2020
4 Docker security best practices to minimize container risks
Without the right tools and processes in place, Docker security can feel like a moving target. Use these four practices -- related to container images, hosts and more -- to keep deployments safe. Continue Reading
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News
17 Dec 2020
DevSecOps pros struggle with tech changes, top-down mandates
Upper management's rising interest in DevSecOps raises the stakes for IT pros as they contend with rapidly evolving cloud-native apps. Continue Reading
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Tip
17 Dec 2020
Explore multiple Office 365 PowerShell management options
Why use PowerShell for Office 365 and Azure? In some instances, it's the only way to tap into some of the hidden management settings in these Microsoft cloud products. Continue Reading
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News
16 Dec 2020
SolarWinds attack stumps SecOps experts
An attack on U.S. government agencies via vendor software updates illuminates a SecOps frontier where users must figure out how to reliably evaluate third-party dependencies. Continue Reading
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Tip
16 Dec 2020
Run Kubernetes at the edge with these K8s distributions
The idea of edge computing is not as far off as it once was. Evaluate several ways to bring Kubernetes to the edge, and when an organization should use each approach. Continue Reading
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Tip
15 Dec 2020
Network consolidation and virtualization solve management issues
Consolidating networks can help organizations reduce costs and improve data center efficiency -- as long as they focus on security. Continue Reading
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Tip
15 Dec 2020
An overview of Apache Airflow for workflow management
This introductory look at Apache Airflow walks through some of the basics of the workflow management tool -- from installation steps to its various GUI options. Continue Reading
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News
10 Dec 2020
Kubernetes security project faces reckoning over beta status
Kubernetes Pod Security Policies could be marked for deprecation as soon as the next Kubernetes release, in the wake of new limits on the beta phase for components of the platform. Continue Reading
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Feature
10 Dec 2020
Containers bring cloud-agnostic workloads closer to reality
Cloud-agnostic workloads have been a largely elusive goal in enterprise IT. But has containerization -- and, particularly, Kubernetes -- made agnosticism feasible? Continue Reading
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News
09 Dec 2020
Microsoft closes out year with light December Patch Tuesday
In addition to the monthly security updates, Microsoft shares a fix to address a DNS cache poisoning vulnerability that affects Windows Server systems. Continue Reading
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News
08 Dec 2020
Linkerd service mesh's steady updates outlast Istio's flash
As service mesh adoption goes mainstream, early adopters of Linkerd say it allowed them to start small and grow in scale and sophistication as needed. Continue Reading
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Video
08 Dec 2020
Check out this Docker Compose tutorial for beginners
IT admins tasked with running multi-container applications can use this Docker Compose tutorial -- which also features Redis -- to get started. Continue Reading
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Tip
03 Dec 2020
How and why to create an SRE error budget
No IT service is completely immune to disruption. A realistic error budget is a powerful way to set up a service for success. Continue Reading
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News
02 Dec 2020
SUSE fuels Rancher's mission to ease Kubernetes deployment
'It's still way too hard for people to consume Kubernetes.' How Rancher co-founder Sheng Liang, now a SUSE exec, plans to take on that problem, along with Red Hat and VMware. Continue Reading
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News
01 Dec 2020
Amazon EKS, ECS Anywhere broaden hybrid container management
Amazon EKS users with hybrid cloud infrastructure may see cost savings from a new AWS Kubernetes distro and forthcoming software-only on-premises container services. Continue Reading
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Feature
01 Dec 2020
11 certifications for entry-level IT operations roles
Looking to start a career in IT operations? Check out these courses and certifications for beginners to gather all the foundational skills you'll need. Continue Reading
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Answer
01 Dec 2020
What are the differences between OpenShift and Kubernetes?
Red Hat OpenShift and Kubernetes share a lot of similarities -- including the same underlying container orchestration technology. So how are they different, exactly? Continue Reading
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Tip
01 Dec 2020
VMware NSX vs. Microsoft Hyper-V network virtualization
When comparing VMware NSX to Microsoft Hyper-V network virtualization, it's important to examine the software-defined networking features these two hypervisor platforms offer. Continue Reading
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Feature
30 Nov 2020
Learn how to start using Docker on Windows Server 2019
Getting started with Windows containers requires an understanding of basic concepts and how to work with Docker Engine. Orin Thomas' book covers the topics admins need to know. Continue Reading
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News
25 Nov 2020
Geek gifts 2020: Kits and gadgets for holidays at home
The holidays in 2020 are sure to be like no other. Our geek experts recommend ways to keep them entertained while keeping their distance. Continue Reading
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Tip
25 Nov 2020
Notable benefits of private cloud for IT ops staff
Deploying a private cloud could provide more benefits than drawbacks -- although it certainly carries both. Know the specific implications of private cloud on IT ops staff. Continue Reading
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Tip
24 Nov 2020
Infrastructure as code principles: How IaC works and how to use it
What are the most important things to know about infrastructure as code if you're going to implement it? Follow these guidelines to build a solid IaC foundation. Continue Reading
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News
24 Nov 2020
IT governance must catch up with DevSecOps, experts say
Government and financial services organizations that practice DevSecOps say IT governance must evolve to keep up through faster, automated control pipelines. Continue Reading
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Tip
23 Nov 2020
How to apologize for server outages and keep users happy
Nobody panic: The servers are down. How IT communicates an issue often means more to users than resolution speed. An admission of struggle is more forgivable than silence. Continue Reading
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Tip
20 Nov 2020
Boost Windows Server performance with these 10 tips
A small investment in time to execute these Windows Server performance tuning tips and techniques can optimize server workloads for more satisfactory results. Continue Reading
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Feature
20 Nov 2020
The evolution and history of software configuration management
IT and software configuration management challenge tech professionals. It's been that way for decades, and best practices continue to evolve. Continue Reading
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News
20 Nov 2020
GitOps pros grapple with Kubernetes configuration management
Configuration management challenges GitOps early adopters, especially at large enterprises with millions of lines of Kubernetes YAML to manage. Continue Reading
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Tip
20 Nov 2020
Explore the benefits of containers on bare metal vs. on VMs
Advances in container and cloud technologies have morphed the debate over container deployment on bare-metal servers vs. VMs, with strong pros and cons for each. Continue Reading
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Tip
20 Nov 2020
These IT automation scripts take little effort and save a lot of work
Doing some IT tasks by hand is doing them wrong. Whether to provision components, research an issue or report on performance, IT automation scripts are powerful and easy to write. Continue Reading
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News
18 Nov 2020
Observability standards emerge as Kubernetes matures
Enterprise IT pros have tackled how to handle Kubernetes deployments. Now, they're relying on open source observability standards to help keep cloud-native apps healthy. Continue Reading
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News
18 Nov 2020
IBM buys observability vendor Instana
IBM intends to purchase Instana, maker of application monitoring and observability tools, and then couple its technology with the Watson AIOps portfolio. Continue Reading
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Tip
18 Nov 2020
A production deployment checklist for enterprise apps
The more complex an app gets, the more complex production deployment becomes. Split the process into these nine areas to streamline team communication and tasks. Continue Reading
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News
17 Nov 2020
Puppet sets sights on unified IT automation platform, IPO
An integrated Puppet IT automation platform that runs on Kubernetes will accompany an IPO for Puppet Labs in 2021, as the company aims to update its image for the cloud-native era. Continue Reading
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Tip
17 Nov 2020
Explore the benefits of Azure AD vs. on-prem AD
A move to Office 365 doesn't require cutting the cord from on-premises Active Directory, but it is an option. Here's what you need to know when comparing Azure AD vs. on-prem AD. Continue Reading
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Definition
16 Nov 2020
Microsoft Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL)
Microsoft Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) is a series of Microsoft components that allow native Linux 64-bit Executable and Linkable Format (ELF64) binaries to run on the Windows kernel in the Windows 10 operating system (OS). Continue Reading
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Guest Post
16 Nov 2020
How to use Slack and Fluentd to demonstrate social output
Phil Wilkins provides step-by-step instructions on how DevOps teams can enable Slack to capture log events from the open source data collection tool Fluentd. Continue Reading
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Tip
13 Nov 2020
Use virtual clusters to avoid container sprawl
Virtual clusters enable admins to deploy, track and manage containers across various systems to ensure performance, security and governance, and low costs. Continue Reading
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Answer
12 Nov 2020
What are the cost considerations when buying AIOps tools?
AIOps tools can reduce overhead for IT staff, but first, enterprises must decide how they will use the tool to know which features to budget for. Continue Reading
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News
11 Nov 2020
Windows zero-day shut down on November Patch Tuesday
In addition to fixing the exploited Windows flaw, Microsoft rolls out a new look to the Security Update Guide that draws some criticism. Continue Reading
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News
10 Nov 2020
Atlassian ITSM challenges ServiceNow with DevOps focus
Cloud customers of Atlassian's Jira Service Management will get some Opsgenie incident management features included at no cost, as the vendor plans its ITSM expansion. Continue Reading
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Tip
10 Nov 2020
Automate these DevOps tasks for maximum productivity
DevOps is hard work, but only upfront. The goal -- once teams build a pipeline and set up automation -- is to stand aside and watch the builds flow through. Continue Reading
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Feature
09 Nov 2020
Infrastructure as code benefits and DevOps use cases
Code flexibility, automation and security top the list of reasons to use IaC for DevOps use cases. But without careful management, they can quickly present problems. Continue Reading
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Tip
06 Nov 2020
Bolster remote IT management with these security tips
The remote management of IT systems has become essential -- but admins need to uphold that responsibility in a way that doesn't compromise security. Continue Reading
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Tip
05 Nov 2020
Remote possibilities: Out-of-band management admin options
COVID-19 puts added strain on administrators who need to compensate for lack of personnel in data centers, which leads to the need for a remote access strategy. Continue Reading
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Tip
04 Nov 2020
Write a software deployment plan under these guidelines
A successful and comprehensive software deployment plan includes many moving pieces. But don't panic -- here are the key aspects to consider. Continue Reading
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Feature
30 Oct 2020
Tips for attending virtual IT conferences like a pro
The coronavirus pushed all physical gathering events into the digital realm for public safety. But this completely disrupts our prep patterns. Here are some tips to help. Continue Reading
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Tip
30 Oct 2020
Using the Office 365 Recommended Configuration Analyzer
Learn how this free PowerShell-based utility digs into your Office 365 security setup and offers guidance for administrators looking to stop the latest online threats. Continue Reading
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Answer
30 Oct 2020
How do I audit a Kubernetes environment?
IT teams should audit their Kubernetes configuration files to uncover -- and address -- coding mishaps and vulnerabilities. Fortunately, third-party and native Kubernetes tools automate the process. Continue Reading
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News
29 Oct 2020
Observability blitz intensifies with Grafana, AppDynamics
Grafana and AppDynamics are the latest monitoring vendors to try to capitalize on the hype around observability, as users face more complex choices than ever in this market. Continue Reading
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Feature
28 Oct 2020
3 DevOps antipatterns to avoid at all costs
A DevOps initiative is not a single task, but an evolution of an organization's technology, processes and culture -- and without a collaborative mindset, it will likely fail. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
28 Oct 2020
Use Docker and Alpine Linux to build lightweight containers
Alpine Linux won't always be the right OS choice for IT teams, but it's an option worth consideration when lightweight container images are the goal. Continue Reading
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Tip
28 Oct 2020
Mini PCs for business offer improved performance, reduced costs
Mini PCs are a low-cost hardware alternative to servers that enable organizations to maintain maximum data center features and capabilities in remote office locations. Continue Reading
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Feature
27 Oct 2020
KubeCon 2020 preview: Session guide for fine-tuning Kubernetes
Hosted as a low-cost virtual event, KubeCon + CloudNativeCon North America 2020 offers a broad array of technical sessions that can help you scale and improve Kubernetes deployments. Continue Reading
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Feature
27 Oct 2020
KubeCon 2020 preview: Session guide for Kubernetes professionals
The virtual format of KubeCon 2020 means Kubernetes adopters can learn from their peers and take in expert presentations on Kubernetes and related technologies. Continue Reading
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Feature
27 Oct 2020
KubeCon 2020 preview: Session guide for Kubernetes beginners
Want expert advice to kick off a container and Kubernetes implementation at your company? Many of the sessions at KubeCon North America are made for you. Continue Reading