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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Tip
08 Jul 2020
Choose the best programming language for DevOps workflows
DevOps is a rapidly evolving set of technologies and practices; choosing the right programming language -- or languages -- makes a big difference in terms of functionality, efficiency and speed. Continue Reading
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News
07 Jul 2020
Open source license issues stymie enterprise contributions
Business and ethical pressures have given rise to new types of open source licenses in the last year, presenting challenges to enterprises that want to contribute to projects. Continue Reading
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Feature
06 Jul 2020
Modern IT KPIs emphasize cloud, DevOps and user experience
When it comes to KPIs, IT ops teams have typically prioritized process-centric metrics, but recent technical and cultural shifts have started to change that. Continue Reading
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News
06 Jul 2020
Open source contributions face friction over company IP
Software engineers who want to contribute to open source projects must convince conservative corporate legal departments it's worth the potential risk to corporate IP. Continue Reading
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Tip
02 Jul 2020
Explore common machine learning use cases in IT operations
Machine learning is a hot topic with use cases that span IT and the business. Learn how IT operations teams most commonly apply the technology -- from help desk response to gauging end-user satisfaction. Continue Reading
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News
02 Jul 2020
AIOps tools expand as users warm slowly to autoremediation
AIOps tool vendors keep expanding the environments they can support with automated remediation features, but users are taking their time to move beyond root cause analysis. Continue Reading
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Tip
02 Jul 2020
Learn to configure Office 365 alerts and other security features
More users are working from home, which makes them tempting targets for malicious actors. Take the time to fortify your environment by deploying Office 365 protections. Continue Reading
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News
01 Jul 2020
Kubernetes complicates Cloud Foundry platform development
The Cloud Foundry community has begun to port its developer interface onto Kubernetes infrastructure, but there are multiple approaches to sort out amid the transition. Continue Reading
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Tip
30 Jun 2020
Why Linux containers on Windows is a big deal
Microsoft introduced support for Docker Linux containers in its latest versions of the Windows client and server operating systems, so why should it matter to you? Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Jun 2020
5 critical help desk KPIs to track and manage
IT operations teams shouldn't view help desk KPIs in isolation, but rather as a set of closely related metrics that work together to track the user experience and costs. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Jun 2020
CPU vs. microprocessor: What are the differences?
CPUs and microprocessors can execute many of the same tasks, such as arithmetic and I/O processing. However, there are some tasks CPUs can't execute effectively. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Jun 2020
Is SCCM in Azure right for your organization?
System Center Configuration Manager still has a long life, which was further underscored by Microsoft supporting deployments of the endpoint management tool to Azure. Continue Reading
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News
25 Jun 2020
Puppet unveils event-driven IT automation plans
Puppet's IT automation system Relay, now in beta, offers an event-driven take on IT workflows, but the vendor must clearly establish the product's value over competing DevOps systems. Continue Reading
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Tip
25 Jun 2020
4 FAQs to better understand a paravirtualization interface
Admins are using paravirtualization because of its ability to improve system performance and reduce virtualization overhead, but its challenges can cause issues for some. Continue Reading
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Tip
25 Jun 2020
Evaluate 3 IT ops use cases for the Aternity monitoring tool
Operations teams can use data from an IT environment to detect, prevent and remediate issues. With Aternity, they can specifically track metrics and manage tasks related to user experience. Continue Reading
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News
24 Jun 2020
HashiCorp Consul 1.8 aims to smooth service mesh transition
HashiCorp Consul users are mulling how to extend service discovery into service mesh. The vendor has added gateway support to ease this transition. Continue Reading
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Feature
24 Jun 2020
Why -- and how -- to use Docker image tags
Version control is a critical part of software development and deployment. IT teams can use Docker tags to better manage and organize container images. Continue Reading
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News
24 Jun 2020
HashiCorp Terraform beta brings long-awaited features
Terraform 0.13, recently released to public beta, includes support for complex infrastructure deployments that users have eagerly awaited. Continue Reading
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Video
23 Jun 2020
Walk through 5 essential DevOps pipeline stages
A DevOps pipeline won't look the same in every organization, but the five phases outlined in this video play a prominent role in most software development and delivery lifecycles. Continue Reading
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News
22 Jun 2020
HashiCorp shops hope new Consul service comes at lower cost
Multi-cloud hosted services planned for HashiCorp products, including Consul, Vault and Nomad, would reduce IT ops overhead, users say, but prices must be affordable. Continue Reading
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Tip
22 Jun 2020
Microsoft Defender ATP taps into cloud for added protection
Enterprises that want to wrap up their systems in an extra layer of security have the option for more enhanced protection that integrates with other Microsoft products. Continue Reading
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Feature
18 Jun 2020
PowerShell book captures the tool's intense early days
Getting PowerShell off the drawing board and into Windows required an iron will, as well as technical chops. A new book unveils the story behind its development process. Continue Reading
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Feature
17 Jun 2020
Lessons learned: Strategies to adjust IT operations in a crisis
Curious how other businesses adjusted their IT operations strategies in light of COVID-19? Look back at these five recent SearchITOperations news stories to find out. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
16 Jun 2020
A Graylog tutorial to centrally manage IT logs
Graylog enables IT admins to manage and analyze log data from multiple sources. Use this tutorial to set up the tool and learn its primary features, such as pipelines and extractors. Continue Reading
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Feature
12 Jun 2020
ServiceNow vs. Jira Service Desk for ITSM workflow management
ServiceNow and Jira Service Desk are both big names in ITSM, but which one is better for your workflow management needs? Compare the two tools in terms of flexibility, integration support and more. Continue Reading
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News
11 Jun 2020
DevOps pros rethink cloud cost with continuous delivery tool
Cloud cost management is a new task for developers under DevOps, and a continuous delivery add-on presents a new way to show them infrastructure inefficiencies. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
10 Jun 2020
How to use Clair to scan Docker images
Container vulnerabilities open the door to security issues and cascading failures across an IT environment. Use this Clair tutorial to scan for compromised Docker container images. Continue Reading
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News
10 Jun 2020
Microsoft issues 129 fixes for June Patch Tuesday
SharePoint continues to attract attention this month, with 12 unique vulnerabilities corrected in the document sharing and storage product. Continue Reading
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Tip
09 Jun 2020
How to take advantage of Teams-Exchange integration
The apps in Office 365 sometimes need a few tweaks to interact in a more seamless fashion. Learn how to combine the functionality of Exchange and Microsoft Teams. Continue Reading
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Tip
09 Jun 2020
Prepare for the rise of the IT automation architect
As IT infrastructures become more complex, and development cycles more rapid, organizations increasingly lean on automation -- and those with the skills to oversee it. Continue Reading
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News
05 Jun 2020
New ServiceNow workflows extend into more markets
ServiceNow continues to direct its workflows toward vertical markets with new offerings for telecommunications, financial services and healthcare markets. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
04 Jun 2020
How to set up Prometheus for Kubernetes monitoring
Prometheus enables IT teams to automate and quickly configure infrastructure monitoring with open source tools natively in Kubernetes. Follow this tutorial to get started. Continue Reading
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Tip
02 Jun 2020
From coding to automation, SRE skills reach far and wide
A site reliability engineer wears many hats. In addition to development and IT troubleshooting responsibilities, this role requires top-notch communication skills. Continue Reading
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News
02 Jun 2020
Atlassian takes on DevOps pipeline tools integration
Pre-built hooks between Atlassian DevOps tools are in demand among IT teams that must manage an overwhelming number of cross-functional projects and vendor products. Continue Reading
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News
02 Jun 2020
Chef software broadens scope amid IT automation disruption
Chef seeks a new niche as IT automation shifts toward Kubernetes and cloud-native tools, but IT pros have many options, with some more appealing than Chef in high-scale scenarios. Continue Reading
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Feature
29 May 2020
Your Golden Ticket: The Hidden Power of CMDB in IT Digital Transformation
Learn how a Configuration Management Database (CMDB) can be a powerful tool in your organization’s IT digital transformation journey. Continue Reading
- 29 May 2020
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Feature
29 May 2020
How to integrate DevOps into an IT monitoring strategy
When it comes to IT monitoring, a DevOps toolchain presents opportunities and challenges. Follow best practices to ensure your teams see and fix problems appropriately. Continue Reading
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Feature
29 May 2020
Composing a CMDB requires new rules for navigating today’s modern enterprise
Learn what the four new rules are for composing a Configuration Management Database (CMDB) for navigating today’s modern enterprise. Continue Reading
- 29 May 2020
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Feature
29 May 2020
ServiceNow Configuration Management Database
Learn how to maintain current and accurate data, identify performance and user experience improvement, visualize complex data to drive better decisions, and more with the ServiceNow Configuration Management Database. Continue Reading
- 29 May 2020
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Feature
29 May 2020
Q&A: Recounting the rough-and-tumble history of PowerShell
Today, PowerShell is a key tool for many Windows administrators, but its developers had to battle to get it launched. Don Jones talks about PowerShell's tumultuous start. Continue Reading
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Tip
29 May 2020
Why automated user provisioning still demands a human touch
IT teams can automate away many -- but not all -- of the tedious tasks associated with user provisioning. A human operator is still essential to ensure accurate account details. Continue Reading
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Tip
28 May 2020
It's time to dismiss these 7 DevOps collaboration myths
DevOps is taking root in IT organizations across the globe -- but that doesn't mean it's well understood. Misconceptions persist, but they can be conquered. Continue Reading
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Tip
28 May 2020
VMs vs. containers: What Windows admins need to know
VMs have high resource overhead, but they're dependable. Containers can scale dramatically, but they require a different mode of management. Which is right for your workloads? Continue Reading
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Tip
27 May 2020
Proxmox VE 6 and later offers container features, better security
Proxmox VE, an open source virtualization management product, provides admins with several features, such as VM live migration, backup abilities and high availability. Continue Reading
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Tip
27 May 2020
Get started with threshold monitoring
IT monitoring doesn't have to be difficult to set up and use. Learn how to set thresholds and dashboards, know when and how to escalate responses, and keep IT systems humming along. Continue Reading
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Feature
27 May 2020
Learn Kubernetes step by step with this interactive book
SearchITOperations spoke with author Zach Arnold about what IT pros can expect from The Kubernetes Workshop, an interactive book that progressively builds readers' knowledge of container orchestration. Continue Reading
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Video
26 May 2020
Implement compliance-as-code with this Chef InSpec tutorial
Rather than rely on manual compliance checks, IT admins can use Chef InSpec to automate the process. Watch this brief video to learn essential InSpec commands and run some practice scans. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 May 2020
Steer clear of trouble while following the Office 365 roadmap
There are literally hundreds of changes coming to the collaboration platform that affect email and other services. Here's what IT can do to help ease the transition for end users. Continue Reading
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Photo Story
22 May 2020
5 IT automation examples that ops teams should implement today
IT automation use cases are plentiful and highly variegated -- but organizations should emphasize these five examples in their roadmaps. Continue Reading
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News
21 May 2020
IT pros clamor for Kubernetes multi-cloud deployment API
Enterprise IT pros who want a standard approach to Kubernetes multi-cloud deployment say the Cluster API project shows promise, but it needs work to be production-ready. Continue Reading
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News
21 May 2020
Linux kernel utility could solve Kubernetes networking woes
Linux kernel utility eBPF gets new life as a more effective means to scale Kubernetes networking than native Kubernetes tools, and in some cases, service mesh. Continue Reading
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Video
21 May 2020
Use a Windows Server 2019 domain controller or go to Azure?
Administrators must dig into the details to see if a swap from on-premises Active Directory to the Azure equivalent makes sense for their organization. Continue Reading
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News
20 May 2020
Fintech firms prove IT compliance via security automation
Security automation tools proved useful for two highly regulated fintech firms, that use them to protect cloud-native infrastructure and demonstrate their security to auditors. Continue Reading
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Tip
19 May 2020
Container auditing best practices for large-scale deployments
Container auditing and reporting are essential security and compliance measures in a production environment. Apply these practices to uncover abnormalities, control user access and choose the right tool. Continue Reading
- 19 May 2020
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Feature
19 May 2020
A successful CMDB deployment in five essential steps
Join the first of our three-part series on maintaining your CMDB as a trusted source and learning the essential role it plays in your organization’s modernization. Continue Reading
- E-Zine 19 May 2020
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Opinion
19 May 2020
Forget monitoring alerts, turn to IT root cause analysis
Alerts get your attention, but they don't always tell you where the core of a problem is to be found. Maybe it's time to shift your IT management strategy. Continue Reading
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Feature
19 May 2020
Optimize Kubernetes cluster management with these 5 tips
Effective Kubernetes cluster management requires operations teams to balance pod and node deployments with performance and availability needs. Continue Reading
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Tip
18 May 2020
How -- and why -- to add SolarWinds modules
SolarWinds is known for its capabilities in network monitoring, but flexible modules give IT operations staff the ability to monitor systems far and wide. Continue Reading
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Tip
18 May 2020
3 options to use Kubernetes and containers for edge computing
While every deployment is unique, these general guidelines can help IT teams determine whether -- and how -- to incorporate Kubernetes and containers into an edge computing strategy. Continue Reading
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Tip
18 May 2020
Windows Server 2019 RDS updates a boon for remote work needs
Enhanced security, improved end-user experience and cloud integration are just a few of the perks for organizations that move to Windows Server 2019 RDS. Continue Reading
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News
15 May 2020
Essential firms forge on with AIOps for incident response
AIOps systems for incident response have helped a bank and a provider of care services in the home streamline operations amid a pandemic emergency and an ongoing IT skills shortage. Continue Reading
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Tip
15 May 2020
Use a zero-trust model for container security in the cloud
Traditional firewalls just won't cut it when it comes to container security in the public cloud. Zero-trust models are a better approach, but they demand some careful upfront work. Continue Reading
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News
13 May 2020
VMware Tanzu seeks IT attention with Kubernetes security buy
VMware buys Octarine for security cred in a crowded Kubernetes management market, but some VMware shops will shift to SaaS apps rather than deal with container infrastructure. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
13 May 2020
A Terraform Registry tutorial to build and share modules
Before IT teams share Terraform modules through the tool's public registry, they must familiarize themselves with these prerequisites and technical steps. Continue Reading
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News
13 May 2020
May Patch Tuesday brings a bevy of SharePoint fixes
Microsoft delivers corrections for 111 unique vulnerabilities with a significant number aimed at SharePoint, which may signal growing interest from attackers. Continue Reading
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Tip
13 May 2020
Understand the differences in VM vs. container vs. serverless
VMs, containers and serverless computing provide organizations with application development flexibility, but they add management complexity. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
11 May 2020
Lighten up and install Exchange 2019 on Windows Server Core
Organizations looking to tighten up security in every aspect of their infrastructure now have the option to deploy their on-premises messaging system on Server Core 2019. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
11 May 2020
A Kubernetes namespaces tutorial to manage cluster resources
Namespaces in Kubernetes serve several purposes -- from allowing teams to share a single cluster to enforcing resource quotas. Use this tutorial to get started with this important Kubernetes feature. Continue Reading
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Tip
11 May 2020
A comprehensive guide to Open vSwitch and its capabilities
Distributed multilayer switches are essential to managing several network connections between VMs. Open vSwitch offers admins automated and dynamic network control for virtual systems. Continue Reading
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News
08 May 2020
Puppet Labs CTO eyes IT automation amid COVID-19
An entirely new executive leadership team is the latest of several upheavals at Puppet Labs over the last four years, but CTO Abby Kearns says there's a clearer path ahead in 2020. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
08 May 2020
Create an AKS cluster with this Ansible and Kubernetes tutorial
IT admins familiar with Ansible can use the configuration management tool, alongside Azure Cloud Shell, to spin up a Kubernetes cluster in AKS. Continue Reading
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Tip
07 May 2020
Craft a DevOps transformation roadmap around these 5 milestones
As organizations embark on a DevOps journey, they can use these five milestones to ensure team members stay on track -- and collaborate efficiently along the way. Continue Reading
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News
07 May 2020
VMware Tanzu beta project melds Cloud Foundry, Kubernetes
VMware Tanzu Application Service for Kubernetes, now in public beta, intrigues PKS users by combining Kubernetes infrastructure components behind a Cloud Foundry developer interface. Continue Reading
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Tip
07 May 2020
Optimize your VM monitoring strategy with these tools
Keeping track of hundreds of VMs and applications can be difficult. However, monitoring tools such as OpManager and vSphere can help admins ensure successful system performance. Continue Reading
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Opinion
05 May 2020
Remote work technologies to account for in 2020 IT budgets
In light of a crisis like COVID-19, IT organizations must amend their budgets to invest in technologies that can support remote access and foster employee collaboration. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
04 May 2020
Find and lock down lax Windows share permissions
With help from PowerShell, you can identify the shares that need adjustments across your infrastructure then use a script to fix them to protect sensitive data. Continue Reading
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Tip
30 Apr 2020
Reduce IT burdens, costs with on-premises storage as a service
Most organizations automatically associate storage as a service with the cloud -- but emerging, on-premises STaaS offerings can benefit IT ops and the business just as much, if not more. Continue Reading
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Answer
29 Apr 2020
How many Kubernetes nodes should be in a cluster?
There's no one-size-fits-all answer in terms of how many nodes should make up a Kubernetes cluster. Instead, that number varies based on specific workload requirements. Continue Reading
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News
29 Apr 2020
Red Hat OpenShift to inject IBM Kubernetes management IP
IBM and Red Hat have begun to blend both business priorities and software code, including a forthcoming multi-cluster Kubernetes management tool for OpenShift users. Continue Reading
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Feature
29 Apr 2020
Lean on these core Ansible features for IT automation success
These six articles break down Ansible playbooks, roles and other key concepts for IT pros who are new to the tool -- or could benefit from a refresher. Continue Reading
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Tip
29 Apr 2020
Consider Office 365 MFA to thwart attacks
More remote users are working on their own equipment, which opens an organization to a hack attempt. Office 365 customers can use multifactor authentication to lower this risk. Continue Reading
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Tip
29 Apr 2020
Top Docker best practices for container management
Many admins use Docker for container management, so they should explore best practices such as container backup procedures and exploring Dockerfile commands. Continue Reading
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Tip
28 Apr 2020
Getting a handle on certificate management in Windows shops
A certificate that isn't renewed by its expiration date will cause dire consequences for administrators who will need to find a fast remedy when systems can't communicate. Continue Reading
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Tip
28 Apr 2020
5 free virtual appliances for data analysis, app creation
Virtual appliances can execute specific IT tasks, such as data analysis and application creation. There are several free offerings available, but admins must be wary of risks. Continue Reading
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News
27 Apr 2020
IT compliance-as-code tool makes Kubernetes security inroads
Open Policy Agent has turned heads among IT shops for Kubernetes compliance as code, and its commercial backer looks to capitalize on that momentum with new enterprise features. Continue Reading
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Opinion
27 Apr 2020
Remote access is just one of many COVID-19 IT challenges
The coronavirus outbreak stretched many in IT to the limit of their abilities to find ways to accommodate the surge in remote workers. Continue Reading
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Feature
27 Apr 2020
5 container security tools to safeguard apps, environments
Learn how five container security vendors monitor and protect container delivery and implementation, regardless of where the container sits in the application lifecycle. Continue Reading
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News
24 Apr 2020
HashiCorp Consul service leads off post-funding roadmap
HashiCorp CEO David McJannet discusses the company's future, including a Consul managed service headed for public beta this week, overlap with Kubernetes and building a sustainable open source business. Continue Reading
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Feature
24 Apr 2020
6 articles to modernize an IT log management strategy
Enterprises must adapt IT log management best practices and tools to handle an ever-growing volume of log files. Here are several modern approaches to tackle IT logging efficiently. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
24 Apr 2020
PowerShell ForEach-Object cmdlet picks up speed
Administrators get extra incentive to switch to PowerShell 7 after an existing cmdlet acquires a performance enhancement to run multiple iterations in parallel. Continue Reading
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News
23 Apr 2020
Infrastructure-as-code competitor challenges Terraform
Pulumi 2.0 ratchets up the heat on HashiCorp's rival Terraform IaC tool, adding policy as code, test automation and secrets management features to its mainstream language support. Continue Reading
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Tip
22 Apr 2020
Avoid common pain points when migrating to Exchange Online
Every Exchange Server configuration is unique, which makes a move to hosted email in Office 365 a complex undertaking, but some stumbling blocks are more frequent than others. Continue Reading
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Tip
22 Apr 2020
Kubernetes vs. VMware: Drive the choice with IT architecture
It isn't easy to classify Kubernetes as the superior product for managing VMs and containers compared to vSphere 7. The decision depends on how widely admins use containers. Continue Reading
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Tip
22 Apr 2020
Outsourced DevOps brings benefits, and risks, to IT shops
Lack certain DevOps skills? Consider outsourcing as a way to fill the gaps, but be sure to understand the potential risks, which vary with each DevOps pipeline stage. Continue Reading
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Definition
22 Apr 2020
Microsoft Software Assurance (SA)
Microsoft Software Assurance is a software maintenance program that helps organizations gain access to the latest software versions and releases, without incurring additional licensing costs. Continue Reading
