Tips

Tips

• AWS monitoring best practices extend beyond CloudWatch

  AWS users can choose from a range of native tools to monitor their environments -- but, ultimately, a combination of these services will produce the best results.  Continue Reading

• How to benchmark 25 GbE NICs in converged networks

  Network teams can use an array of tools to benchmark the performance and efficiency of 25 GbE network adapters that support converged networks and HCI environments.  Continue Reading

• It's time to implement a cloud data retention policy

  While cloud storage is cheap, that doesn't mean you should keep data forever. There are four main factors to consider before you put your data in cold storage and throw away the key.  Continue Reading

• The top network security trends, threats and strategies in 2020

  Ransomware and attacks against cloud providers reflect key network security trends in 2020. To combat these threats preemptively, assess your specific network needs.  Continue Reading

• Intelligent storage systems optimize performance, proactivity

  Intelligent data storage use is on the rise, employing AI, machine learning and predictive analytics to automate storage and prevent problems before they start.  Continue Reading

• 5 considerations for efficient VMware design

  Designing a VMware environment requires you to consider many factors, such as storage, CPUs, security and VM density. A few tips can keep your design simple and elegant.  Continue Reading

• Use GRUB to fix Linux boot problems

  GRUB is a handy tool to help admins solve any Linux booting issues. Reinstalling or manually implementing GRUB are two main approaches to getting your system back up and running.  Continue Reading

• Enable automated failover with a highly available CMDB

  A resilient CMDB helps drive automated failover processes. Explore several approaches to prepare your configuration management database for DR scenarios.  Continue Reading

• How to do API testing to improve application quality

  APIs run apps, so it's essential to test them beyond simple connectivity. Study these API testing basics, like when to run such tests, and the benefits of giving this task to QA.  Continue Reading

• How to test microservices for functionality and compliance

  If you're new to microservices testing practices, understand that traditional techniques won't work anymore. We examine how to approach four critical microservices tests.  Continue Reading

• AWS security groups vs. network ACLs and other AWS firewalls

  Protect your AWS cloud environment with these Amazon firewall services. Learn how security groups and network ACLs work, along with other key AWS firewall options.  Continue Reading

• Are containers on Windows the right choice for you?

  Containers have grown in popularity, but there are some considerations to weigh before you decide to migrate Server 2008 workloads to this technology.  Continue Reading

• Use EventBridge to unlock AWS event-driven architecture

  Amazon EventBridge improves serverless capabilities on AWS. Learn the differences between EventBridge and CloudWatch Events and how to get the most out of event-driven applications.  Continue Reading

• Private cloud security risks and how to prevent them

  Admins that rely on private clouds should not be drawn into a false sense of security. Outdated VM images, rogue admins and possible data loss are real security risks for private clouds.  Continue Reading

• What to consider before you deploy NSX

  An SDN like VMware's NSX can provide your organization with agility, automation, microsegmentation and cloud capabilities. However, you must still think carefully before you adopt.  Continue Reading

• Use these 8 tools to deploy microservices on Azure

  IT teams deploy microservices to quickly build and scale apps, but it can get complicated fast. Check out these Microsoft Azure tools and best practices to get started the right way.  Continue Reading

• VMware NSX Intelligence boosts data center visibility, security

  The new NSX Intelligence distributed analytics engine is part of VMware NSX-T 2.5. Learn how it gives networking teams deep visibility into virtualized and containerized workloads.  Continue Reading

• Set up a data lake on AWS with Lake Formation

  Modern businesses must organize an unprecedent amount of information. Find out how AWS Lake Formation can help your business manage and analyze high volumes of data.  Continue Reading

• Apigee vs. Mulesoft: An API management platform face-off

  Mulesoft and Apigee are two of the most widely used API management platforms around. This article places them side by side to compare their pros and cons.  Continue Reading

• Deploy and configure a basic setup of Linux's LXD hypervisor

  Admins looking to use Linux's hypervisor dedicated to container technology can use several commands to deploy and configure a basic setup of the hypervisor.  Continue Reading

• The future of the Kubernetes ecosystem isn't all about cloud

  Developers still lean on the public cloud to simplify Kubernetes deployments, but that won't always be the case. See how lingering complexity issues have opened the door for on-premises vendors.  Continue Reading

• 5 tips to help IT administrators use AIOps tools effectively

  AIOps tools can simplify virtual system management, but you should consider a few things prior to adoption: business processes, employee skills, volume of data and AIOps complexity.  Continue Reading

• Prepare for an AWS outage with these preventative steps

  Set up the proper data protection and recovery measures before a cloud outage hits. Follow these backup and disaster recovery tips to keep workloads running during and after an outage.  Continue Reading

• Evaluate general and niche cloud service use cases

  Can't decide between a niche cloud provider or a hyperscaler? Review some real-world examples to help weigh the options and find the best fit for your workloads.  Continue Reading

• Compare niche cloud services to the hyperscale offerings

  Consider your enterprise's specific needs when choosing between niche clouds and hyperscale clouds. Here's an overview of what you should know about both options.  Continue Reading

• How pay-as-you-go hyper-converged hardware pricing works

  With consumption-based pricing, vendors deploy an HCI on premises, while you pay a subscription fee. It promises to lower upfront costs and reduce headaches. But is it right for you?  Continue Reading

• VMware aims to simplify container-VM management

  VSphere can now manage containers, as well as VMs, and adds Cloud Native Storage. This helps address certain inefficiencies that come from using cloud, containers and VM in VMware.  Continue Reading

• For VMware, DSC provides ESXi host and resource management

  You can now use DSC to manage VMware vSphere and ESXi hosts. Install or upgrade the module with a cmdlet, and then manage resources such as High Availability clusters, DRS and vSS.  Continue Reading

• Get eco-friendly with LEED data center certification

  The U.S. Green Building Council helps companies make existing and new data centers eco-friendly. HVAC, lighting and monitoring technology help increase infrastructure efficiency.  Continue Reading

• Get started with Azure tags

  The more Azure resources an organization consumes, the harder it becomes to track those resources. Proper tagging can help manage and automate workloads, as well as control costs.  Continue Reading

• The benefits of Python are plenty, but it's not for everyone

  Python boasts plenty of features that make it a go-to object-oriented language. But is it always the right choice? We take a look at what you should know about coding with Python.  Continue Reading

• Get to know the Kaspersky Light Agent app for virtual systems

  Kaspersky's Security for Virtualization Light Agent application provides multilayered protection for virtual servers and VDIs as well as their VMs and OSes across multiple hosts.  Continue Reading

• How to deploy graphics devices using Hyper-V DDA

  Admins can map a VM to a GPU with Hyper-V, but they must first complete a few steps, such as prepare the VM and dismount the PCIe device from the host partition.  Continue Reading

• Rising use of Kubernetes in production brings new IT demands

  Kubernetes as an enterprise IT service is still in its infancy, but the market has reached a turning point from developer-maintained to IT-provided Kubernetes deployments.  Continue Reading

• Overcome these VMware Cloud on AWS migration challenges

  Plan ahead for a VMware-to-AWS cloud migration with this breakdown on common challenges organizations face during the move to VMware Cloud on AWS, and how to avoid them.  Continue Reading

• Learn to integrate VMs and containers in your data center

  The VMs vs. containers debate is popular among admins, but integrations of the two technologies have begun to emerge with the help of tools such as Kata Containers and Virtlet.  Continue Reading

• How to manage Exchange hybrid mail flow rules

  Duplicating your existing transport rule collection won't work when you move to an Exchange hybrid deployment. Learn how to set up a proper mail flow with these tips.  Continue Reading

• Assess the Wi-Fi 6 features available in Wave 1 and Wave 2

  Catch up on the different features available with the first wave of Wi-Fi 6, including OFDMA and Target Wake Time, and find out which capabilities Wave 2 will bring.  Continue Reading

• How a rules engine can drive -- or derail -- an IT automation strategy

  To benefit fully from a rules engine -- and minimize the risk of chaos -- IT organizations need to carefully define system metrics and be diligent about documentation.  Continue Reading

• Top 4 open source automation tools for admins

  Open source offerings are an easy way to bring automation into your organization. When selecting software, evaluate the user experience, main features offered and Linux support.  Continue Reading

• Network security design best practices and principles: Keep it simple

  Comprehensive network security design means understanding the components that constitute your network and how and when everything is managed.  Continue Reading

• Dockerfile commands for containerizing applications

  Admins can use Dockerfiles to containerize their applications and ease deployment. They can implement several commands to help them do so successfully.  Continue Reading

• How to evaluate CASB tools for multi-cloud deployments

  When it comes to evaluating CASB tools, it's essential to be an informed customer. Identify your organization's usage and security goals to get the context you need before you buy.  Continue Reading

• Review these Azure Service Bus best practices

  When applications talk, you need to listen. Learn about Microsoft's cloud messaging service, its main features, best practices to follow and practical applications.  Continue Reading

• How to repair Windows Server using Windows SFC and DISM

  Administrators can diagnose and treat a buggy server operating system by using the Windows SFC and DISM utilities for image analysis and repairs.  Continue Reading

• Instill cloud change management best practices

  Automation is essential to change management in the cloud. Discover the best practices that ensure your IT team is in sync and productive when handling change.  Continue Reading

• How to achieve continuous feedback in DevOps pipelines

  Continuous feedback is critical to optimize DevOps processes. While tools can enable feedback loops, DevOps teams still must reduce unnecessary noise and continually measure success.  Continue Reading

• Is RPA the future of test automation?

  IT organizations will use test automation, RPA and low-code development tools to create, assess and automate complex processes in the near future.  Continue Reading

• Say 'yes' to NoOps with the right technology and team structure

  Before embracing a NoOps model, be sure IT team members have a clear understanding of how the methodology changes the technologies they'll work with, along with their day-to-day roles.  Continue Reading

• What to look for in code review tools

  Code review gums up the Agile, iterative works. Assisted and automated code review tools improve quality, and there's a mix of products out there for different workflows and needs.  Continue Reading

• Establish a self-service cloud brokerage from scratch

  Make developers and admins happier with a self-service portal that delivers an in-house marketplace of approved cloud tools and services.  Continue Reading

• What SD-WAN devices do I need in an SD-WAN deployment?

  Despite the software-centric nature of software-defined WAN, certain SD-WAN devices are still required to help transport traffic and complete network connections.  Continue Reading

• Computational storage for IoT and other potential use cases

  IoT is the main application for computational storage. Another potential use case is inside scale-out server architecture, but those applications are still under development.  Continue Reading

• Assess low-code platform pros and cons

  Some see low-code platforms as intuitive and time-saving, but security and compliance concerns could negate those benefits. See where low-code tools stand with these pros and cons.  Continue Reading

• URL filtering brings additional Office 365 protection

  Ransomware attacks evolve to evade Office 365's integrated protection systems. A third-party security tool can help shore up your defenses.  Continue Reading

• Increase efficiency with data center temperature monitoring

  Data centers must track multiple temperature components. Organizations can use ASHRAE standards and on-premises hardware for easier monitoring.  Continue Reading

• Break down CloudFormation vs. Terraform for AWS deployments

  CloudFormation is AWS' native infrastructure-as-code tool but many devs -- especially those working in multi-cloud environments -- prefer Terraform. Learn the differences between the two.  Continue Reading

• Low-code platforms face off: Mendix vs. OutSystems

  Low-code products target different audiences. So, will traditional or citizen developers use low-code platforms more in the future? We pit Mendix vs. OutSystems to explore each approach.  Continue Reading

• An introduction to combining CQRS and event sourcing

  Combining CQRS and event sourcing is a powerful way to maintain data speed and consistency for web-scale applications. Learn about the pros and cons of pairing these two processes.  Continue Reading

• Decipher how and when to utilize the Azure logging options

  Logging is a big piece of the cloud management puzzle. Do you know which logs to track in Azure Monitor, and when to use them? Learn more about Azure log types and best practices.  Continue Reading

• Develop a 7-step server maintenance checklist

  For effective server maintenance, admins must perform proactive hardware and software checks. Any list must include dusting, log review and software patch tests.  Continue Reading

• Prevent help desk escalation with runbook documentation

  IT operations teams are often stuck in a process loop to solve issues. Learn how tools, such as runbooks and libraries, break the cycle and help avoid problem escalation.  Continue Reading

• Microsoft Storage Spaces Direct simplifies converged, HCI storage

  Storage Spaces Direct in Windows Server packages several different Microsoft technologies to lower TCO and simplify storage in converged and hyper-converged deployments.  Continue Reading

• VMware vSphere monitoring ensures system health, performance

  Admins can monitor their vSphere environments with tools such as vSphere Web Client and vSphere health service, which provide access to real-time usage information and system health data.  Continue Reading

• VMware Cloud on AWS cost and capabilities -- then vs. now

  When you compare VMware Cloud on AWS' initial release to its state in 2019, the cost of entry has lowered, the feature set has expanded and it now meets most compliance standards.  Continue Reading

• Make container data mobile in today's cloud world

  Data mobility is essential with container and hybrid and multi-cloud infrastructures. A data plane framework and data abstraction can ensure both data and application mobility.  Continue Reading

• Get to know these AWS hybrid cloud storage and architecture services

  Use this breakdown to build a hybrid cloud strategy. Learn the ins and outs of AWS' hybrid cloud capabilities, from AWS Snowball devices to AWS Outposts and VMware Cloud on AWS.  Continue Reading

• VMware HCX improves VM mobility between vSphere clusters

  VMware developed HCX to help customers move to VMware Cloud on AWS. HCX has since evolved as an offering and now enables VM and app migration between any two vSphere clusters.  Continue Reading

• Windows Server 2008 end of life: Is Azure the right path?

  Time is almost up for support for your Windows Server 2008/2008 R2 workloads. Microsoft would like you to migrate those VMs to Azure, but is that the best choice?  Continue Reading

• Effectively implement Azure Ultra Disk Storage

  Ultra Disk Storage delivers consistent performance and low latency for I/O-intensive workloads. Learn why it's solving latency problems and where you can use Azure Ultra Disk.  Continue Reading

• Decide between SAN vs. hyper-converged for your virtual storage

  Shared storage provides admins with virtual storage benefits such as storage migration, high availability and redundancy. But the right storage option depends on cost and performance.  Continue Reading

• Tips for ransomware protection on Windows systems

  No one product can prevent every ransomware attack, but there are several defensive practices Windows administrators can take to stop an encryption infection from ruining their day.  Continue Reading

• Why Secure Access Service Edge is the future of SD-WAN

  Secure Access Service Edge -- or SASE -- architecture transitions from network designs that revolve around the data center to a model based on identity and user context.  Continue Reading

• Scaling microservices takes conceptual skills and good tooling

  Independent scalability is a major benefit of microservices, and simultaneously a complex and challenging thing to implement. Scale microservices with a focus on users' priorities.  Continue Reading

• AI-driven development trends shake up the cloud market

  Enterprises are increasingly interested in AI, and cloud vendors are in a race to adapt their platforms to meet those needs. See what initiatives are underway to meet the next wave of app development.  Continue Reading

• 5 tips to ease Kubernetes adoption and legacy VM management

  Kubernetes manages containers, but integrating the platform with legacy systems is still a work in progress and requires prior planning to ensure successful adoption.  Continue Reading

• How to perform test automation maintenance

  Automated tests run on their own, but they need a little help to stay in shape. Proactively address test automation maintenance with initiatives in these two key areas.  Continue Reading

• A primer on Alibaba Cloud for enterprises outside of APAC

  When Western cloud users think of major cloud providers, it's typically the top three: AWS, Google Cloud Platform and Microsoft Azure. But what about the world's fourth largest cloud provider?  Continue Reading

• The top 10 network security best practices to implement today

  Even as security techniques improve, attackers are becoming more adept. Learn about 10 network security best practices and how they can keep your network secure.  Continue Reading

• NSX Intelligence evolves network security and load balancing

  NSX Intelligence can bolster your zero-trust network security, provide microsegmentation analytics and balance loads in your network. Learn more about this new VMware product.  Continue Reading

• AWS data lake and data warehouse options for the cloud

  Get ready for data analytics in the cloud. Learn the best ways to handle your data on AWS. Distinguish between data lakes and data warehouse services on AWS and how they work.  Continue Reading

• Benefits of network automation software ease challenges for IT

  Network automation software comes with a compelling list of benefits, but IT teams should confirm which processes are automated and how the software integrates with existing tools.  Continue Reading

• How to lock down rising Office 365 costs

  Avoid springing a money leak in your Office 365 tenant by keeping closer tabs on several areas and following more frugal practices.  Continue Reading

• In your data archive strategy, how long is long enough?

  Hoarding large amounts of data increases costs and management time. Here's how to painlessly separate the wheat from the chaff for your data archive strategy.  Continue Reading

• Understand and deploy IBM Cloud for VMware Solutions

  The IBM-VMware partnership has provided a platform for admins committed to VMware technologies who also require cloud benefits such as such as scalability and fast provisioning.  Continue Reading

• A GitOps workflow won't benefit every IT organization

  A move to GitOps is a major transition for an IT team and offers a wealth of perks, but it also carries significant challenges and a steep learning curve.  Continue Reading

• 8 factors that make AI storage more efficient

  AI workloads need storage optimized for performance, capacity and availability. Discover everything you'll want to consider when planning storage for AI applications.  Continue Reading

• Get to know Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB use cases

  Organizations can deploy Cosmos DB for a range of important applications. Learn how to bolster Azure workloads with this Microsoft database service that is highly distributed and multi-model.  Continue Reading

• How to upgrade from VCSA 6.5 to 6.7 -- both online and off

  Use the online VCSA management interface, VAMI, or an ISO file from VMware to get started with your online or offline VCSA upgrade.  Continue Reading

• 5 steps to evaluate and perform a service mesh implementation

  Service mesh adoption is a long process that starts with careful evaluation of the technology and its deployment models. And that requires the involvement of both IT ops and dev teams.  Continue Reading

• Import and export Hyper-V VMs with Hyper-V Manager and PowerShell

  When migrating VMs, admins can use Hyper-V Manager's export and import capabilities for small sets of VMs or PowerShell for larger migrations from one host to another.  Continue Reading

• Types of Hyper-V scheduler for simultaneous multithreading in VMs

  Hyper-V's classic and core schedulers both enable use of simultaneous multithreading in VMs, but the core scheduler prevents VMs from ever reserving an entire CPU core.  Continue Reading

• After a data breach occurs, follow this network security checklist

  Before a network breach occurs, you should already have a response plan in place. To make sure you're taking a proactive approach, follow this network security checklist.  Continue Reading

• Capitalize on the advantages of open source software in IT

  Open source tools, including those for IT management, might be free, but there are broader pros and cons that might tip the scales for some enterprise buyers.  Continue Reading

• Manage Windows Server HCI with Windows Admin Center

  Download and install Microsoft's free and easy-to-use Windows Admin Center to manage local and remote Windows Server-based hyper-converged infrastructure clusters.  Continue Reading

• 3 Kubernetes platforms for your application needs

  Admins must consider their application needs when choosing a container strategy and decide between a full PaaS offering built on containers or a fully compliant Kubernetes service.  Continue Reading

• API gateway comparison: Kong vs. Tyk

  API gateways help organizations smooth out interactions among microservices. This side-by-side rundown of Kong vs. Tyk will help you choose which tool fits your business' needs.  Continue Reading

• AppDefense adoption reconstructs the virtual admin role

  Security is critical to many organizations' planning stages, with virtual admins seeing additional security responsibilities as weaknesses in security teams' capabilities emerge.  Continue Reading

• Understand how to orchestrate Windows containers with Kubernetes

  Before you orchestrate your Windows containers with Kubernetes, you must install Windows Server 1809 or later and meet several other requirements.  Continue Reading

• Top guidelines for edge computing software selection

  Finding edge software that meets all your organization's needs requires help from both the business and IT sides. Get the right fit with use case information and developer input.  Continue Reading