Evaluate

Evaluate

Weigh the pros and cons of technologies, products and projects you are considering.

• Evolve IT staff, skill sets for a multi-cloud strategy

  To effectively implement and manage a multi-cloud architecture, enterprises first need IT team members who hold a unique mix of technical and business skills. Continue Reading

• Assess the pros and cons of leading PaaS tools

  Unsure which PaaS provider will best meet your development needs? Dive in to this roundup of common vendor options and the features they offer to simplify that decision. Continue Reading

• With progressive web applications, developers blur the lines

  With progressive web applications, single-page apps, motion UI and other innovations, app development meets the moment, giving users what they want, where they want it. Continue Reading

• Web app development morphs as apps and websites merge

  The lines between web and mobile app and websites are blurring, so development silos are out, and boning up on building progressive web apps and single-page apps is in. Continue Reading

• IPaaS tools aim to alleviate app integration troubles

  With the rise of hybrid cloud architectures, there's a heightened need for more sophisticated app and data integration tools. IPaaS can help but isn't necessarily a cure-all. Continue Reading

• Embrace automation in a hybrid cloud deployment: Free chapter

  Hybrid cloud is complex, and while automation helps, it also presents new risks. This book by Clive Longbottom dives into the details cloud adopters should know.Continue Reading

• Cloud conferences to pencil in for the second half of 2018

  Want to expand your cloud skills, gain industry insights and network with other pros? Consider these conferences and events throughout the second half of the year.Continue Reading

• Four signs you need a third-party cloud management platform

  In a multi-cloud deployment, IaaS providers' native tools for admins often fall short. These four signs indicate it's time to invest in a third-party cloud management tool.Continue Reading

• Bolster multi-cloud security with these data privacy tips

  Data privacy is always a top priority for enterprise IT teams. And those with a multi-cloud model should adopt a mix of security techniques -- from erasure coding to encryption.Continue Reading

• Azure PaaS strategy hones in on hybrid cloud, containers

  Microsoft's PaaS offerings might have a leg-up in terms of support for hybrid deployments, but the vendor still faces tough competition in a quickly evolving app-dev market.Continue Reading

• Three ways to ensure app portability in a multi-cloud strategy

  As multi-cloud adoption grows, developers need to be careful they don't sacrifice application portability for the sake of using provider-native services.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

• Enterprises wrestle with OpenStack backup, DR challenges

  To work around the manual and often tedious processes associated with OpenStack DR and backup, some enterprises have turned to third-party tools.Continue Reading

• Evaluate PaaS vendors based on these two types of features

  To determine whether a PaaS provider will meet their needs, buyers should look closely at what the vendor offers for development tools, automation, collaboration and more.Continue Reading

• Don't let Kubernetes services stall a multi-cloud strategy

  Despite the benefits of managed Kubernetes services from AWS, Microsoft and Google, these offerings can impede workload portability when tied closely to other provider-native tools.Continue Reading

• Hybrid cloud adoption trends and strategies explained

  Hybrid cloud deployments are gaining traction because they enable private cloud security and public cloud flexibility, and orchestration between the two cloud models has improved.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

• Evaluate private cloud service providers in the market

  Red Hat, Microsoft and VMware all provide private cloud environments that offer security and compliance, but it's important to consider other business needs, as well.Continue Reading

• Weigh the benefits of PaaS providers against lock-in risks

  The right PaaS environment enables developers to focus on what they care about most: building a successful application. But it also brings new risks -- particularly around lock-in.Continue Reading

• Are AWS certificate authority services trustworthy?

  AWS now operates as its own CA. What are the potential risks of the new AWS certificate authority services? Expert Dave Shackleford outlines the pros and cons of this new setup.Continue Reading

• Test your private vs. public cloud knowledge

  Although public and private clouds might seem similar on the surface, they differ greatly in terms of their architecture and use cases. Take our quiz to see if you know your stuff.Continue Reading

• Top 5 features to look for in private cloud services offerings

  When evaluating private cloud services, consider offerings that provide an intuitive self-service portal, RBAC, capacity planning and policy enforcement for tenant workloads.Continue Reading

• Four tips for a successful hybrid cloud POC

  A hybrid cloud proof of concept is an important step to ensure a deployment will fully meet IT and business needs. Mind these best practices around data, networks and more.Continue Reading

• Amazon Virtual Private Cloud 101: Features, pricing and more

  Evaluate the key features of Amazon Virtual Private Cloud, learn about its advantages and disadvantages, and consider pricing and best practices before implementing the platform.Continue Reading

• Find a way forward in the cloud vs. virtualization debate

  IT admins weighing the options available for cloud and virtualization services against use cases and economics must navigate a complex market with an uncertain future.Continue Reading

• Cloud-based applications pose tough integration challenges

  Even though SaaS applications are now indispensible to many enterprises, their lack of flexibility still presents a challenge around integration and management.Continue Reading

• Understand major private cloud services advantages

  Consider the benefits of private cloud services before jumping on the public cloud bandwagon. There's more to private clouds than control over infrastructure and better security.Continue Reading

• Cloud billing APIs enable greater cost transparency

  No enterprise wants to be surprised by its cloud computing bill. And, even as providers offer more visibility into users' costs through APIs and other tools, obstacles remain.Continue Reading

• Know what to look for in a cloud management platform

  Like so many decisions in IT, choosing a cloud management tool takes time. Be sure to outline your key goals for resource deployment, cost monitoring and more.Continue Reading

• The best multi-cloud strategy is to just ignore the hype

  Vague vendor and analyst definitions for multi-cloud only confuse business leaders and put IT professionals in a precarious position.Continue Reading

• Compare virtual private cloud server providers

  Cost is an important factor to consider when evaluating different VPC providers, but the kind of hardware and data lines the providers offer plays a role, too.Continue Reading

• Cloud-native low-code platforms rival third-party options

  To choose between native and third-party low-code tools, application development teams need to weigh the benefits of consolidation against the risk of lock-in.Continue Reading

• Virtual private cloud vs. private cloud differences explained

  Virtual private clouds and private clouds differ in terms of architecture, the provider and tenants, and resource delivery. Decide between the two models based on these distinctions.Continue Reading

• Users demand more from containers in cloud

  Technology is always advancing, but it needs to march in the direction that users want. Containers are maturing, but plenty of IT pros still want more from the technology.Continue Reading

• IaaS and PaaS blurred lines increase lock-in risks

  There are three distinct cloud service categories: IaaS, PaaS and SaaS. However, IaaS and PaaS are getting a little too close, and you need to be aware of vendor lock-in risks.Continue Reading

• Hybrid cloud advantages and disadvantages explained

  Hybrid cloud is touted as providing the best of both private and public clouds, but this type of infrastructure comes with its own pros and cons, such as flexibility and complexity.Continue Reading

• Single pane of glass for multi-cloud management still elusive

  Unified management for multi-cloud remains a work in progress. Vendors have yet to produce the perfect single-pane-of-glass tool -- and some IT teams can't afford to wait for one.Continue Reading

• Hybrid cloud providers offer different architecture types

  Hybrid cloud means different things to different vendors; some set aside part of the public cloud for private cloud purposes and others simply support an on-premises private cloud.Continue Reading

• Hybrid cloud deployment demands a change in security mindset

  To fully protect data in a hybrid cloud model, enterprises need to scrutinize integration points, network access controls and the policies they have in place.Continue Reading

• Brace your IT operations team for a cloud migration

  A cloud migration isn't as easy as some providers suggest. Use these five tips to prep your IT ops teams for the big management and support changes that lie ahead.Continue Reading

• Azure Machine Learning services ease data science struggles

  With Azure machine learning services, such as Workbench, Experimentation and Model Management, Microsoft hopes to address common data science challenges in the enterprise.Continue Reading

• Azure Migrate aims to attract VMware workloads to the cloud

  A new Azure service removes a lot of the guesswork for IT teams that want to move VMs to Microsoft's public cloud. But will a lack of early support from VMware hurt its appeal?Continue Reading

• With more providers, security issues in cloud computing rise

  We hear a lot about the pros and cons of a multi-cloud strategy, but a surprising number of organizations don't think they need to worry about it. They do.Continue Reading

• Simplify multi-cloud management with two abstraction models

  To streamline management and reduce complexity in a multi-cloud model, enterprises can turn to two abstraction techniques: resource and orchestration.Continue Reading

• BPM in cloud evolves to suit line of business, IoT

  While on-premises BPM tools have caused a tug of war between lines of business and IT, the cloud helps appease both sides. Here's what to expect from this cloud BPM trend and more.Continue Reading

• Human error still poses a significant cloud security risk

  Even with the most sophisticated cloud security tools in play, human error -- both from end users and IT teams -- can open up your enterprise to numerous kinds of attacks.Continue Reading

• Alibaba Cloud services become strong IaaS contender

  Alibaba continues to gain traction in the IaaS market, and despite not having the same breadth of services as some of its rivals, it could lure some smaller shops away from AWS.Continue Reading

• Can you choose the right tools to manage Azure resources?

  Azure continues to evolve its tool set to simplify cloud monitoring and management for admins. Take this brief quiz to see how much you know about these tools' capabilities.Continue Reading

• Optimize serverless apps with real-time troubleshooting

  Serverless computing demands a new way of thinking to successfully troubleshoot apps. Carefully define error states, and maintain logs to pinpoint and solve performance issues.Continue Reading

• Explore the revert-to-snapshot feature in OpenStack Cinder

  OpenStack Cinder has added a revert-to-snapshot function, enabling enterprises to recover from corrupted data sets. However, if the feature falls into the wrong hands, risks arise.Continue Reading

• Look beyond public cloud giants for the right PaaS offering

  While the leading public cloud vendors remain a popular choice for PaaS, there are other offerings, ranging from Heroku to Engine Yard, that might be worth a closer look.Continue Reading

• Multi-cloud management still a work in progress for IT teams

  Multi-cloud deployments are a mixed bag, providing both business value and complex management challenges. Fortunately, a number of third-party management tools can help.Continue Reading

• Bare-metal cloud services lure legacy workloads off premises

  For some enterprises, bare-metal services in the cloud act as a crucial steppingstone to an IaaS deployment, and providers, including IBM, Oracle and AWS, have taken notice.Continue Reading

• Virtualization trends in 2018 signal edge technology disruption

  New technologies build on virtualization and threaten disruption. Virtualization administrators must familiarize themselves with what's coming and plan their careers accordingly.Continue Reading

• How to blend the advantages of cloud computing with containers

  Containers and cloud sound like a perfect match. But how well does containerization help boost application portability? And will the effort be worth it?Continue Reading

• Prepare for hybrid cloud implementation with these key steps

  As enterprises mix public and private IT resources, they grapple with app workflows, network connections and more. Here are four ways to alleviate common hybrid cloud challenges.Continue Reading

• Containerized applications and the portability dream

  To make containers work within a cloud strategy, you're going to need to carefully consider the complexities of porting an application from platform to platform.Continue Reading

• Application release automation drifts to the cloud

  CI/CD initiatives will spark increased adoption of app release automation tools this year, including those hosted in the cloud, but the market hasn't fully matured just yet.Continue Reading

• User self-service challenges mount in multi-cloud computing

  Self-service provisioning presents challenges with a single cloud provider, and a multi-cloud strategy only magnifies those issues, as IT seeks to integrate multiple interfaces.Continue Reading

• Review chatbot development options in public cloud

  As users look to interact with applications via more natural language and text, chatbots become increasingly popular. And many developers turn to the public cloud to create them.Continue Reading

• Azure B-series VMs reduce resource waste for bursty apps

  Paying only for the resources they consume is the ultimate goal for many enterprises in the cloud. Azure's B-series VMs make that goal more attainable -- for certain workloads.Continue Reading

• Compare managed Kubernetes services from AWS and Azure

  AWS and Azure have both rolled out a managed service for Kubernetes, and while their overall aim is the same, there are key differences users should note.Continue Reading

• Serverless cloud providers aim to ease adoption in 2018

  As the buzz around serverless computing carries over into 2018, providers will look to simplify adoption in several ways, including more support for hybrid cloud.Continue Reading

• Prepare for these cloud computing technologies in 2018

  Not sure what to expect, exactly, in the cloud computing market in 2018? Three of our Advisory Board members share their top predictions.Continue Reading

• Cloud conferences to check out in the first half of 2018

  For beginners and experts alike, cloud conferences are a good way to gain industry knowledge and sharpen your skills. Here are some to pencil in over the next several months.Continue Reading

• CASBs address wide range of cloud security concerns

  Cloud and distributed apps create complex security challenges. CASBs aim to resolve these issues with features for threat protection, data loss prevention and more.Continue Reading

• Google cloud features evolve to turn up the heat on AWS

  Google made several moves in 2017 in an attempt to close the gap between itself and market leader AWS. But will those efforts be enough to win over new customers?Continue Reading

• Evaluate VMware, public cloud provider integration

  Hybrid cloud providers don't yet have the seamless integration they promised. VMware cluster admins need to evaluate available options in order to formulate a VMware cloud strategy.Continue Reading

• BPM market advances around AI, cloud technology

  As AI, microservices and other emerging technologies transform the BPM industry, enterprises need to carefully navigate their business processes to the cloud to avoid GRC risks.Continue Reading

• Serverless, containers shape future of cloud computing

  Experts seem to agree that serverless platforms, containers and the eventual merging of the two will be the biggest cloud trends to follow this year.Continue Reading

• App development teams brace for big change in 2018

  Multi-cloud, blockchain and more sophisticated PaaS tools are three trends expected to reshape app development practices in 2018. Is your team ready for the change?Continue Reading

• Providers continue to push hybrid cloud technologies in 2018

  The hybrid cloud market changes rapidly, as major cloud providers release new services to bridge private and public platforms, but for now, management challenges remain.Continue Reading

• Explore private cloud platform options: Paid and open source

  There are many different factors to consider when choosing a private cloud platform. Evaluate the different paid and open source options to figure out which one is best for you.Continue Reading

• The case for private cloud vs. public cloud implementation

  Take security, compliance, cost and scalability into account when deciding between a private and public cloud. Also, think about the future potential of hybrid cloud adoption.Continue Reading

• Azure App Service Isolated boosts security and PaaS performance

  Aimed at organizations with unique security needs, Azure App Service Environment v2 lets applications run in a dedicated network without sacrificing scale or performance.Continue Reading

• Four ways the container ecosystem will evolve in 2018

  The container market constantly evolves, as new technologies and uses emerge. See what the new year will bring with these four container predictions around IoT, Windows and more.Continue Reading

• Build an application migration plan step by step

  To migrate apps to the cloud, start with nonessential workloads and move to more mission-critical ones from there. But, remember, some apps might not be suited for cloud at all.Continue Reading

• Explore the benefits, tradeoffs of GPU instances in cloud

  While GPU instances can give compute-intensive apps the processing boost they need, not all workloads -- or budgets -- will benefit from these cloud instance types.Continue Reading

• Compare two types of cloud automation and orchestration tools

  There are two camps of tools for automation and orchestration in cloud: provider-native and third-party. To pick the right one, know your future needs, especially for multi-cloud.Continue Reading

• IaaS benefits broaden as public cloud market evolves

  The benefits of IaaS now range from increased scalability to access to emerging technologies, such as serverless. Review these key benefits, as well as management implications.Continue Reading

• What are the pros, cons of PaaS offerings from AWS, Google, Microsoft?

  Get started with exploring these PaaS offerings: AWS Elastic Beanstalk, Google App Engine and Microsoft Azure. An IT veteran summarizes their pros and cons.Continue Reading

• Real-time vs. near-real-time analytics -- how to choose

  Data is king, but what happens when the data isn't truly real-time? Expert Tom Nolle explains the cloud platform choices when it comes to 'real-time' analytics.Continue Reading

• Overcome common IP address issues during a cloud migration

  During a move to the cloud, many organizations overlook potential snags surrounding IP addresses. To start, know how cloud providers manage address assignment.Continue Reading

• Quiz time: Test your knowledge of hybrid cloud computing trends

  Do developers and IT decision-makers cite different factors for moving to -- and staying away from -- a hybrid cloud architecture? See where your opinions line up.Continue Reading

• Compare OpenStack local storage options for now and in the future

  SSDs, HDDs and NVMe can all provide local storage for an OpenStack deployment. But what are the benefits and tradeoffs of each, and how will these technologies evolve?Continue Reading

• Explore Google XPN for virtual private cloud networks

  Isolated networks strengthen cloud security, but sharing data can become a challenge. Learn how Google XPN enables multiple users or departments to share one virtual private cloud.Continue Reading

• Your cloud bill climbs due to these five overlooked costs

  AWS, Google and Azure offer tools that help users estimate cloud costs. But overlooked services, usage spikes and outages can cause actual cloud bills to far exceed those estimates.Continue Reading

• Build a cloud-based infrastructure one layer at a time

  As enterprise IT teams enter the cloud adoption phase, they must understand the technical underpinnings that comprise cloud infrastructure -- from servers to storage to apps.Continue Reading

• Avoid downtime during the cloud migration process

  During a public cloud migration, IT teams need to take a cautious, one-step-at-a-time approach to avoid hearing the dreaded phrase, 'the system is down.'Continue Reading

• The true definition of cloud computing is still lost on some IT pros

  The misuse of the phrase 'cloud computing' has created misperceptions of the technology. Remember that the cloud isn't a location -- it's a more agile way to design IT services.Continue Reading

• Build an effective API management system for multicloud

  APIs play a critical role in cloud, allowing apps and services to communicate with each other. But with multiple cloud providers in the mix, API management gets complicated.Continue Reading

• Choose cloud configuration management tools for multiple platforms

  The multicloud model presents unique configuration management challenges. When choosing a tool, enterprises should compare cloud native and third-party options carefully.Continue Reading

• Awareness of shared-responsibility model is critical to cloud success

  When companies move to the cloud, it's paramount that they know where the provider's security role ends and where the customer's begins. The shared-responsibility model is one of the fundamental ...Continue Reading

• Compare offline data migration services from AWS, Azure and Google

  Sending a storage disk to a cloud provider seems like an antiquated data-migration method, but it's a common choice. Here's how AWS, Azure and Google manage the process.Continue Reading

• Identify and reduce multicloud integration costs

  When using multiple cloud providers, application integration costs can grow quickly. To prevent billing surprises, carefully plan application deployments and workflows.Continue Reading

• Using Azure Site Recovery for data and VM replication

  Data replication is a critical part of a disaster recovery plan, and the devil is in the details. Ease your plan with automation through Azure Site Recovery.Continue Reading

• Test your knowledge of big data cloud services

  Big data in the cloud is a big deal. But without the right management and analytic tools, you won't get far. Test your knowledge of big data tools in the cloud with this quiz.Continue Reading

• How does Azure Premium Storage billing work?

  For Azure Premium Storage, are users billed by how much storage capacity they actually use or how much they reserve or allocate?Continue Reading

• Breaking down the costs of cloud storage

  Storage is a primary reason enterprises move workloads to the cloud. But before shipping off your data, learn how region, capacity and other factors shape cloud storage costs.Continue Reading

• The what, why and how of the TOSCA cloud standard

  As the acceptance of DevOps rises, the TOSCA standard has become a popular option for cloud application deployment. Here's a closer look at how it works.Continue Reading