Cloud computing use cases

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

Analysts: How to make IBM Cloud services more competitive

To make IBM Cloud more competitive, Big Blue must stand by its enterprise base, while it also satisfies the developer community and expands its infrastructure tools. Continue Reading

Don't overlook these practices in software modernization

During app modernization projects, teams commonly overlook basic goals, processes and tools, which can sully app launches as a result. Continue Reading

Google preemptible VMs reduce cloud costs -- with a catch

With its preemtible VMs, Google offers spare compute capacity at a discounted price. But be careful not to run certain apps on these VM types, as they shut down at any time. 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

Use LinuxKit to increase container portability

With LinuxKit, Docker continues its push for better container portability. Learn how the tool can help your apps run across various platforms, as well as its potential limitations. Continue Reading

Modernize legacy applications with containers, microservices

To break down monolithic apps and modernize them for cloud deployment, enterprise development teams continue to turn to containers and microservices. Continue Reading

Cloud security challenges spark startup acquisitions

Cloud security startups are popular acquisition targets, as cloud providers and third parties seek to address corporate IT concerns across multiple platforms. 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

Manage app dependencies carefully for serverless platforms

Application dependencies are tough to manage in serverless computing. Developers need to take specific steps, including the establishment of a well-defined CI/CD process, to cope. 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

Four things to know before an Azure Stack deployment

Intended to simplify management and development across public and private clouds, Azure Stack looks to address some of IT's biggest hybrid hang-ups. Continue Reading

Hyperscale providers bet big on cloud AI

AI cloud services have emerged as yet another battleground for the hyperscale providers, as they entice data scientists and developers to train their models on their platforms. 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

Prepare and manage enterprise apps for an IaaS model

A growing number of businesses see the value in infrastructure as a service. But without careful app migration and management practices, the benefits of cloud can be lost. Continue Reading

Cloud-centric IBM patents promise payoff

IBM plans to commercialize investments in cloud R&D into products, services and tools that draw new customers. 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

Structure public cloud accounts for optimal resource tracking

As enterprises move to public IaaS or broaden their existing deployments, cloud account management gets tricky. Follow this example to find the structure that works best for you. Continue Reading

Xively buy broadens Google Cloud IoT tool utility

The latest Google Cloud acquisition points to a doubling down on IoT, as the company tries to keep pace with AWS and Microsoft Azure in this emerging market. Continue Reading

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

 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

Build a multi-cloud app with these four factors in mind

A multi-cloud strategy reduces vendor lock-in and outage risks. But to realize those benefits, development teams must first design apps to successfully run on various platforms. Continue Reading

VMware acquisition continues move toward cloud security

VMware cloud security tools will get a boost from the company's acquisition of CloudCoreo, a security and management startup focused on cloud deployments. 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

Oracle Cloud data center buildup aims to enchant enterprises

An updated Oracle Cloud SLA becomes the first to factor in performance standards for customers -- one of several moves aimed at luring enterprises to its expanding public cloud. Continue Reading

Four tips to manage costs in a multi-cloud architecture

For some enterprises, it's difficult enough to manage and optimize the costs of a single cloud platform. And in a multi-cloud environment, those challenges only increase. Continue Reading

Can niche cloud players take on hyperscale cloud providers?

AWS, Azure and GCP are top of mind for public cloud market share, but companies lower down the ranks want their piece of the pie, too. 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

The window to be a hyperscale cloud provider is closing

A handful of companies will control the majority of the public cloud. Is there still room for big-name companies to join the club, or are they already too late? Continue Reading

Serverless technology seeks mainstream enterprise traction

Serverless tech providers continue to add features as a service that have enterprise interests in mind, and IT pros have some wish list items. Continue Reading

IBM taps Mendix for low-code platform deal

As the market to empower citizen app developers heats up, IBM and Mendix have joined forces to deliver low-code tools for the IBM Cloud. 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

Mitigate low-code/no-code platform security risks

While you can't entirely avoid the security risks of low-code and no-code platforms, you can mitigate them. Here's a look at the top vulnerabilities and how to combat them. 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

Prep an OpenStack private cloud for a multi-cloud deployment

Enterprises with an OpenStack private cloud can still jump on the multi-cloud bandwagon. But they should prepare for challenges around data management and platform compatibility. Continue Reading

Hybrid cloud migration starts with updating the private cloud

It might seem counterintuitive, but a key part of hybrid cloud adoption is committing the time and resources to updating your private cloud. These steps will set you up for success. 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

Big data in cloud computing demands an IT skill set change

Enterprises continue to shift big data workloads to the cloud. And while the move doesn't require a total overhaul of IT skills, it does demand some change for admin and dev teams. 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

Azure networking feature addresses latency, performance

An Accelerated Networking upgrade to Microsoft Azure reduces latency and improves performance for newer VMs, as Microsoft tries to keep pace with AWS. TEST Continue Reading

Five cloud computing skills to propel your career in 2018

The cloud market moves at the speed of light, so some IT pros struggle to pinpoint which new technologies and skills to learn. Here are five to prioritize in 2018. Continue Reading

Words to go: Basic cloud computing terms

New to cloud computing? Use this list of basic terms to familiarize yourself with common deployment models, service categories and top providers. 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

Choose a loosely coupled architecture for DevOps success

To successfully pivot your organization toward DevOps and cloud, carefully evaluate and fine-tune your architecture first, and then think about tool sets. 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

Google Cloud Dedicated Interconnect offers VPN alternative

Google's Dedicated Interconnect enables an enterprise to privately connect its data center to the public cloud. Here's a breakdown of key features and the requirements to use it. Continue Reading

Meltdown-Spectre bugs hit cloud usage less than first feared

IT shops expected their cloud usage to flag due to recent chip bugs, but most environments survived the patches unscathed. 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

Migrate cloud applications back to on-premises applications

In the cloud frenzy, it's easy to lose sight of what to do if the cloud doesn't work. With time, patience and cost planning, administrators can migrate applications back on premises. 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

Transition to a hybrid cloud platform from a private cloud

Consider factors like security, platform compatibility, data usage requirements and management when transitioning from a private cloud to a hybrid cloud. Continue Reading

Creating a private cloud with minimal issues

If you consider security, performance, scalability, expertise, network visibility and service management when creating a private cloud, you avoid problems down the road. 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

Microsoft advances Azure hybrid strategy with Avere deal

Microsoft's acquisition of Avere Systems addresses a shortcoming in Azure storage services and could help steal some business from AWS and GCP. 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

Meltdown and Spectre target cloud computing environments

Hackers could target cloud computing environments to exploit the Meltdown and Spectre vulnerabilities, but AWS, Microsoft and Google say their fixes are enough to bar the doors. 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

Master the basics of Azure Automation

Automation offers a more efficient, hands-off approach to public cloud management. Explore the basics of Azure's automation service and the role of runbooks. 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

What is a Helm Chart and how can it improve microservices?

Learn about Helm Charts and how Kubernetes supports a microservices architecture. Expert Ken Milberg discusses what you need to know before delving in. Continue Reading

Crack open Google Cloud Shell for infrastructure management

Shell commands and Bash scripts have been a staple of system administration, and for those who still prefer that management approach, Cloud Shell on GCP might be worth a look. 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

What are the best SDK tools for automating blockchain services?

As blockchain matures, an ecosystem of tools continues to sprout up around it. Learn how these offerings, including the Hyperledger Fabric Client SDK, can help with a deployment. Continue Reading

Rearchitect applications for cloud with these five tips

It's difficult to fully realize the benefits of cloud computing when you simply migrate an app as is. Instead, consider rearchitecting your app -- and start with these five steps. Continue Reading

Test your knowledge of these core OpenStack components

The OpenStack platform contains a mix of services for compute, networking, security and more. See if you can identify which service performs which function with this quick quiz. Continue Reading

Cloud data backup services minimize outage, security risks

Backups are critical in any cloud strategy, but where you store that data is just as important. Explore these automated backup tools and services to avoid risks later. Continue Reading

Use OpenStack Senlin, Heat templates to enable autoscaling

As it is with other cloud platforms, autoscaling in OpenStack is important to meet changing workload demands. Here's how to enable that process with Senlin and Heat templates. 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

Learn the basics of Azure Container Instances

The popularity of containers continues to prompt major cloud providers to offer new services. See how Azure's most recent release -- Container Instances -- aims to ease deployment. Continue Reading

Master Azure subscriptions with these key concepts and terms

Azure's subscription structure lets admins break out responsibility for billing and resource management. But first, they need to know concepts such as accounts and departments. 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 best database services for PaaS offerings?

When you move to PaaS for your web-based apps, remember to think about database services. Consider the benefits of moving your database to a fully supported cloud infrastructure. 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

Cloud management platforms offer a unified approach to hybrid IT

While more cloud platforms can mean more challenges, the right management platform makes an admin's job easier. But with all the options, how do you know which one to choose? Continue Reading

Google cloud data transfer appliance eases move to public cloud

Google's cloud options look to lure more enterprises with a physical device that simplifies data transfer in-house to the Google Cloud Platform. 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

Optimize your public cloud cost management strategy

Businesses often tout lower costs as a benefit of public cloud, but without proper management and monitoring, costs can climb quickly. Learn how to keep your spending in check. 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

Choose the best public cloud instances for your apps and budget

Cloud computing instances can make or break application performance -- and costs. Evaluate your workloads to determine the right instance type and size before deployment. 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

No-code/low-code project management best practices

Before setting your no-code/low-code product into motion, you must prepare your organization. Expert Zach Flower discusses the importance of collaboration and communication. 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

Techniques for optimizing microservice performance in the cloud

Learn how to prevent bottlenecks, create efficient deployment and avoid security issues to ensure optimal microservice performance in the cloud. 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

Scale resources automatically with Azure Virtual Machine Scale Sets

Scalability is an attractive capability of cloud computing that reels in enterprises of all sizes. Learn how Virtual Machine Scale Sets in Azure can help you achieve that benefit. 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

Give Visual Basic language apps a cloud afterlife with code conversion

Visual Basic apps were never meant to run in the cloud, but with automated code conversion tools, their tried-and-true business logic can be refactored and reused. Continue Reading