Evaluate

Evaluate

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

• Explore native and third-party VM automation tools' features

  VMware and Microsoft offer native tools that provide VM automation capabilities, but admins should also look at third-party vendors, such as Chef, Puppet and SolarWinds. Continue Reading

• Evaluate if serverless cost benefits are worth the upfront price

  Before an IT shop adopts serverless, it must fully grasp how the technology operates, and prepare for the upfront -- and potentially costly -- app refactoring efforts it requires. Continue Reading

• AIOps meaning to expand throughout DevOps chain

  AIOps means artificial intelligence to aid in IT operations. But it could mean much more than that, bringing in development, business, security and other application stakeholders. Continue Reading

• Red Hat Virtualization 4.3 updates to Cockpit are minor, but beneficial

  Cockpit hasn't seen many changes with the latest RHV 4.3 update, but it still provides beneficial capabilities, such as the ability create a VM from a template or migrate a VM to a different host. Continue Reading

• Virtualization automation challenges underscore AI usefulness

  Automation helps reduce the complexity of virtual systems, but admins might find that adoption challenges and temporary resolutions underscore its usefulness. Continue Reading

• Containers, automation and AI shape 2020 IT trends

  In 2019, Kubernetes took Docker's crown and DevOps matured. As IT operations teams ring in the New Year, they should keep an eye on these 2020 IT predictions.Continue Reading

• Compare Red Hat OpenShift vs. Cloud Foundry in a Kubernetes faceoff

  Looking for a container ecosystem platform? OpenShift and Cloud Foundry have similar roots as PaaS platforms, but this comparison identifies a clear winner for most organizations.Continue Reading

• Emphasize app modernization in 2020 IT budget plans

  IT budgeting can be stressful and complicated, but it doesn't have to be. Communicate with business leaders and users to identify -- and capitalize on -- the right opportunities.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

• 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

• Why it's time to rethink the DevOps vs. ITIL debate

  As organizations look to more closely align their business and IT goals, they should combine DevOps and ITIL practices, rather than commit exclusively to one methodology over the other.Continue Reading

• Compare 3 distinct types of Kubernetes platforms

  There are three types of Kubernetes deployment options, each with its own benefits and challenges. Use this in-depth comparison to choose the best fit for your organization.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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• The true private cloud debate: Do labels matter?

  The debate around authentic private clouds continues as more organizations adopt the model, but labels might not matter in the end.Continue Reading

• When to use Jenkins vs. Jenkins X for pipeline automation

  Three primary factors -- flexibility, Kubernetes adoption and the need for a GUI -- should shape an organization's decision between Jenkins and Jenkins X as a pipeline automation tool.Continue Reading

• Adopt an SDDC architecture with caution and proper planning

  Software-defined components such as networking and storage help achieve data center flexibility, but organizations might come across product and security issues.Continue Reading

• Edge virtualization tools make strides in the edge market

  Vendors are cashing in on edge computing popularity, and organizations are faced with an influx of new virtualization tools that help manage the computing paradigm.Continue Reading

• The history of virtualization and its mark on data center management

  Virtualization was a huge leap in data center technology with software such as hypervisors and virtual switches that expanded organizations' capabilities and redefined IT.Continue Reading

• Kubernetes use cases extend beyond container orchestration

  Enterprises use Kubernetes for much more than they did when Google released the platform in 2015. Discover how Kubernetes' uses have grown, and where it might be heading.Continue Reading

• Windows container monitoring tools prevent resource contention

  Monitoring tools for Windows containers enable admins to keep track of CPU, memory, storage and networking performance metrics and troubleshoot any issues that arise.Continue Reading

• Kubernetes networking face-off: VMware NSX-T vs. Nokia's Nuage

  VMware NSX-T and Nokia's Nuage Networks both provide Kubernetes networking functionality -- but they have important differences and resonate with distinct user bases.Continue Reading

• Match cloud application monitoring to integration needs

  An enterprise's cloud migration includes several elements: a new security process, budget redistribution and a monitoring system that integrates cloud and on-premises apps.Continue Reading

• How does time-series analysis work in IT environments?

  IT monitoring metrics are crucial for enterprises to gauge performance and plan for future events. But admins should understand the tradeoffs between a time-series and point-in-time analysis.Continue Reading

• Heed these cloud security considerations for SaaS, PaaS

  A move to the cloud lessens IT's workload responsibility, but SaaS and PaaS models each require a targeted cloud security strategy to protect applications.Continue Reading

• Choose the right container deployment and management system

  Containers improve a company's cloud and data center operations, but implementation isn't easy. Here's how to plan a container deployment strategy and choose the right platform.Continue Reading

• Compare 10 leading container management systems

  Ready to select a vendor or open source tool to build and manage your container-based infrastructure? This roundup lays out the benefits and complexities of the many options.Continue Reading

• 6 tips to drive infrastructure-as-code best practices

  Evaluating an infrastructure-as-code setup? Use these six tips to grasp IaC benefits, challenges, tool considerations and more before you make the move.Continue Reading

• Assess container hosting, management options based on these criteria

  A company's plans to maintain traditional data centers, move to the public cloud or adopt microservices all play a major role in its container hosting and management decisions.Continue Reading

• How to craft a future-proof enterprise container strategy

  There are many ways to plan an IT container management strategy. Follow these steps to map out an enterprise's needs for container software and tools.Continue Reading

• Micro VMs bridge the gap between full VMs and containers

  Micro VMs address full VM and container disadvantages, all while providing a lightweight container architecture and retaining VM security for each instance.Continue Reading

• What are the main features of Ansible vs. Ansible Tower?

  Both Ansible and Ansible Tower offer enterprises a wealth of resources for config management, but they aren't equals. Assess their differences in crucial aspects such as security.Continue Reading

• What are some examples of embedded hypervisors?

  A virtualization layer in an embedded system provides better efficiency for tasks such as network virtualization. Some examples of embedded hypervisors include the Xvisor and ACRN.Continue Reading

• ITIL 4 framework brings long-awaited flexibility to ITSM

  After eight long years, the ITIL 4 framework finally saw the light of day in 2019 -- but what can enterprises expect to gain from the latest version, and those to come?Continue Reading

• Get to know Hyper-V 2019 new features and functionality

  Window Server 2019 showed fewer new features than first expected, but Hyper-V admins can benefit from improved support for shielded VMs and the new Admin Center feature.Continue Reading

• Embedded hypervisor use cases and benefits explained

  An embedded hypervisor offers several benefits, such as VM security, system reliability and improved hardware use, and is ideal for admins looking to simplify their environments.Continue Reading

• Consider the when, why and how of a Mesos-to-Kubernetes migration

  Before choosing to migrate to Kubernetes, Mesos users should carefully prepare for the complexity of the move -- and first consider using the two technologies side by side.Continue Reading

• Considerations for embedded hypervisor implementation

  Before incorporating an embedded hypervisor, admins must consider storage, memory, system performance and scheduling to help prevent latency issues.Continue Reading

• VMware Workstation vs. VirtualBox: Which is the better hypervisor?

  The Type 2 hypervisor debate between VMware Workstation and Oracle VirtualBox has gotten tougher as the latter has caught up. Examine their advantages to see which fits your needs.Continue Reading

• Explore container deployment benefits and core components

  As container adoption grows, the ecosystem of tools surrounding the technology expands as well. Explore the benefits of container systems for enterprise app deployments.Continue Reading

• Simplify SaaS integration with an IT service aggregator

  SaaS management can cause as many headaches as SaaS apps prevent. Poor integrations between disparate tools can create bottlenecks and failures, but aggregators can help.Continue Reading

• What's the role of an application load balancer vs. API gateway?

  Application load balancers and API gateways both manage network traffic, but in their own ways. Learn the differences between them and how to use them together in a modern IT deployment.Continue Reading

• Are there tools or platforms that support AWS Firecracker?

  Although there are a handful of tools to help run Firecracker more easily, admins might find issues with the lack of major tool integration for the software.Continue Reading

• Weigh infrastructure as code risks against the benefits

  Infrastructure as code can transform the modern data center, but maintain a healthy dose of caution -- and thorough documentation and testing environments -- to prevent chaos.Continue Reading

• Compare Linkerd vs. Istio for service mesh technology

  To decide between Istio and Linkerd for a service mesh platform, consider everything from performance and ease of use to support from major public cloud providers.Continue Reading

• Check out this free chapter excerpt from ITIL 4 -- A Pocket Guide

  In ITIL 4 -- A Pocket Guide, author Jan van Bon walks readers through the core updates to the ITSM framework, and how they apply to the modern enterprise IT landscape.Continue Reading

• What are micro VMs and how do they benefit data centers?

  When used together, VMs and containers can provide key benefits to an admin's workload, such as isolation and security, without having to deal with typical disadvantages.Continue Reading

• 5 Kubernetes adoption considerations you should think about

  Understand the basics of Kubernetes, including how it works and its pros and cons, before deciding whether or not to adopt. Then, figure out how you plan to manage it.Continue Reading

• Effectively manage containers and improve workload performance

  Containers are increasingly popular, so it's vital that admins understand the tools available and learn how to manage containers before deploying them in production environments.Continue Reading

• Explore the Citrix guest UEFI boot feature for modern systems

  A guest boot feature offered by Citrix provides admins with improved system performance, but they should be wary of its continued experimental status.Continue Reading

• Look inside the Mesosphere DC/OS distributed operating system

  IT organizations that run large, distributed workloads on clusters should examine the Mesosphere DC/OS approach, but be forewarned: It takes a lot of components to simplify ops.Continue Reading

• An ITSM tool comparison for enterprises with an eye on AI

  All AI-enabled ITSM tools aim to streamline and automate IT operations, but buyers must make the right selection to get the most out of these products.Continue Reading

• Assess AIOps benefits and challenges for enterprise IT teams

  To successfully reap the benefits of an AIOps implementation, IT teams first have to navigate some crucial cultural and technical shifts.Continue Reading

• The history of Docker's climb in the container management market

  When the concept of containers became stale, Docker brought containers back to the forefront by creating container management software, and the company continues to evolve.Continue Reading

• Does DevOps require end-to-end monitoring tools?

  While basic monitoring services and feedback loops provide critical insight for DevOps teams, an end-to-end monitoring tool gives them a more holistic view of the end-user experience.Continue Reading

• Future of PowerShell lies in DevOps, cloud resource management

  While PowerShell isn't the only automation and scripting tool that fits in IT pros' cloud and CI/CD toolboxes, it won't fall out of favor any time soon.Continue Reading

• Apply AI to container monitoring and management -- piece by piece

  While the application of AI to container monitoring and management is possible, it first requires certain operations practices and carefully integrated tool sets.Continue Reading

• How to cautiously reap the benefits of DevOps as a service

  Outsourcing the operation of DevOps tools has its perks, but be sure to carefully position that move to in-house development and ops teams first.Continue Reading

• Explore artificial intelligence in ITSM and the tool options

  AI-enabled ITSM tools can improve and streamline operations processes, as well as liberate workers from repetitive, tedious tasks to focus on more meaningful work.Continue Reading

• AIOps monitoring arms IT staff with broader, deeper insights

  Conventional monitoring gives ops teams critical visibility into the health of their IT systems, but with limited scope. Through an AIOps tool, they can significantly broaden their view.Continue Reading

• Automate declarative configuration management for IT ops success

  AWS CloudFormation is one of the top options for configuration management -- but it isn't without flaws. Compare AWS to other tools to pick the best option for your organization.Continue Reading

• Evaluate AI-based ITSM tools using these key points

  After determining that artificial intelligence would benefit an IT environment, the next big challenge is to assess AI-based ITSM tools in terms of feature set and pricing model.Continue Reading

• Accenture turns to ITSM integration tool for data compilation

  IT orgs that subscribe to help desk management services must access huge quantities of information for analysis. Read how one company overcame this challenge.Continue Reading

• Artificial intelligence for IT operations pays off -- with time

  IT professionals say AIOps holds great potential to optimize day-to-day operations tasks. First, though, teams must lay a foundation of data, consistency and trust.Continue Reading

• Combine reactive, proactive monitoring for optimal IT visibility

  IT monitoring tools can be either proactive or reactive in nature. But, despite their differences in function, cost and required resources, these two types of tools both have a place in modern IT environments.Continue Reading

• Managed container services face-off: Enterprise PKS vs. OpenShift

  VMware Enterprise PKS and Red Hat OpenShift are two leading container platforms with many differences. Assess the technologies in terms of hybrid cloud support, tool ecosystems and more.Continue Reading

• When to choose Hyper-V containers over VMs

  There are different use cases for Hyper-V containers and VMs, but the most important thing to take into consideration when choosing between them is your application needs.Continue Reading

• Explore the benefits, challenges of AI in ITSM

  Are your ITSM processes ready to reap AI's rewards? Discover how AI can benefit your ITSM implementation, as well as the requirements for that transition to be a success.Continue Reading

• Compare Mesos vs. Kubernetes for container federation

  While Mesos dominates for large-scale deployments, Kubernetes is at the center of a flourishing ecosystem of tools. So, which one meets your container federation needs?Continue Reading

• The DevOps paradigm shift: Avoid obsolescence in IT

  DevOps is an appealing paradigm shift in IT, part and parcel with app componentization and containers. But despite the hype, IT pros still face a few hurdles to actual implementation.Continue Reading

• Choose between 5 hosted hypervisors based on features, use cases

  Hypervisors such as VMware Workstation, VMware Fusion, VMware Horizon 7, Oracle VM VirtualBox and Parallels Desktop provide value to small data centers in different ways.Continue Reading

• Compare the top 5 bare-metal hypervisors

  Hypervisors such as VMware vSphere, Microsoft Hyper-V, Citrix Hypervisor, RHV and Oracle VM Server for x86 provide value to enterprise-level data centers in different ways.Continue Reading

• Test your Kubernetes terminology expertise with this quiz

  Can you ace this quiz on Kubernetes architecture and component terminology? Assess your knowledge of these terms and whether you need to hit the books -- or online documentation.Continue Reading

• Evaluate key service mesh benefits and architecture limitations

  Service mesh technologies can provide request routing, authentication and even health checks. IT organizations that handle container and microservices deployments should plan to maximize the benefits of service mesh, and address implementation ...Continue Reading

• AWS Firecracker microVMs provide isolation and agility

  Firecracker aims to bridge the gap between VMs and containers with microVMs, which are secure, lightweight instance types for stateless workloads.Continue Reading

• AI in ITSM reshapes operations practices and tasks

  AI capabilities are merging within ITSM practices to augment IT's performance and enhance the user experience. Read on to learn more about AI uses for ITSM, and how to approach them.Continue Reading

• Xen vs. KVM in 2019 is a no brainer

  Xen might have lost the hypervisor war against KVM, but that doesn't mean it's dead. Niche use cases such as the automotive industry are keeping the open source project alive.Continue Reading

• Evaluate these hyper-converged infrastructure features

  There are six things you should consider when reviewing HCI platform features and functionality: optimizations, storage, hypervisors, management, expandability and integrations.Continue Reading

• How hyper-converged infrastructure benefits virtual workloads

  Realize the many advantages that HCI offers, such as streamlined virtual resource management and enhanced security and compliance practices.Continue Reading

• Hyper-converged infrastructure explained

  HCI breaks down traditional IT silos by bundling compute, storage, networking and virtualization, which helps to streamline resource provisioning and management.Continue Reading

• Don't count out IBM virtualization on the Z platform

  A mainframe can house hundreds of thousands of VMs and a wide range of workloads. Also, IBM Z provides virtualization management via Dynamic Partition Manager and Wave for z/VM.Continue Reading

• Prepare for ITIL framework updates in version 4

  The much-anticipated release of ITIL v4 not only changes the framework's certification structure, but emphasizes many modern software development and IT service delivery practices.Continue Reading

• Evaluate the COBIT framework 2019 update

  ITSM frameworks must adapt as IT changes swiftly or risk stagnation. COBIT ended its six-year silence with its 2019 update. Get an overview of the new information and how to use COBIT.Continue Reading

• 5 Windows network drivers supported by containers

  NAT is the default network for container applications, but there are four other available drivers. Each container network driver poses some limitations and must be used carefully.Continue Reading

• Bare-metal vs. VM container deployment considerations

  Consider your performance requirements, portability needs and what level of isolation and security you want when deploying containers in your environment.Continue Reading

• Evaluate on-premises vs. SaaS tools for IT systems management

  While there are a lot of factors for enterprises to consider when choosing an IT management tool, the on-premises vs. SaaS decision can be a particularly tricky one.Continue Reading

• ICYMI: How IT monitoring systems take on modern challenges

  Don't lose track of IT monitoring as you come to grips with containers and AI advantages. These articles gear up IT and cloud admins to refine processes and improve efficiency.Continue Reading

• Grasp these basic Salt configuration management concepts

  Not sure how Salt conveys configuration instructions to systems? Wonder if your programming skills will carry over to the tool? Use these best practices and tips to assess Salt.Continue Reading

• Compare the pros and cons of container management tools

  From the ever-popular to the obscure, evaluate different container management options based on the user interface, documentation, ease of use, available features and integrations.Continue Reading

• What container management software features are important?

  Because containers are easy to spin up, the infrastructure can quickly get out of hand. A tool that simplifies container management can help, if it provides certain capabilities.Continue Reading

• Use Packer for Windows to enhance machine image automation

  Packer can curtail time sinks for administrators, especially those dealing with rapid OS releases. But the DevOps tool can require additional effort to work for Windows.Continue Reading

• Where container infrastructure and management investments yield ROI

  Containers are efficient and flexible, but these benefits can come with a hefty price tag. Ensure these elements are in the container budget to escape unexpected charges.Continue Reading

• Determine the cost of app customization in the cloud

  Cloud applications are like icebergs: There's a lot users don't see below the surface. One apparently small change could have a massive ripple effect on operations.Continue Reading

• Non-IT software vendors stir up IT tool selection process

  Many non-IT vendors now offer homegrown software -- a model that carries benefits and risks. Weigh the pros and cons around support, availability and other factors before making a decision.Continue Reading

• Major I/O virtualization vendors and technologies explained

  Technologies that virtualize I/O components offer a number of additional capabilities, such as direct memory access remapping and network queuing for each VM.Continue Reading

• GPU virtualization evolves with new chip types on the horizon

  GPU-makers Intel, AMD and Nvidia all provide virtualization support; the next step is to merge CPU and GPU functionality to handle both application and math/graphics-related tasks.Continue Reading

• Adjust IT team dynamics for a cloud-native approach

  As enterprises set their cloud-native strategy, they'll need to navigate major changes -- both from a technical standpoint and in terms of IT team structure and management style.Continue Reading

• Evaluate the Mesos architecture for massive container deployments

  In addition to supporting large-scale IT deployments, Mesos takes a unique approach to data center and cloud resource pools that can benefit both containerized and noncontainerized apps.Continue Reading