Manage

Manage

Learn to apply best practices and optimize your operations.

• Three log analytics use cases set better ops in motion

  The path to more resilient, bug-free and available IT deployments is hiding in plain sight, in log data. Parse short- and long-term data these three ways to improve operations. Continue Reading

• Climb the five steps of a continuous delivery maturity model

  The continuous delivery maturity model lays out the five increasingly intense -- and capable -- levels of the process. Know where to start and when to progress. Continue Reading

• Troubleshooting application performance: Issues and answers

  Workflow congestion, sluggish switches, pointless parameter settings -- application flaws don't come from a single source, but they're easier to solve when you know where to look first. Continue Reading

• Manage all your Hyper-V snapshots with PowerShell

  Using PowerShell commands to take and remove Hyper-V snapshots, and to restore VMs to a previous state is easy and efficient, especially when working with bulk VMs. Continue Reading

• Follow a Kubernetes and Go tutorial in your home lab

  Learn how to use the Kubernetes Go client, dep for dependency management and other capabilities for Kubernetes and Go in this home lab exercise on Minikube. Continue Reading

• Perform this Octopus Deploy tutorial in under 60 minutes

  Octopus Deploy extends a variety of agents called Tentacles that manage a wide swath of tasks. In just one hour, create an Octopus Deploy instance in a simple home lab.Continue Reading

• Configuration as code specifies and simplifies IT deployment

  Infrastructure as code means not having to worry about those tedious and complicated duties typically involved in provisioning IT services.Continue Reading

• How infrastructure as code benefits and eases provisioning

  Being able to provision services with code means a simplification to sometimes complicated processes. Plus, you won't need to worry about the platform that service will run on.Continue Reading

• Build an IT infrastructure plan from the ground up

  IT infrastructure improvements require careful planning that includes evaluating new technologies, such as converged and hyper-converged, and building for future flexibility.Continue Reading

• How the Nagios monitoring tool tracks IT environment details

  Nagios users can monitor diverse components of an IT infrastructure, across Linux and Windows OSes, networks and servers, so long as they roll up their sleeves and dig into agents and plug-ins.Continue Reading

• Consider Hyper-V live migration requirements before configuration

  An effective live migration setup is key to a complete Hyper-V configuration. Consider these expert recommendations, such as limiting concurrent live migrations, to ensure success.Continue Reading

• These Go code examples showcase its main features

  Google's golang uses many of the same functions as older code languages, such as key-value pairs and compiling, but is better fitted to modern systems development requirements.Continue Reading

• Prepare a Hyper-V configuration report with PowerShell

  Generate a report with valuable Hyper-V configuration information, such as the virtual disk path, using a PowerShell script to ensure your server settings match the design documentation.Continue Reading

• How many Hyper-V virtual processors should I configure per VM?

  There isn't a set number of virtual processors you should configure for a Hyper-V VM, but there are steps you can take to ensure your workloads receive enough processor resources.Continue Reading

• Kubernetes books put container deployments on the right track

  Whether you're tasked to set up and manage or deploy applications with Kubernetes, these books offer guidance and support. Co-author Brendan Burns shares insights from the texts.Continue Reading

• Manage Switch Embedded Teaming in Windows Server 2016 Hyper-V

  You can create and manage a Switch Embedded Team in Hyper-V using just a few PowerShell commands, but there are specific requirements and limitations you should be aware of.Continue Reading

• Use Sysprep to generalize Hyper-V VMs for rapid deployment

  Microsoft's Sysprep tool enables rapid Hyper-V VM configuration and deployment through image generalization. Use commands to speed up configuration and disaster recovery.Continue Reading

• Small-scale infrastructure testing requires transparency

  Use small-scale tests for a cheaper alternative to expensive, duplicate test environments, but be wary of limitations, such as hardware functionality and performance.Continue Reading

• Enable rapid provisioning of VMs with SCVMM SAN copy

  Achieve VM rapid provisioning with SCVMM by creating a SAN copy template from either an existing or new VM. Then select the required options when deploying the template to the host.Continue Reading

• Build a virtualized development environment with these guidelines

  Save time and stress by designing virtualized test environments that include migration preparation and sandbox testing, and that, in certain cases, mix test and production hardware.Continue Reading

• Use load tests to balance IT capacity management and QoE

  Simply throwing more resources at an application won't solve scaling issues. IT ops pros must take the time to chart the relationship between IT capacity and software performance.Continue Reading

• Container cluster management tools ease cloud operations

  Container ops is full of hurdles, even in the cloud. Managed Kubernetes services from the major providers offer a wealth of services to float a process along more easily.Continue Reading

• How do I convert VMDK to VHDX using PowerShell commands?

  Download and install Microsoft Virtual Machine Converter to gain access to several PowerShell commands that enable VMware VMDK to Hyper-V VHDX conversions.Continue Reading

• Self-service automation gives WLA maximum power

  Users don't want to wait for an admin to run a report. Admins don't want to drop their work to do it. Set parameters on self-service options and let workers help themselves.Continue Reading

• Expedite Ansible KVM provisioning with automation

  Creating KVM virtual machines with virsh and virt-install can be onerous. Use Ansible to automate deployment with templates and modules or to extend to functions like cloning.Continue Reading

• Manage KVM at scale with these best practices

  KVM management is easy when VM density is low, but managing hundreds or thousands of VMs can present a challenge. Plan ahead, configure the right drivers and optimize for scale.Continue Reading

• The ops team's role in securing IT infrastructure and apps

  Organizations prioritize security, even as they deploy workloads to the cloud and adopt new dev methods. How do these trends change the IT ops team's security responsibilities?Continue Reading

• Which IT security roles fall to the ops team?

  To help secure data and applications, an IT ops team needs to do much more than put up firewalls and apply other traditional security measures. Here's where to begin.Continue Reading

• Blue/green deployment on the cloud makes updates easier

  App deployment in the cloud operates differently than it does on physical infrastructure. The blue/green deployment model has a couple variations, each of which can save on time and errors.Continue Reading

• Data center operations best practices checklist

  Independent experts guide you to better data center operations with tips and advice on best practices and the right management tools.Continue Reading

• A proper DevOps feedback loop includes business leaders

  What the modern IT organization needs isn't DevOps -- it's BizDevOps. IT exists to serve the business, but that relationship must be fully reciprocal.Continue Reading

• Salary snapshot: What is a lead DevOps engineer paid today?

  Our monthly salary snapshot looks at lead DevOps engineer salaries, which are high and getting higher due to the worsening developer shortage. Here's how the paychecks stack up.Continue Reading

• Is IT workload management easier on software-defined infrastructure?

  Our IT organization uses deployment automation, monitoring tools and virtualized resources. What do we need to do to manage IT workloads?Continue Reading

• Who put the AI in software?

  With artificial intelligence, anything seems possible. And that leaves a whole lot of room for the imagination to wonder about how the use of AI in software tools can change how the work gets done -- and who does it.

  The anxiety is ...Continue Reading

• Master application scalability in cloud computing alongside devs

  Just because cloud scales endlessly doesn't mean every component in an application should, too. Teams throw money away and degrade app performance when ops isn't involved in design and test.Continue Reading

• Resolve issues between Python and Linux with virtualenv

  While Linux OSes favor Python 2, Python 3 is the widely preferred version. Install virtualenv to isolate Python 2 and 3 and prevent IT issues.Continue Reading

• Monitoring thresholds determine IT performance alerts

  An IT monitoring strategy depends on the applications and systems it governs. Static and dynamic thresholds each have benefits and drawbacks, but it's possible to find a balance.Continue Reading

• Enable resource metering in Hyper-V to collect usage data

  Easily monitor resource utilization for your Hyper-V VMs by first enabling the resource metering feature and then collecting data with a few PowerShell commands.Continue Reading

• Try these Salt commands to master the config management tool

  The command line is an IT administrator's best friend. Salt users should try these commands to understand how the configuration management tool works.Continue Reading

• Migrate virtual machines from development to production

  Administrators must prepare carefully before moving test or development VMs to production. Check connectivity, security, compliance and licensing before beginning a migration.Continue Reading

• Become an infrastructure developer to get code to production faster

  Wondering where to take your IT career in a future that is increasingly software-defined? Learn the role of an infrastructure developer from one expert with experience in the field.Continue Reading

• Hunt zombie VMs and control virtualization sprawl

  VM tagging is an effective tactic for discovering and eliminating zombie VMs. Cut useless VMs, redundant data and confusing configurations to enable efficient resource consumption and limit VM sprawl.Continue Reading

• IT's application support model depends on everyone outside IT

  IT wants to reduce application outages, boost performance and make users more productive. The best way to achieve these goals is to welcome outsiders onto the app support team.Continue Reading

• SaltStack Enterprise GUI features outreach Salt Open territory

  For enterprise IT shops that require a mix of reports on systems, and audit compliance, SaltStack Enterprise offers more than the pure open source version of Salt.Continue Reading

• How to list the Hyper-V virtual processors configured for VMs

  To see virtual processors configured for VMs on the local host, execute a simple PowerShell command. For vCPUs configured for VMs on remote servers, a script is needed.Continue Reading

• Build the Kubernetes home lab that's right for your job

  Kubernetes and the growing number of commercial container management tools based on it require specialized skills and experience from the application to the infrastructure.Continue Reading

• Follow this Minikube tutorial to brew up a Kubernetes home lab

  Set up a Minikube home lab, and begin exploring Kubernetes container orchestration before the coffee in your mug turns cold.Continue Reading

• Learn Kubernetes infrastructure in a personal lab

  Live servers are not the place to build up Kubernetes skills. Instead, set up a Kubernetes cluster, and start experimenting with it on a laptop in a lab.Continue Reading

• Use the Hyper-V QoS feature to manage storage IOPS

  Quality of service addresses storage IOPS limitations by enabling administrators to stipulate a minimum and maximum IOPS value for a virtual hard disk.Continue Reading

• Enable and disable vTPM on Hyper-V VMs with PowerShell cmdlets

  If you don't have Guarded Fabric or Shielded VMs, which have the Trusted Platform Module feature built-in, you need to manually enable virtual TPM for your Hyper-V VMs using PowerShell.Continue Reading

• Automated continuous deployment tools produce successful code

  Continuous deployment skips the operations oversight step in software production. So, automated tools must ensure code success in administrators' stead -- before mistakes go live.Continue Reading

• Manually initiate the Hyper-V replication failover process

  Hyper-V replication failover only requires two steps. But before you initiate failover, perform some tests to ensure the recovery point has consistent data.Continue Reading

• Three steps to plan a self-service IT portal that actually works

  There's no point to a self-service IT portal if the offerings are out of touch with how its users conduct business or the instant builds are on hold while additional capacity spins up.Continue Reading

• Plan ahead: Build a container network for scalability

  Container connectivity is no small problem for enterprises with large Docker and Kubernetes deployments. Bring in tools designed to support the workload.Continue Reading

• Six simple cloud security policies you need to know

  Data protection takes center stage in modern IT. Step through this cloud security checklist to ensure your organization is covering all its bases.Continue Reading

• Azure Container Instances provide an opt-out option for cluster ops

  Containers-as-a-service platform Azure Container Instances doesn't support clustering on its own, but features an open source connector tool for increased scalability.Continue Reading

• Add virt-manager to your set of KVM management tools

  KVM virt-manager provides a useful and simple VM management GUI. The console enables VM creation, deletion and troubleshooting. Learn the basics of its management and installation.Continue Reading

• The role of container management software in IT ops

  Containers are a useful technology, but give some thought to how you'll manage them. Here's what to know about what's available and how to find the right fit.Continue Reading

• Use an IT incident management system to enable automation

  IT admins and gurus can't tackle every issue every hour of the day -- let alone predict them first. A dynamic combination of monitoring and incident management makes for better admins.Continue Reading

• Integrate DevOps and containers with simple tool adjustments

  Organizations with an established DevOps pipeline can migrate from VMs to containers without tossing out the entire toolstack. Focus on these steps to enable containers in production.Continue Reading

• Create SCVMM user roles to define management, tighten security

  Using SCVMM user roles provides granular control in a virtual infrastructure. By defining a delegation model, admins also ensure that the infrastructure is more secure.Continue Reading

• Mount an ISO file to a virtual DVD drive with PowerShell

  It's easy to manage external media from PowerShell. It's worth noting, however, that the command syntax varies depending on whether you're referencing an IDE or SCSI drive.Continue Reading

• Impact Awards honor the best cloud and data center tools

  Each year, the Modern Infrastructure Impact Awards program salutes the data center tools and cloud management technologies that stand out from the crowd. The winners are the products that prove particularly useful and draw raves from users. These ...Continue Reading

• Terraform best practices that aid DevOps infrastructure builds

  Create the right configuration for any DevOps setup, and then, fluidly replicate and scale as necessary with infrastructure-as-code tools and strong management policies.Continue Reading

• Preserve Hyper-V security from Meltdown and Spectre vulnerabilities

  Protect Hyper-V VMs from Meltdown and Spectre security vulnerabilities, and install patches from Microsoft. Watch out for future revisions, performance impacts and recalls.Continue Reading

• Small business virtualization grows in mature market

  Virtualization isn't only for large enterprises anymore. New technology at cheaper prices has made SMB virtualization practical, while increased competition has made it necessary.Continue Reading

• Live-migrate Hyper-V VMs in and outside a failover cluster

  PowerShell commands save time and enable admins to migrate multiple VMs outside a Hyper-V failover cluster from one host to another, as well as VMs inside the cluster between nodes.Continue Reading

• Customize a Hyper-V network adapter for security, performance

  Look beyond basic network adapter settings in Hyper-V to enable features like IPsec task offloading, DHCP guard, protected networks, port mirroring and NIC teaming, among others.Continue Reading

• Forget grassroots: Why the CIO must be today's DevOps leader

  DevOps from the ground up sounds like a great idea. Too bad it won't work, at least in an enterprise. David Savage explains why the CIO must lead the DevOps journey.Continue Reading

• Network security features available in a virtual switch

  Virtual switch security is achieved through a number of features. Virtualization admins can create and enforce policies, lock down MAC addresses and block forged traffic from VMs.Continue Reading

• NIC teaming software enables load balancing and failover

  Load balancing and failover capabilities help optimize performance and achieve resiliency in your virtual infrastructure. Learn how NIC teaming provides both functionalities.Continue Reading

• Catch the IT automation technology wave

  IT automation is taking over in operations as tasks get bigger and more complex, handling distributed systems. Stay current with these five big trends.Continue Reading

• Bulk manage a Hyper-V server group with PowerShell

  With only a few steps, you can use SCVMM to bring a Hyper-V server under management. This is limited, however, so use the SCVMM Command Shell to bulk manage Hyper-V servers.Continue Reading

• Hyper-V cmdlets for daily operational tasks

  With simple scripts, enable or disable VM Integration Services and Live Migration on Hyper-V hosts, reset VM replication stats, grant or revoke VM access, and optimize VHD files.Continue Reading

• Copy files from the host to a Hyper-V machine

  There are many ways to copy files from the host to a Hyper-V machine, including Enhanced Session Mode and the Copy-VMFile PowerShell cmdlet. Follow these steps for each method.Continue Reading

• Ensure container monitoring and control via smart tooling

  Don't try to stick with traditional monitoring tools when your organization matures to containers; they won't do enough. Seek out monitoring and management tools with targeted capabilities.Continue Reading

• Use virt-install to install VMs from the command line

  Learn the basics of virt-install, including standard use cases, executing it on CentOS 7, different command-line options and the creation of kickstart files.Continue Reading

• IT ops pros predict routes to DevOps efficiency in 2018

  Operations admins have a lot on their plates already, and they'll pile on more in 2018. These IT pros and analysts share what's coming and how to handle it.Continue Reading

• Application support best practices involve all teams

  There's more to app support than making sure the bits and bytes are in order; the user's experience is vital to uphold. Creating a smooth process takes more than just operations.Continue Reading

• Error budget instills reckless IT project management mindset

  Just how many errors is the IT operations team allowed to make? Trendy organizations are answering this question with a budget, but it possesses some admins to push the envelope.Continue Reading

• Unleash application dependency mapping tools to combat outages

  Create a detailed map of application dependencies from the CMDB and cloud resources and help prevent unexpected outages.Continue Reading

• Be wary of DevOps evangelists preaching a culture change

  There are many reasons to adopt DevOps, and there are many challenges involved in getting it right. But don't buy into the culture myth that many DevOps evangelists are selling.Continue Reading

• PowerShell commands for Hyper-V update bulk VM configuration

  Admins who don't have access to SCVMM can make configuration changes to multiple Hyper-V VMs at once with a few PowerShell scripts and the ForEach loop approach.Continue Reading

• Use virsh commands to manage KVM networking

  Virsh commands enable you to manage network properties and can be used alongside brctl commands to help you create additional virtual bridges in your KVM environment.Continue Reading

• With continuous security, SecDevOps deconstructs CI/CD

  Nothing is set in stone when an organization follows a DevOps methodology -- a DevOps security model pushes developers and ops to constantly retune, slow down and speed up.Continue Reading

• What you'll build with software-defined architecture

  It's been two years since Gartner declared that the future of the data center was software-defined. And while we're still a ways from that reality, there's plenty of reason to think IT is indeed moving toward the software-defined architecture.

  ...Continue Reading

• IT capacity planning takes new shape in the cloud

  Migrating applications off premises to the cloud requires a new capacity planning approach: Develop a detailed cloud strategy, and carefully track upgrade schedules.Continue Reading

• A Red Hat Satellite tutorial to install an update server

  With Red Hat Satellite, IT ops can deploy an update server to simplify patching. Follow this step-by-step tutorial to install the server, attach subscriptions and devise a sync plan.Continue Reading

• Use Azure availability sets for patching to achieve the best uptime

  Ops' responsibility doesn't end once in a public cloud; in fact, it can get more confounding. Learn the best route to update Azure cloud instances and what mistakes to avoid.Continue Reading

• Standardize configuration management software for smoother DevOps

  If your organization uses different configuration management software for development and operations, you're not alone. Even better, it's no engineering feat to migrate to one main tool.Continue Reading

• PowerShell scripts enable automated cloud deployments

  This step-by-step tutorial walks through the process to automate an Azure deployment; start with launching the virtual server, and finish with the deletion process.Continue Reading

• Build a DevOps version control process for IT infrastructure

  Infrastructure admins can turn to the DevOps version control process for all IaC updates. Learn the basics, then follow along with an example in Git.Continue Reading

• Ansible variables give structure to playbook execution

  Ansible playbooks tell the IT automation system how to complete a task. Use variables in a playbook to tell Ansible how to interact with the available resources.Continue Reading

• A deployment pipeline keeps infrastructure ducks in their rows

  IT infrastructure is difficult to get right. Whether to stand up a test/dev server or deploy a new app to production, infrastructure developers turn to a deployment pipeline to build IT.Continue Reading

• Chef Habitat offers a different take on configuration management

  Chef Habitat's strategy focuses on the dynamic application environment instead of static servers, approaching configuration management with a new focus.Continue Reading

• Should you run MySQL on VMs or physical machines?

  Take stock of your current environment, including instance types, orchestration systems and storage devices, before deciding whether to deploy MySQL to VMs or physical machines.Continue Reading

• Configure NIC teaming with different modes in Hyper-V

  The switch independent mode uses different switches and can support both active/active and active/standby operation, while the dependent mode only uses one switch.Continue Reading

• Step up from ops on your IT career path

  IT operations professionals with accumulated skills in application management, cloud migration or security enforcement could make a forward move to one of these specialist roles.Continue Reading

• Server OS patching doesn't have to be as painful as you fear

  OS patching is like a mechanic's job -- you need different tools for different makes and models. SCCM, Satellite and Landscape provide upkeep for IT's sports cars and SUVs.Continue Reading

• Three DevOps toolchain options refine IT automation

  DevOps tools that don't interconnect form a bottleneck that teams can easily avoid -- or retroactively remedy -- if the CI/CD workflow merits the time commitment.Continue Reading