Configuration Management and DevOps
The configuration management resource center provides IT professionals with information about how configuration management tools work, how to deploy them for more IT automation, and how to assess IT infrastructure needs and changes in a rapidly moving DevOps environment.
Top Stories
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Tip
12 Jan 2023
Testing infrastructure as code: A complete guide
IaC, when implemented correctly, can benefit enterprises' CD pipelines. But, when the code isn't tested before deployment, things can go awry. Follow these strategies for success. Continue Reading
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Tip
03 Mar 2022
Business benefits of an Agile networking approach
Enterprises that embed an Agile approach in their networking strategies could see benefits like better network performance, enhanced data security and faster rollouts of network services. Continue Reading
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Feature
01 Feb 2023
Kepler project aims to help curb Kubernetes energy waste
Running Kubernetes clusters can lead to high costs and energy use. The researchers behind the Kepler project hope the tool will help IT pros track and curb cluster energy waste. Continue Reading
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Opinion
30 Jan 2023
3 key steps when creating a DevOps implementation plan
Shifting to the DevOps model can be complicated and challenging. Set your team up for success by learning which areas to prioritize at the early stages of DevOps adoption. Continue Reading
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Opinion
27 Jan 2023
Where IT operations management is headed in 2023
Between an economic downturn and increasing technical complexity, IT ops management faces a challenging year. An expert analyst shares his predictions for areas of focus in 2023. Continue Reading
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News
26 Jan 2023
Lens Kubernetes developer portal expands with Shipa buy
The early stage startup, co-founded by Juniper and CloudBees vets, adds a "stupid easy" option for application auto-discovery and ongoing management, according to Mirantis. Continue Reading
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News
25 Jan 2023
OpenSSF GM talks funding, legal software supply chain issues
The OpenSSF leader lays out plans fund open source software supply chain security in a slowing economy and to speak out against the EU's Cyber Resilience Act. Continue Reading
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Tip
25 Jan 2023
Reduce Kubernetes spend with these 10 Kubecost alternatives
IT teams have several options other than Kubecost to monitor Kubernetes spending, from dedicated Kubernetes-specific tools to full-fledged cloud management platforms. Continue Reading
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News
24 Jan 2023
IT budgets under pressure spur tool consolidation
As the tech industry suffers layoffs and slowing growth, IT organizations such as Boeing are handing some of their IT vendors pink slips of their own. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
23 Jan 2023
Try out PowerShell grep equivalents with these examples
Though less well known than grep, PowerShell cmdlets such as Select-String have extensive search capabilities in their own right. Explore use cases for both in this tutorial. Continue Reading
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Feature
20 Jan 2023
The evolution of containers: Docker, Kubernetes and the future
Container technology is almost as old as VMs, although IT wasn't talking about the topic until Docker, Kubernetes and other tech made waves that caused a frenzy of activity. Continue Reading
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Opinion
19 Jan 2023
Will developers become archaic? Analyst predictions for 2023
Organizations must continue innovating and optimizing to keep up -- but these advances could set developers up for extinction. Explore an industry analyst's predictions for 2023. Continue Reading
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News
19 Jan 2023
Data pipelines feed IT’s observability beast
Amid data growth, cloud complexity and demand for advanced automation, the data pipelines developed to satisfy the appetites of AI apps also serve observability tools. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
18 Jan 2023
Map physical GPUs to VMs with this GPU passthrough guide
Learn how to set up GPU passthrough -- a useful technique to support graphically intensive apps and machine learning models -- with a step-by-step tutorial for VMware environments. Continue Reading
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News
17 Jan 2023
CircleCI incident adds to SecOps toil
SaaS CI/CD vendor CircleCI urged customers to rotate all secrets data, the latest of several security breaches weighing on SecOps pros charged with responding. Continue Reading
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News
12 Jan 2023
Startup's eBPF APM tools turn up heat on Datadog
Lemonade plans to put tools from eBPF startup Groundcover in production this year in a bid to reduce instrumentation work and other overhead for its small DevOps team. Continue Reading
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Tip
12 Jan 2023
8 tips for building a multi-cloud DevOps strategy
DevOps practices and tools have many benefits for application development, deployment and monitoring in complex IT environments that span multiple clouds. Continue Reading
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Tip
12 Jan 2023
Testing infrastructure as code: A complete guide
IaC, when implemented correctly, can benefit enterprises' CD pipelines. But, when the code isn't tested before deployment, things can go awry. Follow these strategies for success. Continue Reading
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Tip
11 Jan 2023
Demystify the DevOps process, step by step
While varying definitions and vendor marketing spins can make the meaning of DevOps tough to nail down, there are concrete principles and processes that underpin the methodology. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
04 Jan 2023
How to deploy Kubernetes on VMware with vSphere Tanzu
Instead of working with Kubernetes with your regular platform, it might be time to give VMware vSphere with Tanzu a try. Follow this tutorial to get started. Continue Reading
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Tip
03 Jan 2023
5 tips for creating an IT ops application migration plan
Migrating applications can be complex, especially for IT teams dealing with sprawling legacy systems, but devoting time to planning and testing can avoid hassles down the road. Continue Reading
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Feature
29 Dec 2022
What's next: Predictions, challenges and IT trends for 2023
As organizations look to address ongoing ops skills shortages and increasing complexity in their IT environments, they'll invest in cybersecurity, AI and automation. Continue Reading
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Tip
27 Dec 2022
Compare Go vs. Python: What are the differences?
Golang and Python are both versatile, popular languages, but they have some important differences that developers should take into account when planning software projects. Continue Reading
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News
21 Dec 2022
Dish Media swaps observability sprawl for Elastic Stack SaaS
With fewer tools and data repositories to wrangle and Elastic cluster management outsourced to SaaS, Dish Media's ops teams reduced toil and achieved proactive incident response. Continue Reading
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Tip
21 Dec 2022
Rightsize cluster workloads with Kubernetes capacity planning
Rightsizing Kubernetes workloads requires maintenance to be effective, so set up a Kubernetes capacity plan to prepare and monitor the process. Follow these tips to get started. Continue Reading
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Tip
21 Dec 2022
Top observability tools for 2023
Observability tools can give developers and IT administrators better insight on applications to improve delivery, performance and customer experience -- and avoid potential issues. Continue Reading
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Feature
20 Dec 2022
Review the top IT operations news stories of 2022
2022 was full of industry updates, company shake-ups and emerging technologies. Review the highlights of this year's IT ops news to prepare for what's next in 2023. Continue Reading
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Tip
14 Dec 2022
Carefully weigh these DevOps pros and cons
DevOps can help organizations gain a competitive edge through fast and iterative software development cycles. Still, there are tradeoffs to consider. Continue Reading
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News
13 Dec 2022
Geek gifts 2022: Business travel essentials and music-making
For better or for worse, the world re-opened this year, renewing geeks' need for business travel accessories, while others sought to explore their musical creativity. Continue Reading
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Tip
13 Dec 2022
When not to use Docker and how to choose an alternative
Docker might be the default for container orchestration, but what if it doesn't meet your needs? Explore why Docker might not be the right fit and what might be. Continue Reading
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Tip
13 Dec 2022
What makes a good IT operations manager?
Making the jump to management can be challenging for IT ops professionals; leadership positions often require a different skill set than technical roles. Continue Reading
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News
08 Dec 2022
GitOps hits stride as CNCF graduates Flux CD and Argo CD
Flux and Argo CD earned graduated status within CNCF after a year in which platform engineering adoption and DevOps advances put both in the enterprise spotlight. Continue Reading
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Tip
06 Dec 2022
Manage application storage with Kubernetes and CSI drivers
Container Storage Interface drivers offer IT ops teams increased autonomy and flexibility in deploying and managing persistent storage on Kubernetes clusters. Continue Reading
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Tip
29 Nov 2022
5 tips for reaching full-stack observability
Achieving full-stack observability remains fraught with challenges, but it's a necessary move for enterprises running complex multi-cloud and hybrid environments. Continue Reading
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Tip
28 Nov 2022
How to make and use maps in Golang
Maps are a popular data structure in many programming contexts thanks to their efficiency and speed. But, in Go, some unique features make maps especially useful. Continue Reading
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Tip
23 Nov 2022
Use the CALMS framework for a smooth DevOps transition
Adopting DevOps can be challenging, especially when communicating across IT and business teams. The five elements of the CALMS framework can help organizations measure progress. Continue Reading
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Tip
22 Nov 2022
Explore network plugins for Kubernetes: CNI explained
With Container Network Interface plugins, IT teams can create and deploy network options for diverse Kubernetes environments. Learn how CNI works and compare top network plugins. Continue Reading
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Tip
21 Nov 2022
How does Kubernetes use etcd?
Etcd is a lightweight, highly available key-value store accessible to each node in a Kubernetes cluster. Find out how etcd works and learn how to use it inside Kubernetes. Continue Reading
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News
18 Nov 2022
Knowledge graphs and GraphQL: What DevOps pros need to know
New approaches to data management and business analytics have found their way into IT automation and observability tools -- now what? Continue Reading
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News
17 Nov 2022
Server-side WebAssembly prepares for takeoff in 2023
Server-side WebAssembly is still a work in progress, but engineers at Adobe and BMW say it shows promise for fast, flexible app management among cloud and edge environments. Continue Reading
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Tip
16 Nov 2022
Compare Kubernetes StatefulSet vs. deployment vs. DaemonSet
Kubernetes has several ways to deploy applications, including deployments, DaemonSets and StatefulSets. But each resource type has unique benefits, drawbacks and use cases. Continue Reading
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Tip
14 Nov 2022
Dissect open source ransomware code to understand an attack
To protect your organization from ransomware, it's helpful to know what goes on behind the scenes. Unpack this ransomware code example to understand and defend against attacks. Continue Reading
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Tip
10 Nov 2022
Make a business case for VMware training
You can outsource infrastructure management to a third party or you can get IT admins the VMware training they need to install, manage and troubleshoot your environment. Continue Reading
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Opinion
10 Nov 2022
3 actions to optimize infrastructure as code initiatives
Learn how to get the most out of IaC and read analyst insights from HashiConf 2022, including Terraform updates and predictions about what's next for observability. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
10 Nov 2022
Manage VMs with Azure Automation State Configuration
Admins can use the Azure Automation State Configuration tool to manage VMs in Azure, on premises and in other clouds. Follow this step-by-step tutorial to get started. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
07 Nov 2022
Manage Kubernetes clusters with PowerShell and kubectl
Learn how to use the Kubernetes tool kubectl in PowerShell, including setting up aliasing and tab-completion, parsing JSON output and searching logs with the Select-String cmdlet. Continue Reading
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Opinion
07 Nov 2022
Looking back on KubeCon + CloudNativeCon 2022
With this year's KubeCon + CloudNativeCon North America over, review vendor updates on topics ranging from cloud-native adoption to AIOps approaches and ease-of-use offerings. Continue Reading
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News
03 Nov 2022
New ServiceNow apps automate organizational productivity
ServiceNow rolled out applications for the Now Platform that assists IT shops with organizational productivity planning and building flexible hybrid work environments. Continue Reading
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News
02 Nov 2022
Fresh crop of IT automation tools targets platform engineers
As enterprise IT shifts from full-stack DevOps to platform engineering, IT automation tools reinvented for the Kubernetes era can reduce toil for operators. Continue Reading
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News
01 Nov 2022
Security AI shifts left into DevSecOps
DevSecOps vendors such as GitLab and Palo Alto's Prisma Cloud embrace security AI throughout the software development lifecycle, as IT trust in AI grows. Continue Reading
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Opinion
01 Nov 2022
AnsibleFest 2022: Automation across distributed environments
IT environments are more distributed than ever, making infrastructure management increasingly challenging. Ansible's automation capabilities can help IT ops handle the complexity. Continue Reading
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Tip
31 Oct 2022
Why and how to use container malware scanning software
Malware is on the rise, and containers are potential attack vectors. Learn why it's crucial to check containers for vulnerabilities and compare container malware scanning tools. Continue Reading
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News
28 Oct 2022
Sidecarless service mesh: Fad or the future?
Istio's experimental Ambient Mesh is gathering buzz with the promise of simpler operations, but Linkerd loyalists contend that the sidecar itself isn't the real problem. Continue Reading
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News
27 Oct 2022
Platform engineers plug abstraction leaks
Platform engineers presented at KubeCon about how new tools have helped them better hide infrastructure complexity from developers. But a paradox of choice remains. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Oct 2022
Configure Azure Load Balancer for session persistence
Session persistence ensures users connect to the same server for the duration of their session. Find out how and why to set up session persistence in Azure Load Balancer. Continue Reading
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News
25 Oct 2022
OpenShift roadmap preps for Kubernetes multi-cluster sprawl
OpenShift now supports Kubernetes deployments from data centers to edge devices, which calls for fresh ways to scale out multi-cluster control planes. Continue Reading
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Tip
24 Oct 2022
What Golang generics support means for code structure
Generics are a relatively recent addition to the strongly and statically typed Go language. Learn the benefits of using generics in Golang and how to get started. Continue Reading
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News
20 Oct 2022
Observability tools add FinOps amid macroeconomic worries
FinOps features added to observability tools from Datadog and Sysdig this week reflect concerns about cloud cost management amid gloomy economic forecasts. Continue Reading
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Tip
20 Oct 2022
Learn how to bootstrap Kubernetes clusters with kubeadm
In this guide, learn to create, configure and run a Kubernetes cluster from scratch with kubeadm, a command-line tool that simplifies and automates cluster setup and management. Continue Reading
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Opinion
18 Oct 2022
Streamline Kubernetes deployments by using a service mesh
Implementing a service mesh could be well worth the time and effort for organizations looking for ways to manage their Kubernetes and cloud-native application deployments. Continue Reading
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News
18 Oct 2022
Enterprises learn the downsides of DevSecOps metrics
DevSecOps metrics can be helpful, but they can also steer developer and security collaboration in an unproductive direction if they are over-emphasized, practitioners said. Continue Reading
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Tip
17 Oct 2022
What is a Raspberry Pi used for?
IT infrastructure can get expensive fast, making single-board computers like the Raspberry Pi appealing for small projects. Learn what a Raspberry Pi does and explore IT use cases. Continue Reading
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Tip
14 Oct 2022
What DevOps teams need to know about API management
Managing today's sprawling API ecosystems is increasingly daunting for DevOps teams. Learn what to look for when choosing a tool to reduce the complexity of API management. Continue Reading
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Tip
12 Oct 2022
Combat ransomware with continuous backup software, strategy
No IT organization is safe from a ransomware attack, making backup maintenance critical. Learn the pros and cons of continuous backups in terms of costs, storage and recovery time. Continue Reading
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Tip
12 Oct 2022
How to integrate and monitor Kubernetes with New Relic
New Relic might be best known as a DevOps monitoring tool, but it can also help improve observability into your Kubernetes clusters. Follow this tutorial to get started. Continue Reading
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Tip
11 Oct 2022
What IT pros need to know about low-code limitations
Low-code environments promise to simplify and speed up software development, but their limitations can create challenges for enterprise IT. Compare models for low-code adoption. Continue Reading
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Tip
07 Oct 2022
Compare container orchestrators Apache Mesos vs. Kubernetes
Exploring options for container orchestration? Kubernetes' popularity doesn't mean it's always the best choice. Discover the tradeoffs and use cases of Mesos vs. Kubernetes. Continue Reading
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News
06 Oct 2022
HashiCorp Waypoint public beta adds fresh take on PaaS
The sales pitch for HashiCorp Waypoint sounds a lot like traditional PaaS, but its technical approach may be uniquely well-suited to the recent rise of DevOps platform engineering. Continue Reading
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Feature
06 Oct 2022
What we can learn from the top DevOps articles of 2022
From runbooks to open source tools and self-service portals, 2022 was a big year for DevOps. IT teams preparing for 2023 should brush up on their understanding of DevOps. Continue Reading
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News
06 Oct 2022
ServiceNow buys Era Software to unify observability strategy
ServiceNow's acquisition of Era Software looks to strengthen the company's position in the observability market and make digital transformation projects easier to implement. Continue Reading
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News
06 Oct 2022
Splunk suit claims Cribl built on stolen log management IP
Former Splunk employees and industry watchers reacted to a lawsuit filed by Splunk this week alleging that Cribl's business is based on stolen log management code. Continue Reading
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News
06 Oct 2022
Terraform Cloud continuous validation inches toward GitOps
Terraform is already part of the GitOps workflow for some enterprises, but a new continuous validation feature could increase its overlap with tools such as Argo CD and Flux. Continue Reading
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Tip
05 Oct 2022
How to manage stateful containers with Kubernetes
Organizations can reap the benefits of containers for stateful applications by using Kubernetes to maintain state in application processes and components. Continue Reading
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News
05 Oct 2022
HashiCorp cloud security evolves via Boundary, Consul, Vault
With the debut of Boundary on HashiCorp Cloud Platform, along with updates for Vault and Consul, the vendor lays the foundation for a long-term product strategy. Continue Reading
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Conference Coverage
05 Oct 2022
KubeCon + CloudNativeCon 2022 news coverage
Trying to keep up with the latest news out of KubeCon + CloudNativeCon? Use this comprehensive guide to stay updated and informed on both the North American and European events. Continue Reading
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Tip
04 Oct 2022
How to stop ransomware: 4 steps to ransomware containment
Even with the best security efforts, ransomware sometimes breaches organizations' defenses -- but IT teams can prevent a ransomware attack from escalating with these four steps. Continue Reading
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News
04 Oct 2022
Dynatrace overhauls AIOps back end, beefs up log analytics
The AIOps vendor unveiled a new approach to data management that has enterprise customers such as BT hopeful it could eliminate the need for separate log analytics products. Continue Reading
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News
29 Sep 2022
Cloud Custodian spans FinOps, SecOps cloud policies
Users such as Avalara and HBO Max use Cloud Custodian to manage cloud cost and security policies, as the project's founders prepare Kubernetes support to rival OPA and Kyverno. Continue Reading
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Tip
29 Sep 2022
Open core vs. open source: What's the difference?
Open core software has gained attention as an alternative to open source and proprietary models. Learn how open core differs from open source and the two approaches' pros and cons. Continue Reading
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News
28 Sep 2022
CloudBees ReleaseIQ buy renews CI/CD pipeline, SaaS support
The newly acquired startup adds SaaS-based low-code views into multiple tools and doesn't require upfront integration work, as CloudBees regroups after recent upheavals. Continue Reading
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Tip
28 Sep 2022
Creating an effective change management process for IT ops
Handling changes is challenging in complex virtualized environments with extensive automation and dependencies. Learn what IT teams need to know for effective change management. Continue Reading
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Feature
26 Sep 2022
Explore the pros and cons of Go for DevOps
Author and Docker engineer Teiva Harsanyi explains the benefits of Golang -- including why he sees it as the future of back-end development -- and how to avoid common pitfalls. Continue Reading
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Answer
23 Sep 2022
How do I maintain an Azure VM static IP during a reboot?
Microsoft Azure users can assign static IP addresses to VMs, but doing so has notable downsides as well as benefits. Learn how and why to assign static IPs to Azure VMs. Continue Reading
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News
22 Sep 2022
IT pros pan government software supply chain security advice
As the prospect of federally mandated SBOM drives up usage of the software supply chain security tech, the government's documentation so far adds to risky confusion, experts say. Continue Reading
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News
20 Sep 2022
Aqua adds software supply chain security to DevSecOps mix
A new software supply chain security module for Aqua's platform correlates runtime security monitoring with pre-deployment scans as IT pros look to merge disparate tools. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
20 Sep 2022
Learn to manage Kubernetes costs with this Kubecost tutorial
Managing Kubernetes environments can be complex -- and expensive. Find out how to get started with Kubecost, a tool to monitor costs and capacity in Kubernetes clusters. Continue Reading
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News
19 Sep 2022
Dell Apex joins with OpenShift, deepens VMware uncertainty
Dell jumps on the Red Hat OpenShift bandwagon with its Apex container management products, intensifying uncertainty about the future of VMware Tanzu under Broadcom. Continue Reading
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Tip
19 Sep 2022
How to use Kubernetes' self-healing capability
Self-healing is a quality that enables software to autonomously resolve issues based on a desired state. Kubernetes' self-healing is built in, but it demands observation. Continue Reading
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Tip
16 Sep 2022
How to bolster vulnerability management with DevSecOps
DevSecOps pushes security work into every stage of the software delivery lifecycle. Vulnerability management is a critical element to this security posture. Continue Reading
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Guest Post
14 Sep 2022
Kubernetes clusters multiply like Tribbles -- but why?
Like the U.S.S. Enterprise faced a rapidly compounding Tribble problem, Kubernetes admins find themselves in a similar situation with clusters. What do you do now? Continue Reading
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Feature
14 Sep 2022
5 distributed tracing tools to ease application monitoring
DevOps and IT teams can use distributed tracing to monitor microservices and ensure applications run smoothly. Explore five tools to help pinpoint any system issues. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
12 Sep 2022
How to set up external authentication in Rancher with GitHub
Local authentication is the default, but configuring Rancher to use external authentication services makes it easier to manage large, complex Kubernetes environments. Continue Reading
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Tip
09 Sep 2022
Help desk documentation: Best practices for DevOps teams
Creating accurate, up-to-date documentation for help desks is critical to software development and adoption -- but it also poses challenges for DevOps organizations. Continue Reading
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Tip
08 Sep 2022
Build AI into the DevOps maturity model for smooth sailing
AI has promising applications in DevOps, but organizations must account for the maturity of their teams, processes and tools to ensure the success of their AI initiatives. Continue Reading
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Opinion
07 Sep 2022
How automating distributed cloud infrastructure changes IT
As IT environments become increasingly distributed and complex, organizations are exploring how automation can address their evolving IT operations and infrastructure needs. Continue Reading
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Opinion
06 Sep 2022
What to consider in scaling automation for distributed cloud
Infrastructure automation accelerates IT ops, fosters innovation and creates competitive advantage -- but executive support is essential, especially in complex cloud environments. Continue Reading
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Tip
06 Sep 2022
Prepare for ransomware attacks on critical infrastructure
Prevention and protection are often the focus of ransomware discussions, but IT teams must understand ransomware's effects on operations and how to react in an attack scenario. Continue Reading
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Tip
01 Sep 2022
What is K3OS and how does it relate to K3s?
Discover the potential benefits of adopting K3OS, a lightweight Linux distribution developed to run Kubernetes workloads in low-resource environments. Continue Reading
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News
31 Aug 2022
VMware Tanzu sets up edge computing showdown with OpenShift
Enterprise edge computing is still at a nascent stage, but a battle is brewing between Kubernetes platforms such as VMware Tanzu and OpenShift to support the emerging trend. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
30 Aug 2022
How and why PowerShell Linux commands differ from Windows
PowerShell is a popular tool for IT professionals and a broad range of tasks. But PowerShell on Linux is not quite the same as on Windows. Let's explore the differences. Continue Reading
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News
30 Aug 2022
VMware Tanzu teases vSphere, PaaS tie-ins -- but doubts linger
VMware said enhanced Kubernetes integrations for vSphere and Cloud Foundry, some in the works for years, will ship soon, but the pending Broadcom deal gives some observers pause. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Aug 2022
What IT admins should consider when licensing a VM
Licensing for virtual machines can be particularly tricky to navigate for IT admins, who must ensure proper licensing for hosts -- as well as software running inside VMs. Continue Reading