Containers and virtualization
Containerization software is taking over across the IT industry as the new favored IT infrastructure, as it enables high-speed and high-efficiency platform and software performance. Learn about the technology, its leading tools and how to use it from experts.
Top Stories
-
Tip
04 Dec 2023
An IT ops guide to Kubernetes Job vs. CronJob
Jobs and CronJobs both execute tasks in Kubernetes. Their key difference comes down to frequency, and matching a task with the wrong Job type can lead to unsuccessful execution. Continue Reading
-
Answer
01 Dec 2023
11 real benefits of microservices
There's a reason why so many vendors have moved from monoliths to microservices. Here are 11 real benefits microservices bring to companies. Continue Reading
-
News
06 May 2021
Prometheus Q&A: How the Kubernetes monitoring tool is evolving
Prometheus has a reputation for being hard to work with. Richard Hartmann, a member of the Prometheus team and community director at Grafana Labs, talks about how that might be changing. Continue Reading
-
Feature
29 Apr 2021
IDC analyst: Serverless tech will change the future of IT ops
IDC's Mary Johnston Turner discusses how the development and increasing maturity of serverless technology and AI will upend how IT operates. Continue Reading
-
News
29 Apr 2021
Red Hat refocuses on IT operations as cloud use expands
Red Hat renews its focus on IT operations, which have become both more complex and more crucial amid the rise of DevOps and cloud-native applications. Continue Reading
-
News
27 Apr 2021
Red Hat OpenShift lays foundation for hybrid cloud services
Amid a post-pandemic cloud shift, Red Hat looks to meet customer needs and beat out competitors with new OpenShift-based managed services for distributed applications. Continue Reading
-
Tutorial
20 Apr 2021
Be selective with Kubernetes RBAC permissions
Kubernetes RBAC has some vital best practices that save IT teams frustration and consternation. This brief tutorial takes you through new role creation to permissions management. Continue Reading
-
Tutorial
09 Apr 2021
Kubernetes basics: A step-by-step implementation tutorial
This Kubernetes implementation example demonstrates how to create a single-node cluster on Windows 10 to get a containerized application up and running. Continue Reading
-
Tutorial
06 Apr 2021
Try out this GitOps tutorial with Flux and Kubernetes
Learn how to implement GitOps with Kubernetes workloads. See the benefits of this approach and follow this Flux tutorial to get started. Continue Reading
-
News
30 Mar 2021
Sysdig adds cloud security to container observability mix
Some IT experts believe Sysdig could appeal to enterprises by combining cloud and application security data in one interface, within a broader DevOps observability tool set. Continue Reading
-
News
24 Mar 2021
Cisco Intersight folds in Terraform Cloud amid SaaS revamp
Cisco has expanded its partnership with HashiCorp and readied a SaaS-managed Kubernetes service as it vies for a share of the software-centric market for cloud-native apps. Continue Reading
-
Tip
22 Mar 2021
Manage a multi-cluster Kubernetes deployment effectively
To reap the benefits of a multi-cluster Kubernetes deployment, IT admins need to understand its intricate levels of management and if their deployments warrant the strategy. Continue Reading
-
News
10 Mar 2021
Kong service mesh paid version eases policy management pain
IT pros could cobble together an open source service mesh with Open Policy Agent on their own, but Kong Mesh will let them skip that struggle for a price. Continue Reading
-
News
09 Mar 2021
Nvidia launches integrated AI platform for VMware vSphere 7
Making good on their promise last fall, Nvidia and VMware have delivered a platform allowing vSphere 7 users to run the next generation of AI-based applications. Continue Reading
-
Feature
08 Mar 2021
Top 10 disadvantages of server virtualization
Server virtualization is lauded for its flexibility, improved productivity and more efficient resource provisioning, but the technology is not without its drawbacks. Continue Reading
-
Tip
05 Mar 2021
Prepare for successful container adoption with these tips
Enterprises all over the world are making containerized applications a central focus. Learn why your IT organization should be next, and how to prepare. Continue Reading
-
Answer
04 Mar 2021
Containers vs. VMs: What are the key differences?
Containers have rapidly come into focus as a popular option for deploying applications, but they have limitations and are fundamentally different than VMs. Continue Reading
-
Tip
02 Mar 2021
Learn the differences between VM snapshot vs. backup
When admins build their VM management and DR strategy, they must understand the differences between backups and snapshots to ensure they don't lose valuable VM data. Continue Reading
-
Tip
26 Feb 2021
10 benefits of server virtualization for businesses
Server virtualization has come a long way since the early 2000s. It's not only good for large enterprise data centers; smaller IT shops can also realize its many benefits. Continue Reading
-
News
25 Feb 2021
After Istio architecture upheaval, leaders pledge stability
The Istio service mesh went through major disruptions in 2020, from technical redesign to governance shifts. Now, project leaders vow to tackle lingering IT ops issues. Continue Reading
-
Tip
25 Feb 2021
Virtual servers vs. physical servers: What are the differences?
Virtualization has cemented itself in the enterprise data center, but that doesn't mean physical servers are obsolete. They each have their benefits and uses. Continue Reading
-
Feature
24 Feb 2021
How to find the best server virtualization management software
Choosing the right server virtualization management software is critical to meeting your organization's current and future needs. Continue Reading
-
Tip
17 Feb 2021
5 types of server virtualization explained
Hypervisor-based might be the most common form of server virtualization in organizations, but there are other options to consider, including hardware-assisted and OS-level. Continue Reading
-
Tip
16 Feb 2021
Docker security checklists mitigate container cyberthreats
To improve container security, admins can use a Docker security checklist and combat common vulnerabilities, such as gain privileges and corrupt Docker images. Continue Reading
-
News
29 Jan 2021
NIST drafts service mesh guidance for DevSecOps
A new NIST special publication shows how a service mesh can enhance access control for DevSecOps shops, but the network architecture hasn't gained widespread deployment. Continue Reading
-
Answer
29 Jan 2021
Kubernetes deployments vs. pods: What's the difference?
Pods and deployments are both important to using Kubernetes in production, but they're not the same. Learn the role each one plays in building and managing containerized applications. Continue Reading
-
News
27 Jan 2021
Rancher Longhorn hones Kubernetes storage for edge computing
Kubernetes storage products such as Rancher Longhorn target edge computing environments, as adoption of the trend creates a fresh opportunity for container infrastructure. Continue Reading
-
News
25 Jan 2021
Enterprises gear up for surge in cloud security M&A
Users look forward to benefits and brace for potential risks as experts say Red Hat's acquisition of StackRox portends major consolidation in cloud security this year. Continue Reading
-
Tip
13 Jan 2021
Manage cluster resources with Kubernetes requests and limits
Proper Kubernetes cluster management starts at the pod level. Learn about Kubernetes limits and requests, and how Resource Quotas and Limit Ranges work to control resource consumption. Continue Reading
-
Tip
13 Jan 2021
What's the difference between Type 1 vs. Type 2 hypervisor?
Choosing between the two hypervisor types largely depends on whether IT administrators oversee an enterprise data center or client-facing, end-user systems. Continue Reading
-
News
07 Jan 2021
Red Hat buys Kubernetes security player StackRox
Red Hat will donate StackRox Kubernetes security software to open source and build it into its OpenShift platform, while preserving support for cloud Kubernetes platforms. Continue Reading
-
Tip
22 Dec 2020
Understand the differences between VPS vs. VPC
Both a VPS and a VPC distributes resources and hosts applications, but a VPS is, essentially, a VM used as a server, whereas a VPC is a full private cloud environment. Continue Reading
-
News
21 Dec 2020
Enterprises reckon with Kubernetes cluster scale
Kubernetes has landed in enterprise production -- the next task is for it to expand to accommodate very large clusters, as well as many small clusters for multi-cloud and edge computing. Continue Reading
-
Tip
18 Dec 2020
4 Docker security best practices to minimize container risks
Without the right tools and processes in place, Docker security can feel like a moving target. Use these four practices -- related to container images, hosts and more -- to keep deployments safe. Continue Reading
-
Tip
16 Dec 2020
Run Kubernetes at the edge with these K8s distributions
The idea of edge computing is not as far off as it once was. Evaluate several ways to bring Kubernetes to the edge, and when an organization should use each approach. Continue Reading
-
Tip
15 Dec 2020
Network consolidation and virtualization solve management issues
Consolidating networks can help organizations reduce costs and improve data center efficiency -- as long as they focus on security. Continue Reading
-
News
10 Dec 2020
Kubernetes security project faces reckoning over beta status
Kubernetes Pod Security Policies could be marked for deprecation as soon as the next Kubernetes release, in the wake of new limits on the beta phase for components of the platform. Continue Reading
-
Feature
10 Dec 2020
Containers bring cloud-agnostic workloads closer to reality
Cloud-agnostic workloads have been a largely elusive goal in enterprise IT. But has containerization -- and, particularly, Kubernetes -- made agnosticism feasible? Continue Reading
-
News
08 Dec 2020
Linkerd service mesh's steady updates outlast Istio's flash
As service mesh adoption goes mainstream, early adopters of Linkerd say it allowed them to start small and grow in scale and sophistication as needed. Continue Reading
-
Video
08 Dec 2020
Check out this Docker Compose tutorial for beginners
IT admins tasked with running multi-container applications can use this Docker Compose tutorial -- which also features Redis -- to get started. Continue Reading
-
Tutorial
04 Dec 2020
2 ways to craft a server consolidation project plan
Server consolidation enables admins to boost server utilization and decrease power consumption, which can also reduce costs and improve performance. Continue Reading
-
News
02 Dec 2020
SUSE fuels Rancher's mission to ease Kubernetes deployment
'It's still way too hard for people to consume Kubernetes.' How Rancher co-founder Sheng Liang, now a SUSE exec, plans to take on that problem, along with Red Hat and VMware. Continue Reading
-
News
01 Dec 2020
Amazon EKS, ECS Anywhere broaden hybrid container management
Amazon EKS users with hybrid cloud infrastructure may see cost savings from a new AWS Kubernetes distro and forthcoming software-only on-premises container services. Continue Reading
-
Answer
01 Dec 2020
What are the differences between OpenShift and Kubernetes?
Red Hat OpenShift and Kubernetes share a lot of similarities -- including the same underlying container orchestration technology. So how are they different, exactly? Continue Reading
-
Tip
01 Dec 2020
VMware NSX vs. Microsoft Hyper-V network virtualization
When comparing VMware NSX to Microsoft Hyper-V network virtualization, it's important to examine the software-defined networking features these two hypervisor platforms offer. Continue Reading
-
Tip
20 Nov 2020
Explore the benefits of containers on bare metal vs. on VMs
Advances in container and cloud technologies have morphed the debate over container deployment on bare-metal servers vs. VMs, with strong pros and cons for each. Continue Reading
-
Tip
13 Nov 2020
Use virtual clusters to avoid container sprawl
Virtual clusters enable admins to deploy, track and manage containers across various systems to ensure performance, security and governance, and low costs. Continue Reading
-
Answer
30 Oct 2020
How do I audit a Kubernetes environment?
IT teams should audit their Kubernetes configuration files to uncover -- and address -- coding mishaps and vulnerabilities. Fortunately, third-party and native Kubernetes tools automate the process. Continue Reading
-
Tutorial
28 Oct 2020
Use Docker and Alpine Linux to build lightweight containers
Alpine Linux won't always be the right OS choice for IT teams, but it's an option worth consideration when lightweight container images are the goal. Continue Reading
-
Tip
28 Oct 2020
Mini PCs for business offer improved performance, reduced costs
Mini PCs are a low-cost hardware alternative to servers that enable organizations to maintain maximum data center features and capabilities in remote office locations. Continue Reading
-
Feature
27 Oct 2020
KubeCon 2020 preview: Session guide for fine-tuning Kubernetes
Hosted as a low-cost virtual event, KubeCon + CloudNativeCon North America 2020 offers a broad array of technical sessions that can help you scale and improve Kubernetes deployments. Continue Reading
-
Feature
27 Oct 2020
KubeCon 2020 preview: Session guide for Kubernetes professionals
The virtual format of KubeCon 2020 means Kubernetes adopters can learn from their peers and take in expert presentations on Kubernetes and related technologies. Continue Reading
-
Feature
27 Oct 2020
KubeCon 2020 preview: Session guide for Kubernetes beginners
Want expert advice to kick off a container and Kubernetes implementation at your company? Many of the sessions at KubeCon North America are made for you. Continue Reading
-
Tip
23 Oct 2020
Manage Kubernetes pods and nodes with these native features
In Kubernetes, pod management requires familiarity with the platform's native features. From Services and Jobs to taints and tolerations, learn how they help direct deployments. Continue Reading
-
News
15 Oct 2020
Red Hat bolsters Ansible-Kubernetes bond via OpenShift ACM
Red Hat previewed new ties between its Ansible Automation Platform and OpenShift Kubernetes within its Advanced Cluster Management tool, as container platform competition intensifies. Continue Reading
-
News
14 Oct 2020
HashiCorp launches Boundary for cloud security
HashiCorp revealed its first new open source project in five years this week: a cloud security framework for access control called Boundary. Continue Reading
-
Feature
13 Oct 2020
How to evaluate VDI hardware requirements
VDI has specific hardware needs that servers hosting other virtualized workloads may not meet. Learn how to gauge VDI hardware requirements for servers, storage and more. Continue Reading
-
News
09 Oct 2020
Service mesh upstarts challenge Istio, Linkerd
Istio seemed destined for Kubernetes-like dominance in the service mesh market, but recent open source governance drama created an opening for competition from networking vendors. Continue Reading
-
News
06 Oct 2020
Rancher Kubernetes bolsters security, multi-cloud management
Rancher Kubernetes stays ahead of competitors in multi-cloud management with version 2.5, but will its innovation and SUSE's backing be enough to fend off Red Hat and VMware? Continue Reading
-
Tutorial
02 Oct 2020
Build and deploy a microservice with Kubernetes
Ready to run microservices in production? Follow along to create a containerized microservice and deploy it on Kubernetes in this step-by-step tutorial. Continue Reading
-
Tip
30 Sep 2020
Manage containerized microservices with a service registry
It's easier than ever to spin up a containerized app, but that ease has created a problem: How to keep track of containerized microservices. Turn to service registries and orchestrators. Continue Reading
-
News
30 Sep 2020
VMware, Nvidia team up to extend IT infrastructure for AI
VMware and Nvidia signed a partnership to create a new architecture for hybrid clouds and to democratize AI by making it available more broadly across enterprises. Continue Reading
-
News
18 Sep 2020
Kubernetes on Windows matures, but networking snags remain
Kubernetes on Windows is viable in production for some users via cloud providers' managed services, but IT pros need more networking and storage maturity for on-prem apps. Continue Reading
-
News
17 Sep 2020
Mirantis rethinks Docker Swarm vs. Kubernetes
Docker Enterprise users say plans to allow Docker Swarm to run on a Kubernetes back end could provide both ease of use for developers and granular infrastructure control for ops. Continue Reading
-
News
16 Sep 2020
Mirantis rejuvenates Docker Enterprise cloud tools, support
Docker Enterprise Container Cloud keeps pace with recent trends in Kubernetes management, such as multicluster and multi-cloud support but faces stiff competition. Continue Reading
-
Tip
08 Sep 2020
Get started with Docker Bench for Security
Common vulnerabilities in OSes and configuration files can plague Docker hosts. Learn how to set up Docker Bench for Security and use the open source tool to fortify hosts against threats. Continue Reading
-
Tutorial
26 Aug 2020
Kubernetes performance testing tutorial: Load test a cluster
Follow along step by step to run Kubernetes performance tests with Metrics Server and Horizontal Pod Autoscaler. This tutorial works for cloud-, data center- or locally hosted clusters. Continue Reading
-
Tip
24 Aug 2020
A beginner's guide to hosted and bare-metal virtualization
Choosing a virtualization approach isn't a matter of competition. Admins must consider their personal use cases to determine which hypervisor type suits their needs. Continue Reading
-
News
21 Aug 2020
Kubernetes security defaults prompt upstream dilemma
As Kubernetes matures, community maintainers weigh enterprise demand for secure upstream defaults against concerns about sprawl and customizability. Continue Reading
-
Tip
19 Aug 2020
Understand the pros and cons of the IBM PowerVM
IBM's enterprise virtualization product, PowerVM, offers a host of benefits, but it also comes with challenges that admins should familiarize themselves with prior to implementation. Continue Reading
-
Feature
17 Aug 2020
5 leading data virtualization tools offer integration strategy
Learn which features and capabilities your organization should consider in order to select the data virtualization platform that will best fits its needs. Continue Reading
-
News
13 Aug 2020
Infrastructure-as-code upstart boosts Kubernetes deployment
Pulumi has expanded its integrations with Kubernetes deployment tools including OPA, Helm v3 and Kustomize, offering a central collaboration point for DevOps container management. Continue Reading
-
News
05 Aug 2020
Microsoft unveils Open Service Mesh, vows donation to CNCF
Microsoft pledged to donate its service mesh to the CNCF in a stab at Istio, setting the stage for potential vendor collaboration around multi-cloud interoperability standards. Continue Reading
-
Answer
03 Aug 2020
What is a Docker container vs. an image?
Docker images, Dockerfiles and containers are all instrumental in a Docker setup. Learn what tasks each component completes and how they interact with each other to run applications. Continue Reading
-
Answer
27 Jul 2020
How to make the right HCI deployment decisions
Hyper-converged infrastructures pose different challenges depending on the deployment method. Software might not offer as much support, while choosing hardware risks vendor lock-in. Continue Reading
-
Tip
20 Jul 2020
How persistent container storage works -- and why it matters
Persistent storage retains data when a device is shut off. And for containers -- inherently stateless and ephemeral -- this type of storage is critical for deployments. Continue Reading
-
News
16 Jul 2020
Google's OUC play muddies Istio service mesh outlook
Google surprised even major partners with the transfer of Istio's trademark to a new organization it launched last week, leaving some key governance details undefined. Continue Reading
-
Tip
14 Jul 2020
Essential serverless concepts to master before deployment
Serverless computing can be incredibly beneficial -- but easily misunderstood. Before adoption, have a clear understanding of proper use cases and app design principles. Continue Reading
-
Tip
10 Jul 2020
An overview of Knative use cases, benefits and challenges
Knative might be more complex than a serverless platform in the public cloud, but for IT shops already committed to Kubernetes and microservices, it could be worth the leap. Continue Reading
-
Tip
10 Jul 2020
Enable AMD-V in BIOS to remediate error codes
If admins are experiencing error codes due to AMD-V being disabled, they can easily remediate this issue by entering BIOS and reenabling the virtualization extension. Continue Reading
-
News
01 Jul 2020
Kubernetes complicates Cloud Foundry platform development
The Cloud Foundry community has begun to port its developer interface onto Kubernetes infrastructure, but there are multiple approaches to sort out amid the transition. Continue Reading
-
Tip
26 Jun 2020
CPU vs. microprocessor: What are the differences?
CPUs and microprocessors can execute many of the same tasks, such as arithmetic and I/O processing. However, there are some tasks CPUs can't execute effectively. Continue Reading
-
Tip
25 Jun 2020
4 FAQs to better understand a paravirtualization interface
Admins are using paravirtualization because of its ability to improve system performance and reduce virtualization overhead, but its challenges can cause issues for some. Continue Reading
-
News
24 Jun 2020
HashiCorp Consul 1.8 aims to smooth service mesh transition
HashiCorp Consul users are mulling how to extend service discovery into service mesh. The vendor has added gateway support to ease this transition. Continue Reading
-
Feature
24 Jun 2020
Why -- and how -- to use Docker image tags
Version control is a critical part of software development and deployment. IT teams can use Docker tags to better manage and organize container images. Continue Reading
-
Tip
23 Jun 2020
Compare Nutanix AHV vs. VMware ESXi in the hypervisor battle
Though Nutanix AHV and VMware ESXi offer similar feature sets, admins' decisions will depend on several factors, such as virtualizations needs and workload size. Continue Reading
-
Tutorial
10 Jun 2020
How to use Clair to scan Docker images
Container vulnerabilities open the door to security issues and cascading failures across an IT environment. Use this Clair tutorial to scan for compromised Docker container images. Continue Reading
-
Feature
27 May 2020
Learn Kubernetes step by step with this interactive book
SearchITOperations spoke with author Zach Arnold about what IT pros can expect from The Kubernetes Workshop, an interactive book that progressively builds readers' knowledge of container orchestration. Continue Reading
-
News
21 May 2020
IT pros clamor for Kubernetes multi-cloud deployment API
Enterprise IT pros who want a standard approach to Kubernetes multi-cloud deployment say the Cluster API project shows promise, but it needs work to be production-ready. Continue Reading
-
News
21 May 2020
Linux kernel utility could solve Kubernetes networking woes
Linux kernel utility eBPF gets new life as a more effective means to scale Kubernetes networking than native Kubernetes tools, and in some cases, service mesh. Continue Reading
-
News
20 May 2020
Fintech firms prove IT compliance via security automation
Security automation tools proved useful for two highly regulated fintech firms, that use them to protect cloud-native infrastructure and demonstrate their security to auditors. Continue Reading
-
Tip
19 May 2020
Container auditing best practices for large-scale deployments
Container auditing and reporting are essential security and compliance measures in a production environment. Apply these practices to uncover abnormalities, control user access and choose the right tool. Continue Reading
-
Feature
19 May 2020
Optimize Kubernetes cluster management with these 5 tips
Effective Kubernetes cluster management requires operations teams to balance pod and node deployments with performance and availability needs. Continue Reading
-
Tip
18 May 2020
3 options to use Kubernetes and containers for edge computing
While every deployment is unique, these general guidelines can help IT teams determine whether -- and how -- to incorporate Kubernetes and containers into an edge computing strategy. Continue Reading
-
Tip
15 May 2020
Use a zero-trust model for container security in the cloud
Traditional firewalls just won't cut it when it comes to container security in the public cloud. Zero-trust models are a better approach, but they demand some careful upfront work. Continue Reading
-
Tip
13 May 2020
Understand the differences in VM vs. container vs. serverless
VMs, containers and serverless computing provide organizations with application development flexibility, but they add management complexity. Continue Reading
-
News
07 May 2020
VMware Tanzu beta project melds Cloud Foundry, Kubernetes
VMware Tanzu Application Service for Kubernetes, now in public beta, intrigues PKS users by combining Kubernetes infrastructure components behind a Cloud Foundry developer interface. Continue Reading
-
Answer
29 Apr 2020
How many Kubernetes nodes should be in a cluster?
There's no one-size-fits-all answer in terms of how many nodes should make up a Kubernetes cluster. Instead, that number varies based on specific workload requirements. Continue Reading
-
News
29 Apr 2020
Red Hat OpenShift to inject IBM Kubernetes management IP
IBM and Red Hat have begun to blend both business priorities and software code, including a forthcoming multi-cluster Kubernetes management tool for OpenShift users. Continue Reading
-
Tip
29 Apr 2020
Top Docker best practices for container management
Many admins use Docker for container management, so they should explore best practices such as container backup procedures and exploring Dockerfile commands. Continue Reading
-
Tip
28 Apr 2020
5 free virtual appliances for data analysis, app creation
Virtual appliances can execute specific IT tasks, such as data analysis and application creation. There are several free offerings available, but admins must be wary of risks. Continue Reading
-
News
27 Apr 2020
IT compliance-as-code tool makes Kubernetes security inroads
Open Policy Agent has turned heads among IT shops for Kubernetes compliance as code, and its commercial backer looks to capitalize on that momentum with new enterprise features. Continue Reading