IT operations careers and skills
IT operations administrators wear many different hats, which comes with many necessary skills and knowledge. From coding and automation to soft skills and collaboration, IT ops admins are kept on their toes. Get expert tips on enhancing your ITOps career.
Top Stories
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Feature
01 Dec 2023
11 best free DevOps certifications and training courses in 2024
Learn why DevOps is important and how getting certified can help launch a career in the field with these 11 free certifications for beginners and advanced practitioners alike. Continue Reading
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Feature
22 Nov 2023
Geek gift guide 2023: Security first, at home and on the go
The COVID-19 public health emergency officially ended in 2023, but the threat of cyberattacks grew. Geeks had security on their minds, along with home comforts and travel gear. Continue Reading
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Feature
10 Dec 2019
IT security best practices for DevOps, cloud and more
Technology is in constant motion, making it difficult for enterprise IT shops to maintain steadfast security. Explore ways to protect DevOps, microservices and cloud environments. Continue Reading
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News
04 Nov 2019
JASK buy may boost security analytics in Sumo Logic SIEM
Sumo Logic has acquired JASK, an automated SOC that will be most useful for security analytics and alert reduction features within Sumo Logic's SIEM. Continue Reading
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News
27 Aug 2019
IT training programs stall amid search for best practices
Without a standard set of best practices to refer to for IT training programs, or any industry consensus on the best general approach to training, large enterprises have begun to trail smaller, more nimble counterparts in the efficiency of their software releases. Continue Reading
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Feature
14 Aug 2019
IT training flaws compound DevOps skills shortage
Before investing in an online course to learn new IT skills, heed this warning from brain scientists: there is a big difference between knowing what to do and knowing how to do it. Continue Reading
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Feature
09 Aug 2019
5 IT video tutorials admins don't want to miss
The best way to ramp up with a new technology or IT practice is to see it in action. Use these five video tutorials to visually walk through GitOps workflows, CI/CD pipelines and more. Continue Reading
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Feature
26 Jul 2019
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
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Tip
18 Jul 2019
Essential virtualization certifications for IT professionals
As companies move beyond virtualization, the need for IT pros with fine-tuned expertise in cloud administration, ethical hacking, legacy infrastructure migration and automation rises. Continue Reading
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Tip
09 Jul 2019
Don't neglect your IT architect skills in public cloud projects
Public cloud infrastructure is beyond the veil for IT admins: unknown and untouchable. But depending on the deployment -- and the cloud -- admins still have architecture to manage. Continue Reading
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Feature
28 Jun 2019
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
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Feature
03 Jun 2019
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
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Tip
29 May 2019
Inherit and manage a virtualization environment with these strategies
Stepping into a management role when it comes to a newly inherited virtualization environment can be a challenge, but with the right approach, you can ease the transition. Continue Reading
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Feature
13 May 2019
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
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Tip
07 May 2019
Study tips to ace the CNCF's CKA exam
IT certifications are an IT admin's superpower, lending official credibility to technology expertise. Know what to expect -- and practice -- to become Kubernetes certified. Continue Reading
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Tip
02 May 2019
The virtualization and container skills gap widens
Businesses face organizational and management challenges as their support staff transitions from virtualization to a new development and management environment. Continue Reading
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Tip
19 Apr 2019
Virtualization cost-savings methods for IT administrators
The biggest costs in any virtualization environment tend to be licenses, hardware acquisition, support and maintenance, so that's where you should look for ways to reduce expenses. Continue Reading
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Feature
27 Mar 2019
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
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Feature
27 Mar 2019
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
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Feature
27 Dec 2018
10 tips to approach IT operations processes with confidence
Stuck in the NOC over the holidays? To pass the time, improve your ability to plan projects and quash production infrastructure incidents with confidence. Continue Reading
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Feature
26 Dec 2018
Top 10 IT tutorials of 2018 for professional development in 2019
Most IT admins take control of their education via home labs and tutorials. Refresh skills in PowerShell or Python -- or learn new ones like Kubernetes -- with these popular walkthroughs. Continue Reading
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Feature
13 Dec 2018
Review the top 9 virtualization techniques of the year
IT administrators always have room to improve their virtualization skills. Read our top articles of the year to perfect PowerShell management, Hyper-V customization and more. Continue Reading
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Opinion
10 Dec 2018
Key IT skills to make you current and capable in an ops role
With the rapid pace of IT, it's easy to lose your edge -- even for technologically curious ops professionals. Master a balance of the best IT and people skills to get ahead in modern operations. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
21 Nov 2018
What does an IT person do? Answers from around the globe
The holiday season is fast approaching, when IT and DevOps professionals around the world answer a perennial question at the family dinner table: What does an IT person do? While you might only ... Continue Reading
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Opinion
12 Nov 2018
6 emerging technologies that belong in an IT operations plan
A penny saved is a penny earned. But when it comes to AI, specialized compute engines and these other key emerging IT operations areas, a penny saved today is a dollar wasted -- or worse -- in the future. Continue Reading
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Opinion
24 Sep 2018
How to drive an effective DevOps for business approach
Don't adopt DevOps for the sake of operational and development efficiency. Do DevOps because it yields business gains. In fact, what you should be doing is BizDevOps. Continue Reading
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Opinion
17 Sep 2018
The journey to DevOps starts with solving problems
If you want to do DevOps, don't just follow the prescribed strategies and roadmaps that other companies lay out. Assess your own process, and start addressing your own problems. Continue Reading
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Opinion
24 Aug 2018
The DevOps hiring process should be audition-based
How do we ensure competence? Certification is now a big business, but the way we test a 6 year old should differ from the way we test a doctoral candidate or DevOps engineer. Continue Reading
- 21 Aug 2018
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Opinion
16 Aug 2018
Let's develop best practices for security in DevOps
We've turned to DevOps and microservices because they've made it faster and easier to release and update applications. It's past time we developed security practices for them. Continue Reading
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Opinion
31 Jul 2018
A DevOps mindset shouldn't overemphasize speed
DevOps isn't really about the fastest release process. Ultimately, DevOps should make the user's life better. Find a balance between velocity and utility. Continue Reading
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Opinion
09 Jul 2018
Satisfy GDPR standards and identify issues early in the pipeline
GDPR requirements are here to stay. Get your developers involved early and shift security left to make your pipeline secure. Everyone is responsible for compliance now. Continue Reading
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Tip
05 Jul 2018
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
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Opinion
03 Jul 2018
Salary snapshot: Embrace an entry-level DevOps role
New DevOps engineers make much more than their software engineer counterparts. If you have DevOps skills, maybe it's time to rebrand. Continue Reading
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Opinion
26 Jun 2018
Tackle DevOps compliance challenges with automation
The same DevOps principles that help address compliance issues should be the same principles that are applied to development in the first place. Continue Reading
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Quiz
06 Jun 2018
Is your shop compliant? Take our DevOps audit quiz to find out
Compliance is hard, even in a Waterfall environment. Bring in the speed of DevOps, and it can feel overwhelming. Take our quiz to see if your DevOps team is ready. Continue Reading
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Answer
01 Jun 2018
What is the best DevOps tool for my career?
I have no prior knowledge on DevOps. I'm doing an online course and understand Unix. I get the concepts, so what tool should I concentrate on learning to advance my DevOps career? Continue Reading
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Opinion
20 May 2018
Not sure how to start with DevOps? Here's one option
A new consulting firm with roots in Netflix and Amazon aims to help even legacy-heavy companies ship software faster. It starts with 15 metrics and small wins. Continue Reading
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Opinion
16 May 2018
Use event-driven architecture to design for DevOps 2.0
Collaboration is key to DevOps, but it will be even more important to DevOps 2.0. Expert Bob Reselman explains how event-driven architecture will help us build the next-gen DevOps. Continue Reading
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Tip
16 May 2018
Top-tier ITSM skills go beyond a good tool set
An organization can supply all the tools IT wants and still struggle to succeed. Build up key soft skills in IT and you'll boost productivity and business relationships. Continue Reading
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Quiz
09 May 2018
Can you ace our DevOps quiz? Maybe, but beware SnackOps
Do you know the difference between BizDevOps and DevOps 2.0? How about HumanOps and HugOps? What about SnackOps? Time to test your DevOps methodology knowledge. Continue Reading
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Opinion
27 Apr 2018
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
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Opinion
26 Apr 2018
DevOps and security can coexist with a little planning
If you want to bring the complicated-sounding DevSecOps into your organization, start with these three easy steps from Akamai's Ari Weil. Start where you are and ask a lot of questions. Continue Reading
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Opinion
19 Apr 2018
Why DevOps? The simple answer is it creates safer processes
Is it possible to take an old-fashioned organization actually hostile to technology and move it into the 21st-century DevOps world? Expert David Savage says it is. Continue Reading
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Opinion
18 Apr 2018
The DevOps process is hard. But here are seven ways it's easy
Attend a DevOps conference and it seems every company struggles with the methodology. We asked seven experts to tell us how DevOps is easy. Hint: It's not the people. Continue Reading
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Tip
10 Apr 2018
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
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Opinion
28 Mar 2018
Salary snapshot: Which city has the highest DevOps pay scale?
Salary data from Glassdoor shows DevOps experience continues to give paychecks a substantial advantage over other developer roles. If you want to make the most money, move to San Francisco. Continue Reading
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Opinion
20 Mar 2018
DevOps Research and Assessment team dispels maturity model myths
'Accelerate: The Science of DevOps' examines the hard data to see how current development methodology is really performing. In this excerpt, the focus is on capabilities, not maturity. Continue Reading
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Opinion
15 Mar 2018
Use the right DevSecOps tools for more secure development
Making applications safer requires more than just new tools; it also requires a cultural shift. DevSecOps is an effort to shift security left. Here's how to get started. Continue Reading
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Opinion
13 Mar 2018
Want to be the best at DevOps? You need a DevOps bot
A DevOps bot with access to all business, technical and customer profile information would make software development and deployment a breeze. Expert Torsten Volk introduces DOBO. Continue Reading
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Opinion
08 Mar 2018
Use tried-and-true DevOps practices to beat analysis paralysis
If your company feels stuck, the principles behind DevOps can help. Expert David Savage explains why companies need to roll out DevOps ideas everywhere. Continue Reading
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Opinion
07 Mar 2018
Why operations metrics and telemetry matter in DevOps too
The earlier developers think about what operations pros need, the tighter the feedback loop will become. Expert Theresa Neate explains how metrics are key to shifting ops left. Continue Reading
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Opinion
05 Mar 2018
Keep DevOps operations relevant in the age of code
The operations role isn't going away in DevOps, but it is going to change -- in some cases, dramatically. Expert Matthew Heusser explains what you need to do to be prepared. Continue Reading
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Opinion
01 Mar 2018
How DevOps operations teams can prepare for the next stage
A move to DevOps has implications for everyone on the team, but especially for operations professionals. Get ready to learn new skills and be flexible. Continue Reading
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Tip
01 Mar 2018
Get cloud computing certified, but don't abandon virtualization
Cloud certification training can help an IT administrator's career, but it's only practical if it aligns with your company and you don't forgo virtualization upkeep. Continue Reading
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Opinion
23 Feb 2018
Are you using the right DevOps metrics in your organization?
It's tempting to think it's all about how fast you can deploy in DevOps, but the reality is, it's just one of the factors to consider. Mainline branch stability matters the most. Continue Reading
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Tip
19 Feb 2018
Learn Ruby language skills with these online resources
Systems administrators spend more time programming than ever before. To excel in your current role or find a new, DevOps-heavy one, invest the time to learn a new language. Continue Reading
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Opinion
12 Feb 2018
Salary snapshot: It's a very good time to be a DevOps pro
In 2017, the number of job postings for DevOps jumped 15% over the previous year, and salaries increased, too. Do you have today's most in-demand skills? Continue Reading
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Blog Post
31 Jan 2018
Laws to guide the IT career growth of a virtualization admin
Attendees at a Virtualization Technology User Group event learned about five laws for IT career growth that are particularly useful for the virtualization admin in a changing industry. Continue Reading
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Tip
31 Jan 2018
Sharpen IT effectiveness to go from cost center to business nexus
IT departments must work to keep user experience positive to avoid a perception as a resource vacuum. If users can't manipulate the app effectively, what does uptime matter? Continue Reading
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Opinion
17 Jan 2018
It's tough to explain DevOps, that nebulous IT concept
DevOps is more about goals and aspirations than any set of practices or tools. Right? Or is it just about collaboration and culture? Either way, it's tough to define DevOps. Continue Reading
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Opinion
09 Jan 2018
Master the seven key DevOps engineer skills for 2018
We all know DevOps is hard, but complex new technologies are going to make the development methodology even more challenging. Expert Bob Reselman outlines the skills you'll need. Continue Reading
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Opinion
02 Jan 2018
Want to understand DevOps? Look to open source's history
Studying the past in order to not repeat it is something that can be applied to DevOps, too. Expert Chris Tozzi outlines how to understand DevOps by studying open source. Continue Reading
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Opinion
12 Dec 2017
Why you need to think carefully about DevOps certification training
A certificate can be a career blessing, but the wrong one can be a curse. Expert Bob Reselman explains how to make the right choices for DevOps and other areas. Continue Reading
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Opinion
04 Dec 2017
Abstract thinkers have the most vital nontechnical DevOps skill
Take a close look at a Picasso, and explore how those abstract shapes form a complete picture. You'll be flexing an important DevOps skill: abstract thinking. Continue Reading
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Guide
28 Sep 2017
Learn DevOps techniques in a home lab
Not allowed to put work projects on GitHub? Want to run containers even though your company is still virtualizing servers? Get ahead with techniques and tools in a DevOps home lab. Continue Reading
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Feature
26 Apr 2017
Learn DevOps techniques and tools in this home lab setup
This DevOps lab uses Linux VMs and Docker containers to teach administrators the basics of immutable infrastructure, configuration automation and other modern IT concepts. Continue Reading
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Answer
27 Feb 2017
Are there IT jobs in cloud capacity management?
If a company moves only 30% of workloads from its data center to the public cloud, that will reduce IT ops demand. Is there still a role for the ops engineer? Continue Reading
