Managing Virtual Containers

Experts share tips and case studies in the virtual containers topic center, covering container management and deployment strategies, as well as how to troubleshoot issues with a container-based infrastructure and plan resource capacity on cloud or virtualized servers. You will also find news on container technology developments and adoption rates.

Top Stories

Conference Coverage 20 Apr 2023
KubeCon + CloudNativeCon 2023 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 European and North American events. Continue Reading
News 15 Feb 2022
F5 distributed cloud security services strike a trendy chord

As talk of multi-cloud management gives way to distributed cloud, which also ties in edge computing, F5 bundles application security services to expand its appeal to enterprises. Continue Reading

News 29 Sep 2020

VMware buys SaltStack for security, configuration management

The acquisition of SaltStack will help VMware build event-driven security automation and configuration management into vRealize Automation, as open source Salt gains VMware's backing. 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
News 03 Sep 2020

Kubernetes monitoring eases migration, security at scale

IT pros in high-scale environments have found that moving to Kubernetes-based infrastructure called for a fresh approach to monitoring for performance and security. 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
News 24 Aug 2020

Portworx storage update offers backup, provisioning modules

The Portworx storage platform enables data persistence in large Kubernetes clusters. Data backup, automated capacity planning modules are generally available. 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
News 21 Aug 2020

OpenTelemetry aids distributed tracing, Kubernetes monitoring

OpenTelemetry combines multiple CNCF observability projects, as well as multiple enterprise data collection mechanisms, simplifying Kubernetes monitoring. Continue Reading
News 19 Aug 2020

GitOps gains momentum among Kubernetes deployment tools

The growing popularity of Kubernetes GitOps tools reflects increasing cloud-native maturity and complexity among enterprise shops such as American Express. 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
Opinion 10 Aug 2020

Modern HCI environment shaped by evolving IT priorities

Hyper-convergence simplified deployment and scaling of IT resources over the past decade, but modern IT is far more complex than it once was. HCI vendors evolved, but have you? Continue Reading
Tip 06 Aug 2020

How Kubernetes enhances DevOps practices

Kubernetes isn't necessary for DevOps, and you don't need a DevOps team to adopt Kubernetes container management. But, here are all the ways that these two are better together. 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
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 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
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 30 Jun 2020

Why Linux containers on Windows is a big deal

Microsoft introduced support for Docker Linux containers in its latest versions of the Windows client and server operating systems, so why should it matter to you? 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
News 22 Jun 2020

HashiCorp shops hope new Consul service comes at lower cost

Multi-cloud hosted services planned for HashiCorp products, including Consul, Vault and Nomad, would reduce IT ops overhead, users say, but prices must be affordable. 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
Tip 28 May 2020

VMs vs. containers: What Windows admins need to know

VMs have high resource overhead, but they're dependable. Containers can scale dramatically, but they require a different mode of management. Which is right for your workloads? 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
News 13 May 2020

VMware Tanzu seeks IT attention with Kubernetes security buy

VMware buys Octarine for security cred in a crowded Kubernetes management market, but some VMware shops will shift to SaaS apps rather than deal with container infrastructure. Continue Reading
Tutorial 11 May 2020

A Kubernetes namespaces tutorial to manage cluster resources

Namespaces in Kubernetes serve several purposes -- from allowing teams to share a single cluster to enforcing resource quotas. Use this tutorial to get started with this important Kubernetes feature. Continue Reading
Tutorial 08 May 2020

Create an AKS cluster with this Ansible and Kubernetes tutorial

IT admins familiar with Ansible can use the configuration management tool, alongside Azure Cloud Shell, to spin up a Kubernetes cluster in AKS. 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
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
Answer 15 Apr 2020

Evaluate 3 ways to run Kubernetes locally

A local Kubernetes deployment -- enabled by Minikube, MicroK8s or K3s -- is a great option to test code or simply learn the container orchestration technology. Continue Reading
News 09 Apr 2020

HashiCorp Vault secrets manager ups Enterprise edition value

HashiCorp Vault 1.4 sweetens the deal for users of the paid Enterprise version, which had been subject to questions about differentiation from the free version in the past. Continue Reading
News 08 Apr 2020

Foundation exec seeks Cloud Foundry vs. Kubernetes detente

New Cloud Foundry Foundation Executive Director Chip Childers plans to steer the community into the next phase of cooperation with Kubernetes, Knative, Istio and more. Continue Reading
News 31 Mar 2020

Rancher plots enterprise Kubernetes management takeover

Flush with funding, Rancher hopes to win deals away from major IT software vendors such as VMware as enterprises seek help with Kubernetes management. Continue Reading
Tip 26 Mar 2020

Kubectl commands and best practices for new Kubernetes users

Kubectl is a simple and powerful means to control containers in Kubernetes. But as with any CLI, it demands familiarity with available operations, resource types and associated syntax. Continue Reading
News 25 Mar 2020

HashiCorp Nomad vs. Kubernetes matchup intensifies with 0.11

HashiCorp Nomad may not overtake Kubernetes but could capture broader enterprise attention with container-like orchestration features for legacy apps in VMs. Continue Reading
Tip 19 Mar 2020

4 trends for Kubernetes cloud-native teams to watch in 2020

Today's software architectural landscape seems to change like the weather. Stay ahead of the curve with these cloud-related trends, including GitOps and service meshes. Continue Reading
News 12 Mar 2020

AWS Bottlerocket container OS locks down hosts

AWS Bottlerocket puts the cloud giant's spin on the container OS, and container host security, but the company will have to overcome a generally poor reputation in the open source world. Continue Reading
News 06 Mar 2020

Istio service mesh revamp may ease use, or sow confusion

Istio 1.5 reworks a microservices-based control plane into a monolith as the service mesh project seeks to simplify management and improve performance. Continue Reading
News 05 Mar 2020

Biometrics firm fights monitoring overload with log analytics

Log analytics tools have become more popular as enterprise IT pros contend with complex, continuous microservices application deployments at scale. Continue Reading
Answer 05 Mar 2020

5 important Docker container backup best practices

With container storage a major trend, it's important to ensure data protection. These five guidelines will help you properly back up Docker containers. Continue Reading
News 28 Feb 2020

Top 5 container software trends to watch in 2020

Container software, namely Kubernetes, has become a staple of modern enterprise IT infrastructure -- here's what's coming next for the technology in 2020 and beyond. Continue Reading
News 27 Feb 2020

Kubernetes edge computing takes shape on container frontier

Kubernetes at the edge has emerged as an early stage trend among enterprises that want to push the boundaries of software automation. Continue Reading
Tip 27 Feb 2020

Optimize Docker images for improved efficiency and security

There are several ways -- ranging from Dockerfile adjustments to vulnerability scans -- that IT teams can ensure their Docker images are both efficient and secure. Continue Reading
News 25 Feb 2020

Mirantis marshals reinforcements for Kubernetes management

Mirantis adds engineering staff and revives Docker Swarm as it plans to do battle in container orchestration against Red Hat, Pivotal and Docker itself. Continue Reading
Infographic 17 Feb 2020

Illustrated guide to containerization security

Container security concerns are keeping IT pros up at night. Discover why and what they're doing to secure containers as well as the applications and data that run within them. Continue Reading
News 13 Feb 2020

Ad firm gets Kubernetes management boost from Agile Stacks

With a small staff of engineers responsible for all of IT, a digital advertising firm needed help to smooth out the learning curve as it migrated from Mesosphere to Kubernetes. Continue Reading
News 12 Feb 2020

Grafana Loki users reap log data savings, with tradeoffs

Grafana Loki won't replace advanced log analytics tools, but it may be a boon for shops that want to collect massive amounts of log data for troubleshooting applications. Continue Reading
News 07 Feb 2020

Retail software firm takes broad view of Kubernetes security

Kubernetes platform security has supplanted container-level security for enterprises such as retail software vendor Aptos as they deploy microservices in production. Continue Reading
Feature 22 Jan 2020

ICYMI: Kubernetes ecosystem updates IT teams should know

Need to catch up on some recent developments within the Kubernetes vendor and tool ecosystem? This roundup of articles can help. Continue Reading
Tip 21 Jan 2020

Kubernetes taints and tolerations optimize pod-to-node mapping

In complex Kubernetes environments, admins must navigate pod-to-node mapping carefully. Try using taints and tolerations -- but be sure to closely oversee the process. Continue Reading
Infographic 21 Jan 2020

Compare container security companies for the best protection

Securing containers can be a challenge when faced with buying the right platform. Discover these container security companies and their capabilities in this graphic. Continue Reading
News 14 Jan 2020

Kubernetes security gets an assist with bug bounty program

The Kubernetes Security Product Group will outsource bug triage to HackerOne under a new bug bounty program that will offer rewards for bug reports up to $10,000. Continue Reading
Tip 13 Jan 2020

How to survive in today's IT without DevOps and containers

If you don't write software, you might not require DevOps or containers in your data center. You don't need to give into the pressure to adopt them. Continue Reading
Feature 20 Dec 2019

Review top container deployment and management tips from 2019

Check out our top advice for container technology throughout 2019 -- and use it to shape your 2020 plans. Continue Reading
Feature 20 Dec 2019

Optimize application deployments with this expert advice from 2019

As the year comes to a close, review SearchITOperations' most popular tips on app deployment and support, covering topics such as DevOps automation, SLAs and tool tutorials. Continue Reading
News 18 Dec 2019

New Kubernetes security tools abound as container deployments grow

As Kubernetes use expands in production, enterprises have a number of IT security tools to choose from for centralized, policy-based control over container clusters. Continue Reading
Tip 18 Dec 2019

Are containers on Windows the right choice for you?

Containers have grown in popularity, but there are some considerations to weigh before you decide to migrate Server 2008 workloads to this technology. Continue Reading
Feature 12 Dec 2019

Container adoption accelerates, consulting execs say

The potential to massively speed up software cycle time is generating more container technology demand for channel partners, particularly in the new app development field. Continue Reading
Video 26 Nov 2019

Kubernetes explained in 5 minutes

Kubernetes brings order to enterprise container deployments -- but it's a complex technology to learn. Use this video to grasp core Kubernetes concepts in under 10 minutes. Continue Reading
News 21 Nov 2019

Kubernetes Helm Tiller is dead, and IT pros rejoice

The latest version of the Kubernetes Helm package manager promises better security and stability in version 3, which removes the Tiller server component from Helm's architecture. Continue Reading
News 15 Nov 2019

D2iQ latest to seek Kubernetes management niche

D2iQ's CTO says it will use its enterprise experience with Apache Mesos container orchestration and big data apps such as Kafka to compete in a crowded market for Kubernetes management. Continue Reading
14 Nov 2019

Container security emerges in IT products enterprises know and trust

Established IT security vendors add containers to their repertoire, and IT pros must decide between trusted platform integration and the latest features from startups. Continue Reading
News 13 Nov 2019

Docker Enterprise spun off to Mirantis, company restructures

In an unexpected move, Docker sells off its Docker Enterprise business -- including customer support -- to Mirantis and refocuses on Docker Hub and Docker Desktop. Continue Reading
Feature 13 Nov 2019

Compare 3 distinct types of Kubernetes platforms

There are three types of Kubernetes deployment options, each with its own benefits and challenges. Use this in-depth comparison to choose the best fit for your organization. Continue Reading
News 12 Nov 2019

Aqua Security buys CloudSploit, expands into cloud security

Amid consolidation and chaos in the cloud security market, Aqua snaps up CloudSploit and sets the stage for increased competition with traditional IT security vendors. Continue Reading
Tip 12 Nov 2019

How container adoption affects container security

Scalability and efficiency make container adoption an attractive option for enterprises today. Learn how containerization has evolved and grown since the release of Docker 1.0 five years ago. Continue Reading
News 08 Nov 2019

Microservices security calls for zero-trust, data classification

Sanity in a zero-trust world for microservices security calls for IT teams to prioritize the assets they must protect, and that starts with data classification. Continue Reading
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
News 18 Oct 2019

Red Hat OpenShift Tekton pipelines reflect strategic platform focus

OpenShift and its competitors now offer enterprises soup-to-nuts DevOps platforms, rather than simple Kubernetes management tools, that are based on different points of strategic lock-in. Continue Reading
Tip 16 Oct 2019

Grasp Docker networking basics with these commands and tips

For a containerization novice, networking poses one of the biggest challenges. Use this breakdown of essential Docker networking commands and concepts, including host and bridge setups, to reduce complexity. Continue Reading
Feature 14 Oct 2019

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

VMware NSX-T and Nokia's Nuage Networks both provide Kubernetes networking functionality -- but they have important differences and resonate with distinct user bases. Continue Reading
News 10 Oct 2019

Kubernetes on Windows nodes hits GA in Rancher, Amazon EKS

Windows host support in Kubernetes reached a milestone with general availability from container management vendors, which makes containers more accessible for legacy apps. Continue Reading
News 08 Oct 2019

Google sparks open source unrest over Knative, Istio

Google is keeping its Knative and Istio projects close to the vest, which could limit their reach long term, early adopters say. Continue Reading
News 07 Oct 2019

Docker Desktop asset, fiscal stress prompt acquisition buzz

Docker has tried to differentiate itself as a Kubernetes competitor, but amid reports of financial headwinds, it should return to its roots in the developer desktop, analysts say. Continue Reading
Feature 30 Sep 2019

Compare 10 leading container management systems

Ready to select a vendor or open source tool to build and manage your container-based infrastructure? This roundup lays out the benefits and complexities of the many options. Continue Reading
Feature 25 Sep 2019

Assess container hosting, management options based on these criteria

A company's plans to maintain traditional data centers, move to the public cloud or adopt microservices all play a major role in its container hosting and management decisions. Continue Reading
Feature 20 Sep 2019

How to craft a future-proof enterprise container strategy

There are many ways to plan an IT container management strategy. Follow these steps to map out an enterprise's needs for container software and tools. Continue Reading
Feature 17 Sep 2019

Container image size makes a difference

IT teams ready to embark on container deployment should look closely at how developers break down and package application components. Little details will be important. Continue Reading
News 11 Sep 2019

HashiCorp Consul plays to multi-platform strength with Azure

HashiCorp's Consul service mesh will be offered as a hosted service on Microsoft Azure, where it can link container clusters along with VMs in multiple regions. Continue Reading
Tip 05 Sep 2019

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

Before choosing to migrate to Kubernetes, Mesos users should carefully prepare for the complexity of the move -- and first consider using the two technologies side by side. Continue Reading
Feature 29 Aug 2019

Explore container deployment benefits and core components

As container adoption grows, the ecosystem of tools surrounding the technology expands as well. Explore the benefits of container systems for enterprise app deployments. Continue Reading
Tip 29 Aug 2019

Explore Docker vs. LXC through the lens of a three-tier app

Containers are not small virtual machines, and they're not all the same under the hood. To make smart deployment choices, understand the nuanced differences between container types. Continue Reading
News 28 Aug 2019

Knative serverless Kubernetes bypasses FaaS to revive PaaS

Knative's emerging claim to fame is that it can turn Kubernetes into a next-gen platform as a service with both a Heroku-like developer experience and deep infrastructure control. Continue Reading
News 22 Aug 2019

Istio service mesh hits OpenShift GA, but upgrades are slow

Istio service mesh, Kiali and Jaeger are generally available for Red Hat OpenShift 4, but it will be some time before users are ready for the latest version of the platform. Continue Reading
News 22 Aug 2019

Splunk pricing worries some users amid SignalFx monitoring buy

Splunk wants to collect more data via SignalFx, but some users wonder how much it will cost to keep up with the proliferation of logs and metrics in the age of cloud monitoring. Continue Reading
Tip 20 Aug 2019

Managed Kubernetes doesn't mean set it and forget it

Don't let the name fool you: Cloud-based managed Kubernetes services still require user management. Here's what IT teams still need to know when deploying on AKS, EKS and GKE. Continue Reading
News 15 Aug 2019

Jenkins X gears up for SaaS version, GitOps standards

With key maturity milestones behind them, the maintainers of Jenkins X prepare a SaaS version, and plan to collaborate with Google's Tekton and Netflix's Spinnaker. Continue Reading
News 15 Aug 2019

Potential VMware-Pivotal deal raises opportunities, challenges

VMware is in talks to buy Pivotal for about $1.45 billion in a move that could benefit both companies but also require some strategic realignment. Continue Reading