Systems automation and orchestration
Get expert guidance and practitioner-written tutorials to improve your organization's automation and orchestration processes, offering advice for beginners and pros alike.
Top Stories
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Tip
16 May 2025
How DEX metrics help build a better digital workplace
Learn how IT teams can use digital employee experience metrics to uncover hidden friction, prioritize fixes and better align tech deployments with evolving user needs. Continue Reading
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Feature
12 May 2025
How digital employee experience strategy drives productivity
Digital employee experience is an often-overlooked driver of productivity and retention. Learn why DEX matters and how to make it a strategic advantage. Continue Reading
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News
14 Feb 2023
Cribl Search marks fresh observability sortie for upstart
The Splunk nemesis begins new forays onto the turf of incumbent vendors with federated search that doesn't require data migration or indexing -- and big roadmap plans. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
14 Feb 2023
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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Definition
14 Feb 2023
Fedora
Fedora, also known as Fedora Linux, is a popular open source Linux-based operating system (OS). Continue Reading
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News
09 Feb 2023
Kubernetes platforms and the hazy fate of cloud portability
Whatever happened to Kubernetes for cloud portability? Some market research suggests the dream still lives, but platform engineering further complicates matters. Continue Reading
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News
07 Feb 2023
Cisco samples OpenTelemetry-based observability tool blends
Updates set to ship this week and next quarter will unify data collection for Cisco's observability and security tools and catch them up with full-stack competitors. Continue Reading
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Definition
03 Feb 2023
mission-critical application
A mission-critical application is a software program or suite of related programs that must function continuously for a business or business segment to be successful. 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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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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Definition
12 Jan 2023
compliance automation
Compliance automation, also known as automated compliance, is the practice of using technology -- such as applications with artificial intelligence features -- to perform and simplify compliance procedures. Continue Reading
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Definition
12 Jan 2023
YAML (YAML Ain't Markup Language)
YAML (YAML Ain't Markup Language) is a data serialization language used as the input format for diverse software applications. 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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Definition
10 Jan 2023
rolling deployment
A rolling deployment is the installation of software updates on one server or server subset at a time, rather than updating all servers or server subsets at the same time. Continue Reading
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Definition
04 Jan 2023
ChatOps
ChatOps, sometimes known as conversation-driven collaboration or conversation-driven DevOps, is the use of chat clients, chatbots and other real-time communication tools to facilitate software development and IT operations tasks. 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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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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Definition
14 Dec 2022
e-ticket (electronic ticket)
An e-ticket (electronic ticket) is a paperless electronic document used for ticketing purposes, such as airfare or concert admission. Continue Reading
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Tip
12 Dec 2022
How to fix Active Directory account lockouts with PowerShell
With more apps and credentials to juggle, users can get blocked from their accounts after too many login attempts. Learn to use PowerShell to find and fix these issues. Continue Reading
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Tip
09 Dec 2022
Compare these PowerShell front-end GUI tools
These offerings provide portals to avoid security issues and other stumbling blocks that hamper organizations from providing more wide-ranging use of PowerShell. 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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Definition
06 Dec 2022
software asset management (SAM)
Software asset management (SAM) is the administration of processes, policies and procedures that support the procurement, deployment, use, maintenance and disposal of software applications within an organization. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
28 Nov 2022
How to build an Azure AD user report with Microsoft Graph
Microsoft Graph will be the way forward to manage users and devices that connect to Office 365. Learn how to gather information and perform tasks, such as license assignments. 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
18 Nov 2022
Automating testing and delivery for virtual apps and desktops
One of the many tasks that come with maintaining a virtual environment is the testing and delivery of virtual apps and desktops. Learn how automation can help these processes. 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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Definition
16 Nov 2022
sidecar proxy
A sidecar proxy is an application design pattern which abstracts certain features, such as inter-service communications, monitoring and security, away from the main architecture to ease the tracking and maintenance of an application. Continue Reading
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Definition
16 Nov 2022
Kubernetes operator
A Kubernetes operator is a method for application packaging and deployment that extends Kubernetes' capabilities to manage more complex, stateful workloads. Continue Reading
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Definition
15 Nov 2022
composable infrastructure
Composable infrastructure is a framework that decouples device resources in order to treat them as services. 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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Definition
04 Nov 2022
immutable infrastructure
Immutable infrastructure is an approach to managing services and software deployments on IT resources wherein components are replaced rather than changed. Continue Reading
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Definition
03 Nov 2022
legacy system (legacy application)
A legacy system is any outdated computing system, hardware or software that is still in use. Legacy systems include computer hardware, software applications, file formats and programming languages. 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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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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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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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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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
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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News
25 Aug 2022
Kubernetes security reaches maturity milestone with v1.25
Kubernetes Pod Security Admission has reached stable status, replacing Pod Security Policies, as the core Kubernetes framework delegates advanced features to the wider community. Continue Reading
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News
10 Aug 2022
AWS, Splunk and more launch cybersecurity analytics standard
AWS and other IT vendors will start building connectors based on a new standard schema meant to streamline data sharing between cybersecurity tools. Continue Reading
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News
08 Aug 2022
Blue chips hone continuous compliance as GRC pressures mount
The concept of continuous improvement has found its way into IT governance, as companies such as Fannie Mae, JPMorgan Chase and John Deere embrace continuous compliance. Continue Reading
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News
03 Aug 2022
Another new CloudBees CEO faces fierce CI/CD tools rivalry
Former SAP and Cisco strategy exec Anuj Kapur is tasked with keeping CloudBees CI/CD and DevOps platform tools relevant as the cloud-native arms race intensifies. Continue Reading
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News
28 Jul 2022
AWS adds Kubernetes security tie-ins amid SecOps tool sprawl
Amazon Detective pulls Kubernetes security data into a broader threat detection and CSPM context as IT pros at large orgs seek integrated multi-cloud security workflows. Continue Reading
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News
28 Jul 2022
How Zoom security incident response survived the pandemic
March 2020's influx of users meant the video conferencing company had to massively scale its incident response operation and the observability infrastructure that fed it, and fast. Continue Reading
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News
26 Jul 2022
Mirantis Kubernetes deployment buy ups DevOps platform ante
The Mirantis Lens IDE will integrate the Lagoon Kubernetes deployment project to provide a self-service DevOps platform alternative with no developer Kubernetes training required. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
14 Jul 2022
Follow this tutorial to get started with Azure Bicep
Azure Bicep enables IT ops teams working with IaC to create and deploy Azure resources in a more streamlined manner. Follow this tutorial to learn how. Continue Reading
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News
14 Jul 2022
New Red Hat CEO faces hybrid cloud challenges
Matt Hicks, now Red Hat CEO, and newly appointed Chairman Paul Cormier discuss the links between open source security and sustainability and Red Hat's hybrid cloud mission. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
08 Jul 2022
Use MicroK8s with Raspberry Pi in this tutorial
Kubernetes is important to tackle, but its resource requirements can balloon dramatically. MicroK8s lets individuals experiment with the platform -- try it on Raspberry Pi 4. Continue Reading
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News
30 Jun 2022
Atlassian Confluence zero day triggers IT security ire
A critical Atlassian Confluence vulnerability disclosed this month draws critiques from some IT practitioners about the vendor's overall security posture. Continue Reading
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News
29 Jun 2022
ServiceNow ITSM users recharge workflows with familiar tools
Digital transformation hasn't required Flex and the city of Santa Monica to replace the IT service management system they already had, and a new IT ops workflow is on the way. Continue Reading
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Definition
28 Jun 2022
hardware security
Hardware security is vulnerability protection that comes in the form of a physical device rather than software that's installed on the hardware of a computer system. Continue Reading
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Feature
21 Jun 2022
Evaluate PowerVS for a streamlined hybrid cloud environment
Move on-premises IT environments into the cloud with PowerVS and determine if PowerVM is a better option than -- or a better companion to -- the hybrid cloud. Continue Reading
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Opinion
20 Jun 2022
Splunk .conf22 focuses on scaling observability for the cloud
The Splunk .conf22 event highlighted different ways companies can expand their observability practices at multi-cloud scale to gain a competitive edge. Continue Reading
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Tip
17 Jun 2022
How to learn Golang: A DevOps engineer's experience
While some languages don't provide much proprietary support for new learners, Go makes it simple for anyone interested in the language to pick up the basics in a couple hours. Continue Reading
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News
16 Jun 2022
Splunk AIOps development to be led by new 'hands-on' CEO
Splunk product development will be led by the company's new CEO following another high-ranking exec's departure, prompting speculation about the vendor's long-term priorities. Continue Reading
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Definition
16 Jun 2022
Elastic Stack (ELK Stack)
The Elastic Stack is a group of open source products from Elastic designed to help users take data from any type of source and in any format, and search, analyze and visualize that data in real time. Continue Reading
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News
15 Jun 2022
Splunk Enterprise users push more data into DevSecOps
Splunk shops are expanding their collection of log and observability data to offer developer self-service, correlate ops with security alerts and consolidate edge management. Continue Reading
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News
09 Jun 2022
DevSecOps demands focus on developer experience, IT pros say
It's not enough to set up an approved path to production to establish DevSecOps, experienced platform engineers say; developer experience and collaboration are equally important. Continue Reading
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News
09 Jun 2022
OpenTelemetry inspires CDF's event-driven architecture plan
The CDEvents project and others like it aspire to standardize how CI/CD pipeline tools share data, filling a role similar to OpenTelemetry's in the observability realm. Continue Reading
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News
08 Jun 2022
New CD Foundation GM fights CI/CD pipeline fragmentation
Former Ericsson engineer Fatih Degirmenci will coordinate between CDF projects and CNCF working groups to secure software supply chains and ensure interoperability among tools. Continue Reading
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Tip
06 Jun 2022
Ubuntu snap vs. apt: Which package manager to use and when
Choosing an appropriate package manager depends primarily on your organization's specific IT ecosystem. Determine when snap or apt is the better call. Continue Reading
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News
02 Jun 2022
Kubernetes multi-cluster users tap service mesh alternatives
Istio service mesh is back in the spotlight since joining the CNCF, but the foundation's existing projects are preferred by IT pros focused on multi-cluster Kubernetes resiliency. Continue Reading
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News
20 May 2022
Cisco, CNCF leader urges corporate open source contributions
Critical problems in open source security require major increases in open source contributions from enterprises -- and not just in code, according to Cisco's head of open source. Continue Reading
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News
19 May 2022
Citi gives software supply chain security kit to OpenSSF
The financial services company's prototype system based on CNCF's software supply chain security guidelines joins OpenSSF's $150 million open source standards campaign. Continue Reading
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News
11 May 2022
OpenShift boosts DevSecOps with VMware Tanzu in its rear view
Red Hat expands OpenShift, with VMware Tanzu poised to capture at least some of its vast vSphere install base as enterprises get serious about container-based DevOps platforms. Continue Reading
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Feature
10 May 2022
Case study: Scaling DevSecOps at Comcast
Comcast's DevSecOps transformation started small but quickly gained steam, resulting in 85% fewer security incidents in production. Learn more in this case study. Continue Reading
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News
09 May 2022
Upstream Istio service mesh hones IT ops user experience
The Istio service mesh community has revealed further plans to simplify the project's notoriously difficult 'Day 2' management, which can't all be addressed by downstream vendors. Continue Reading
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Tip
09 May 2022
Why admins should learn how to use Azure Logic Apps
In an increasingly cloudy IT world, the iPaaS offering from Microsoft can bridge management gaps with automated workflows that require little technical expertise. Continue Reading
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News
03 May 2022
Atlassian cloud outage postmortem seeks to build back trust
A detailed post-incident analysis of Atlassian's cloud outage last month is prompting both the vendor and its customers to revise and expand their resiliency plans. Continue Reading
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News
28 Apr 2022
Software supply chain security risks surround Kubernetes
Securing Kubernetes is complex enough, but its associations with the wider open source ecosystem and automated deployments add supply chain security concerns to the equation. Continue Reading
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News
28 Apr 2022
Kubernetes security targeted by perfect storm of threats
As Kubernetes prepares to phase out Docker upstream, attackers shift their focus to the container orchestration platform, where complexity creates its own vulnerabilities. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Apr 2022
Don't force your IT applications into edge computing
Edge computing's primary concern is latency -- and most applications introduce too much. Consider the edge as a companion environment, not an approaching transformation. Continue Reading
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News
25 Apr 2022
IT pros hail Google's Istio service mesh donation to CNCF
Google's decision to donate Istio service mesh to the CNCF isn't a shocking one, but proponents of the project said it could broaden its adoption in a competitive market. Continue Reading
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Opinion
19 Apr 2022
Atlassian Team '22 wrap-up: Connect dev, ops and service
The Atlassian Team '22 conference focused in on new tools like Compass, Atlas and Analytics, with an optimistic eye to the future. Continue Reading
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Feature
19 Apr 2022
The data team-IT operations divide delays data delivery
Extended delays in the data delivery process aren't just inconvenient; they're a hindrance to business success that data teams and IT operations must solve together. Continue Reading
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Tip
15 Apr 2022
Use Jenkins for deployment, support and provisioning in ops
IT organizations that keep Jenkins on the development side of the house miss out on the orchestrated workflow capabilities it brings to operations tasks. Continue Reading
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Tip
12 Apr 2022
How to use abstracted repositories in dependency injection
Dependencies in software design can complicate matters. Dependency injection helps simplify it -- but it's not without its faults. Here's what you need to know. Continue Reading
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News
11 Apr 2022
Perforce acquires Puppet for infrastructure as code
Puppet execs had previously targeted an IPO for the company but opted for 'Plan B' in the deal, which primarily focuses on its infrastructure-as-code and compliance tools. Continue Reading
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News
05 Apr 2022
New Relic adds SRE features, preps security offering
A New Relic observability update this week reflects the crucial role of SREs in microservices architecture, and there are plans to align with the firm's DevSecOps ambitions. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
31 Mar 2022
How to use Pulumi Automation API, with examples
In this tutorial, integrate Pulumi's Automation API into existing projects -- and remove the need for CLI to perform infrastructure lifecycle changes in a CI/CD pipeline. Continue Reading