Tips
Tips
IT systems management and monitoring
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5 open source software applications for virtualization
Open source software comes with many benefits, but admins must first determine whether each tool's use cases align with their workload needs. Continue Reading
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How to build a successful IT service desk
The IT service desk has a lot to manage. With a strong foundation and the right steps in place to handle issues, it can take on anything users throw at it. Continue Reading
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Tools and techniques to master API management in production
APIs are a cornerstone of modern application development. IT ops teams must monitor and manage APIs in production to resolve issues that hinder performance. Continue Reading
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Explore common machine learning use cases in IT operations
Machine learning is a hot topic with use cases that span IT and the business. Learn how IT operations teams most commonly apply the technology -- from help desk response to gauging end-user satisfaction. Continue Reading
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5 critical help desk KPIs to track and manage
IT operations teams shouldn't view help desk KPIs in isolation, but rather as a set of closely related metrics that work together to track the user experience and costs. Continue Reading
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Evaluate 3 IT ops use cases for the Aternity monitoring tool
Operations teams can use data from an IT environment to detect, prevent and remediate issues. With Aternity, they can specifically track metrics and manage tasks related to user experience. Continue Reading
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Why automated user provisioning still demands a human touch
IT teams can automate away many -- but not all -- of the tedious tasks associated with user provisioning. A human operator is still essential to ensure accurate account details. Continue Reading
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Proxmox VE 6 and later offers container features, better security
Proxmox VE, an open source virtualization management product, provides admins with several features, such as VM live migration, backup abilities and high availability. Continue Reading
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Get started with threshold monitoring
IT monitoring doesn't have to be difficult to set up and use. Learn how to set thresholds and dashboards, know when and how to escalate responses, and keep IT systems humming along. Continue Reading
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Evaluate Grafana vs. Kibana for IT data visualization
Take a deep dive into how Grafana and Kibana can help IT admins visualize critical system data through this database monitoring example. Continue Reading
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How -- and why -- to add SolarWinds modules
SolarWinds is known for its capabilities in network monitoring, but flexible modules give IT operations staff the ability to monitor systems far and wide. Continue Reading
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A comprehensive guide to Open vSwitch and its capabilities
Distributed multilayer switches are essential to managing several network connections between VMs. Open vSwitch offers admins automated and dynamic network control for virtual systems. Continue Reading
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Optimize your VM monitoring strategy with these tools
Keeping track of hundreds of VMs and applications can be difficult. However, monitoring tools such as OpManager and vSphere can help admins ensure successful system performance. Continue Reading
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How zero-touch IT operations can be a burden, not a benefit
In their pursuits of end-to-end automation, IT operations teams should be careful not to downplay the importance of human staff. Continue Reading
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Expand your knowledge of Hyper-V virtual switch types
Admins can create three Hyper-V virtual switch types: external, internal and private. The need for internet access and a secure network can help admins decide which one to use. Continue Reading
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Container logging tips for IT troubleshooting and more
Don't just leave container log data on a host and forget about it. Instead, establish a detailed strategy to index, search, correlate and analyze that data. Continue Reading
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Tap into these dark data use cases for IT ops and the business
Untapped data sources cause enterprises to forgo a wealth of information that benefits both IT operations and the business. Here's why -- and how -- to shine a light on dark data. Continue Reading
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Configure advanced VM settings in vSphere 6.7
Configuring advanced VM settings is no easy task. Some common questions admins ask include where to place VM swap files and how many sockets and cores they should use. Continue Reading
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Employ log management best practices to better analyze, protect data
Log files generate vast amounts of data, which negatively affects performance. As a result, admins should build logging strategies to prioritize and protect data. Continue Reading
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Dig into the pros and cons of memory ballooning
Ballooning is an effective VM memory management technique, but it does have its downfalls, such as potential memory overcommitment and halting application performance. Continue Reading
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Third-party VM monitoring tools offer alternatives to native vendors
Many admins rely on native tools to monitor VMs, such as Microsoft System Center, but third-party alternatives can offer improved capabilities, such as cost savings and integrations. Continue Reading
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5 IT security measures to safeguard distributed environments
In today's complex IT landscape, it's easy to make mistakes that leave applications and data vulnerable. Follow these five tips to create a comprehensive security plan. Continue Reading
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Top 10 VM backup tools for VMware and Hyper-V
Admins who rely on VMware and Hyper-V workloads might have trouble choosing the right backup tool for their VMs. Admins can use this article to better inform their purchasing decisions. Continue Reading
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Optimize platform costs, use with an IT asset management strategy
Without a thorough asset management plan that accounts for the complexities of today's IT environments, organizations risk cost inefficiencies and suboptimal support for the business. Continue Reading
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Practical advice to integrate IT systems after a merger
A merger or acquisition can devour an IT administrator's time in many ways -- from running and supporting parallel sets of infrastructure to managing automation and security. Continue Reading
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Right-sizing VMs improves performance, combats resource contention
Admins looking to reduce resource contention and improve system performance can right-size their VMs, but application owner pushback and software restrictions can pose issues. Continue Reading
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Apply the K-means clustering algorithm for IT performance monitoring
Modern machine learning frameworks reduce the heavy lifting in IT performance monitoring. Follow this example, using Apache Mesos and the K-means clustering algorithm, to learn the basics. Continue Reading
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Use secrets management tools for centralized security control
Improper secrets management leaves IT orgs vulnerable to attacks. A secrets repository can help -- but it requires commitment, along with a willingness to change existing workflows and processes. Continue Reading
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Modernize ops practices to manage hybrid IT infrastructure
Hybrid IT management requires ops teams to rethink everything from networking to the way they oversee system configurations. Third-party tools, including those for IaC, can help. Continue Reading
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Overcome these challenges to detect anomalies in IT monitoring
Faster and more accurate anomaly detection is a major benefit of machine learning in IT systems monitoring -- but it's not something that enterprises can achieve overnight. Continue Reading
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Explore native and third-party VM automation tools' features
VMware and Microsoft offer native tools that provide VM automation capabilities, but admins should also look at third-party vendors, such as Chef, Puppet and SolarWinds. Continue Reading
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Gain deeper IT insight with machine learning for log analysis
As the log analysis tool market evolves, machine learning plays an increasing role in helping IT teams discover significant anomalies and outliers in their data. Continue Reading
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Red Hat Virtualization 4.3 updates to Cockpit are minor, but beneficial
Cockpit hasn't seen many changes with the latest RHV 4.3 update, but it still provides beneficial capabilities, such as the ability create a VM from a template or migrate a VM to a different host. Continue Reading
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Virtualization automation challenges underscore AI usefulness
Automation helps reduce the complexity of virtual systems, but admins might find that adoption challenges and temporary resolutions underscore its usefulness. Continue Reading
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Deploy and configure a basic setup of Linux's LXD hypervisor
Admins looking to use Linux's hypervisor dedicated to container technology can use several commands to deploy and configure a basic setup of the hypervisor. Continue Reading
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5 tips to help IT administrators use AIOps tools effectively
AIOps tools can simplify virtual system management, but you should consider a few things prior to adoption: business processes, employee skills, volume of data and AIOps complexity. Continue Reading
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How to deploy graphics devices using Hyper-V DDA
Admins can map a VM to a GPU with Hyper-V, but they must first complete a few steps, such as prepare the VM and dismount the PCIe device from the host partition. Continue Reading
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Prevent help desk escalation with runbook documentation
IT operations teams are often stuck in a process loop to solve issues. Learn how tools, such as runbooks and libraries, break the cycle and help avoid problem escalation. Continue Reading
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Import and export Hyper-V VMs with Hyper-V Manager and PowerShell
When migrating VMs, admins can use Hyper-V Manager's export and import capabilities for small sets of VMs or PowerShell for larger migrations from one host to another. Continue Reading
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Types of Hyper-V scheduler for simultaneous multithreading in VMs
Hyper-V's classic and core schedulers both enable use of simultaneous multithreading in VMs, but the core scheduler prevents VMs from ever reserving an entire CPU core. Continue Reading
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Capitalize on the advantages of open source software in IT
Open source tools, including those for IT management, might be free, but there are broader pros and cons that might tip the scales for some enterprise buyers. Continue Reading
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Conduct an incident post-mortem for ongoing DevOps improvement
A thorough and effective post-mortem process can strengthen a DevOps organization -- but first, teams must be ready to dig deep and leave blame behind. Continue Reading
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Try out the Graphite monitoring tool for time-series data
Combined with third-party tools, Graphite provides a number of benefits for IT performance monitoring. Explore its core components -- including Carbon and Whisper -- and basic guidelines for installation. Continue Reading
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Perform these steps to monitor Windows Server with Nagios Core
Nagios is no newbie to the server monitoring world, but setting it up for Windows takes a few extra steps. Learn how Nagios Core, originally meant for Linux, can monitor Windows servers. Continue Reading
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Get to know Oracle Linux Virtualization Manager
Oracle released Linux Virtualization Manager, a platform that lets admins configure, manage and monitor their virtual server environments. Continue Reading
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Match cloud application monitoring to integration needs
An enterprise's cloud migration includes several elements: a new security process, budget redistribution and a monitoring system that integrates cloud and on-premises apps. Continue Reading
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Obtain, deploy and manage Oracle VM templates
Oracle VM templates, which come with a guest OS, application software and preset configurations, help admins streamline VM deployment, and they can set them up in just a few steps. Continue Reading
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How does time-series analysis work in IT environments?
IT monitoring metrics are crucial for enterprises to gauge performance and plan for future events. But admins should understand the tradeoffs between a time-series and point-in-time analysis. Continue Reading
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Use centralized encryption methods in large-scale IT environments
Whether data is stored in a VM or in the cloud, centralized encryption key management is critical to prevent theft and protect data from unwanted eyes. Continue Reading
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Use these features and techniques to ensure Hyper-V security
To successfully enhance the security of Hyper-V hosts and VMs, admins should consider network security, guarded fabric technology, Generation 2 VMs and Secure Boot. Continue Reading
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Persistent memory in Hyper-V VMs offers better data retention
When coupled with virtualization, persistent memory bridges the gap between traditional memory and storage devices by offering better performance and availability. Continue Reading
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Get to know Hyper-V 2019 new features and functionality
Window Server 2019 showed fewer new features than first expected, but Hyper-V admins can benefit from improved support for shielded VMs and the new Admin Center feature. Continue Reading
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Understand KubeVirt basics to help get you started
Getting to know KubeVirt prior to use is essential. Though it relies on core Kubernetes technology, running VMs alongside containers is something you might be unfamiliar with. Continue Reading
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Obtain and deploy Hyper-V with Admin Center rather than VARs
Using Admin Center to deploy Hyper-V over VARs can offer admins flexibility and the ability to remotely manage servers, but the push toward cloud migration can be an issue. Continue Reading
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5 Kubernetes adoption considerations you should think about
Understand the basics of Kubernetes, including how it works and its pros and cons, before deciding whether or not to adopt. Then, figure out how you plan to manage it. Continue Reading
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Explore the Citrix guest UEFI boot feature for modern systems
A guest boot feature offered by Citrix provides admins with improved system performance, but they should be wary of its continued experimental status. Continue Reading
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Hardware options to support a reverse cloud migration
Moving back on premises can require new infrastructure if maintenance windows have expired, and admins must meet power and storage demands to ensure apps migrate successfully. Continue Reading
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Assess AIOps benefits and challenges for enterprise IT teams
To successfully reap the benefits of an AIOps implementation, IT teams first have to navigate some crucial cultural and technical shifts. Continue Reading
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Micro VMs can present unique management challenges
The haphazard deployment of micro VMs can eventually lead to issues ranging from IP address depletion to serious performance problems resulting from extreme resource contention. Continue Reading
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3 tools admins can use for private cloud capacity planning
Admins can better manage their private clouds with capacity planning tools, such as specified quotas, resource monitoring and predictive scheduling. Continue Reading
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AIOps monitoring arms IT staff with broader, deeper insights
Conventional monitoring gives ops teams critical visibility into the health of their IT systems, but with limited scope. Through an AIOps tool, they can significantly broaden their view. Continue Reading
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5 critical features that put the 'AI' in AIOps tools
Don't fall victim to AI-washing in the IT systems management market. Instead, know what to look for in a truly 'intelligent' operations platform -- starting with these 5 capabilities. Continue Reading
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Use ManageEngine OpManager to monitor your virtual environment
ManageEngine OpManager offers monitoring capabilities that enable IT teams to gather resource metrics, such as CPU usage and I/O operations, to help manage their environments. Continue Reading
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What are the differences between KVM, Virtuozzo and OpenVZ?
These virtualization platforms are related, but they vary in terms of whether they're open source or commercial products and the types of instances they provide to run applications. Continue Reading
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DevOps security best practices span code creation to compliance
Developers and operations staff who split security responsibilities as part of a DevOps workflow should apply these best practices to ensure no vulnerability goes unnoticed. Continue Reading
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How resource contention affects VM storage performance
VM performance issues often occur when resource contention is present. Admins can check the number of IOPS requests and storage array connections to address any bottlenecks. Continue Reading
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Combine reactive, proactive monitoring for optimal IT visibility
IT monitoring tools can be either proactive or reactive in nature. But, despite their differences in function, cost and required resources, these two types of tools both have a place in modern IT environments. Continue Reading
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Strategies for managing multi-hypervisor environments
Efficient multi-hypervisor management often comes down to where you place your workloads in terms of compatibility and security and how accessible your management tools are. Continue Reading
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Xen vs. KVM in 2019 is a no brainer
Xen might have lost the hypervisor war against KVM, but that doesn't mean it's dead. Niche use cases such as the automotive industry are keeping the open source project alive. Continue Reading
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Prepare for Industry 4.0 challenges on storage, networks
With Industry 4.0 poised to grow across industries, enterprise IT organizations must ask what it will take to support this revolution. Learn how to manage the data-led transformation. Continue Reading
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Evaluate on-premises vs. SaaS tools for IT systems management
While there are a lot of factors for enterprises to consider when choosing an IT management tool, the on-premises vs. SaaS decision can be a particularly tricky one. Continue Reading
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Get familiar with these SLA maintenance tips
The basics of SLA management come at the intersection of business goals and the reality of possibility. IT teams must learn how to strike a balance between specific and conditional promises. Continue Reading
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How to measure IT performance, step by step
While IT performance measurement can be a tedious challenge, done correctly, this process provides essential analysis and assessments. Learn how to optimize these reviews. Continue Reading
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Let an IT and application monitoring strategy drive tool choices
A monitoring tool that simply gets the job done isn't always the best option for IT ops teams. Use metrics and staff feedback to determine if it's time for a change. Continue Reading
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Create Hyper-V containers in Windows Server 2016
Once you enable the Hyper-V role and Windows container feature, install Docker Engine, container modules and a base OS image to prepare the host for Hyper-V container deployment. Continue Reading
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Add Elasticsearch nodes to a cluster in simple steps
Elasticsearch, part of the Elastic Stack with Logstash and Kibana, uses YAML for configuration scripting. Follow these steps to configure an Elasticsearch cluster with two nodes. Continue Reading
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Automate the IT service desk workflow for maximum success
The automated help desk using ITSM software does for IT operations and support what the CI/CD toolchain has done for developers and DevOps engineers. Continue Reading
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Top 5 SCVMM PowerShell commands
Manually making changes to Hyper-V hosts and VMs is very time-consuming. Manage System Center Virtual Machine Manager with PowerShell commands to make administration easier. Continue Reading
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Manage application log files with the right tools and guidelines
IT operations teams face costly and complicated steps to monitor the crucial data in log files. Learn to use log management and aggregation tools to interpret trends without waste. Continue Reading
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How to improve help desk support via knowledge management
Your organization's help desk support system could be more efficient. Find out how knowledge management and natural language processing solve hidden IT woes. Continue Reading
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Troubleshoot Host Guardian Service with guarded fabric diagnostics
Take advantage of the built-in guarded fabric diagnostic tool to discover and resolve common issues that can afflict Host Guardian Service and guarded fabric deployments. Continue Reading
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5 skills every Hyper-V administrator needs to succeed
Windows Server skills aren't complete without these five Hyper-V skills, which range from failover clustering to storage, and remain essential for virtualization administration. Continue Reading
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AIOps use cases address complexity in virtual data centers
The ever-growing complexity of virtual infrastructures is making management a struggle, but an AIOps platform can enable admins to transform raw data into useful information. Continue Reading
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Create an IT support process to take on any outage
Every IT incident must be met with a streamlined resolution procedure, all the way from critical to trivial. Ensure those plans are in place before it's do or die. Continue Reading
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Meet Hyper-V cluster requirements to maintain high availability
Hyper-V high availability is important for failover, so check that Hyper-V clusters meet the proper requirements, which range from hardware management to network configuration. Continue Reading
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Manage host, VM access with a Hyper-V administrators security group
Use Hyper-V roles to limit users to predefined levels of access. By creating security groups and managing them with PowerShell, you can implement role-based security at scale. Continue Reading
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Generate a Hyper-V report to track clusters, nodes with PowerShell
It's difficult to navigate all the information related to Hyper-V nodes and clusters, so use PowerShell commands and scripts to generate reports and automate information retrieval. Continue Reading
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Hyper-V VM template creation made easy
Creating Hyper-V VM templates is a straightforward process, but there are a few things you should consider, such as template creation source and administrative password assignment. Continue Reading
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Enable and disable Hyper-V secure boot with PowerShell
The manual process of enabling secure boot is time-consuming, so use PowerShell cmdlets and scripts to make it efficient to use secure boot in Hyper-V. Continue Reading
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Use Microsoft SCVMM to clone a VM
There are some requirements you must meet to clone VMs with SCVMM, but the steps to clone an existing VM -- whether it's running, paused or shutdown -- are fairly simple. Continue Reading
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Get to know the Hyper-V processor compatibility mode feature
Hyper-V processor compatibility is relatively easy to use, but it disables some advanced CPU features and is only intended for specific circumstances on a temporary basis. Continue Reading
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Top five SCVMM 2016 features to look out for
SCVMM 2016 provides new features, such as Nano Server management, and enhancements to existing networking and security features to better manage the entire virtualization stack. Continue Reading
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Design a custom Hyper-V Integration Services component
The steps for creating a new component of Hyper-V Integration Services include registering an app, creating and binding a Hyper-V socket, and compiling server and client apps. Continue Reading
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Use VMware vSphere templates to manage VMs at scale
VM templates in vSphere enable IT administrators to manage large environments by rapidly deploying fully configured VMs using the content library interface. Continue Reading
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Create VM templates without encountering errors
Creating a VM template is a fairly straightforward process. Even so, it's a good idea to familiarize yourself with Microsoft's documentation to avoid common mistakes. Continue Reading
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Anomaly detection methods unleash microservices performance
When distributed applications run in containers, admins suddenly have a whirlwind of metrics to track instead of just a short list. These methods reach into the heart of the task. Continue Reading
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Application performance metrics and tools fit for modern architectures
Distributed applications and cloud hosting have led to new application interactions and KPI categories -- and different performance concerns need different metrics. Continue Reading
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SCVMM PowerShell commands for server health checks
Perform regular SCVMM health checks -- such as monitoring clustered shared volume utilization and host participation in SCVMM placement -- using simple PowerShell commands and scripts. Continue Reading
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XCP-ng offers new hypervisor option for cost-conscious shops
A new open source fork of Citrix XenServer includes many features proprietary hypervisors offer, but it's not likely to displace market leaders any time soon. Continue Reading
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Manage VMM library servers with PowerShell
Using PowerShell commands can save you time when searching for all the shares on a VMM library server, exporting and importing VMM library resources, and checking for VMM templates. Continue Reading