Tips

Tips

• IT automation trends point to smarter machines -- not just faster

  Tools that automate IT tasks are good. Tools that screen, analyze, remediate and alert admins about those preprogrammed actions are better.  Continue Reading

• Kubernetes as a service offers orchestration benefits for containers

  Kubernetes presumes deep private cloud knowledge. If your organization isn't there yet, evaluate the supported Kubernetes distributions from third-party as-a-service vendors.  Continue Reading

• Server OS patching doesn't have to be as painful as you fear

  OS patching is like a mechanic's job -- you need different tools for different makes and models. SCCM, Satellite and Landscape provide upkeep for IT's sports cars and SUVs.  Continue Reading

• Choose a container network model that matches the enterprise setup

  The difference between a container vendor's network specifications and the organization's main network shouldn't prevent implementation. These configurations fit each networking model.  Continue Reading

• Three DevOps toolchain options refine IT automation

  DevOps tools that don't interconnect form a bottleneck that teams can easily avoid -- or retroactively remedy -- if the CI/CD workflow merits the time commitment.  Continue Reading

• Be the application scaling voice of reason in operations

  It's not easy to tell application owners no, but overallocating resources in the name of application scalability can do more harm than good in production.  Continue Reading

• When to use Docker alternatives rkt and LXD

  Docker can't meet the needs of every IT scenario. LXD and CoreOS rkt are additional container formats to try out when Docker doesn't make sense.  Continue Reading

• IT cost reduction is vital as cloud expenses rise

  It's easy to spend money in IT. It's harder to save it -- or cut ongoing costs. Comprehensive IT budget planning paves the road to cheaper IT.  Continue Reading

• IT asset tracking informs better capacity, management decisions

  Detailed IT asset inventories are a result of granular asset tracking and lead to better server and storage management -- among other benefits.  Continue Reading

• Achieve application load balancing on virtual and cloud resources

  Whether a volatile application runs on dedicated or multi-tenant hardware, management and automation technologies keep computing resource supply in step with demand.  Continue Reading

• Log management systems benefit greatly from AI

  Organizations with massive volumes of IT operational data need log management tools that can quickly and adeptly process it. AI embedded into tools might be the answer.  Continue Reading

• Learn shell scripts: A sys admin's guide to automation

  Shell scripts and sys admins should be best friends. A day rarely goes by without using some form of shell script or another. Learn how those scripts work and start writing them.  Continue Reading

• Chef components standardize configuration management across platforms

  The components that make up Chef work the same way in company-owned data centers and on public cloud platforms, but be aware of licensing and hosting variations.  Continue Reading

• Note these ops issues before you deploy with Docker containers

  Docker regularly updates its containerization offering, but it's not click-to-deploy ready for production. Ops professionals should acknowledge these points before deploying Docker containers.  Continue Reading

• Determine IT operating costs to show the value of cloud migration

  Any IT project requires an assessment of present and predicted costs and savings. Those amounts fall into two categories: Capex and Opex.  Continue Reading