IT systems management and monitoring
Learn about the tools and technologies that enable more visibility into IT infrastructure, integration between IT management tools, tailored alerts for IT professionals and new areas of performance monitoring and management.
Top Stories
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Podcast
21 Nov 2024
Rethinking 'secure by design' amid slippery SecOps shifts
An expert discusses the fallout from a CISA report that raised doubts about the last decade's DevSecOps trend, and where the industry goes from here. Continue Reading
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Tip
15 Nov 2024
Guide to the advantages of using the Windows Terminal app
Admins who manage a wide range of resources will want to try this Microsoft app that integrates with Windows machines, cloud services and Linux systems from a single interface. Continue Reading
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Definition
25 Nov 2024
What is a configuration file?
A configuration file, often shortened to config file, defines the parameters, options, settings and preferences applied to operating systems (OSes), infrastructure devices and applications in an IT context. Continue Reading
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Definition
22 Nov 2024
What is an information system (IS)?
An information system (IS) is an interconnected set of components used to collect, store, process and transmit data and digital information. Continue Reading
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Podcast
21 Nov 2024
Rethinking 'secure by design' amid slippery SecOps shifts
An expert discusses the fallout from a CISA report that raised doubts about the last decade's DevSecOps trend, and where the industry goes from here. Continue Reading
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Tip
15 Nov 2024
Guide to the advantages of using the Windows Terminal app
Admins who manage a wide range of resources will want to try this Microsoft app that integrates with Windows machines, cloud services and Linux systems from a single interface. Continue Reading
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Podcast
14 Nov 2024
CEO: GenAI changes multi-cloud security, network equation
Aviatrix CEO Doug Merritt sees generative AI apps forcing a more distributed approach to cloud infrastructure, but he believes it will also help SecOps catch up with threats. Continue Reading
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News
12 Nov 2024
Microsoft halts 2 zero-days on November Patch Tuesday
The company addressed 88 vulnerabilities, including an Exchange Server spoofing flaw and a significant number of SQL Server bugs, this month. Continue Reading
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Podcast
12 Nov 2024
Lines blur between enterprise SecOps and cyberdefense
One expert predicts AI will ultimately benefit attackers more than defenders and, instead, urges businesses to take a page out of military and government cyberdefense handbooks. Continue Reading
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Definition
12 Nov 2024
What is firmware?
Firmware is a type of software program embedded into hardware devices to help them function smoothly and effectively. Continue Reading
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Tip
08 Nov 2024
Data center cooling systems and technologies and how they work
Extreme heat and cold can keep equipment from operating at peak efficiency. Explore cost-efficient and cost-effective cooling technologies and smart options for your facility. Continue Reading
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News
01 Nov 2024
IBM Apptio preps FinOps link with Terraform via GitHub
IBM drops another hint about its plans for HashiCorp with a shift-left FinOps integration in private beta, while tie-ins with Red Hat remain an open question. Continue Reading
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Podcast
01 Nov 2024
Could SBOMs save lives? SecOps in critical infrastructure
'We live in glass houses,' said a seasoned cybersecurity expert of the U.S. water supply, healthcare and other lifeline services. 'And people are about to start throwing rocks.' Continue Reading
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Definition
28 Oct 2024
What is AIOps (artificial intelligence for IT operations)?
Artificial intelligence for IT operations (AIOps) is an umbrella term for the use of big data analytics, machine learning (ML) and other AI technologies to automate and enhance IT operations. Continue Reading
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Podcast
25 Oct 2024
Relearning past lessons in assessing cloud risk
Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it -- even when that history is only about a decade or two old, according to one security analyst in this podcast episode. Continue Reading
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Tip
23 Oct 2024
Continuous delivery vs. continuous deployment: Which to choose?
Continuous delivery and continuous deployment both compress and de-risk the final stages of production rollout. Learn how to choose the proper path for your organization. Continue Reading
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Opinion
23 Oct 2024
Blueprint for hybrid observability: AI and its 4 key enablers
There are four elements that create a foundation for AI-driven observability. The ability to automatically detect new or updated components is just one of them. Continue Reading
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Definition
23 Oct 2024
What is Jira?
Jira is an application lifecycle management (ALM) and Agile project management tool from Atlassian. Continue Reading
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Answer
22 Oct 2024
How to deploy an Exchange Server cumulative update
Cumulative updates give the Exchange Server platform stability and security. This guide explains how to perform this maintenance properly to avoid a major service disruption. Continue Reading
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Podcast
21 Oct 2024
Security observability, AI require data hygiene in DevSecOps
Sound data management is the heart of observability for security, which guides DevSecOps practices and determines the usefulness of AI apps, New Relic CISO says. Continue Reading
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Definition
16 Oct 2024
What is black box AI?
Black box AI is any artificial intelligence system whose inputs and operations aren't visible to the user or another interested party. Continue Reading
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News
16 Oct 2024
Terraform Stacks, HCP Waypoint prompt migration questions
HashiCorp fends off challengers that sell ease of use with fresh infrastructure-as-code abstraction, while Terraform users grapple with a potential move to cloud-first services. Continue Reading
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Definition
15 Oct 2024
What is a command prompt?
A command prompt is the input field in a text-based user interface screen for an operating system (OS) or program. Continue Reading
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Tip
15 Oct 2024
The benefits of network asset management software
Network asset management software helps network teams keep track of network devices and software to ensure timely upgrades, accurate inventory and updated documentation. Continue Reading
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Tip
11 Oct 2024
How to evaluate AI for Windows Server environments
Organizations tasked with assessing AI workloads on Windows Server must weigh all the variables to determine the best approach to adopt this budding technology. Continue Reading
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Podcast
11 Oct 2024
SecOps from the IT infrastructure operations perspective
The CrowdStrike outage capped a decade of deepening divide between SecOps and the rest of IT ops -- and should bring about its end, according to one industry veteran. Continue Reading
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News
08 Oct 2024
Microsoft repairs 2 zero-days on October Patch Tuesday
Administrators will have to tackle 117 new vulnerabilities, including three rated critical, in this month's batch of security updates. Continue Reading
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Tip
08 Oct 2024
What's new in System Center 2025?
The key management tool for enterprises with a heavy investment in on-premises infrastructure is set for its next major release to coincide with the arrival of Windows Server 2025. Continue Reading
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Feature
07 Oct 2024
Configuration management vs. asset management simplified
Configuration management and asset management are sometimes used interchangeably. While similar in certain ways, they are not the same thing. Discover where the two diverge and where they overlap. Continue Reading
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Podcast
03 Oct 2024
Microsoft security overhaul offers blueprint for SecOps
Better late than never: Microsoft lags major cloud competitors in making security a top priority. But other enterprises might learn from how the company is catching up. Continue Reading
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Tip
30 Sep 2024
The basics, benefits and risks of cell-based architecture
Cell-based architecture adds a new twist to enterprise infrastructure by speeding deploys, improving uptime and maybe even reducing the test effort. Continue Reading
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Podcast
26 Sep 2024
The double-edged swords of cloud security and AI
DevSecOps expert Kyler Middleton examines the ways modern technologies such as cloud computing and AI both enable and complicate the future of SecOps. Continue Reading
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Definition
26 Sep 2024
What is ICMP (Internet Control Message Protocol)?
ICMP (Internet Control Message Protocol) is a network layer error-reporting protocol that's used to communicate data transmission problems. Continue Reading
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Feature
25 Sep 2024
Will Windows Server 2025 release spark VMware migrations?
Can Microsoft capitalize on VMware customer concerns by touting enhancements to its next version of Windows Server along with its cloud and hyperconverged infrastructure options? Continue Reading
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News
24 Sep 2024
New Grafana Labs features aim to simplify observability
The vendor's latest set of capabilities includes prebuilt applications and automated features aimed at making it easier to use observability tools to monitor data and IT processes. Continue Reading
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Feature
24 Sep 2024
U.S. Army, Lockheed Martin detail SBOM progress
Despite muddied regulatory waters and industry angst over technical stumbling blocks, enterprises are forging ahead with SBOMs, according to presenters at a recent CISA event. Continue Reading
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Feature
19 Sep 2024
8 largest IT outages in history
IT outages can be caused by cyberattacks, hardware failure, natural disasters and human error. Learn about some of the biggest outages here. Continue Reading
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Podcast
19 Sep 2024
SecOps' new frontier in the remote work era: HR
A CISO shares the story of how his SOC staff caught and contained a North Korean agent posing as a software engineer, saying he hopes to raise awareness of a growing threat. Continue Reading
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Feature
19 Sep 2024
16 metrics that matter in cloud performance monitoring
Compute cost and requests per minute are just two of the metrics that keep cloud performance humming. Here's how cloud metrics differ from on-premises, plus advice on buying tools. Continue Reading
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Answer
18 Sep 2024
What's the role of an application load balancer vs. API gateway?
Application load balancers and API gateways both manage network traffic. Learn the differences between them and how to use them together in a modern IT deployment. Continue Reading
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Definition
18 Sep 2024
What is ITIL? A guide to the IT Infrastructure Library
ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) is a framework designed to standardize the selection, planning, delivery, maintenance and overall lifecycle of IT services within a business. Continue Reading
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News
17 Sep 2024
IBM adds to FinOps arsenal as cloud competition winds change
IBM broadens its multi-cloud and hybrid cloud FinOps support with its acquisition of Kubecost, as its AI infrastructure strategy diverges from VMware's under Broadcom. Continue Reading
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Tip
17 Sep 2024
Cloud change management: What you need to plan for
Traditional change management and frameworks like ITIL are usually too slow and bureaucratic. You need to adapt them for the speed, and agility -- and risks -- of the cloud. Continue Reading
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Podcast
12 Sep 2024
CTO challenges software security status quo
A former U.S. Department of Homeland Security researcher argues that software is fundamentally broken from a security perspective. So, where does the industry go from here? Continue Reading
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News
10 Sep 2024
Four zero-days fixed for September Patch Tuesday
Most corrections this month focus on the Windows OS, but enterprises that rely on SQL Server or SharePoint should prioritize deploying the security updates for those platforms. Continue Reading
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News
10 Sep 2024
JFrog connects key software supply chain management dots
JFrog ties in with GitHub and Nvidia and ships Runtime Security to offer visibility into software supply chains from source code to production and back again, including AI apps. Continue Reading
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Definition
09 Sep 2024
What is SaaS sprawl?
SaaS sprawl is the uncontrolled use of software-as-a-service applications within an organization. Continue Reading
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Podcast
09 Sep 2024
An expert's big-picture view of the state of SecOps
In this first episode of 'IT Ops Query' Season 2, a SANS institute instructor and 20-year cybersecurity veteran assesses the past, present and future of SecOps. Continue Reading
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Feature
06 Sep 2024
Grafana vs. Datadog: What are the differences?
Grafana and Datadog are both powerful monitoring services with a wide variety of integrations, such as logging, visualization, alerts and APM. Continue Reading
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News
05 Sep 2024
IT vendors still search for open source license sweet spot
Elastic returns Elasticsearch and Kibana to open source licenses while Sentry floats Fair Source, as balancing business and community success remains a work in progress. Continue Reading
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Tip
04 Sep 2024
Microsoft Purview Audit helps IT flush out bad behavior
The auditing tool gives enterprises a way to find problems by examining logs from Microsoft 365 cloud services, such as Exchange Online, to see what actions were taken and where. Continue Reading
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News
28 Aug 2024
Cribl positions for IPO with $319M in latest funding round
The observability specialist's latest financing, along with strong recurring revenue and customer growth, helps set the vendor up to go public pending further financial milestones. Continue Reading
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Tip
28 Aug 2024
Stop phishing with help from updated DMARC policy handling
Exchange admins got a boost from Microsoft when it improved how it handles DMARC authentication failures to help organizations fight back from email-based attacks on their users. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
16 Aug 2024
Using PowerShell for monitoring SharePoint Online
The scale and complexity of some SharePoint Online environments can make maintenance difficult. Learn to use automation scripts to keep tabs on the collaboration platform. Continue Reading
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News
14 Aug 2024
Microsoft corrects six zero-days for August Patch Tuesday
Admins can address most of the zero-days with a cumulative update. But of more concern is the lack of patches for two vulnerabilities demonstrated at the Black Hat conference. Continue Reading
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Tip
14 Aug 2024
Use diskpart to create, delete and modify disk partitions
Diskpart is one of the oldest disk management tools in Windows, but it remains useful for its advanced capabilities in automation and granular control compared to other utilities. Continue Reading
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Tip
09 Aug 2024
How to weigh the benefits and challenges of CI/CD
Many organizations begin their DevOps journey with a continuous integration and delivery pipeline. Before getting started, understand some fundamental benefits of CI/CD. Continue Reading
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Tip
08 Aug 2024
How to deploy a LAMP stack
Examine the components and deployment options of a LAMP stack, which provides web hosting, database and scripting platforms that are found in many data centers. Continue Reading
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News
08 Aug 2024
Sysdig Sage early adopters kick the tires on CNAPP AI agents
AI agents in Sysdig Sage add more sophisticated multi-step reasoning than is available with generic LLMs. But it's meant to assist humans, not replace them. Continue Reading
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Tip
05 Aug 2024
Learn to use Windows registry editor command-line options
This tutorial explains how to use the regedit tool on the command line and make changes to the Windows registry for advanced administrative jobs. Continue Reading
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Tip
02 Aug 2024
How AIOps can optimize incident management teams
Artificial intelligence can help operations teams handle IT incidents, mitigate downtime, increase availability and reduce the time spent on manual processes. Continue Reading
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News
30 Jul 2024
Microsoft, SecOps pros weigh kernel access post-CrowdStrike
Microsoft will explore alternatives to direct kernel access for partners following the CrowdStrike outage. But some IT pros worry that change could do more harm than good. Continue Reading
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Definition
29 Jul 2024
What is high availability (HA)? Definition and guide
High availability (HA) is the ability of a system to operate continuously for a designated period of time even if components within the system fail. Continue Reading
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News
26 Jul 2024
CrowdStrike outage underscores software testing dilemmas
Experts say efforts to avoid incidents such as last week's CrowdStrike outage will face time-honored tradeoffs between velocity, stability, access and security. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
26 Jul 2024
Dive into Terraform basics with this tutorial
Terraform can save you time and headaches when deploying servers with cloud providers. Get up to speed on Terraform basics in this tutorial. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
25 Jul 2024
Activate Windows Server 2019 with KMS or the command line
Running the Software License Manager from the command line or using Key Management Services for automatic activation can sidestep one hurdle to get going with Windows Server 2019. Continue Reading
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Tip
23 Jul 2024
Understand the k-means clustering algorithm with examples
The k-means clustering algorithm groups similar objects or data points into clusters. This approach is popular for multivariate numeric data. Continue Reading
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News
23 Jul 2024
GitLab users cautiously optimistic on Datadog DevSecOps deal
Datadog is reportedly a suitor for GitLab; existing users understand the rationale for such a deal, but key questions must be answered before they'd adopt deeper integrations. Continue Reading
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News
18 Jul 2024
Aviatrix CEO pitches cloud networking to 'underserved buyer'
Doug Merritt has been in the multi-cloud networking business for a year, but still draws on his experience as CEO of Splunk to steer Aviatrix toward a new phase of growth. Continue Reading
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Answer
17 Jul 2024
Can a virtual machine infect its host with a virus?
Admins and users who work on virtual machines might believe they are fully secure, but that's not the case. Learn how VM hosts can get infected and how to secure against VM attacks. Continue Reading
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News
16 Jul 2024
AI gateways emerge in response to governance concerns
Enterprise IT investment is pouring into AI, but security and governance remain major stumbling blocks to production. Enter API gateway vendors eager to assist -- and cash in. Continue Reading
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Tip
11 Jul 2024
LAMP stack vs. MEAN stack: Which is right for you?
LAMP and MEAN stacks are two options for application hosting. Their differences lie in the way you use and deploy them. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
08 Jul 2024
Follow these steps to optimize Hyper-V performance
Follow these best practices for Microsoft's virtualization platform to prevent unnecessary slowdowns with your VMs. Continue Reading
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Tip
02 Jul 2024
A guide to software design documentation and specifications
Software design documents still rank as important SDLC components -- even in the age of DevOps. Learn why they are important, how to write one and who should contribute. Continue Reading
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News
27 Jun 2024
New Relic CEO sets observability strategy for the AI age
Former Proofpoint CEO sets an AI-focused agenda, including an Nvidia partnership launched this week, while denying layoff rumors and speculation about a merger with Sumo Logic. Continue Reading
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News
26 Jun 2024
Datadog DASH updates push into fresh IT automation turf
A series of product updates at Datadog DASH broke out of the vendor's usual observability domain and into territory held by Atlassian, PagerDuty and others. Continue Reading
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Tip
25 Jun 2024
Compare Datadog vs. New Relic for IT monitoring in 2024
Compare Datadog vs. New Relic capabilities including alerts, log management, incident management and more. Learn which tool is best for your organization. Continue Reading
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Definition
24 Jun 2024
Type 2 hypervisor (hosted hypervisor)
A Type 2 hypervisor is a virtual machine (VM) manager that is installed as a software application on an existing operating system (OS). Continue Reading
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Definition
24 Jun 2024
Virtual Machine Management Service
The Virtual Machine Management service, also known as VMMS or vmms.exe, is the main module in the Microsoft Windows operating system for controlling the virtual machines (VMs) on a Hyper-V server. Continue Reading
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News
19 Jun 2024
OpsRamp embraces automation for GenAI workloads
In this Q&A, Varma Kunaparaju, HPE OpsRamp lead, talks about soon-to-come platform updates, which include GenAI capabilities and building trust for AI-driven automation. Continue Reading
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News
18 Jun 2024
HPE GreenLake adds GenAI capabilities as on-premises PaaS
HPE GreenLake debuts a new PaaS offering for enterprise GenAI development, co-created with Nvidia. HPE also updated OpsRamp and server hardware refreshes for AI workloads. Continue Reading
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Definition
18 Jun 2024
Group Policy
Group Policy is a management feature in Microsoft's Active Directory (AD) that enables network and system administrators to configure and assign user and computer settings in an AD environment. Continue Reading
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News
17 Jun 2024
Post-lawsuit, Splunk and Cribl meet again in data pipelines
Weeks after a jury awarded Splunk $1 in its lawsuit against Cribl, the two vendors remain on a collision course, this time in the realm of data pipelines and federated analytics. Continue Reading
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Definition
13 Jun 2024
secure access service edge (SASE)
Secure access service edge (SASE), pronounced sassy, is a cloud architecture model that bundles together network and cloud-native security technologies and delivers them as a single cloud service. Continue Reading
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News
12 Jun 2024
New Cisco-Splunk observability roadmap details emerge
Post-acquisition, Cisco puts Splunk's CEO in charge of its observability strategy and lays out the details of how Splunk Observability Cloud will replace its existing platform. Continue Reading
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Definition
12 Jun 2024
green IT (green information technology)
Green IT (green information technology) is the practice of creating and using environmentally sustainable computing resources. Continue Reading
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News
11 Jun 2024
Microsoft delivers 51 fixes for June Patch Tuesday
A critical remote-code execution flaw in Windows and a DoS vulnerability affecting DNS in Windows Server top the list of patching priorities for admins. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
11 Jun 2024
Use advanced DHCP logging techniques for troubleshooting
This guide helps admins solve problems on the network by explaining how to work with recorded activity in logs and set up an archival system to examine older incidents. Continue Reading
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Definition
07 Jun 2024
IT incident management
IT incident management is a component of IT service management (ITSM) that aims to rapidly restore services to normal following an incident while minimizing adverse effects on the business. Continue Reading
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Definition
07 Jun 2024
log file
A log file, or simply a log, in a computing context is the automatically produced and timestamped documentation of events relevant to a particular system. Continue Reading
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News
07 Jun 2024
Cisco makes Splunk the center of observability
Cisco is integrating Splunk, AppDynamics and ThousandEyes to create a critical differentiator in the observability market. Networking integration will come later. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
06 Jun 2024
Find and fix server problems with Best Practices Analyzer
Admins need all the help they can get, and this Microsoft utility shows IT how to correct security issues and optimize performance in key infrastructure workloads. Continue Reading
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Definition
05 Jun 2024
SELinux (Security-Enhanced Linux)
SELinux, or Security-Enhanced Linux, is a part of the Linux kernel that acts as a protective agent to the operating system. Continue Reading
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Definition
05 Jun 2024
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES)
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES) is a Linux-based server operating system created and maintained by the German-based organization, SUSE. Continue Reading
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Definition
05 Jun 2024
virtualization
Virtualization is the creation of a virtual version of an actual piece of technology, such as an operating system (OS), a server, a storage device or a network resource. Continue Reading
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Tip
03 Jun 2024
Evaluate Grafana vs. Kibana for IT data visualization
Grafana and Kibana are two strong contenders for on-premises data visualization tools. Compare the two and pick which tool is best for your organization. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
30 May 2024
Streamline Microsoft 365 onboarding with PowerShell
Learn how to simplify user provisioning in the cloud collaboration platform with faster results by seeing examples of scripts that work with Microsoft Graph. Continue Reading
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Definition
28 May 2024
bare-metal hypervisor (Type 1 hypervisor)
A bare-metal hypervisor, also known as a Type 1 hypervisor, is virtualization software that has been installed directly onto the computing hardware. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
23 May 2024
Automate Microsoft 365 user offboarding with PowerShell
Automation is a good way for admins to handle all the tasks associated with removing a user from the organization's tenant in Microsoft's cloud-based productivity platform. Continue Reading
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Tip
23 May 2024
Managing databases in a hybrid cloud: 10 key considerations
To manage hybrid cloud database environments, consider business and application goals, consistency, configuration management, synchronization, latency, security and stability. Continue Reading
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Definition
23 May 2024
Zabbix
Zabbix is an open source monitoring software tool for diverse IT components, including networks, servers, virtual machines (VMs) and cloud services. Continue Reading
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Definition
23 May 2024
virtual firewall
A virtual firewall is a firewall device or service that provides network traffic filtering and monitoring for virtual machines (VMs) in a virtualized environment. Continue Reading