Tips

Tips

• Accelerate software delivery by practicing Lean DevOps

  The Lean methodology focuses on increasing efficiency and reducing waste -- practices that can also streamline DevOps projects. Review the benefits of combining the two approaches.  Continue Reading

• When and how to run databases on Kubernetes

  Deciding whether to move your database onto Kubernetes requires careful consideration, especially when choosing among deployment options. Here's what to keep in mind.  Continue Reading

• Kubernetes networking 101: Best practices and challenges

  Before jumping into the landscape of CNI plugins for Kubernetes, it's important to understand the basic elements of Kubernetes networking. Follow this guide to get started.  Continue Reading

• Manage complexity in Kubernetes with AI and machine learning

  Learn how DevOps teams can enhance performance and observability in Kubernetes with AI and machine learning techniques. Evaluate pros, cons and use cases.  Continue Reading

• Evaluate Google Anthos for Kubernetes management

  Discover the benefits and drawbacks of the Google Anthos platform, and compare it to other options for managing Kubernetes deployments in hybrid and multi-cloud environments.  Continue Reading

• Generative AI use cases for DevOps and IT

  Generative AI is often associated with creative projects, but it has promising use cases in DevOps and IT workflows -- if organizations account for its risks and limitations.  Continue Reading

• SBOMs and security: What IT and DevOps need to know

  By integrating software bill of materials creation into the software development lifecycle, IT and DevOps teams can build more secure and maintainable applications.  Continue Reading

• 5 best practices for building a strong DevOps culture

  Under the CALMS framework, establishing an open, collaborative culture from the outset is just as important as tools and technologies when starting out on your DevOps journey.  Continue Reading

• Can you use Kubernetes without Docker?

  Although Docker and Kubernetes are often used together, the two serve different roles in IT environments -- and Docker containers aren't the only option for Kubernetes deployments.  Continue Reading

• Unify business and IT with DevOps value stream management

  Value stream management can be a powerful tool to align DevOps with the business by optimizing data analysis and improving collaboration and reporting.  Continue Reading

• Stay ahead of threats with DevOps security best practices

  Unsure where to start when it comes to securing your DevOps environment? Taking these five actions can strengthen your organization's defenses against cyber attacks.  Continue Reading

• Evaluate the GitOps model for your organization

  For some organizations, GitOps leads to faster, higher-quality software delivery -- but for others, DevOps or NetOps is a better fit. Learn what factors your team should consider.  Continue Reading

• Platform engineering vs. DevOps: What's the difference?

  Platform engineering and DevOps both contribute to successful software development, but it's important to understand the nuances between the two functions in an IT organization.  Continue Reading

• Manage complex IT environments with AIOps and observability

  As IT environments grow in complexity, AIOps and observability tools can provide valuable insights and identify problem areas -- but prepare for adoption hurdles along the way.  Continue Reading

• How to implement FinOps in DevOps pipelines

  As cloud costs climb, applying FinOps principles in DevOps practices can optimize cloud spend. Learn how FinOps and DevOps can work together to promote better cloud resource use.  Continue Reading

• Kubernetes operator vs. controller: What's the difference?

  Kubernetes operators and controllers both manage cluster resources but play distinct roles in the Kubernetes ecosystem. Explore their differences and learn when to use each.  Continue Reading

• How to choose IT operations metrics that deliver real value

  The sheer volume of data collected in today's IT environments can be overwhelming. But by focusing on the user experience, IT ops teams can pinpoint the metrics that matter most.  Continue Reading

• Boost cluster security with Kubernetes vulnerability scanning

  Performing vulnerability scans on Kubernetes clusters can help keep container environments secure and running smoothly. Learn what risks to look out for and compare tool options.  Continue Reading

• When to use the Windows command prompt vs. PowerShell

  The Windows command prompt and PowerShell can accomplish similar tasks, but how they do so might push users toward one option over the other. Check out these examples to see why.  Continue Reading

• PowerShell vs. Bash: Key differences explained

  Windows admins have the option to use Bash, a Linux shell, but the command-line tool doesn't stack up one to one with PowerShell for Windows deployments.  Continue Reading

• How to approach data loss prevention in virtual servers

  As security risks evolve, organizations are turning to data loss prevention tools and methods to combat external and internal risks. Learn how to get started with DLP.  Continue Reading

• Defining the relationship between SRE and DevOps teams

  The lines between site reliability engineering and DevOps aren't always clear, but building a harmonious relationship between teams pays dividends for large cloud initiatives.  Continue Reading

• Compare Azure DevOps vs. Jira for IT ops project management

  Azure DevOps and Jira can both be effective project management tools for software development and IT ops teams, but the two differ in terms of benefits, features and limitations.  Continue Reading

• Tips for building a DevOps knowledge-sharing culture

  The DevOps spirit of openness and collaboration makes knowledge sharing a necessity. Explore best practices for documenting and communicating knowledge within your organization.  Continue Reading

• The role of IT ops in digital employee experience management

  Automated tools for measuring and analyzing employees' digital experience satisfaction can help IT ops predict problems, identify areas for improvement and cut costs.  Continue Reading

• Strategies for Kubernetes multi-cluster management

  Running multiple Kubernetes clusters has numerous advantages, but it also introduces technical complexity. Keeping these tips in mind can simplify multi-cluster management.  Continue Reading

• Considerations when getting started with distributed tracing

  Distributed tracing has advantages over traditional logging and monitoring, especially for microservices, but it can also affect application performance through added complexity.  Continue Reading

• What to keep in mind when securing virtual environments

  Virtual environments can contain numerous vulnerabilities for attackers to exploit -- with potentially devastating results. Use these tips to select security tools and strategies.  Continue Reading

• Reduce Kubernetes spend with these 10 Kubecost alternatives

  IT teams have several options other than Kubecost to monitor Kubernetes spending, from dedicated Kubernetes-specific tools to full-fledged cloud management platforms.  Continue Reading

• 8 tips for building a multi-cloud DevOps strategy

  DevOps practices and tools have many benefits for application development, deployment and monitoring in complex IT environments that span multiple clouds.  Continue Reading

• 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

• Demystify the DevOps process, step by step

  While varying definitions and vendor marketing spins can make the meaning of DevOps tough to nail down, there are concrete principles and processes that underpin the methodology.  Continue Reading

• 5 tips for creating an IT ops application migration plan

  Migrating applications can be complex, especially for IT teams dealing with sprawling legacy systems, but devoting time to planning and testing can avoid hassles down the road.  Continue Reading

• Compare Go vs. Python: What are the differences?

  Golang and Python are both versatile, popular languages, but they have some important differences that developers should take into account when planning software projects.  Continue Reading

• Top observability tools for 2023

  Observability tools can give developers and IT administrators better insight on applications to improve delivery, performance and customer experience -- and avoid potential issues.  Continue Reading

• Carefully weigh these DevOps pros and cons

  DevOps can help organizations gain a competitive edge through fast and iterative software development cycles. Still, there are tradeoffs to consider.  Continue Reading

• When not to use Docker and how to choose an alternative

  Docker might be the default for container orchestration, but what if it doesn't meet your needs? Explore why Docker might not be the right fit and what might be.  Continue Reading

• What makes a good IT operations manager?

  Making the jump to management can be challenging for IT ops professionals; leadership positions often require a different skill set than technical roles.  Continue Reading

• 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

• 5 tips for reaching full-stack observability

  Achieving full-stack observability remains fraught with challenges, but it's a necessary move for enterprises running complex multi-cloud and hybrid environments.  Continue Reading

• How to make and use maps in Golang

  Maps are a popular data structure in many programming contexts thanks to their efficiency and speed. But, in Go, some unique features make maps especially useful.  Continue Reading

• Use the CALMS framework for a smooth DevOps transition

  Adopting DevOps can be challenging, especially when communicating across IT and business teams. The five elements of the CALMS framework can help organizations measure progress.  Continue Reading

• 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

• How does Kubernetes use etcd?

  Etcd is a lightweight, highly available key-value store accessible to each node in a Kubernetes cluster. Find out how etcd works and learn how to use it inside Kubernetes.  Continue Reading

• Compare Kubernetes StatefulSet vs. deployment vs. DaemonSet

  Kubernetes has several ways to deploy applications, including deployments, DaemonSets and StatefulSets. But each resource type has unique benefits, drawbacks and use cases.  Continue Reading

• Dissect open source ransomware code to understand an attack

  To protect your organization from ransomware, it's helpful to know what goes on behind the scenes. Unpack this ransomware code example to understand and defend against attacks.  Continue Reading

• Make a business case for VMware training

  You can outsource infrastructure management to a third party or you can get IT admins the VMware training they need to install, manage and troubleshoot your environment.  Continue Reading

• Why and how to use container malware scanning software

  Malware is on the rise, and containers are potential attack vectors. Learn why it's crucial to check containers for vulnerabilities and compare container malware scanning tools.  Continue Reading

• Configure Azure Load Balancer for session persistence

  Session persistence ensures users connect to the same server for the duration of their session. Find out how and why to set up session persistence in Azure Load Balancer.  Continue Reading

• What Golang generics support means for code structure

  Generics are a relatively recent addition to the strongly and statically typed Go language. Learn the benefits of using generics in Golang and how to get started.  Continue Reading

• 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

• What is a Raspberry Pi used for?

  IT infrastructure can get expensive fast, making single-board computers like the Raspberry Pi appealing for small projects. Learn what a Raspberry Pi does and explore IT use cases.  Continue Reading

• What DevOps teams need to know about API management

  Managing today's sprawling API ecosystems is increasingly daunting for DevOps teams. Learn what to look for when choosing a tool to reduce the complexity of API management.  Continue Reading

• Combat ransomware with continuous backup software, strategy

  No IT organization is safe from a ransomware attack, making backup maintenance critical. Learn the pros and cons of continuous backups in terms of costs, storage and recovery time.  Continue Reading

• How to integrate and monitor Kubernetes with New Relic

  New Relic might be best known as a DevOps monitoring tool, but it can also help improve observability into your Kubernetes clusters. Follow this tutorial to get started.  Continue Reading

• 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

• 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

• How to manage stateful containers with Kubernetes

  Organizations can reap the benefits of containers for stateful applications by using Kubernetes to maintain state in application processes and components.  Continue Reading

• How to stop ransomware: 4 steps to ransomware containment

  Even with the best security efforts, ransomware sometimes breaches organizations' defenses -- but IT teams can prevent a ransomware attack from escalating with these four steps.  Continue Reading

• 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

• Creating an effective change management process for IT ops

  Handling changes is challenging in complex virtualized environments with extensive automation and dependencies. Learn what IT teams need to know for effective change management.  Continue Reading

• How to use Kubernetes' self-healing capability

  Self-healing is a quality that enables software to autonomously resolve issues based on a desired state. Kubernetes' self-healing is built in, but it demands observation.  Continue Reading

• How to bolster vulnerability management with DevSecOps

  DevSecOps pushes security work into every stage of the software delivery lifecycle. Vulnerability management is a critical element to this security posture.  Continue Reading

• Help desk documentation: Best practices for DevOps teams

  Creating accurate, up-to-date documentation for help desks is critical to software development and adoption -- but it also poses challenges for DevOps organizations.  Continue Reading

• Build AI into the DevOps maturity model for smooth sailing

  AI has promising applications in DevOps, but organizations must account for the maturity of their teams, processes and tools to ensure the success of their AI initiatives.  Continue Reading

• Prepare for ransomware attacks on critical infrastructure

  Prevention and protection are often the focus of ransomware discussions, but IT teams must understand ransomware's effects on operations and how to react in an attack scenario.  Continue Reading

• What is K3OS and how does it relate to K3s?

  Discover the potential benefits of adopting K3OS, a lightweight Linux distribution developed to run Kubernetes workloads in low-resource environments.  Continue Reading

• What IT admins should consider when licensing a VM

  Licensing for virtual machines can be particularly tricky to navigate for IT admins, who must ensure proper licensing for hosts -- as well as software running inside VMs.  Continue Reading

• Emerging approaches to HCI for IT services

  Hyper-converged infrastructure's increased support for containers, composability and hybrid cloud deployments has attracted IT teams with reduced costs and improved efficiency.  Continue Reading

• Compare running Kubernetes on VMs vs. bare-metal servers

  Planning to run a cloud-native application with Kubernetes? Compare the advantages and drawbacks of deployments on VMs and physical servers.  Continue Reading

• How to establish a Kubernetes governance strategy

  Because Kubernetes is a large, complex tool that touches so much of the IT ecosystem, governance policies are important to meet both internal and external standards.  Continue Reading

• What to do when a VM is compromised

  When security incidents arise -- and they will -- IT administrators can restore, reset or completely wipe VMs to return them to health and get them back into production.  Continue Reading

• DevOps vs. AgileOps: What's the difference?

  While AgileOps may seem like a sign that the IT industry has reached 'peak Ops,' the approach could enable DevOps teams to further refine their operations.  Continue Reading

• How to create and manage a rock-solid DevSecOps framework

  Going from DevOps to DevSecOps requires a serious adjustment -- but it's a change that improves both the IT ecosystem and the IT department's collaboration prowess.  Continue Reading

• Docker's rootless mode a welcome security update

  Docker containers have root privileges by default -- a known security issue for several years. Now Docker's rootless mode separates containers from underlying infrastructure.  Continue Reading

• An introduction to SRE documentation best practices

  SRE documentation stands distinct from other types of IT documentation, not least because it's a core responsibility for site reliability engineers. What else makes it distinct?  Continue Reading

• Get to know Amazon DevOps Guru for system monitoring

  Amazon DevOps Guru gives IT admins machine learning-driven insights into applications to respond to problems quickly and efficiently. Discover how it works and its benefits.  Continue Reading

• Putting up DevOps guardrails -- what does that mean?

  IT projects without proper communication and collaboration can be risky for organizations to take on -- that's where DevOps guardrails come in. Learn more below.  Continue Reading

• Observability as code is key to the cloud operating model

  Why is everything becoming 'as code'? Believe it or not, it's easier to manage and can save the headache of adopting a new, specialized tool. Use the tools you have for OaC.  Continue Reading

• Patching best practices IT ops and security can agree on

  Patches are necessary for maintenance, but can often cause a rift between IT ops and security teams. Follow these best practices to unify expectations and keep tension at bay.  Continue Reading

• Compare Docker vs. Podman for container management

  Docker and Podman offer similar capabilities to manage containers, but Docker's security vulnerabilities might make Podman more appealing for some admins.  Continue Reading

• Adopt a zero-trust framework for a safer IT ecosystem

  Zero trust sounds like opposition to DevOps' all-for-one culture model, but it's a safety model organizations should evaluate. Safeguard everything with identity authentication.  Continue Reading

• 6 technical debt examples and how to solve them

  Technical debt can be critical to an organization's success or failure -- and many don't even know it exists. Discover six examples of where it collects and how to eliminate it.  Continue Reading

• Secure your infrastructure against VM ransomware

  More hackers are using VMs as an access point to install and deploy encrypted ransomware. Make sure your security strategy includes prevention, response and analysis.  Continue Reading

• An introduction to VMware KVM mode

  VM management often requires multiple monitors. KVM mode lets you set hot keys to navigate between VMs and the OS, so no task -- or workflow -- is lost among application windows.  Continue Reading

• Scrum vs. DevOps: Are they intertwined or redundant?

  To keep up with a complex CI/CD environment, IT ops teams can choose between Scrum or DevOps -- or use them together. Discover the roles and benefits of each approach.  Continue Reading

• An overview of hardware support for virtualization

  Intel, AMD and Arm processors optimize virtualization in multiple ways. Read up on the features for Intel VT, AMD-V, Armv9, Intel APICv, and AMD AVIC tech, as well as how they support VMs.  Continue Reading

• Develop a DevOps branching strategy to promote efficiency

  Projects in DevOps environments can move quickly, which often creates chaos. To curb the confusion, use a branching strategy to track changes as teams work simultaneously.  Continue Reading

• 7 principles of observability in modern applications

  Organizations must keep these seven principles top of mind when monitoring and organizing data to institute observability practices that resolve problems quickly.  Continue Reading

• Fielding IT management challenges: Supply chain edition

  As IT operations teams grapple with global supply chain disruptions and a skills shortage, they must work with IT leadership to make some tough decisions.  Continue Reading

• 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

• Observability vs. monitoring: What's the difference?

  Although observability and monitoring are different concepts, they aren't mutually exclusive; both provide IT administrators with valuable insights on their systems.  Continue Reading

• Address Hyper-V VM network issues for peak performance

  Microsoft Hyper-V can sometimes experience poor network performance or connectivity problems. When that happens, there are several things you can do to resolve the problem.  Continue Reading

• Common use cases for observability

  These use cases for observability enable an organization to dig deeper into its systems monitoring and analysis to get ahead of potential issues and alert IT staff.  Continue Reading

• 8 observability best practices

  Observability enables organizations to analyze data on a continuous basis and act on it quickly. Learn best practices for implementing the technology.  Continue Reading

• The 3 pillars of observability: Logs, metrics and traces

  Logs, metrics and traces offer their individual perspectives on system performance. When analyzed together, they provide a complete picture of your infrastructure.  Continue Reading

• 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

• DevOps goals and objectives for a smooth adoption roadmap

  Start your organization's DevOps adoption journey with the right set of metrics -- and drill down from there. And while no two orgs are the same, they share some key goals.  Continue Reading

• DevOps architect vs. engineer: What's the difference?

  DevOps engineers and architects work in the same environment, but their roles, skills and experience differ. Learn what each entails and how to prepare for one over the other.  Continue Reading

• A beginner's guide to Hyper-V checkpoints

  Hyper-V checkpoints help mitigate problems with upgrade rollouts. They can pile up, so they require some storage space and management.  Continue Reading