Cloud provider platforms and tools
When a business is ready to proceed with a cloud migration, it's prudent to consider which cloud provider platforms and tools meet business objectives and align with a staff’s skills. Hyperscale providers AWS, Azure and Google lead the market, offering ever-expanding portfolios of tools and services, but other providers deliver competitive offerings as well.
Top Stories
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News
19 Nov 2024
Microsoft Launches Azure Local for Hybrid Cloud, edge uses
Along with Azure Local, Microsoft launched a migration tool for enterprises that want to ditch their VMware by Broadcom VMs. Continue Reading
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News
15 Nov 2024
AMD layoffs follow AI job trend
AMD joins other tech companies in using layoffs to make room for AI talent. Continue Reading
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News
08 Nov 2019
IBM's financial services cloud offers developer opportunity
IBM hopes to bring developers to its new financial services cloud that runs on the IBM Cloud platform and uses Red Hat OpenShift as its Kubernetes environment. Continue Reading
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Feature
06 Nov 2019
Integrate applications with these 4 Azure integration tools
Integration can ensure consistent and scalable workflows in cloud applications, even connected to on-premises resources. Evaluate tools and services Azure offers for the task. Continue Reading
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News
05 Nov 2019
Microsoft Azure Arc faces cautiously interested user base
The hybrid cloud offering, announced this week at Ignite, will let users manage across multi-cloud, on-premises and edge environments -- but is it relevant? Customers weigh in. Continue Reading
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Tip
04 Nov 2019
How Google Cloud Composer manages workflow orchestration
Before users get started with Google Cloud Composer, a workflow orchestration service, they need to grasp key concepts of the Apache Airflow software that underpins it, including DAGs. Continue Reading
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News
04 Nov 2019
Microsoft hybrid cloud strategy expands with Azure Arc
Azure Arc will bring Microsoft's public cloud management tools together for use by customers on any type of infrastructure. The move underscores the drive toward hybrid cloud deployments as customer needs evolve. Continue Reading
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Definition
30 Oct 2019
Google Cloud Anthos
Google Cloud Anthos is a hybrid, cloud-agnostic container environment. Continue Reading
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Feature
30 Oct 2019
Licensing changes reveal Microsoft's cloud strategy
IT analysts share insights on the Microsoft licensing updates, and what it says about the on-premises giant's push for Azure adoption and the impact on current and future workloads. Continue Reading
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News
29 Oct 2019
Microsoft JEDI contract leaves AWS to weigh its options
Losing the $10 billion JEDI cloud computing contract to Microsoft forces AWS to consider its next steps in trying to reverse the government's surprise decision. Continue Reading
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Feature
28 Oct 2019
Get up to speed on Azure's serverless functionality
With so many serverless tools on the market, it can be difficult to pick the right one. Review some of the features of Azure serverless options to help you choose. Continue Reading
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News
26 Oct 2019
Microsoft wins $10 billion JEDI contract over AWS
In a surprise move, the DOD has awarded Microsoft, not AWS, its controversial JEDI cloud computing contract. The deal has a price tag of up to $10 billion over 10 years. Continue Reading
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News
08 Oct 2019
Oracle Cloud Infrastructure to add 2,000 jobs in bid for growth
Oracle plans to hire 2,000 workers to boost Oracle Cloud Infrastructure IaaS. It’s part of an aggressive global expansion as Oracle seeks to differentiate from AWS and others. Continue Reading
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Tip
30 Sep 2019
An Azure subscription management how-to
Subscriptions are not as black and white as they seem. Review the concepts, roles and challenges involved when planning and managing subscriptions for Azure. Continue Reading
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Video
27 Sep 2019
Get started with this Azure cloud migration tool
There are a lot of moving parts to a cloud migration, which leaves a lot of room for error. Follow Douglas Francis as he demonstrates how to seamlessly migrate to Microsoft Azure. Continue Reading
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News
20 Sep 2019
Oracle Cloud Infrastructure SVP shares competitive strategy
Former AWS engineer Clay Magouyrk was one of the first people Oracle hired to build OCI and says Oracle has plenty of time -- and a solid strategy -- to catch up to competitors. Continue Reading
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News
18 Sep 2019
Early Oracle Cloud Infrastructure customers take its measure
Oracle Cloud Infrastructure is seeing early adoption from a diverse array of customers, although OCI's market share remains modest compared to AWS, Microsoft and Google. Continue Reading
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News
16 Sep 2019
Oracle Cloud Infrastructure updates hone in on security
Oracle Cloud Infrastructure is getting a multifaceted security boost as the company seeks to gain ground against AWS, Microsoft and Google for enterprise IaaS workloads. Continue Reading
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News
16 Sep 2019
Oracle and VMware forge new IaaS cloud partnership
Joint Oracle and VMware customers will soon be able to run VMware Cloud Foundation on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, with support from Oracle. Continue Reading
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Answer
09 Sep 2019
What are the best criteria to use to evaluate cloud service providers?
Many cloud providers are tight-lipped about internal security control details. Learn how to evaluate cloud security providers with certifications and third-party assessments. Continue Reading
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News
28 Aug 2019
Microsoft Azure edge site expansion targets cloud latency
Microsoft will expand its edge site footprint for Azure networking, a move that should help lower latency for cloud applications. Continue Reading
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News
21 Aug 2019
Oracle's IaaS, cloud database in the spotlight at OpenWorld
This year's Oracle OpenWorld should provide answers for customers eager to understand its plans for IaaS, cloud databases, AI and machine learning. Continue Reading
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Tip
09 Aug 2019
Compare Google Cloud Firestore and Firebase Realtime Database
Managed NoSQL databases are increasingly popular for app development. Compare two such options from Google -- Realtime Database and Cloud Firestore -- to see if they meet your needs. Continue Reading
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News
07 Aug 2019
Microsoft licensing terms change will impact some cloud customers
Microsoft customers who want to deploy its software on dedicated cloud hosts, including Microsoft Azure, face new licensing terms as of Oct. 1. Continue Reading
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News
30 Jul 2019
VMware on Google Cloud deal gives users another choice
VMware's deal with Google is the latest among top-tier players supporting each other's cloud. The question now is: How will Microsoft and IBM-Red Hat respond? Continue Reading
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Video
28 Jun 2019
How to build Azure Functions with PowerShell
Follow along with Anthony Howell as he gives a step-by-step demonstration to help you use PowerShell to kick start your Azure Functions app. Continue Reading
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Tip
27 Jun 2019
Oracle Cloud Infrastructure seeks a spot in the IaaS market
Don't count out Oracle IaaS before knowing what it has to offer. Learn where Oracle Cloud Infrastructure excels and what to expect from this public cloud offering. Continue Reading
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Tip
27 Jun 2019
Microsoft Azure AD complements Active Directory
Azure users have a cloud-based version of Active Directory at their fingertips, but it's not a carbon copy of the on-premises version. Learn how to use the services in tandem. Continue Reading
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Answer
26 Jun 2019
What do the top cloud security providers offer in 2019?
Cloud security providers need to play catch-up with the evolving advancements in cloud technology. Find out what the top CSPs offer today and which one is right for you. Continue Reading
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Tip
25 Jun 2019
Evaluate the Azure serverless tools to ease deployment anxiety
So you want to build a serverless application on Microsoft Azure? Explore the tools and features that support those apps and determine how you want to manage your eventflow. Continue Reading
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Tip
07 Jun 2019
Deploy Azure low-priority VMs -- strategically
Microsoft's low-priority VMs come with big savings -- and a catch. Learn how to incorporate them into your cost optimization efforts and see how they stack up to the competition. Continue Reading
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News
05 Jun 2019
Oracle, Microsoft forge cloud pact
Once bitter arch rivals, Oracle and Microsoft have formed an alliance around cloud interoperability, which is good for customers and both vendors. Continue Reading
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News
08 May 2019
Microsoft gives developers a sneak peek into Azure updates
Here's a look at three of the Azure-related projects developers got a glimpse of at Build, including a new open source project. Continue Reading
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News
07 May 2019
Microsoft expands Azure cloud database options
A raft of expansions across Microsoft's Azure cloud database tier adds capabilities that target high-end workloads and shops that prefer open source options. Continue Reading
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Guide
22 Apr 2019
Guide to Google Cloud Platform services in the enterprise
This Google Cloud Platform guide brings admins and developers up to speed on the vendor's portfolio following Google Cloud Next '19 and offers best practices to deploy and manage Google VMs, containers and more. Continue Reading
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News
19 Apr 2019
Steep Google Anthos pricing geared toward large enterprises
Google Anthos is the company's multi-cloud management play, but customers and prospects should mull the full picture when it comes to cost. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
17 Apr 2019
Microsoft Build 2019 agenda reveals .NET, Azure insights
Microsoft's Build conference for developers and IT operations professionals is just a few weeks away, but a close look at the session catalog reveals clues to the event's likely highlights. Here's ... Continue Reading
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News
11 Apr 2019
Google expands Windows support with managed SQL Server
Google's decision to add SQL Server to its Cloud SQL family of managed database services is an appeal to Google Cloud Platform customers with ample Windows workloads. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
10 Apr 2019
Google Cloud CEO Kurian conducts enterprise-savvy concert at Google Next
Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian's keynote at the Google Next show delivered a measured balance aimed to resonate with large enterprises as they weigh various cloud strategy options. Continue Reading
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Opinion
10 Apr 2019
Google Cloud Next 2019: End user computing news
BeyondCorp gets revamped and more Google Cloud security product announcements. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
08 Apr 2019
Must-attend cloud conferences in the second half of 2019
Ready to expand your knowledge and skill sets? Check out these popular cloud conferences from April to December 2019. Continue Reading
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News
01 Apr 2019
CEO switch continues BMC's multi-cloud management push
BMC has reappointed company veteran Bob Beauchamp as CEO as it forges ahead with a strategic shift into multi-cloud management tools and away from its ITSM roots. Continue Reading
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Tip
29 Mar 2019
Get started with Google Cloud Deployment Manager
Deployment Manager is Google's infrastructure-as-code tool. Learn about its features and how to automate use of resources such as Compute Engine, GKE and BigQuery. Continue Reading
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News
27 Mar 2019
Azure Anomaly Detector service spots business data deviations
Microsoft's Anomaly Detector service for Azure applies AI to customers' time-series data sets to find deviations or patterns that suggest problems. But humans still have the final say. Continue Reading
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News
19 Mar 2019
Expansions to VMware Cloud on AWS continue hybrid cloud push
Wider availability of VMware Cloud on AWS to 13 worldwide regions, along with VMware's adjusted software release cadence, reflects the realities of the cloud and hybrid cloud world. Continue Reading
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News
01 Mar 2019
Azure Sentinel adds AI-driven SIEM for cloud security
Azure Sentinel, Microsoft's take on a security information and event management platform, relies on AI for threat detection and competes with the likes of Splunk. Continue Reading
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Tip
28 Feb 2019
Explore FAQs on Azure subscription management
For some IT teams, particularly those new to Microsoft's public cloud, Azure subscriptions spark a number of pressing questions related to billing, resource management and more. Continue Reading
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News
20 Feb 2019
Google buys Alooma to bolster its cloud data migration chops
Google Cloud will acquire Israeli startup Alooma in a bid to add to its data migration portfolio. The move follows last year's acquisition of cloud migration vendor Velostrata. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
14 Feb 2019
Google cloud head Kurian tips off future Google cloud plans
Thomas Kurian has kept a low profile since he replaced Diane Greene as CEO of Google's cloud division -- until now. The longtime former Oracle executive spoke publicly for the first time as ... Continue Reading
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Tip
01 Feb 2019
How to replicate Azure resources for speed, agility
There isn't a one-click tool to quickly clone full-stack application environments in Microsoft Azure, but these techniques can make the process easier. Continue Reading
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News
30 Jan 2019
Cisco expands CloudCenter for multi-cloud management
Cisco hopes additions and changes to its CloudCenter software will appeal to companies that want to work with multiple clouds. Continue Reading
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News
24 Jan 2019
Google Cloud certifications fuel race for cloud talent
Google has expanded its cloud certification program to include tests for developers, security, networking and G Suite. Continue Reading
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Quiz
21 Dec 2018
Test your knowledge of 2018 cloud acquisitions
To extend their offerings, top cloud providers made numerous acquisitions in 2018. Take this quiz to see if you remember some of the biggest deals that went down. Continue Reading
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News
17 Dec 2018
GitLab Serverless augments developers' multi-cloud toolbox
GitLab has added multi-cloud serverless computing capabilities to its CI/CD tool set through a partnership with TriggerMesh. Continue Reading
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News
12 Dec 2018
Microsoft ups its AI game with Azure Machine Learning service
Microsoft looks to keep up in the AI race with a machine learning service that competes with offerings from AWS and Google, among others. Continue Reading
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News
10 Dec 2018
Azure database updates court on-premises installed base
Microsoft hopes a series of features, deployment options and price changes can convince more customers to migrate their database workloads to Azure and not to rival clouds. Continue Reading
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Tip
30 Nov 2018
IBM multi-cloud portfolio grows with more tools, acquisitions
IBM continues to build out its multi-cloud management portfolio, but it's still far from alone in a highly competitive market. Continue Reading
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Tip
27 Nov 2018
Google Cloud Filestore lends itself to legacy enterprise apps
Among other uses, Google's cloud file storage service can simplify the migration of legacy apps to the cloud. Learn about its main features, and how it compares to the competition. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
26 Nov 2018
Oracle vet Kurian will make Google Cloud more enterprise-savvy
Executive appointments happen all the time in the enterprise tech industry, but some have the potential to transform an organization. Oracle veteran Thomas Kurian hired as the next CEO of Google ... Continue Reading
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Tip
09 Nov 2018
Break down the main features of Azure DevOps Services
DevOps continues to influence how vendors shape their cloud offerings, and this was the case behind Microsoft's recent rebranding of Visual Studio Team Services. Continue Reading
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News
31 Oct 2018
Red Hat users: Too soon to draw conclusions on IBM deal
Some Red Hat users are taking news of the $34 billion sale to IBM in stride, and say it's important to wait and see. Continue Reading
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Tip
28 Sep 2018
Google Stackdriver enhances alerts, adds Kubernetes support
A recent round of updates to Google's monitoring tool gives IT and development teams more options to set up alerts, track usage and support Kubernetes, both in the cloud and on premises. Continue Reading
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Definition
28 Sep 2018
CAIQ (Consensus Assessments Initiative Questionnaire)
The Consensus Assessments Initiative Questionnaire (CAIQ) is a survey provided by the Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) for cloud consumers and auditors to assess the security capabilities of a cloud service provider. Continue Reading
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News
24 Sep 2018
Microsoft embraces Azure cloud platform as its strategic heart
Microsoft's showcase of Azure-based offerings asserts the cloud at the heart of the company's future, and further cements its position against cloud archrival AWS. Continue Reading
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Tip
13 Sep 2018
How Azure Cloud Shell can streamline resource management
Azure Cloud Shell's browser-based model frees IT teams from installation headaches but presents some formatting and timeout issues that admins need to watch for. Continue Reading
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Tip
29 Aug 2018
Azure management groups ease policy enforcement
It isn't easy to manage Azure subscriptions, but with management groups, admins can now simplify policy enforcement on a larger scale. Continue Reading
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Opinion
28 Aug 2018
Machine learning services in cloud aim for AI accessibility
Machine learning is a complex technology that requires data science skills. Cloud providers have tried to change that and make AI more accessible. But are those efforts working? Continue Reading
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News
28 Aug 2018
VMware swallows CloudHealth with eye on multi-cloud market
VMware wants to simplify management of complex multi-cloud environments -- this time through the acquisition of third-party SaaS provider CloudHealth. Continue Reading
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Tip
14 Aug 2018
Legacy roots still hinder Oracle and IBM cloud strategies
As IBM and Oracle look to shift away from legacy systems and hone in on IaaS, it won't be a clean cut. Still, each vendor has its sweet spot in the overall cloud market. Continue Reading
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News
26 Jul 2018
Google seeks enterprise nod with GCP services in IoT, security
Google continues to make strides to catch AWS and Microsoft Azure, with upgrades around edge computing and security. But it won't unseat either competitor anytime soon. Continue Reading
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News
09 Jul 2018
Google's partner ecosystem remains a work in progress
The Google Cloud ecosystem continues to expand, as Google improves its relationships with third-party vendors and tries to translate its technology to traditional IT shops. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
06 Jun 2018
JEDI cloud contract looms large for customers, providers
Public sector IT and private sector IT can be very different animals, but a looming decision by the Department of Defense has the potential to send shock waves through both sides of the IT world. ... Continue Reading
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News
06 Jun 2018
Success of GitHub deal hinges on Azure's open source appeal
Microsoft's ongoing détente with the open source community advances with a deal to purchase GitHub, the world's largest open source code repository. Continue Reading
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Tip
24 May 2018
Azure Availability Zones enable more resilient cloud apps
'Downtime' is a dreaded word for mission-critical applications. Learn how availability zones in Azure can promote uptime and keep your workloads running. Continue Reading
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Tip
23 May 2018
Are AWS certificate authority services trustworthy?
AWS now operates as its own CA. What are the potential risks of the new AWS certificate authority services? Expert Dave Shackleford outlines the pros and cons of this new setup. Continue Reading
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News
18 May 2018
Google acquisition aims to simplify big data projects
Google Cloud analytics tools are well-regarded for their technology, but not necessarily for their ease of use. Google's acquisition of Cask Data could solve that shortcoming. Continue Reading
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News
09 May 2018
Red Hat OpenShift tie-ups target hybrid cloud portability
Partnerships with major cloud providers help position Red Hat OpenShift as a hybrid cloud management platform that customers hope can solve lock-in troubles. Continue Reading
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News
09 May 2018
Azure Cosmos DB flexes joints for multiple data stores
Microsoft added multi-master write replication and more granular cost controls to Cosmos DB to cover the broadest number of uses in the hotly competitive managed database market. Continue Reading
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News
09 May 2018
Microsoft showcases Azure DevOps Project enhancements
Microsoft continues to reach out to developers with an updated tool to help them configure a DevOps pipeline and connect it to the cloud, regardless of the app dev platform. Continue Reading
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News
18 Apr 2018
Microsoft takes holistic approach to IoT security concerns
Azure Sphere extends security from the cloud to the device. It's the most holistic approach on the market and provides another example of Microsoft abandoning its insular past. Continue Reading
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News
21 Mar 2018
IBM cloud tools aim to woo the unconvinced
IBM's latest batch of cloud tools aims to help customers deploy and manage workloads on private and public clouds and keep the company at the center of their cloud strategies. Continue Reading
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News
15 Mar 2018
Analysts: How to make IBM Cloud services more competitive
To make IBM Cloud more competitive, Big Blue must stand by its enterprise base, while it also satisfies the developer community and expands its infrastructure tools. Continue Reading
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Opinion
12 Mar 2018
Alibaba Cloud services become strong IaaS contender
Alibaba continues to gain traction in the IaaS market, and despite not having the same breadth of services as some of its rivals, it could lure some smaller shops away from AWS. Continue Reading
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News
08 Feb 2018
The window to be a hyperscale cloud provider is closing
A handful of companies will control the majority of the public cloud. Is there still room for big-name companies to join the club, or are they already too late? Continue Reading
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Blog Post
26 Jan 2018
Cloud conferences to check out in the first half of 2018
For beginners and experts alike, cloud conferences are a good way to gain industry knowledge and sharpen your skills. Here are some to pencil in over the next several months. Continue Reading
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Tip
23 Jan 2018
Google cloud features evolve to turn up the heat on AWS
Google made several moves in 2017 in an attempt to close the gap between itself and market leader AWS. But will those efforts be enough to win over new customers? Continue Reading
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News
08 Jan 2018
Microsoft advances Azure hybrid strategy with Avere deal
Microsoft's acquisition of Avere Systems addresses a shortcoming in Azure storage services and could help steal some business from AWS and GCP. Continue Reading
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Tip
17 Feb 2017
Compare offline data migration services from AWS, Azure and Google
Sending a storage disk to a cloud provider seems like an antiquated data-migration method, but it's a common choice. Here's how AWS, Azure and Google manage the process. Continue Reading
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Tip
28 Dec 2016
Choose the best Google cloud instance types for your workloads
Not all workloads are the same -- some require more CPUs, while other require more memory. Fortunately, Google's range of cloud instance types offers enterprises a lot of options. Continue Reading
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Answer
16 Mar 2016
What cloud security controls are best for due diligence?
With increasing use of cloud sending more enterprise data outside of the organization's control, due diligence is crucial. Expert Dan Sullivan offers advice on how to get it right. Continue Reading
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News
16 Jul 2015
Microsoft cloud strategy turns competitors into partners
For a company once known for its closed ecosystem, the Microsoft cloud strategy is increasingly reliant on the competition. Continue Reading
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Feature
13 May 2015
Exploring capabilities, costs of Microsoft Azure cloud
Microsoft Azure targets enterprises that want to connect their existing data centers to the cloud. But is Azure the best bet for your organization? Continue Reading
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Feature
08 May 2015
Getting a handle on Google Cloud Platform options
With a range of options for big data, storage and more, Google Cloud Platform has become the public cloud of choice for many enterprise users. Continue Reading
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Tip
29 May 2014
Sizing, pricing Amazon Web Services EC2 instance types
Bill Claybrook compares complex sizing and pricing issues when choosing EC2 instance types. Continue Reading
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Tip
24 Jan 2014
Is Amazon CloudSearch superior to do-it-yourself search tools?
Big data can be incredibly valuable for enterprise business intelligence. But to extract that value, you must choose the most appropriate search tool. Continue Reading
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Tip
03 Jun 2013
Windows Azure Media Services gives YouTube junkies a new outlet
Enterprises need only look to YouTube's stats to see the value of video. Windows Azure Media Services has the benefits of video with more control. Continue Reading
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Tip
03 Jun 2011
Three questions to ask when considering Microsoft Azure
Is Microsoft Azure a no-brainer cloud choice or impossible to adopt? Ask these three questions to determine if the cloud platform is right for you. Continue Reading
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Tip
21 Jul 2009
Running a Web service on Google App Engine
Google's App Engine for building Web applications in the cloud is beginning to support Java servlet-based Web services. It's still under development, but you can experiment using Eclipse support or command-line utilities in the SDK. Continue Reading