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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Tip
27 Feb 2023
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
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Definition
24 Feb 2023
memory dump
A memory dump is the process of taking all information content in RAM and writing it to a storage drive as a memory dump file (*.DMP format). Continue Reading
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Definition
21 Feb 2023
diskpart (Disk Partition Utility)
Diskpart is a command line utility in Windows operating systems (OSs) that is used to manage disks, partitions, and volumes. Continue Reading
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News
16 Feb 2023
Dynatrace security AI roots out Log4j, sets tone for roadmap
Dynatrace must prove itself beyond application security, but its AI's effectiveness against the Log4j vulnerability has some customers receptive to its product expansion plans. Continue Reading
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Tip
16 Feb 2023
How to filter Security log events for signs of trouble
Certain accounts, such as company executives, will draw unwanted attention from hackers. Learn how to catch these targeted attacks by checking Windows event logs. Continue Reading
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News
16 Feb 2023
Dynatrace users make headway with AIOps
Dynatrace's aggressive NoOps vision hasn't come to fruition, but some customers have begun to see real-world results with root-cause analysis and automated rollbacks. Continue Reading
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News
15 Feb 2023
Microsoft remedies three zero-days on February Patch Tuesday
The company releases its security updates to shut down the vulnerabilities threat actors have been actively using for attacks in the wild. Continue Reading
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Definition
14 Feb 2023
boot
To boot (to boot up, to start up or booting) a computer is to load an operating system (OS) into the computer's main memory or random-access memory (RAM). Continue Reading
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Tip
09 Feb 2023
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
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Opinion
08 Feb 2023
Why Wasm is the future of cloud-native app development
Just over a month into 2023, the popularity of WebAssembly is already on the rise. An industry expert explains why Wasm will have far-reaching effects on cloud-native development. Continue Reading
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News
07 Feb 2023
Cisco samples OpenTelemetry-based observability tool blends
Updates set to ship this week and next quarter will unify data collection for Cisco's observability and security tools and catch them up with full-stack competitors. Continue Reading
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Definition
06 Feb 2023
failover cluster
In computing, a failover cluster refers to a group of independent servers that work together to maintain high availability of applications and services. Continue Reading
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Definition
03 Feb 2023
mission-critical application
A mission-critical application is a software program or suite of related programs that must function continuously for a business or business segment to be successful. Continue Reading
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Tip
02 Feb 2023
Speed up onboarding with Active Directory user templates
Active Directory account templates are not difficult to make. But it helps to know how to use certain shortcuts, like variables, to create home directories and roaming profiles. Continue Reading
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Feature
01 Feb 2023
Kepler project aims to help curb Kubernetes energy waste
Running Kubernetes clusters can lead to high costs and energy use. The researchers behind the Kepler project hope the tool will help IT pros track and curb cluster energy waste. Continue Reading
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Tip
01 Feb 2023
What's new with the EXO v3 module for Exchange admins?
Microsoft made several significant improvements in the Exchange Online PowerShell v3 module for added reliability and performance when managing the hosted email platform. Continue Reading
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Podcast
31 Jan 2023
ServiceNow workflow can smooth ERP edges with partner help
ServiceNow vice presidents Jeff Gore and Kirsten Loegering explain what's involved in implementing the platform to improve the employee experience on ERP and HR systems. Continue Reading
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Tip
27 Jan 2023
EDR tools for Windows Server compared
Windows Server 2022 comes with native security technologies to protect the enterprise. But endpoint detection and response tools can be worth the price of admission. Continue Reading
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Definition
26 Jan 2023
memory paging
Memory paging is a memory management technique used to control sharing of memory resources belonging to a computer or virtual machine (VM). Continue Reading
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News
25 Jan 2023
OpenSSF GM talks funding, legal software supply chain issues
The OpenSSF leader lays out plans fund open source software supply chain security in a slowing economy and to speak out against the EU's Cyber Resilience Act. Continue Reading
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Tip
25 Jan 2023
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
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Definition
24 Jan 2023
translation lookaside buffer (TLB)
A translation lookaside buffer (TLB) is a type of memory cache that stores recent translations of virtual memory to physical addresses to enable faster retrieval. Continue Reading
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News
24 Jan 2023
IT budgets under pressure spur tool consolidation
As the tech industry suffers layoffs and slowing growth, IT organizations such as Boeing are handing some of their IT vendors pink slips of their own. Continue Reading
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Definition
23 Jan 2023
clean electricity
Clean electricity, or carbon-free electricity, is electricity without high voltage spikes and drops, meaning it is low on emitting electrical pollution. Continue Reading
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Definition
19 Jan 2023
element-of symbol
The element-of symbol is used in mathematical set theory to indicate that a point, object or number belongs to a certain set. Continue Reading
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Opinion
19 Jan 2023
Will developers become archaic? Analyst predictions for 2023
Organizations must continue innovating and optimizing to keep up -- but these advances could set developers up for extinction. Explore an industry analyst's predictions for 2023. Continue Reading
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News
19 Jan 2023
Data pipelines feed IT’s observability beast
Amid data growth, cloud complexity and demand for advanced automation, the data pipelines developed to satisfy the appetites of AI apps also serve observability tools. Continue Reading
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News
17 Jan 2023
CircleCI incident adds to SecOps toil
SaaS CI/CD vendor CircleCI urged customers to rotate all secrets data, the latest of several security breaches weighing on SecOps pros charged with responding. Continue Reading
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News
12 Jan 2023
Startup's eBPF APM tools turn up heat on Datadog
Lemonade plans to put tools from eBPF startup Groundcover in production this year in a bid to reduce instrumentation work and other overhead for its small DevOps team. Continue Reading
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Tip
12 Jan 2023
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
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Definition
12 Jan 2023
compliance automation
Compliance automation, also known as automated compliance, is the practice of using technology -- such as applications with artificial intelligence features -- to perform and simplify compliance procedures. Continue Reading
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News
10 Jan 2023
Microsoft resolves Windows zero-day on January Patch Tuesday
The company also issues five corrections, all with a rating of important, to address vulnerabilities on its on-premises Exchange Server email platform. Continue Reading
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Tip
03 Jan 2023
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
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Definition
28 Dec 2022
friendly name
A friendly name is a term used to refer to a device, application file, certificate or other IT asset instead of its technical name. Continue Reading
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Definition
28 Dec 2022
plane (in networking)
A plane is an integral component of telecommunications architecture and networks. Continue Reading
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Definition
27 Dec 2022
power take-off (PTO)
Power take-off (PTO) is a device that transfers an engine's mechanical power to another piece of equipment. Continue Reading
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Definition
22 Dec 2022
fully qualified domain name (FQDN)
A fully qualified domain name (FQDN) is the complete address of an internet host or computer. Continue Reading
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News
21 Dec 2022
Dish Media swaps observability sprawl for Elastic Stack SaaS
With fewer tools and data repositories to wrangle and Elastic cluster management outsourced to SaaS, Dish Media's ops teams reduced toil and achieved proactive incident response. Continue Reading
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Tip
21 Dec 2022
How to use Microsoft Sentinel with Office 365 to find risks
The security product attempts to ferret out threats that originate from apps and services then assists the enterprise with an automatic response to head off trouble. Continue Reading
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Definition
14 Dec 2022
default
In computer technology, a default is a pre-designed value or setting that is used by a computer program when a value or setting is not specified by the program user. Continue Reading
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Definition
06 Dec 2022
golden image
A golden image is a template for a virtual machine, virtual desktop, server or hard disk drive. Continue Reading
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Definition
02 Dec 2022
User Principal Name (UPN)
In Microsoft Active Directory, a User Principal Name (UPN) is a username and domain in an email address format. Continue Reading
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Definition
02 Dec 2022
pipelining
Pipelining is the process of storing and prioritizing computer instructions that the processor executes. Continue Reading
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Tip
29 Nov 2022
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
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Feature
23 Nov 2022
7 reasons why websites crash
There are several reasons a website can crash, including broken code, malicious attacks and hosting errors. Another big reason websites can go down is massive traffic. Continue Reading
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News
18 Nov 2022
Knowledge graphs and GraphQL: What DevOps pros need to know
New approaches to data management and business analytics have found their way into IT automation and observability tools -- now what? Continue Reading
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News
17 Nov 2022
Server-side WebAssembly prepares for takeoff in 2023
Server-side WebAssembly is still a work in progress, but engineers at Adobe and BMW say it shows promise for fast, flexible app management among cloud and edge environments. Continue Reading
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Definition
17 Nov 2022
control plane (CP)
The control plane is the part of a network that carries signaling traffic and is responsible for network routing. Continue Reading
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Definition
15 Nov 2022
serverless computing
Serverless computing is a cloud computing execution model that lets software developers build and run applications and servers without having to provision or manage the back-end infrastructure. Continue Reading
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Tip
14 Nov 2022
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
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Opinion
10 Nov 2022
3 actions to optimize infrastructure as code initiatives
Learn how to get the most out of IaC and read analyst insights from HashiConf 2022, including Terraform updates and predictions about what's next for observability. Continue Reading
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Tip
09 Nov 2022
Follow these steps to remove the last Exchange Server
Organizations that were unable to uninstall their last Exchange Server from the on-premises environment can now do so if they fulfill the requirements. Continue Reading
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News
08 Nov 2022
Microsoft resolves 6 zero-days on November Patch Tuesday
Two Exchange Server zero-days discovered in September get security updates this month along with four Windows vulnerabilities that had been actively exploited. Continue Reading
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News
03 Nov 2022
New ServiceNow apps automate organizational productivity
ServiceNow rolled out applications for the Now Platform that assists IT shops with organizational productivity planning and building flexible hybrid work environments. Continue Reading
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Definition
03 Nov 2022
legacy system (legacy application)
A legacy system is any outdated computing system, hardware or software that is still in use. Legacy systems include computer hardware, software applications, file formats and programming languages. Continue Reading
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Definition
02 Nov 2022
intellectual property core (IP core)
An intellectual property core (IP core) is a functional block of logic or data used to make a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) or application-specific integrated circuit for a product. Continue Reading
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Tip
02 Nov 2022
Kusto Query Language primer for IT administrators
Administrators who use Microsoft cloud services, such as Microsoft Sentinel and Microsoft 365, can learn how to pull information from those products with KQL queries. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Oct 2022
How to perform an AD group membership backup and restore
You can fix some problems with Active Directory with a few clicks, but things get difficult when they involve many layers of group membership. Here's a few ways to avoid trouble. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Oct 2022
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
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News
20 Oct 2022
Observability tools add FinOps amid macroeconomic worries
FinOps features added to observability tools from Datadog and Sysdig this week reflect concerns about cloud cost management amid gloomy economic forecasts. Continue Reading
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Tip
17 Oct 2022
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
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Tip
14 Oct 2022
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
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Tip
13 Oct 2022
How to avoid common GPO backup and restore problems
Group Policy Objects help admins maintain control of the enterprise environment, but it takes some planning to understand how to properly protect and recover GPOs to avoid trouble. Continue Reading
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Tip
12 Oct 2022
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
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News
11 Oct 2022
Microsoft resolves Windows zero-day on October Patch Tuesday
The company released mitigation instructions for two Exchange Server zero-days discovered late last month but had no security updates to close the flaws on the email platform. Continue Reading
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News
06 Oct 2022
ServiceNow buys Era Software to unify observability strategy
ServiceNow's acquisition of Era Software looks to strengthen the company's position in the observability market and make digital transformation projects easier to implement. Continue Reading
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News
06 Oct 2022
Splunk suit claims Cribl built on stolen log management IP
Former Splunk employees and industry watchers reacted to a lawsuit filed by Splunk this week alleging that Cribl's business is based on stolen log management code. Continue Reading
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News
06 Oct 2022
Terraform Cloud continuous validation inches toward GitOps
Terraform is already part of the GitOps workflow for some enterprises, but a new continuous validation feature could increase its overlap with tools such as Argo CD and Flux. Continue Reading
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News
05 Oct 2022
HashiCorp cloud security evolves via Boundary, Consul, Vault
With the debut of Boundary on HashiCorp Cloud Platform, along with updates for Vault and Consul, the vendor lays the foundation for a long-term product strategy. Continue Reading
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Tip
04 Oct 2022
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
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News
04 Oct 2022
Dynatrace overhauls AIOps back end, beefs up log analytics
The AIOps vendor unveiled a new approach to data management that has enterprise customers such as BT hopeful it could eliminate the need for separate log analytics products. Continue Reading
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Tip
03 Oct 2022
4 tips for network capacity planning and provisioning
To avoid network overprovisioning, teams should review baselines and roadmaps, assess limitations and consider business strategy changes when focusing on network capacity planning. Continue Reading
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Tip
30 Sep 2022
How to decide on what Office 365 add-on licenses to use
Missing certain functionality and want to supplement your subscription to Office 365 or Microsoft 365? Find out what extras make sense for your organization. Continue Reading
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News
29 Sep 2022
Cloud Custodian spans FinOps, SecOps cloud policies
Users such as Avalara and HBO Max use Cloud Custodian to manage cloud cost and security policies, as the project's founders prepare Kubernetes support to rival OPA and Kyverno. Continue Reading
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Tip
28 Sep 2022
Consider Azure AD group-based licensing for Office 365 users
Administrators who manage many users can go one step further toward streamlining license assignments by taking advantage of a new feature from Microsoft. Continue Reading
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Tip
28 Sep 2022
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
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Definition
22 Sep 2022
non-uniform memory access (NUMA)
Non-uniform memory access, or NUMA, is a method of configuring a cluster of microprocessors in a multiprocessing system so they can share memory locally. Continue Reading
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News
20 Sep 2022
Aqua adds software supply chain security to DevSecOps mix
A new software supply chain security module for Aqua's platform correlates runtime security monitoring with pre-deployment scans as IT pros look to merge disparate tools. Continue Reading
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Feature
14 Sep 2022
5 distributed tracing tools to ease application monitoring
DevOps and IT teams can use distributed tracing to monitor microservices and ensure applications run smoothly. Explore five tools to help pinpoint any system issues. Continue Reading
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News
13 Sep 2022
Windows zero-day quashed for September Patch Tuesday
A relatively light patching workload awaits admins this month, but a "wormable" threat should increase the sense of urgency to rapidly deploy Microsoft's batch of fixes. Continue Reading
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Tip
09 Sep 2022
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
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Tip
06 Sep 2022
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
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Definition
01 Sep 2022
permittivity of free space
The permittivity of free space is a physical constant that reflects the ability of electrical fields to pass through a classical vacuum. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
30 Aug 2022
Learn to monitor group memberships with PowerShell
Use PowerShell automation to build reports in local group memberships on a server and security groups in Active Directory to keep tabs on any irregular behavior. Continue Reading
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News
30 Aug 2022
VMware Tanzu teases vSphere, PaaS tie-ins -- but doubts linger
VMware said enhanced Kubernetes integrations for vSphere and Cloud Foundry, some in the works for years, will ship soon, but the pending Broadcom deal gives some observers pause. Continue Reading
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Tip
30 Aug 2022
Learn to work with Microsoft's New Commerce Experience
With some extra effort in the planning stages, it's possible to control costs in Office 365 and Microsoft 365 with the new seat-based licensing model. Continue Reading
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Definition
26 Aug 2022
hierarchy
Generally speaking, hierarchy refers to an organizational structure in which items are ranked in a specific manner, usually according to levels of importance. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Aug 2022
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
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Tutorial
25 Aug 2022
How to build a vulnerability scanner with PowerShell
What do you do if there's a zero-day threatening your organization? When you need to act fast, use PowerShell to uncover vulnerabilities hiding in your environment. Continue Reading
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Tip
25 Aug 2022
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
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Definition
12 Aug 2022
deprecated
In information technology (IT), deprecation means that although something is available or allowed, it is not recommended or that -- in the case where something must be used -- to say it is deprecated means that its failings are recognized. Continue Reading
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Opinion
12 Aug 2022
Why modern networks require AIOps
Distributed IT environments increasingly require automated networks, and AIOps can provide the answer for network operations teams dealing with increased complexity, starting now. Continue Reading
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News
11 Aug 2022
Sigstore co-creator talks GitHub, Kubernetes and next steps
Dan Lorenc reflects on a whirlwind year for his open source project, now officially incorporated into Kubernetes and GitHub's npm registry, and his plans for the year to come. Continue Reading
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News
10 Aug 2022
AWS, Splunk and more launch cybersecurity analytics standard
AWS and other IT vendors will start building connectors based on a new standard schema meant to streamline data sharing between cybersecurity tools. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
10 Aug 2022
Learn to perform a DNS backup and restore
DNS outages cause connectivity issues that prevent basic tasks from executing properly. Understand how to perform a restore for a DNS zone, which is not always intuitive. Continue Reading
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News
09 Aug 2022
DogWalk zero-day squashed on August Patch Tuesday
In addition to a long-simmering bug in the Microsoft Support Diagnostic Tool, Microsoft corrects a sizeable number of flaws in its Azure Site Recovery product. Continue Reading
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Feature
04 Aug 2022
Explore the 2022 application performance monitoring market
APM helps organizations get a leg up with insight into customers and applications -- and the market is only going to grow bigger as technology advances and becomes more complex. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
04 Aug 2022
Step-by-step guide to working with Crossplane and Kubernetes
Crossplane is built to extend Kubernetes resources to and from external sources like databases, the cloud or the edge. Try out the tool, and learn its processes with this tutorial. Continue Reading
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Definition
01 Aug 2022
real user monitoring (RUM)
Real user monitoring (RUM) is a technology used by developers and network operators to gain real-world observability into web performance and service availability. Continue Reading
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Tip
01 Aug 2022
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