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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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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Tip
06 Aug 2018
SCVMM vs. Hyper-V Manager: Which tasks are best suited to each?
Although SCVMM offers capabilities far exceeding those of Hyper-V Manager, Hyper-V Manager has the advantage of being simpler to use and not requiring an additional license. Continue Reading
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Tip
31 Jul 2018
Find the ideal incident management automation tool or tools
Unless the data center floods or a digger cuts a network cable, incident management takes place via software tools. The quality of these tools determines how quickly work can resume. Continue Reading
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Answer
31 Jul 2018
How do you decide to scale up or scale out a workload?
Scaling up or scaling out is not a decision to be made lightly. Use monitoring data to determine the strategy that fits your use case and to inform future decisions. Continue Reading
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Answer
31 Jul 2018
How do you analyze the costs of virtualization scalability?
It's easy to allocate more resources to a VM, but scaling decisions require careful deliberation. Without retrospective analysis, scaling can quickly become costly. Continue Reading
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Answer
31 Jul 2018
How do you improve storage scalability?
Storage can limit virtualization scalability if IT administrators don't plan properly. Examine how storage scalability problems can arise and strategies for addressing it. Continue Reading
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Tip
30 Jul 2018
Three log analytics use cases set better ops in motion
The path to more resilient, bug-free and available IT deployments is hiding in plain sight, in log data. Parse short- and long-term data these three ways to improve operations. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
23 Jul 2018
Create a shielded VM template in SCVMM in four easy steps
SCVMM templates simplify the process of deploying shielded VMs. Prepare the disk to use shielded VM technology before creating the template. Continue Reading
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Tip
20 Jul 2018
Manage all your Hyper-V snapshots with PowerShell
Using PowerShell commands to take and remove Hyper-V snapshots, and to restore VMs to a previous state is easy and efficient, especially when working with bulk VMs. Continue Reading
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Tip
19 Jul 2018
Manage Hyper-V containers and VMs with these best practices
Containers and VMs should be treated as the separate instance types they are, but there are specific management strategies that work for both that admins should incorporate. Continue Reading
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Feature
17 Jul 2018
Log analytics tools gain application performance support skills
Log analytics tools are boosting real-time capabilities to monitor application performance, and users are in the market for tools that best slice, dice and store log data. Continue Reading
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Feature
16 Jul 2018
Resolve problems right with a help desk management system
Help desk management tools keep employees working after problems and outages occur. Discover the extensive benefits the right platform can provide. Continue Reading
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Opinion
10 Jul 2018
Modern service management, DevOps streamline app administration
DevOps and service management are synonymous in modern IT, insofar as their guidelines match. Regardless of the term, ensure organizational practices are built for today's reqs. Continue Reading
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Tip
10 Jul 2018
Set up Hyper-V nested virtualization for production
There are several considerations for using nested virtualization in Hyper-V production environments, including system requirements, networking, storage and memory considerations. Continue Reading
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Tip
09 Jul 2018
Zabbix monitoring requires experience for best results
Not every IT tool is as easy to learn as it is potentially useful. Zabbix offers several views into an environment, but that flexibility comes at the price of admin experience. Continue Reading
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Feature
27 Jun 2018
How to deploy and administer help desk management software
Help desk tools help IT manage the submission, status and resolution of employee help desk tickets. Read on to learn about common help desk challenges and the latest trends. Continue Reading
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Tip
25 Jun 2018
How the Nagios monitoring tool tracks IT environment details
Nagios users can monitor diverse components of an IT infrastructure, across Linux and Windows OSes, networks and servers, so long as they roll up their sleeves and dig into agents and plug-ins. Continue Reading
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Tip
22 Jun 2018
Consider Hyper-V live migration requirements before configuration
An effective live migration setup is key to a complete Hyper-V configuration. Consider these expert recommendations, such as limiting concurrent live migrations, to ensure success. Continue Reading
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Tip
21 Jun 2018
Prepare a Hyper-V configuration report with PowerShell
Generate a report with valuable Hyper-V configuration information, such as the virtual disk path, using a PowerShell script to ensure your server settings match the design documentation. Continue Reading
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Answer
18 Jun 2018
How many Hyper-V virtual processors should I configure per VM?
There isn't a set number of virtual processors you should configure for a Hyper-V VM, but there are steps you can take to ensure your workloads receive enough processor resources. Continue Reading
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Tip
15 Jun 2018
KVM troubleshooting in six simple steps
To troubleshoot common KVM issues, start by checking the logs. Then, isolate the issue and check the VM status using virsh commands. Finally, check the disk space, memory and networking. Continue Reading
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Feature
14 Jun 2018
Cisco roadmap plots course through clouds to DevOps future
From a Google Cloud partnership to API-based network data integration, Cisco showcased application hosting flexibility and DevOps process flows in its product plans at its annual conference. Continue Reading
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Tip
13 Jun 2018
Manage Switch Embedded Teaming in Windows Server 2016 Hyper-V
You can create and manage a Switch Embedded Team in Hyper-V using just a few PowerShell commands, but there are specific requirements and limitations you should be aware of. Continue Reading
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News
12 Jun 2018
Splunk's VictorOps acquisition extends alerts, but narrows lanes
Splunk's purchase of VictorOps, its fifth deal in the past year, adds DevOps incident management, on-call scheduling and alerting, and opens doors into adjacent markets. Continue Reading
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Tip
11 Jun 2018
Use Sysprep to generalize Hyper-V VMs for rapid deployment
Microsoft's Sysprep tool enables rapid Hyper-V VM configuration and deployment through image generalization. Use commands to speed up configuration and disaster recovery. Continue Reading
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Answer
08 Jun 2018
What is the Hyper-V VHD Set format and how is it optimized?
VHD File Set -- a file format new to Windows Server 2016 -- is helpful for IT administrators using guest clusters. Get up to speed on the basics and learn how to optimize it. Continue Reading
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Tip
01 Jun 2018
Enable rapid provisioning of VMs with SCVMM SAN copy
Achieve VM rapid provisioning with SCVMM by creating a SAN copy template from either an existing or new VM. Then select the required options when deploying the template to the host. Continue Reading
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Tip
30 May 2018
Zenoss ZenPacks plug-ins support hundreds of external resources
IT monitoring tools only monitor what they're built for. Zenoss fills in the inevitable gaps with ZenPacks to give admins exactly what they need -- without unnecessary extras. Continue Reading
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Answer
25 May 2018
What cloud compatibility issues can arise with VM migration?
Many compatibility issues can arise when moving VMs to the public cloud. Watch out for compatibility problems with partitions, OSes and image formats to ensure a smooth migration. Continue Reading
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Answer
25 May 2018
How do you use forklift migration to move VMs to the cloud?
To migrate a VM and its dependencies from a local data center to a public cloud, use the forklift method to prepare the VM for migration, deploy the right tools and import. Continue Reading
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Answer
24 May 2018
Which VM migration techniques prepare VMs for the cloud?
Prepare your VMs with cloud migration best practices that examine how suitable a VM is for migration, what groundwork needs to be prepared for it and the costs of migration. Continue Reading
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Answer
24 May 2018
How do you prepare for a VM migration in cloud computing?
Prepare for a VM migration by examining the requirements of your VMs and your cloud provider. Configure the VM for migration and match the settings to the cloud provider. Continue Reading
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Answer
18 May 2018
How do I convert VMDK to VHDX using PowerShell commands?
Download and install Microsoft Virtual Machine Converter to gain access to several PowerShell commands that enable VMware VMDK to Hyper-V VHDX conversions. Continue Reading
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News
18 May 2018
IT pros test out fresh crop of serverless monitoring tools
Serverless monitoring is still more of an art than a science, but tools that offer comprehensive insight into serverless infrastructure dependencies are in development. Continue Reading
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Tip
15 May 2018
Expedite Ansible KVM provisioning with automation
Creating KVM virtual machines with virsh and virt-install can be onerous. Use Ansible to automate deployment with templates and modules or to extend to functions like cloning. Continue Reading
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News
15 May 2018
Red Hat Virtualization 4.2 updates include UI and DR enhancements
The latest updates to Red Hat's virtualization platform enhance enterprise-grade features. But despite improvements, it's still not a VMware killer. Continue Reading
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News
11 May 2018
ServiceNow positions Now Platform as workflow engine
ServiceNow made a move to become a major player in the DevOps market by gearing up its Now Platform as a workflow engine that creates cloud-based applications quickly. Continue Reading
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Tip
11 May 2018
Manage KVM at scale with these best practices
KVM management is easy when VM density is low, but managing hundreds or thousands of VMs can present a challenge. Plan ahead, configure the right drivers and optimize for scale. Continue Reading
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News
10 May 2018
ServiceNow Virtual Agent looks to bolster AI strategy
ServiceNow's Virtual Agent technology is designed to automate routine IT tasks and free users and IT workers to focus on more important tasks. Continue Reading
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News
08 May 2018
APM strikes back in Kubernetes monitoring wars
New Relic and AppDynamics up the ante on Prometheus with dashboards that display Kubernetes time-series data, and monitoring alerts that sync with IT automation tools. Continue Reading
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Answer
30 Apr 2018
How do you reconnect a Hyper-V virtual switch to your VMs?
Save time by using PowerShell commands to reconnect your VMs to a new Hyper-V virtual switch. Different commands can access single VMs or many VMs whether they are local or remote. Continue Reading
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Feature
30 Apr 2018
Data center operations best practices checklist
Independent experts guide you to better data center operations with tips and advice on best practices and the right management tools. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Apr 2018
Distributed tracing gives microservices monitoring more clarity
When you have users interacting with multiple services with each action, finding the cause of a problem becomes a difficult hunt. Distributed tracing helps highlight the issues. Continue Reading
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Answer
26 Apr 2018
How do you extract an ISO file before booting a VM?
Take advantage of PowerShell commands to clear ISO files from your VMs before booting and ensure their configuration is set to boot from the virtual hard drive, not the ISO. Continue Reading
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Guide
23 Apr 2018
Don't panic! The definitive guide to IT troubleshooting
IT problems can cause distress, chaos and, well, panic -- but they don't have to. These tips and tools guide admins through IT troubleshooting for the best chance of success. Continue Reading
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Opinion
19 Apr 2018
Bots know better: Maybe AIOps tools should drive your stack
As more IT tool vendors add AI capabilities, organizations are speeding up delivery and cutting waste, but a lack of integration and trust is holding back the intelligent stack. Continue Reading
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Tip
16 Apr 2018
Monitoring thresholds determine IT performance alerts
An IT monitoring strategy depends on the applications and systems it governs. Static and dynamic thresholds each have benefits and drawbacks, but it's possible to find a balance. Continue Reading
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Tip
13 Apr 2018
Enable resource metering in Hyper-V to collect usage data
Easily monitor resource utilization for your Hyper-V VMs by first enabling the resource metering feature and then collecting data with a few PowerShell commands. Continue Reading
- 12 Apr 2018
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Answer
05 Apr 2018
What types of VHD files does Hyper-V support?
Fixed VHD files, dynamic VHD files, and differential or differencing VHD files are all supported by Hyper-V. Learn more about these file types and the best use cases for each. Continue Reading
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Answer
03 Apr 2018
What are the best log consolidation and storage methods?
Storing log data is an important part of the log management process. Maintain performance, security and backup policies with careful log consolidation. Continue Reading
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Answer
02 Apr 2018
What logging best practices can help with log management?
Logs can produce immense amounts of data, but logging standards, such as standardized formats and security procedures, can help IT professionals minimize information overload. Continue Reading
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Answer
29 Mar 2018
How do you analyze log data for relevant information?
Log files can contain enormous amounts of potentially useful information, but without log data analysis and log filtering, it can be difficult to sort, prioritize and read. Continue Reading
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Answer
28 Mar 2018
How does an effective logging strategy improve data analysis?
Logs and log analytics can produce vast amounts of information. Save time and use resources efficiently with an effective logging strategy that prioritizes relevant data. Continue Reading
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Answer
27 Mar 2018
How to list the Hyper-V virtual processors configured for VMs
To see virtual processors configured for VMs on the local host, execute a simple PowerShell command. For vCPUs configured for VMs on remote servers, a script is needed. Continue Reading
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Answer
26 Mar 2018
Use the Hyper-V QoS feature to manage storage IOPS
Quality of service addresses storage IOPS limitations by enabling administrators to stipulate a minimum and maximum IOPS value for a virtual hard disk. Continue Reading
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Answer
22 Mar 2018
Enable and disable vTPM on Hyper-V VMs with PowerShell cmdlets
If you don't have Guarded Fabric or Shielded VMs, which have the Trusted Platform Module feature built-in, you need to manually enable virtual TPM for your Hyper-V VMs using PowerShell. Continue Reading
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Tip
21 Mar 2018
Hyper-V Manager update in Windows Server 2016 replete with features
Microsoft developed several improvements to Hyper-V Manager in Windows Server 2016. These new Hyper-V features improve VM management with added security and flexibility options. Continue Reading
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Tip
20 Mar 2018
Predictive IT analytics improves distributed application monitoring
Data analysis on app performance isn't an instantaneous process, but it's worth the wait given the time it will save IT admins in problem-solving in the future. Continue Reading
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Answer
20 Mar 2018
Manually initiate the Hyper-V replication failover process
Hyper-V replication failover only requires two steps. But before you initiate failover, perform some tests to ensure the recovery point has consistent data. Continue Reading
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News
12 Mar 2018
EBay's Elasticsearch hack consolidates Kubernetes monitoring
EBay made Kubernetes monitoring more flexible for developers and consistent for ops through modifications that are now part of Elastic's Beats software. Continue Reading
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Tip
07 Mar 2018
Add virt-manager to your set of KVM management tools
KVM virt-manager provides a useful and simple VM management GUI. The console enables VM creation, deletion and troubleshooting. Learn the basics of its management and installation. Continue Reading
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News
07 Mar 2018
Datadog log monitoring software branches out as DevOps spreads
Datadog joins competitors such as SignalFx and Splunk in the quest to create Swiss army knife-style tools that track logs, events and metrics in one place for DevOps teams. Continue Reading
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Tip
05 Mar 2018
Use an IT incident management system to enable automation
IT admins and gurus can't tackle every issue every hour of the day -- let alone predict them first. A dynamic combination of monitoring and incident management makes for better admins. Continue Reading
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Tip
27 Feb 2018
Create SCVMM user roles to define management, tighten security
Using SCVMM user roles provides granular control in a virtual infrastructure. By defining a delegation model, admins also ensure that the infrastructure is more secure. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Feb 2018
Mount an ISO file to a virtual DVD drive with PowerShell
It's easy to manage external media from PowerShell. It's worth noting, however, that the command syntax varies depending on whether you're referencing an IDE or SCSI drive. Continue Reading
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Answer
23 Feb 2018
Retrieve a Hyper-V event log with the Get-EventLog cmdlet
Use the Get-EventLog PowerShell cmdlet with the desired parameters to retrieve a Hyper-V event log. This command gets errors and warnings and exports them as a CSV file. Continue Reading
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Tip
15 Feb 2018
Meet these SCVMM 2016 requirements before upgrading
Before upgrading to SCVMM 2016, ensure that you meet its hardware requirements, including SCVMM 2012 R2 and Update Rollup 9 or later, and have a supported version of SQL Server. Continue Reading
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Answer
13 Feb 2018
Live-migrate Hyper-V VMs in and outside a failover cluster
PowerShell commands save time and enable admins to migrate multiple VMs outside a Hyper-V failover cluster from one host to another, as well as VMs inside the cluster between nodes. Continue Reading
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Tip
12 Feb 2018
Customize a Hyper-V network adapter for security, performance
Look beyond basic network adapter settings in Hyper-V to enable features like IPsec task offloading, DHCP guard, protected networks, port mirroring and NIC teaming, among others. Continue Reading
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Tip
05 Feb 2018
Three ChatOps examples demonstrate DevOps efficiency
IT collaboration tools are taking center stage in DevOps shops, where they create an environment of connection -- to applications, to peer knowledge and to automation tools. Continue Reading
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Tip
01 Feb 2018
Three root cause analysis methods to help solve VDI issues
From performing a manual assessment to working with VDI vendors' proprietary tools, IT professionals have options for figuring out why problems are happening in their deployments. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Jan 2018
Expand KVM storage with virsh commands
With a few steps -- the creation of files, the addition of XML code and the execution of commands -- you can use the virsh command-line interface to add storage to existing VMs. Continue Reading
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Tip
23 Jan 2018
Bulk manage a Hyper-V server group with PowerShell
With only a few steps, you can use SCVMM to bring a Hyper-V server under management. This is limited, however, so use the SCVMM Command Shell to bulk manage Hyper-V servers. Continue Reading
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Tip
22 Jan 2018
Hyper-V cmdlets for daily operational tasks
With simple scripts, enable or disable VM Integration Services and Live Migration on Hyper-V hosts, reset VM replication stats, grant or revoke VM access, and optimize VHD files. Continue Reading
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Tip
18 Jan 2018
Copy files from the host to a Hyper-V machine
There are many ways to copy files from the host to a Hyper-V machine, including Enhanced Session Mode and the Copy-VMFile PowerShell cmdlet. Follow these steps for each method. Continue Reading
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Tip
15 Jan 2018
Use virt-install to install VMs from the command line
Learn the basics of virt-install, including standard use cases, executing it on CentOS 7, different command-line options and the creation of kickstart files. Continue Reading
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Quiz
11 Jan 2018
Quiz yourself on Red Hat virtualization pricing and updates
The Red Hat Virtualization platform can be a powerful tool in your arsenal. Take this quiz on RHV pricing, updates and functionality to see if you know your stuff. Continue Reading
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News
08 Jan 2018
Time-series monitoring tools give high-resolution view of IT
DevOps monitoring tools based on time-series databases create a steeper learning curve than traditional monitoring software, but arm IT pros with richer data for troubleshooting. Continue Reading
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Tip
03 Jan 2018
PowerShell commands for Hyper-V update bulk VM configuration
Admins who don't have access to SCVMM can make configuration changes to multiple Hyper-V VMs at once with a few PowerShell scripts and the ForEach loop approach. Continue Reading
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Tip
14 Dec 2017
Use virsh commands to manage KVM networking
Virsh commands enable you to manage network properties and can be used alongside brctl commands to help you create additional virtual bridges in your KVM environment. Continue Reading
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Definition
27 Nov 2017
Citrix XenServer
Citrix XenServer is an open source server virtualization platform based on the Xen hypervisor. Continue Reading
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Feature
10 Nov 2017
Enterprise shops look to AIOps for IT root cause analysis
IT ops pros look to AIOps tools to help find the smoking gun in failing IT stacks, but some call automated root cause analysis more dream than reality. Continue Reading
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Tip
17 Oct 2017
Windows Server containers and Hyper-V containers explained
It's important to not only understand the differences between these two container types but also the specific requirements, deployment considerations and management practices. Continue Reading
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Answer
29 Jun 2017
Configure NIC teaming with different modes in Hyper-V
The switch independent mode uses different switches and can support both active/active and active/standby operation, while the dependent mode only uses one switch. Continue Reading
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Tip
12 May 2017
Log management systems benefit greatly from AI
Organizations with massive volumes of IT operational data need log management tools that can quickly and adeptly process it. AI embedded into tools might be the answer. Continue Reading
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Tip
24 Apr 2017
Deep dive into Hyper-V files and folders
Understanding all aspects of a Hyper-V installation now makes it easier to troubleshoot problems later. Look under the hood of Hyper-V files and folders to prep for the worst. Continue Reading
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Tip
19 Dec 2016
Agent vs. agentless: Monitoring choices for diverse IT ops needs
All management tools must run on a device, but the standards for agent and agentless monitoring vary widely. The determination is easier once you understand monitoring data needs. Continue Reading
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Tip
07 Dec 2016
Simplify your platform with IT systems management tools
So much effort goes into simply keeping an IT infrastructure up and running. Imagine what more could be accomplished once you automate some of those tasks with IT systems management tools. Continue Reading
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Answer
29 Nov 2016
Should I allow SSH tunneling connections through the firewall?
Allowing users to tunnel through a firewall to access any site creates a security risk. How big of a risk is it? It depends on how much you trust your users. Continue Reading
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Tip
28 Sep 2016
Setting up and controlling resources on a Proxmox cluster
You're learned how to create Proxmox hosts and group them into a cluster. Now it's time to add resources to your cluster and assign access rights to them. Continue Reading
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Tip
17 Aug 2016
Patch servers the right way without wasting time
Apply these server patching best practices to save time, reduce complexity, and build an optimal schedule and toolkit. Continue Reading
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Answer
01 Aug 2016
How do I size capacity for VMware oversubscription?
What best practices and tools can I use to allocate the right resources in an oversubscribed virtualization deployment? Continue Reading
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Tip
24 Mar 2016
Adding an additional virtual bridge to a KVM environment
Virtualization expert Sander Van Vugt offers tips to simplify the process of adding a second software bridge to your KVM environment to run VMs in an isolated SDN. Continue Reading
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Answer
26 Jan 2016
How can active-active clustering use load balancers?
Active-active clustering and cloud services enable IT workload resilience or redundancy in the enterprise. How does load balancing influence these setups? Continue Reading
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Answer
19 Jan 2016
Hardware vs. software load balancer: Which is better for an enterprise?
Can a software load balancer perform with the same capabilities as a hardware load balancer? Decide which aides enterprise the best in this hardware vs. software load balancer comparison. Continue Reading
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Answer
23 Nov 2015
What works for daily event log monitoring?
I have 80 Windows servers in the data center. What can I use for daily event log monitoring? Continue Reading
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Tip
22 Oct 2015
Change boot settings from a VM BIOS
Often overlooked, a VM's BIOS is more limited than a physical machine's BIOS, but will allow you to adjust boot settings. Continue Reading
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Tip
21 Sep 2015
Three steps to avoid server NIC teaming problems
NIC teaming can help reduce resource contention and improve VM performance, but don't fall victim to common mistakes when setting it up. Continue Reading
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Answer
26 Mar 2015
What's the effect of network switch buffer in a data center?
What's causing buffer? How much buffer should ideally be available in a network switch? Is there any standard available for buffer? Continue Reading
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Answer
22 Jan 2015
How do I use SR-IOV for Hyper-V VMs?
Single Root I/O Virtualization, or SR-IOV, can help reduce latency and increase I/O throughput when enabled for Hyper-V VMs. Continue Reading
