Features

Features

Data center storage and networking

• Build up your knowledge of leaf-spine network technology

  As organizations deal with challenges of single tree path networks, many admins are considering leaf-spine architectures. Learn the ways its topology helps latency and data flow.  Continue Reading

• Elevate software-defined technology's role in the data center

  SDS and SDN aren't a cure-all for infrastructure management ails. Proper implementation requires research and a suitable hardware setup. Here's a look at what this tech can do.  Continue Reading

• A rundown of server hardware vendors and the server options

  There is no shortage of server options available on the market today. Discover the leading vendors in these in-depth overviews of the blade, rack and mainframe computers available.  Continue Reading

• Buy server hardware with these key functions in mind

  Find the right server hardware for your data center by evaluating what leading vendors offer in terms of processors, memory, storage, connectivity, hot swapping and security features.  Continue Reading

• Learn the major types of server hardware and their pros and cons

  Servers protect data, centralize resources and enable remote worker productivity, but buyers must understand which server types works best for their data center.  Continue Reading

• Accelerated processing units advance data center performance

  As you come across more complex data center workflows, you can begin exploring options for accelerated processing, such as GPUs or TPUs.  Continue Reading

• SD-WAN benefits emerge as public cloud adoption climbs

  Public cloud computing is driving more interest in the SD-WAN market as IT departments look to streamline management of network traffic leaving the data center.  Continue Reading

• SD-WAN benefits branch networks with simplicity, automation

  Traditional branch networks haven't adapted well to new technologies. But a mature SD-WAN market can bring distributed networks up to speed with simplicity and automation.  Continue Reading

• Composable infrastructure creates new path to SDDC nirvana

  Shiny new products like composable infrastructure and on-premises cloud platforms could offer a way to achieve software-defined infrastructure -- but beware the pitfalls.  Continue Reading

• Software-defined memory trends yield speed, high performance

  A new class of memory technologies is coming to the data center landscape. Educate yourself on the emerging tech, including tools you'll want to consider.  Continue Reading

• IT infrastructure automation lessens the load for data center teams

  Network, storage and server management can be overwhelming and time-consuming tasks. Evaluate automation techniques to simplify everything from documentation to system uptime.  Continue Reading

• Four options to optimize SSD performance in the data center

  As more organizations adopt SSDs, practices for storage optimization need to evolve. Learn how tactics, such as disabling defragmentation and using the write cache, can play a role.  Continue Reading

• Learn efficiency lessons from hyperscale cloud providers

  Enterprise data center teams can learn important lessons from hyperscale cloud providers. Rethink redundancy strategies and consider technologies like SDN to increase efficiency.  Continue Reading

• Software-based networking brings new automation perks, challenges

  More data center teams have moved to software-defined networks. And while the technology brings new benefits around automation, it also brings a host of implementation challenges.  Continue Reading

• Data center storage architecture moves toward software-defined memory

  New IT developments converge storage and memory into a hybrid approach. Consequently, the idea of software-defined memory starts to become more of a reality.  Continue Reading

• Update your data backup policy with new options

  The server backup market first evolved to protect VMs, but now it's undergoing another transformation. Find out how it's evolved and what you need to know for the future.  Continue Reading

• Five tips for more effective data center network management

  To effectively manage a data center network, IT teams need to start with a smart topology, brush up on the latest standards and weigh the impact of technologies like SDN.  Continue Reading

• Top data center market news stories of 2016

  Outages, acquisitions and server innovations piqued the interest of enterprise IT shops in 2016. Here's a look back at five of the biggest data center news stories from this year.  Continue Reading

• Examine data collection problems with big data, IoT in mind

  Networking challenges and data collection problems can occur when IT tries to deploy IoT and big data into a data center. Understand how to move data without limiting security.  Continue Reading

• Challenges of IoT include big data, data analysis for enterprise

  Implementing big data and IoT is difficult for enterprise IT teams due to major challenges on the network. Here's how IT can understand the relationship and prepare for the change.  Continue Reading

• Navigate recent changes to data center networking architecture

  Thanks to hybrid cloud and containers, data center networks are tougher to crack than ever. But IT can succeed if it follows a simple path.  Continue Reading

• Advisory Board Q&A: Three edge data center predictions

  With the rise of IoT, more organizations are considering an edge data center. The SearchDataCenter Advisory Board predicts the biggest benefits and challenges IT teams will face.  Continue Reading

• Shutterstock CIO shares SDDC architecture lessons learned

  David Giambruno is leading his team toward an SDDC architecture -- for the second time. In this Q&A, Shutterstock's new CIO shares his greatest challenges and lessons learned.  Continue Reading

• Open source technology gains steam in data center, but challenges loom

  Despite new developments with the Open Compute Project and other groups, challenges remain when it comes to open source implementation in the data center. Explore them with these FAQs.  Continue Reading

• Words to go: SDDC planning

  Administrators are pursuing software-defined data centers to take their IT strategy to new heights. But before getting started, learn these 10 essential terms.  Continue Reading

• Full SDDC architecture adoption remains in the distant future

  Why are most organizations not adopting full SDDCs yet? Find out what's blocking their road to an SDDC architecture and how some companies are overcoming those challenges.  Continue Reading

• A big data, IoT project brings unique storage demands

  With the proliferation of IoT and big data, the amount of data in the enterprise increases every day. Find out how to meet storage demands for these new IT initiatives.  Continue Reading

• Lack of open source support continues to pose IT challenge

  Open source software and hardware continue to infiltrate the data center, but the lack of professional support remains a top business and IT concern.  Continue Reading

• Consider these SD-WAN architecture pitfalls before adoption

  The return on investment for SD-WAN can be high, but there are a range of factors to consider, including optimization and existing SLAs, before implementation.  Continue Reading

• Read this before attempting network microsegmentation

  Microsegmentation makes network security more flexible with software-defined policies rather than manual configuration work, if implemented with forethought and the right tools.  Continue Reading

• Microsegmentation lets software define network security

  Microsegmentation enables software-defined network security at a granular level, simplifying data center networks and traffic without risking breaches.  Continue Reading

• Server SSDs open up storage possibilities in data centers

  We've reached a point where it's easy to justify equipping servers with SSDs: the performance gains they offer enable new workloads, and improve end-user satisfaction with response time and run time. In many cases, SSDs pay for themselves by ...  Continue Reading

• The 10 biggest data center news stories of 2015

  Data center teams modernized and adapted throughout 2015, with help -- and hindrance -- from major changes in the IT industry, which ranged from new job demands to transitions among providers.  Continue Reading

• The best server hardware to maximize IT performance

  Get the latest tips on compute, networking and storage to choose the best server hardware to tackle IT workloads.  Continue Reading

• Simpler management motivates Ethernet SAN investments

  Blending LAN and SAN networks cuts a lot of management headaches -- and miles of cable -- out of the data center.  Continue Reading

• IT pros react to Dell's EMC acquisition plan

  The Twitterverse chimes in on the mega Dell-EMC deal, as three major traditional IT vendors -- Dell, EMC and VMware -- plan their futures.  Continue Reading

• A who's who of white box switch vendors

  White box networking gives IT organizations more freedom of choice for network hardware and OSes. It's a young and changing market, with a mix of vendor involvement.  Continue Reading

• Switch to white box networking brings choice, disruption

  White box switches separate two long-intertwined data center components: Networking hardware and the network operating system that runs on it. With such a marked change, it's no wonder open networking isn't for everyone.  Continue Reading

• Data storage companies add intelligence to on-site arrays

  Data-aware storage yields new insights and management capabilities. But challenges include meeting IT organization's needs, tying in with existing systems and the cloud alternative.  Continue Reading

• Data awareness gives storage pros new insights

  Early adopters of data-aware storage arrays see better management and analytics, as well as compliance assurance from the technology.  Continue Reading

• Impact Awards: Vote for the best Software-Defined Infrastructure Product

  Vote here for the best Software-Defined Infrastructure Product in the 2016 Modern Infrastructure Impact Awards.  Continue Reading

• Five ways to beef up your Internet of Things infrastructure

  How are IoT trends affecting data centers? From security and storage to data management and even physical location, Internet of Things infrastructure is changing data centers for good.  Continue Reading

• Early days for WAN virtualization vendors, adoption

  It's too soon to tell how the WAN virtualization market will shake out, but that's not stopping enterprises from embracing vWAN for remote offices.  Continue Reading

• Connectivity to remote offices drives vWAN development

  Remote offices demand connectivity with the central data center, data-rich services, and cost-effective IT deployments. Enter the vWAN.  Continue Reading

• Virtualization's random I/O rewrites the data center storage script

  Should data center managers pine for the good old days of direct-attached storage? Or is adding a little flash the way to counter-act the fundamental storage changes wrought by virtualization?  Continue Reading

• Hyperconverged storage challenges the SAN paradigm

  HCI makes local storage cool again -- and it keeps pace with how VMs access and store data better than some traditional storage architectures.  Continue Reading

• Reasons to upgrade a data center network architecture

  The TechTarget Networking Survey reveals which motivating factors cause data centers to upgrade their networks.  Continue Reading

• Ethernet connections rely on new cabling, chip technology

  Advances in Ethernet cabling -- along with smart Ethernet controller silicon -- will enable more bandwidth choices and faster networks in the near future.  Continue Reading

• Understanding tomorrow's Ethernet speeds

  New standards mean more bandwidth and versatility for tomorrow's Ethernet networks, whether in 25, 40, 50 or 100 GigE deployments.  Continue Reading

• Data aware storage yields insights into business info

  Storage isn't just a bunch of dumb disks anymore. In fact, storage infrastructure is smarter than ever.  Continue Reading

• How SDN in the data center shapes Ethernet's future

  Ethernet's future lies in smarter software working alongside new materials and silicon advances. SDN and NFV promise exceptional flexibility and management.  Continue Reading

• Data center components that deserve an upgrade this year

  In the next 12 months, consider making a few component upgrades to the data center. Our advisory board explains which ones are the most important.  Continue Reading

• The data center SSD takeover is well underway

  The future of hard disks grows bleaker by the day, with giant SSD storage densities, outdated RAID algorithms and faster interconnects ushering in flash domination.  Continue Reading

• Vendors race to provide big data infrastructure

  Enterprise big data workloads demand a lot from storage and network bandwidth. Storage, cloud and as-a-service vendors are developing the infrastructure to support them.  Continue Reading

• Data center dunces cause operations, security failures

  Data center security is paramount to ensuring the safety of your employees and data. But what happens when you let a fool into your facility?  Continue Reading

• Are all software-defined storage vendors the same?

  What does software-defined storage mean? How is it implemented? And why does it matter for data center managers?  Continue Reading

• New approaches to scalable storage

  With all these scalable storage approaches, IT organizations must evaluate the options against their data storage and analytics needs, as well as future architectures.  Continue Reading

• Words to go: Data center design standards bodies

  Need a handy reference sheet of the various data center standards organizations? Keep this list by your desk as a reference.  Continue Reading

• TIA standards, new ideas shape data center cabling

  TIA data center standards address cabling systems with performance, budget and future plans in mind. New concepts bear consideration as well.  Continue Reading

• The case for a leaf-spine data center topology

  Three-layer network designs are last season's topology. The leaf-spine model is coming in hot, but can the advantages made data center designers forget about the weaknesses?  Continue Reading

• Why Facebook and the NSA love graph databases

  Graph databases play six degrees of separation to find real connections. See how IT teams can use the database approach for businesses.  Continue Reading

• A software-defined networking reality check for potential adopters

  Software-defined environments moved from concept to shipping products recently, so it's time to learn about SDN vendor offerings and their roadmaps.  Continue Reading

• Tenets of modern server uptime and data center availability

  Server uptime and downtime can't be pinned to just automation, just application modularity or just redundancy. In a modern data center, availability relies on comprehensive uptime awareness.  Continue Reading

• Data center network design moves from tree to leaf

  Leaf-spine designs are pushing out the hierarchical tree data center networking model, thanks to the popularity of Ethernet fabric networks.  Continue Reading

• 40 GbE technology: Hurry up and wait

  Despite the enterprise need for high-speed networks, the advent of 40 GbE has been met with low adoption rates. Where will the hardware find a niche?  Continue Reading

• Software-defined networking could drastically change today's network infrastructure

  There's plenty of talk in IT circles about using SDN to change network infrastructures—and catch up with servers and storage. As the hype for SDN spins up, what can you actually accomplish today?  Continue Reading