More Commentary/How-To's
Is Storage Saving Virtual Desktop Infrastructure?We're seeing a significant climb in VDI implementation as old storage performance and cost roadblocks fall. Why Flash Storage Excels In Virtual Environments
All-flash systems do more than replace a lot of hard drives. They let you create extremely dense virtual server environments that eliminate... 4 Ways $50K Of Flash Can Boost Performance
You want to use solid state storage to boost your network's performance. Here's advice on adding SSDs without breaking the company. The Virtualized Backup Gap
Most enterprises run two backup systems -- one for virtualized servers and one for non-virtualized servers. New products in the works should... The VMware Write Cache Challenge, Solved
Server-side write caching can help improve storage network performance. Here's what you need to know. What Is Software-Defined Storage?
Is it really a new product or simply a reframing of existing storage technology? Actually, it's a little bit of both. Big Backup Challenge Of Medium-Size Data Centers
Heavy on virtualization, but stuck with a legacy backup solution? Here's how to choose a virtualization-friendly backup app. Managing The Multi-Vendor Backup
Backup management applications go a step beyond monitoring, but they remain limited. It's time to develop a framework-driven approach. Virtualization And The Case For Universal Grid Architectures
Today, virtualization can make one system act like 10, but making 10 physical boxes look and act like one is far more valuable. And that is where... Storage That Only Looks Like A SAN
It isn't a perfect approach, but you can skip the SAN and still bring the advantages of local storage to a virtualized environment. How To Share Local Storage
Local storage can now provide capabilities like virtual machine migration and distributed resource management. Eliminate Storage Headaches: Virtualize
Learn how virtualization, automation, and cloud computing can make your data center a competitive advantage, not a cost center. The State Of Virtual Data Protection And Recovery
Hybrid physical/virtual storage environments present their own challenges to data protection and backup. Start with a solid plan. How To Solve 2 VDI Performance Challenges
Here's how to fix storage performance problems that creep up after you consolidate hundreds of desktops onto a single host. Bromium Brings Hypervisor Security To Applications
Startup aims to beef up performance and security in the data center by bringing virtualization to the next level--the application level. Dell And The Next Convergence Wave
One announcement at Dell's Storage Forum this week shows how the next wave of converged solutions will increase ROI in highly virtualized data... 9 Reasons Microsoft Hyper-V 3 Is Enterprise-Class
I used to dislike the hypervisor and subscribe to the idea that Redmond is where technology went to die. Here's how Microsoft changed my mind. How Many Storage Vendors Should You Have?
It's usually easier to solve cross-vendor management issues than to find one company that meets all your data protection needs. Offload Your Overworked Storage Controller
Maxed-out storage controller? Use one of these SSD solutions to boost performance. 4 Reasons Naysayers Win IT Battles, Not Wars
Want to predict the best storage innovation coming down the pipe? Take a look at what traditional IT is saying won't work. Managing Virtual Machine Performance Problems
Virtual infrastructure administrators have two options to fix performance problems: fine-tune the environment, or cover up the problem with hardware. Are There Too Many Storage Solutions?
It's a challenge to sort through the maze of storage products to find a solution to your problem--but it's better than not having choices. Biggest Storage Trend of 2012
Performance management skills--in both software and IT professionals--promises to be the biggest storage story this year. 2 Storage Management Trends To Watch In 2012
Why are consolidated storage and compute infrastructures hot now? Storage management issues can cause virtualization projects to slow down or stall. Are Storage Vendors Shopping For SSD Companies?
This is the beginning of a larger trend where storage systems vendors get serious about integrating solid-state storage companies into their...
Virtual Infrastructure Reports
Informed CIO: VDI Snake Oil Check
You won't lose your shirt on a desktop virtualization initiative, but don't expect it to be simple to build or free of complications. This report examines the three biggest problems when developing a business case for VDI: storage costs, ongoing licensing, and the wisdom of prolonging the investment in PC infrastructure.
Fundamentals: Next-Generation VM Security
Server virtualization creates new security threats while turning the hypervisor into a network black hole, hiding traffic from traditional hardware defenses -- problems a new breed of virtualization-aware security software tackles head-on.
Delegation Delivers Virtualization Savings
IT can't-and shouldn't-maintain absolute control over highly virtualized infrastructures. Instituting a smart role-based control strategy to decentralize management can empower business units to prioritize their own data assets while freeing IT to focus on the next big project.
The Zen of Virtual Maintenance
Server virtualization has many advantages, but it can also lead to chaos. Many organizations have unused or test VMs running on production systems that consume memory, disk and power. This means critical resources may not be available in an emergency: say, when VMs on a failed machine try to move to another server. This can contribute to unplanned downtime and raise maintenance costs. Easy deployment also means business units may come knocking with more demands for applications and services. This report offers five steps to help IT get a handle on their virtual infrastructure.
Pervasive Virtualization: Time to Expand the Paradigm
Extending core virtualization concepts to storage, networking, I/O and application delivery is changing the face of the modern data center. In this Fundamentals report, we'll discuss all these areas in the context of four main precepts of virtualization.
Virtually Protected: Key Steps To Safeguarding Your VM Disk Files
We provide best practices for backing up VM disk files and building a resilient infrastructure that can tolerate hardware and software failures. After all, what's the point of constructing a virtualized infrastructure without a plan to keep systems up and running in case of a glitch--or outright disaster.