In Depth

In Depth

Containers

• What digital transformation means for data storage

  We survey the key planks of digital transformation and look at the storage technologies emerging to support it, such as NVMe and QLC flash, hyper-converged infrastructure and cloud storage  Continue Reading

• Container-native storage: A definition, and what to ask suppliers

  We look at container-native storage – aka cloud-native storage – what defines it, and its benefits as a way of bringing persistent Kubernetes storage to containerised applications  Continue Reading

• Where now for storage? Hitachi, IBM and Pure Storage

  Part II: Storage supplier strategy in the cloud era: Hitachi, IBM and Pure Storage. We snapshot the big six hardware makers, as they take things to the cloud and as-a-service models  Continue Reading

• Preparing for enterprise-class containerisation

  As more workloads are deployed in containers, IT teams will need to assess how to manage container sprawl, reduce cloud bills and support databases  Continue Reading

• Containers for a post-pandemic IT architecture

  One of the positive effects of Covid-19 is that it has put IT at the top of the business agenda – and containerisation is part of that strategy  Continue Reading

• Five key questions about Kubernetes backup answered

  We look at when to back up containers, what to protect, the main methods of backup for Kubernetes and the main Kubernetes backup products available in the market  Continue Reading

• Robin.io aims its Kubernetes storage at databases and big data

  Cloud-native storage runs in Kubernetes and pools storage media to present it to application persistent storage needs, including snapshots and backup on top  Continue Reading

• Serverless: Weighing up the pros and cons for enterprises

  The concept of serverless computing has been gaining traction within enterprises for several years now, but what is it and how do CIOs know if it is the right fit for their applications?  Continue Reading

• Intel Optane Persistent Memory aims to fill the gap DRAM can’t

  We look at Optane and its PMem product that Intel believes will fill a big gap between memory and storage that DRAM technology just cannot deal with  Continue Reading

• Forrester: Why tagging should be used to manage hybrid assets

  With complex hybrid environments, there is a need to apply IT asset management best practices across cloud and on-premise systems  Continue Reading

• How intelligent workload management tools can help IT admins cut through cloud complexity

  IT administrators have to manage an increasingly complex and varied range of application types and IT environments, and intelligent workload management tools offer a helping hand with that  Continue Reading

• Supporting mobile workers everywhere

  With VPNs struggling to serve the unprecedented number of remote workers, we look at other ways of providing reliable remote networking  Continue Reading

• Coding within company constraints

  We find out how containerised microservices and automated testing, combined with effective collaboration and communication, can drive innovation  Continue Reading

• How to apply zero-trust models to container security

  Containers have become a common fixture in software development, but they have resulted in new concerns for security teams. Is zero-trust the answer to tackling them?  Continue Reading

• Cloud storage on-site hardware: AWS, Azure, Google Cloud

  We look at the big three cloud vendors’ on-site offerings: AWS’s Outposts, Gateway and Snow hardware, Azure’s Stack and Arc appliances, and Google Cloud’s software-defined Anthos  Continue Reading

• Edge computing environments: what you need to know

  An edge case in business sits at the limits of what's viable, and edge computing requirements suggest a similar struggle  Continue Reading

• Container storage 101: What is CSI and how does it work?

  We look at the container storage interface, which provides an interface to persistent storage in the products of storage array makers, and how it relates to Kubernetes  Continue Reading

• Networking gains ‘cool’ status

  There is renewed interest in networking, driven by enterprises looking at how public cloud services can co-exist with on-premise IT  Continue Reading

• Rook 101: Building software-defined containerised storage in Kubernetes

  Rook – think castles, not birds – uses the principles of containerisation and the methods used in Kubernetes to build storage that’s abstracted from the hardware it lives on  Continue Reading

• Spread of Kubernetes spurs backup and disaster recovery products

  Growth of containerised applications brings with it the need to back up and provide disaster recovery. But what do you need to protect, and who provides the products?  Continue Reading

• Processors re-imagined: Will cloud and AI lead mean all change in the datacentre?

  We look at the changes cloud-native platforms and artificial intelligence could bring about in the datacentre.  Continue Reading

• Overcoming the container security conundrum: What enterprises need to know

  Container technologies continue to shake up enterprise IT, but security concerns abound  Continue Reading

• Evolution in action: The changing face of the datacentre

  The role datacentres play in the wider enterprise IT landscape is changing, fuelling the demand for a mix of different types of facilities that are capable of meeting the growing variety of enterprise data-processing requirements  Continue Reading

• Microsoft’s road to multicloud support

  From Microsoft’s perspective, multicloud is more about portability than resiliency  Continue Reading

• What are the SD-WAN requirements for a multicloud environment?

  SD-WAN is becoming an important option for businesses migrating branch and other edge communications to the cloud. But what makes a successful deployment?  Continue Reading

• Break free from traditional network security

  Highly connected businesses put pressure on traditional network security. We look at how corporate networks are breaking out of their boundaries  Continue Reading

• Docker management at scale: What enterprises need to know

  Docker adoption within enterprises often starts at grass roots level, with developers leading the way, but as deployments scale and become larger in size, problems can occur  Continue Reading

• Why VMware is betting big on containers, edge computing and IoT

  With the server virtualisation game won, VMware is having to diversify into new areas, with cloud-native computing emerging as a top area of interest for the firm  Continue Reading

• How Australia is keeping pace with microservices

  Adoption of microservices remains patchy in Australia, although some sectors pursuing digital transformation are catching up rapidly  Continue Reading

• Is Azure ready to go cloud-native?

  We look at the suitability of Microsoft’s Azure platform for deploying cloud-native applications  Continue Reading

• Transform business with microservices and containers

  We look at how DevOps and microservice-based technology have advanced IT architectures  Continue Reading

• GlaxoSmithKline R&D CDO on combining Hadoop and Docker to boost drug discovery efforts

  Mark Ramsey, chief digital officer of research and development at GSK, describes how banking on big data, containers and on-premise technologies is speeding up the company’s efforts to uncover new drugs and improve the hit rate of its clinical trials  Continue Reading

• Leading companies embrace DevOps to improve agility and flexibility

  DevOps is an approach to improving the efficiency of software development roll-outs, but while the benefits are clear, companies face a number of challenges along the way  Continue Reading

• DevOps and containers: How to get connected

  We look at how to apply a DevOps approach to a container-based microservices architecture  Continue Reading

• Container storage: Docker in flash, HCI and software-defined

  We look at what flash array, hyper-converged infrastructure and software-defined storage makers are doing to provide persistent storage for container-based deployments  Continue Reading

• Data protection for containers: Why and how to do Docker backup

  Containers such as those from Docker are agile, lightweight and can be short-lived, but they and their data often need to be protected. We look at the key options available  Continue Reading

• Containers and storage: Array suppliers’ container capabilities

  We look at what the big five storage array makers – Dell EMC, Hitachi, HPE, IBM and NetApp – are doing to provide persistent storage for container-based deployments  Continue Reading

• Adapting to the rise of the holistic application

  A containerised, componentised and compartmentalised approach to software presents CIOs with the challenge of managing a more complex environment  Continue Reading

• DevOps done right: How to break down the IT department silos without alienating developers

  Enterprise DevOps adoption rests on securing buy-in at all levels of the company, but developer support is not a given, particularly when it means taking on responsibilities outside their traditional roles  Continue Reading

• Making sense of Microsoft’s cloud developer platform

  We assess how Microsoft is aligning its development tools to support Linux and open source, in light of its acquisition of GitHub  Continue Reading

• Beyond Docker and Kubernetes: The container ecosystem continues to evolve

  Enterprise interest in container technologies is on the rise, and organisations need to get clued up on who does what and how it can benefit them  Continue Reading

• Why Kubernetes is emerging as a critical enabler of multi-cloud

  The buzz around containers is showing no signs of stopping, with Kubernetes fast emerging as the technology of choice for enterprises looking to build multi-cloud environments  Continue Reading

• Inside the distros: A year in Linux development

  Linux will turn 30 in three years. We look at how far the major Linux distributions – or distros – have come over the past year and what they might be able to bring in the future  Continue Reading

• Storage in containers: The answer to persistent storage needs?

  With compute requirements often fragmented, short-lived and bursty, traditional storage architectures can struggle to cope – so is storage in containers the solution?  Continue Reading

• Staffordshire University goes all-in on Microsoft Azure for digital transformation

  Andrew Proctor, director of digital services at Staffordshire University, describes how ditching its datacentres and moving to the Microsoft Azure public cloud has set the organisation on the path to digital transformation  Continue Reading

• From consumers to contributors: The evolution of open source in the enterprise

  The use of open source software is commonplace in enterprises, but many organisations are still reluctant to contribute their own code, despite the benefits it can bring  Continue Reading

• VMware eyes cloud opportunity in APAC

  The company's top Asia-Pacific executive sheds light on how the virtualisation pioneer is tackling the region's diverse market in the cloud era  Continue Reading

• The multi-cloud myth: Why workload portability is still a pipe dream

  While IT providers are fond of suggesting moving workloads between clouds is as easy as dragging and dropping apps between environments, the reality can be far more complex  Continue Reading

• What ‘born in the cloud’ means for developers

  When it comes to building cloud-native apps, developers must code with an inherent appreciation for where processing, storage and analytics happens  Continue Reading

• Container technologies for cloud-native apps

  A deep dive exploring the layers that go into a container-based platform for enterprise applications  Continue Reading

• How going cloud native can increase app agility

  We look at how cloud-native applications can deliver far more dynamic support to meet an organisation’s needs  Continue Reading

• The Sanger Institute on using datacentre upgrades to help decode the human genome

  Paul Woobey, IT director at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, tells Computer Weekly why the organisation's HPC workload requirements cannot be fulfilled by a move to the cloud  Continue Reading

• Q&A: Flying the open source flag

  Red Hat’s vice-president and general manager for the ASEAN region, Damien Wong, sheds light on the company’s strategy for tackling a market that is not used to paying for software  Continue Reading

• MyRepublic sharpens competitive edge with open source

  Singaporean internet service provider has disrupted broadband markets, thanks to the agility and speed afforded by open source technologies  Continue Reading

• Changing tracks: Examining VMware's evolving hybrid cloud strategy

  The past 12 months have seen VMware apply a number of tweaks to its hybrid cloud strategy. We look at what these changes means for the company’s future and technology roadmap  Continue Reading

• Mojo Power harnesses cloud to disrupt energy business

  The Australian energy upstart is using cloud-based microservices to shake up the energy sector by providing households with access to wholesale energy rates and real-time consumption data  Continue Reading

• Changing channels: How DevOps, shared infrastructure and smart hiring help ITV innovate

  Tom Clark, head of Common Platform at ITV, explains how embracing agile thinking and shared infrastructure is helping the broadcaster stay one step ahead of its commercial competitors  Continue Reading

• How composable applications can improve software development

  We speak to experts in the field of software development about the pros and cons of componentising application software  Continue Reading

• Private cloud: Orchestration, storage and containers

  We look at the key requirements and components of private cloud – including the use of container platforms – and the impact of private cloud on storage in the datacentre  Continue Reading

• Future of the server operating system

  We look at the evolution of the server operating system, and how the next generation is moving into the cloud  Continue Reading

• Linux versus Unix hot patching

  We examine the current state of play in the ongoing competition between the Linux and Unix server operating systems  Continue Reading

• Software-defined storage: The pros and cons, and what is available

  Software-defined storage is a rapidly rising trend in the datacentre, but what are the advantages and disadvantages of building your own storage, and is it suitable for all organisations?  Continue Reading

• Docker storage: how to get persistent storage in Docker

  Docker, by default, doesn’t come with persistent storage, which presents an issue to some workloads customers that want to run in containers – however, there are ways to achieve persistent storage  Continue Reading

• Does Microsoft Azure make sense for developers?

  Microsoft is betting heavily on cloud services for its future. We take a close look at its strategy as a platform for Office 365, Linux and microservices  Continue Reading

• [email protected]: The changing face of the datacentre over the past 50 years

  As Computer Weekly prepares to celebrate its 50th anniversary, we take a look back at how the design and role of the datacentre has changed over the past five decades  Continue Reading

• Microservices: Small parts with big advantages

  Microservices go hand in hand with containers and the idea of software portability – but how do they work and why should you care?  Continue Reading

• What are containers and microservices?

  Independently deployable bits of code can be used to build agile applications. We look at some of the main players  Continue Reading

• Divide and conquer in software architecture

  Applications built out of independently deployable modules are the future of flexible solution development  Continue Reading

• An application ecosystem for the all-digital era

  Digital disruption is forcing IT to adopt new operating models and CIOs must face the challenges it brings  Continue Reading

• The API economy – or the API Tower of Babel?

  Application programming interfaces promise to open up back-office systems to the business and third parties. We assess the impact  Continue Reading

• Docker storage 101: How storage works in Docker

  Docker nails some of the shortcomings of virtualisation, but what about Docker container storage?  Continue Reading

• Top five things you need to know about VMware Virtual Volumes

  VMware’s Virtual Volumes (VVOLs) promise a revolution in storage for virtual machines, but what are the key things you need to know?  Continue Reading

• Cloud and the need for microservices

  Cloud holds the promise to change the way IT supports the business by using hybrid private/public cloud services  Continue Reading

• How to achieve optimum performance in a hybrid cloud

  As hybrid cloud systems become increasingly popular, we look at how to implement them and the advantages they can offer  Continue Reading

• A closer look at Google Container Engine

  In just 12 months, Docker has transformed from a simple open-source container management project into a powerful platform  Continue Reading

• Microservices: How to prepare next-generation cloud applications

  A microservice architecture promotes developing and deploying applications composed of autonomous, self-contained units  Continue Reading

• Demystifying Kubernetes: the tool to manage Google-scale workloads in the cloud

  We are witnessing a new technology wave in the form of immutable infrastructure and micro-services  Continue Reading

• How transforming a datacentre can transform your business

  IT leaders from Domino's Pizza and TheTrainline.com reveal how transforming their datacentres transformed their businesses.  Continue Reading

• Server SSD guide to form factors and implementations

  Server SSD offers immense gains in IOPS and throughput. We look at how it works, form factors available and its advantages and pitfalls, and we survey key vendors in the market.  Continue Reading

• Object-based storage allows users to tame ballooning data stores

  Object-based storage boots out hierarchical file systems for a flat-file layout, tames massive files stores and overcomes RAID’s inadequacies.  Continue Reading