In Depth
In Depth
IT hardware
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Cloud storage 101: Specifying for cloud storage
We run through key questions to ask when specifying cloud storage, such as disk type, performance, availability and the possible hidden cost of getting data out of the cloud Continue Reading
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Cloud storage 101: Cloud gateways for hybrid cloud connectivity
Two of the big three public cloud providers – Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure – offer gateway on-ramps that can speed the deployment of hybrid cloud operations for SME and remote office locations Continue Reading
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Storage 101: Object storage in the big three public clouds
We look at the object storage services of the big three cloud providers – Amazon S3, Microsoft Azure Blob and Google Cloud Storage – and how customers can achieve compatibility between them Continue Reading
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Enterprise and midrange SAN survey 2019: Hitachi, IBM and NetApp
Part two of two: While all-flash is mainstream, NVMe is an option as disk replacement for most suppliers, while NetApp leads the way with NVMe end-to-end to hosts Continue Reading
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Enterprise and midrange SAN survey 2019: Dell and HPE
Part one of two: All-flash is mainstream, with NVMe also offered. Dell offers NVMe drives while HPE reserves it for use as storage-class memory as a cache layer Continue Reading
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Backup product approaches vary as they take aim at the cloud
Use of the public cloud for backup data is something all the backup software suppliers provide, but implementations range from simple S3 connections to expansive software offerings Continue Reading
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NVMe startups’ different routes to flash performance gains
NVMe offers huge flash performance benefits, but no one is quite sure how to overcome the challenges that brings and startups are trying several different approaches Continue Reading
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Career choices for storage admins as technologies converge
There is collateral damage in datacentre convergence, and it is becoming increasingly difficult for storage administrators to stick with storage-centric skillsets. Two solutions exist Continue Reading
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Cloud the rising star of storage: Eight years of text analysis
Tracking word frequency in nearly a decade’s worth of storage content shows how cloud has come of age, flash has gone mainstream and how we don’t talk about virtualisation any more Continue Reading
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Compute strategies for AI applications
Devising compute strategies for AI applications can be challenging. Find out about the hardware, network and software frameworks available Continue Reading
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A cloud compliance checklist for the GDPR age
The cloud is supposed to make things simpler, but when it comes to compliance, things can get complex. Here is a look at the essential elements of a cloud compliance strategy Continue Reading
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Storage 101: Structured data and its storage needs
Structured data is declining as a proportion of all data but its importance to business applications and its organised nature make its storage requirements very specific Continue Reading
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Top 10 cloud storage stories of 2018
Top trends in cloud storage in 2018 included key enablers of hybrid- and multi-cloud such as native cloud storage, array makers’ cloud appliances and distributed file systems Continue Reading
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Ready, headset, go: Retailers racing ahead with VR for staff training
Has virtual reality found its prime retail user case as a staff training tool? Recent moves from Costa Coffee and Walmart suggest it has Continue Reading
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What does the 802.11ax wireless standard mean for your network?
The publication of the 802.11ax standard will pave the way for the next generation of wireless technology, but what does it mean for enterprise networks? Continue Reading
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NVMe is fast flash storage, but big five suppliers take it slowly
NVMe flash offers blistering performance gains but so far the big five storage array makers have tended to opt for gradual implementations rather than radical new architectures Continue Reading
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What is storage-class memory and what is it used for?
HPE has announced the availability of storage-class memory in its products and other array makers are expect to follow. So what does SCM do for analytics-centred workloads? Continue Reading
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Data protection, backup and replication in the age of the cloud
A data protection and backup strategy has to take account of the expansion of the sphere of IT, from the datacentre to the public cloud to devices and locations at the edge Continue Reading
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How to build SME storage using public cloud storage
Small companies can often take advantage of public cloud storage offerings to supplement or replace on-premise infrastructure. We look at key options in file, block and object storage Continue Reading
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Cloud clearance: Working out the best way forward
Making sense of who does what in the cloud, and which providers are the best fit for your business, can be a difficult process for enterprises to work through Continue Reading
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Storage 101: Unstructured data and its storage needs
Unstructured data exists in huge volumes, but often it is semi-structured with metadata. We lift the lid on unstructured data and key approaches to its storage Continue Reading
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Fortunes of storage vary in big five led by Dell EMC and NetApp
The big five take 50% of the enterprise storage market, with Dell EMC and HPE dominating. But some struggle with successive quarters of shrinkage while others see storage shine Continue Reading
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Hyper-converged backup appliances bring flexibility benefits
Backup appliances in scale-out format allow data protection to be scaled easily by simply adding extra nodes. But is it an idea that’s ready for the enterprise? Continue Reading
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Chromebooks and G Suite: a good working alternative
We look at Chromebooks as collaboration clients, both in Google-oriented and mixed-platform environments Continue Reading
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How to implement a multicloud storage strategy
We look at how to build a multicloud storage strategy and benefits such as performance, availability and features, as well as potential limitations such as data mobility Continue Reading
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OpenStack storage update 2018: After Rocky
Snapshots and container storage support are among recently added functionality in the open source private cloud platform, but vendor driver support for OpenStack is not universal Continue Reading
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Flash storage in the cloud from the big cloud providers
We survey the big three cloud providers – AWS, Azure and Google – and find a range of mostly block storage flash storage options with performance choices available Continue Reading
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How the big five storage array makers tier data to the cloud
We look at the big five storage array makers' efforts to connect on-premise hardware with cloud storage and find automated tiering, on-ramps, and backup and archive capability Continue Reading
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Match cache and storage tiers to app needs with new storage media
How to match cache and storage tier needs to the dizzying array of solid state media now available, including flash, QLC/TLC, NVMe, storage-class memory, NVMDimm and MRAM Continue Reading
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When networks collide: how M&A brings infrastructure together
Enterprise IT runs on networking, so fixing up the network should be a priority issue during mergers and acquisitions – but that’s not always the case. Find out how the pros manage it Continue Reading
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Virtual storage appliances in the cloud from the big five
We survey the big five storage hardware makers’ cloud offerings. Virtual storage appliances available range from storage and backup/data protection to nothing at all Continue Reading
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Hybrid cloud a key milestone on the road to cloud storage
The cloud seems to lend itself to use as a storage location. There are lots of bumps in the road, however, and hybrid cloud should be a key medium-term aim for organisations Continue Reading
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Sustainability and the smartphone: How to give your old device a second life
Find out what happens to your smartphone after you’re finished with it and why you should commit to the circular economy Continue Reading
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The value of unified endpoint management
Given the diversity of devices people can use for work, IT needs to look at how it can unify device security Continue Reading
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How to make sense of desktop as a service
Does it make sense to move the desktop to the cloud? We look at DaaS and VDI Continue Reading
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PCs shape up for the digital workplace
The digital workplace demands increasing functionality, mobility and connectivity. We look at how desktop IT is changing Continue Reading
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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
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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
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Cloud HCI survey: Cloud functionality in hyper-converged infrastructure
We look at how you can use hyper-converged infrastructure to build private clouds and link up with public cloud services to develop hybrid and multi-cloud working Continue Reading
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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
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Cloud storage: Amazon vs Azure vs Google vs IBM Softlayer
Computer Weekly looks at the biggest four cloud storage providers, how they stand in the market, the products they offer, and which offers the widest range of products and features Continue Reading
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NVMe over Fabrics brings benefits of NVMe to shared storage
NVMe over Fabrics – with NVMe carried over Fibre Channel, Ethernet, Infiniband and other protocols – could revolutionise shared storage. We look at how the market is shaping up Continue Reading
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Intel Optane DIMM aims at persistent storage on the motherboard
Intel to make 3D Xpoint flash available to applications in a tier below RAM and above storage, with in-memory databases, analytics and high performance computing set to benefit Continue Reading
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Cloud NAS offers file access across on-site and in-cloud
We run the rule over cloud NAS products that allow customers to build single-namespace file systems, including between in-house datacentres and public cloud storage Continue Reading
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Storage 101: The final flash generation? QLC vs MLC, TLC, SLC
QLC flash products have arrived in the market, but with a limited performance profile, has NAND flash come up against the realities of the physics that make it possible? Continue Reading
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GDPR compliance: Addressing the overlooked in enterprise IT infrastructures
As the GDPR compliance deadline approaches, enterprises need to ensure they have looked beyond the headline-grabbing aspects of the regulation so they do not fall foul of the incoming data protection regulations Continue Reading
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Software-defined storage: Startups bring innovation to SDS
We survey the startup suppliers pioneering new approaches to software-defined storage, including block, file and object, and VM and container-oriented approaches Continue Reading
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Storage class memory set to upset hardware architectures
Storage class memory and persistent memory products are set to add a layer of superfast storage media between bulk drives and memory, pushing performance to five million IOPS Continue Reading
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SSD Raid 101: The essentials of flash storage and Raid
Flash storage is mainstream, but what do storage professionals need to know about Raid when used with SSDs? We look at Raid fundamentals, and supplier implementations Continue Reading
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How to find the right mobility strategy for your SME
Small businesses still need a strategy to make the most of mobility, so what should business owners look out for? Continue Reading
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DR 101: The disaster recovery plan and disaster recovery strategy
We walk through the key steps and essential building blocks required to develop a disaster recovery strategy and how to write a disaster recovery plan Continue Reading
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Hybrid cloud file and object pushes the frontiers of storage
A single environment across on-premise and cloud environments is possible with a new class of product that builds file systems and object stores with hybrid cloud Continue Reading
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Why the browser is the computer
When he was CEO of Sun Microsystems, Scott McNealy once said that the network is the computer. Today, users spend most of their time in a browser Continue Reading
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Storage 101: How to create, share and manage a LUN in SAN storage
Despite pronouncements from some, the days of the logical unit number (LUN) are not over. We look at the LUN in SAN management: How to create, share, provision and manage a LUN Continue Reading
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Disaggregated systems try to unlock the NVMe conundrum
NVMe can unlock the true potential of flash, but storage controllers put a bottleneck back in the I/O path. We look at how suppliers are trying to solve the problem Continue Reading
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Cloud DR: Key choices in cloud disaster recovery
Flexibility and low cost make the cloud well-suited to disaster recovery, but there is no one-size-fits-all route to cloud disaster recovery. We look at the key choices Continue Reading
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The great 5G bake-off: where are we and where are we going?
With Mobile World Congress 2018 a week away, early 5G network standards formalised and tests up and running at the Winter Olympics, we assess the state of 5G, and what's needed to kick-start commercial roll-outs Continue Reading
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Hyper-converged infrastructure 2018 technology and market survey
We look at the latest in hyper-converged infrastructure – server and storage hardware nodes that can be built into scale-out clusters – and the players in the market Continue Reading
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Smart speakers: How to give apps a voice
Experts discuss how to go about creating compelling voice-enabled user interfaces for smart speakers Continue Reading
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Developers at the mobile edge
We look at the challenges and opportunities to be found in creating mobile apps for an expanding array of devices Continue Reading
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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
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Storage briefing: The evolution of software-defined storage
The evolution of software-defined storage, from simple software products to those that offer scale-out, hyper-converged, NVMe, public cloud and container functionality Continue Reading
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NVMe: The flash storage standard in search of a form factor
NVMe can unleash flash by doing away with the built-for-disk SCSI protocol. But so far there’s no consensus between suppliers about how to build products around NVMe Continue Reading
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Cloud-to-cloud backup: What it is and why you need it
Applications that run in the cloud are protected, but only so much. For full protection of data generated by cloud-based apps you need cloud-to-cloud backup Continue Reading
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The death of the mainframe is greatly exaggerated, says CA
With mainframe software tools forming a key part of its overall growth strategy, CA Technologies remains proud of its mainframe heritage Continue Reading
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UK sale of surveillance equipment to Macedonia raises questions over export licence policy
The UK approved an export licence for the sale of surveillance equipment to Macedonia – while the country was engaged in an illegal surveillance programme against its citizens. A senior minister was consulted on the decision Continue Reading
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Hyper-convergence + backup software = scale-out backup nodes
Hyper-converged infrastructure with built-in backup software brings scale-out capabilities to provide data protection nodes via pre-configured appliances that can build into clusters Continue Reading
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Key choices in Docker container storage deployment
Containers often need persistent storage, but how do you achieve that? We look at the key options, including Docker volumes versus bind mounts, and Docker Volume Plugins Continue Reading
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ASEAN firms warming up to enterprise mobility amid roadblocks
From startups to postal companies, organisations across the ASEAN region see mobility as strategic to their businesses, even as they face headwinds such as security and talent shortages Continue Reading
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Hyper-converged infrastructure and disaster recovery
Hyper-converged infrastructure products merge server, storage and hypervisor in scale-out nodes, so how can functionality in HCI products help deliver disaster recovery? Continue Reading
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OpenStack vs hyper-converged: Open-source cloud in the datacentre
We look at how to deploy OpenStack on hyper-converged infrastructure and how HCI suppliers’ products can support deployment of the open-source cloud in the datacentre Continue Reading
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Where the device hits the network – a mobile device management update
As business becomes increasingly mobile, we look at the latest trends in mobile device management to give businesses the edge Continue Reading
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Storage 101: The IoT’s impact on storage
The internet of things will have a huge impact on storage – the sheer volume of data, the radically different types of data created and the storage needed, from flash to object to cloud Continue Reading
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SAS CEO Jim Goodnight: Today’s AI turbo-charged with MPP
SAS co-founder and CEO Jim Goodnight says the value of the vogue for artificial intelligence lies in massively parallel computing, as well as cheaper storage Continue Reading
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Formula 1: Mercedes team turns to big data in quest for victory in Grand Prix
Data analytics could help Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport team gain an edge on rival Ferrari during the 2017 and 2018 Grand Prix season. Its head of IT, Matt Harris, reveals the team’s plans Continue Reading
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Hyper-converged choices: DIY HCI software deployments
What are the advantages of do-it-yourself hyper-converged infrastructure deployment and who are the key suppliers of HCI software? We run the rule over the DIY hyper-converged market Continue Reading
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Backup product survey: Cloud and VM integration now table stakes
For enterprise backup, cloud integration and the ability to backup and be deployed in virtual machines as well as be controlled from the hypervisor are table stakes, along with data reduction and app-specific backup Continue Reading
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Assessing the appeal of AMD’s EPYC server processor family for IT buyers
Find out how AMD's EPYC server processor family compares to what Intel has to offer datacentre hardware buyers Continue Reading
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GDPR brings serious implications for data storage
New European Union data protection regulations put tough requirements on organisations that store “personally identifiable data”. We look at what is needed to achieve compliance Continue Reading
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How hyper-convergence is changing the shape of IT
Computer Weekly looks at how the hyper-converged market is hotting up, pulling together the latest analyst research findings Continue Reading
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Datacentre decisions: Converged vs hyper-converged infrastructure
Converged and hyper-converged infrastructure are ready-tested ways to put compute and storage into the datacentre. But which should you choose for your deployment? Continue Reading
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Hyper-convergence: the good, the bad and the ugly
Hyper-converged technologies are gaining traction, but what can they do for your organisation Continue Reading
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NVMe flash storage: What are the deployment options?
NVMe offers to unleash performance potential of flash storage that is held back by spinning disk-era SAS and SATA protocols. We run through the key NVMe deployment options Continue Reading
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Cloud data portability: Obstacles to it and how to achieve it
Cloud providers are very keen to get your data into their systems but sometimes it can be difficult or costly to move it elsewhere. We look at solutions to cloud portability Continue Reading
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Understanding analytics and storage performance
Analytics workloads place specific demands on storage. We take a look at the workload profiles of analytics use cases and the storage platforms available to support them Continue Reading
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Bring the cup home: mobile holds key to UK’s America’s Cup challenge
Computer Weekly visited the Land Rover BAR sailing team in Portsmouth to find out how mobile innovation may help bring the America’s Cup back to the UK for the first time since 1851 Continue Reading
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Backup testing: What to test, when to test, how often to test
We run the rule over what’s involved in backup testing in virtual and physical server environments, how often you should test and the key pitfalls to avoid Continue Reading
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How to tune storage performance for different workloads
We run the rule over what’s needed to get the best storage performance for databases, virtual servers and desktops, web and email servers and analytics use cases Continue Reading
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Enterprise wireless: trends and developments in 2017
What will be the main developments in wireless this year and what challenges will this bring to enterprises? Continue Reading
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How will the network manager’s role change in the SDN world?
We explore how traditional network managers are changing the habits of a lifetime as SDN remakes the enterprise network Continue Reading
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Time to restore from backup: Do you know where your data is?
Making a backup is only the start of the process. You must be sure you can restore, that backups contain what you need, and that they will work with the applications that need them Continue Reading
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Storage systems evolve to meet need for speed
The race is on to develop revolutionary storage-class memory products to meet rocketing data processing requirements Continue Reading
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Storage performance 101: Server, array and fabric/network basics
We look at the key performance attributes of storage media in use today, and the choices and basic tuning steps you can take to get the most from your storage Continue Reading
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Storage 101: Object storage vs block vs file
We recap the key attributes of file and block storage access and the pros and cons of object storage, a method that offers key benefits but also drawbacks compared with SAN and NAS Continue Reading
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At IBM’s Watson lab, customers marry the power of AI with the IoT
IBM formally inaugurated its Watson Internet of Things headquarters in Munich, Germany in February, and Computer Weekly went to meet the customers and partners who are using Watson AI to deliver on the promise of the IoT Continue Reading
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RAID vs erasure coding for flash storage
Flash storage needs array data protection. We run the rule over RAID for flash storage and look at erasure coding, which will become more attractive as drive sizes increase Continue Reading
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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
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New model datacentres require hybrid approach
CIOs must marry legacy datacentre infrastructure with the agility of public and private cloud environments Continue Reading
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Storage 101: Queue depth, NVMe and the array controller
We look at queue depth and fan-out and fan-in ratios. With NVMe they could become a thing of the past, but for now there’s still a bottleneck at the storage array controller Continue Reading
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Moore’s Law is running out – but don’t panic
Can system performance continue to improve to cope with the burgeoning needs of datacentres Continue Reading