Evaluate

Evaluate

Weigh the pros and cons of technologies, products and projects you are considering.

• iPaaS vendors: 'Old and experienced' vs. 'born in the cloud'

  Software tester Amy Reichert reviews the top iPaaS vendors and offers advice on choosing between veteran companies and those born in the cloud. Continue Reading

• Dell's latest tactic centers on cloud broker service

  Dell's upcoming cloud broker service is its latest in a string of cloud strategies. Will this one be the winner? Continue Reading

• Microsoft, Google claw for cloud market share with AWS

  Amazon has dominated the early stages of cloud. With Microsoft and Google getting stronger, can AWS keep a stranglehold on the market in the future? Continue Reading

• IPaaS integration: When, how and why to use iPaaS

  Learn how to determine if iPaaS integration works for your business needs. Continue Reading

• Google Compute Engine is a powerful one-year-old

  In the quest for IaaS domination, Google is stating its case against AWS. But is Google Compute Engine still too new to compete? Continue Reading

• OpenStack talk of open source town, but is it hype?

  OpenStack garnered a lot of hype over the past four years, and many companies got behind the open source platform. Has it met the high expectations?Continue Reading

• Cloud value proposition heightened with proper cost controls

  Public cloud marketing hype promises cost savings, but your budget can easily be destroyed without mitigating cloud's unpredictable costs.Continue Reading

• Sizing, pricing Amazon Web Services EC2 instance types

  Bill Claybrook compares complex sizing and pricing issues when choosing EC2 instance types.Continue Reading

• Analyzing VMware vCHS for the cloud consumer

  In direct competition with Amazon's IaaS, VMware vCloud Hybrid Service differentiates itself from the pack with several features.Continue Reading

• Amazon Kinesis benefits and alternatives

  Amazon made waves with the release of Kinesis, but companies should know its ups and downs before blindly adopting AWS's service.Continue Reading

• Sorting through enterprise IT's PaaS options

  Platform as a service may not have achieved the widespread adoption of IaaS and SaaS, but it's still a crucial piece of the cloud.Continue Reading

• DRaaS benefits spark market growth, mask dangers

  Cloud-based disaster recovery addresses major enterprise concerns, such as lower costs and greater flexibility. But it's not without warts of its own.Continue Reading

• Migrating to Office 365 requires planning, pilot-testing

  Contributor Tom Nolle explains why companies migrating to Office 365 need to plan, pilot-test and verify at every step.Continue Reading

• RTO, RPO metrics find the true value of a cloud DR strategy

  IT pros are intrigued by cloud DR’s shortened recovery, but companies should really be looking at RTO and RPO metrics for cloud DR’s true value.Continue Reading

• Networking costs swell pay-per-use public cloud bills

  Pay-per-use cloud billing means enterprises need to monitor usage to stay in budget, but unpredictable networking costs can complicate this task.Continue Reading

• Reducing network latency means focusing on location, location, location

  As the real estate motto goes, what matters is 'location, location, location.' The same goes for your data when it comes to network latency.Continue Reading

• Is networking infrastructure the Achilles' heel of cloud computing?

  The network is a complicated piece of the data center puzzle and can often be a stumbling block for IT pros, although crucial for cloud success.Continue Reading

• IBM SoftLayer vital to Big Blue's software, hardware success

  SoftLayer holds the key to IBM's enterprise hardware and software success -- as long as its competitive strategies work against AWS, Google and Azure.Continue Reading

• AWS platform services emerge from Microsoft's PaaS failures

  Amid signs that Microsoft's PaaS commitment isn't working, cloud pros are concerned about profit beyond IaaS. Reigning leader AWS may have found it.Continue Reading

• Can VMware's hybrid cloud service reach beyond virtualization users?

  The vCHS public cloud appeals to VMware's existing virtualization users, but it may struggle to attract new customers and succeed beyond IaaS.Continue Reading

• VMware vCHS growth hinges on upcoming hybrid cloud services

  VMware is king of server virtualization, but it may struggle to reign in the public cloud, where AWS and other cloud services have a stronghold.Continue Reading

• Is Amazon CloudSearch superior to do-it-yourself search tools?

  Big data can be incredibly valuable for enterprise business intelligence. But to extract that value, you must choose the most appropriate search tool.Continue Reading

• Cloud management startup aims to fix Amazon VPC snags

  Robert Half International takes the plunge with Carmelo Systems, a new company offering a way to create many virtual private clouds within AWS.Continue Reading

• Clouds are more secure than traditional IT systems -- and here's why

  A strong-held belief in traditional IT security over cloud is faltering as studies find that data location matters less than accessibility.Continue Reading

• Private PaaS offerings: Benefits, challenges, best practices and more

  Learn how to evaluate, select and deploy the best private Platform as a Service (PaaS) offerings to improve overall cloud experience.Continue Reading

• Cloud computing timeline illustrates cloud's past, predicts its future

  To know where cloud is going, you have to know where it's from. This timeline illustrates cloud's bumpy history and what that means for its future.Continue Reading

• Enterprise cloud security best practices for locking down your cloud

  Fear still holds back adoption despite inroads in enterprise cloud security. Experts' best practices can guide you through your security options.Continue Reading

• Creating and maintaining a corporate app store: Strategies for success

  Discover the best practices for launching and operating a corporate app store in this collection of tips, expert answers and other content.Continue Reading

• Dell software and services ambitions hinge on new cloud partnerships

  With a breadth of new cloud service partnerships, Dell continues to lay the foundation to become a cloud provider for enterprises.Continue Reading

• Winner: Best cloud management software product

  The winner of the best cloud management software product category in the Impact Awards is the third-party provider deemed to have the best overall offering.Continue Reading

• PaaS adoption upswing predicted for 2014; will it last?

  The Platform as a Service market could heat up next year, but what is PaaS, exactly? And will it eventually be subsumed under other cloud categories?Continue Reading

• Counting down the top cloud computing vendors of 2013

  Though it may be clear to cloud pros and experts which vendor 'won' this year, the more interesting story is who is making the case to take them down.Continue Reading

• Pivotal's open source PaaS play arrives in-house

  Pivotal's latest offering includes private PaaS for enterprises. Sounds great in theory, but will it work across multiple platforms?Continue Reading

• Analytics as a Service aims to solve big data's big problems

  While many businesses see the benefit of running big data in public clouds, others look to nix infrastructure altogether for their analytics projects.Continue Reading

• Build an in-house enterprise app store without breaking the budget

  Contributor Chris Moyer discusses ways to launch an online enterprise app store to help meet mobile employees' needs.Continue Reading

• Platform as a Service: Expert advice for selecting a PaaS vendor

  Seeking a PaaS vendor? Browse this collection of articles, tips, expert answers and other content to help you make the right choice.Continue Reading

• If IT had a hammer: Choosing among IaaS, PaaS and SaaS

  Enterprises tend to use the latest technology to solve all of its IT problems. But if your apps are nails, is IaaS, PaaS or SaaS really the hammer?Continue Reading

• Validating applications as cloud compatible with security, testing

  An app may run smoothly on-premises, but that doesn't guarantee cloud success. With security measures and testing, companies can validate cloud apps.Continue Reading

• Choosing among IaaS, PaaS and Database as a Service for a cloud database

  Regardless of which cloud database you choose, multiple factors must come into play, ranging from costs and availability to feature support.Continue Reading

• Google Compute Engine and Google App Engine: What is the difference?

  Many IT pros cannot distinguish Google Compute Engine from Google App Engine. Here are the most important details you need to know.Continue Reading

• Best practices for comparing and deploying cloud servers

  Before you can compare performance benchmark reports on cloud servers, know the facts on what to look for when it comes to price and performance.Continue Reading

• PaaS market heats up with Red Hat OpenShift, Savvis AppFog buy

  PaaS made headlines last week, but it's still difficult to gauge the true level of interest in Platform as a Service in the enterprise world.Continue Reading

• Private PaaS eases enterprise governance, cloud security concerns

  Enterprise IT is seeing the value of private PaaS on the path to true public PaaS. But don't ditch your existing IaaS architecture.Continue Reading

• PaaS adoption hindered by cloud washing, market immaturity

  Many cloud pros see PaaS as the next big thing, if it can overcome vendors' cloud washing tricks and market immaturity. But what makes true PaaS?Continue Reading

• Cloud computing services: Lease vs. own

  Many services and applications can be handled by cloud computing providers. But enterprises should look carefully at cost before deciding whether to lease or own.Continue Reading

• Platform as a Service vendors help cloud market evolution

  Platform as a Service vendors continue to evolve offerings to keep up with customer needs. Which provider is the right fit for your organization?Continue Reading

• Ask the Expert: Is PaaS vendor lock-in unavoidable?

  Will your PaaS of choice interoperate with future SaaS and IaaS installments? Here's how to find out, before it's too late to turn back.Continue Reading

• Wrestling with the concept of private PaaS

  Enterprise IT pros anxious about maintaining security and control in public cloud are looking to private PaaS, but it may not alleviate all worries.Continue Reading

• HPC systems: Out of the lab and into the enterprise

  HPC was once sequestered in research labs, but enterprise IT is beginning to see its value for addressing some of the toughest business challenges.Continue Reading

• What's wrong with the Gartner Hype Cycle for Cloud Computing, 2012?

  The Gartner Hype Cycle for Cloud Computing report offers some insights into the cloud market. But its poorly defined cloud terms can be misleading.Continue Reading

• Six cloud computing industry leaders to follow on Twitter

  Want to eavesdrop on what cloud computing leaders are saying about industry trends? Follow these six Twitter accounts for expert opinions and scoops.Continue Reading

• Cloud stack comparison shopping for your private cloud build

  Will it be OpenStack, CloudStack, Eucalyptus or another option? Save yourself from costly mistakes by choosing the right cloud software up front.Continue Reading

• Making a hybrid cloud model a reality in enterprise IT

  Talk about the emergence of hybrid cloud is real, but with few enterprises actually building hybrid clouds is the myth greater than reality?Continue Reading

• The cloud computing market forecast for 2013: Experts predict what to expect

  In this expert cloud computing market forecast for 2013, learn which vendors and technologies will prevail in the unpredictable cloud industry.Continue Reading

• Big data analytics, CloudStack top hot cloud computing trends in 2013

  As cloud vendors look to entice enterprise IT, 2013's cloud computing trends center on BYOD policy, big data analytics and debates around standards.Continue Reading

• Introducing IT chargeback to meter private cloud use

  IT chargeback is a vital cog in your private cloud wheel. To properly bill users for IT resources, choose one of these four models.Continue Reading

• The role of software-defined networks in cloud computing

  Software-defined networking can be difficult to define. Understanding SDN models is key for enterprises trying to properly position cloud services.Continue Reading

• Cloud computing vendors came en masse to AWS re:Invent 2012

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• AWS re:Invent public cloud conference praise and snark from Twitter

  Packed hallways and technical sessions didn't dampen attendees' glowing tweets about AWS re:Invent 2012 cloud conference in Las Vegas.Continue Reading

• Business continuity moves to the cloud as applications become resilient

  Business continuity may be taking on a new flavor as the cloud gains prominence. Application resiliency is key to building an elastic infrastructure.Continue Reading

• Is the public cloud the best place for legacy applications?

  While the prospect of porting new applications in the cloud gets lots of airtime, legacy apps in the cloud may provide major ROI.Continue Reading

• Can Amazon Web Services' cloud offerings evolve with the times?

  Amazon Web Services cloud is the de-facto industry leader. This AWS deep dive explains why and looks at what the IaaS vendor must do to keep its lead.Continue Reading

• Three cloud computing buzzwords I wish would go away

  Overused cloud computing buzzwords can sound like nails on a chalkboard. Even worse, catchphrases can contribute to confusion in the IT industry.Continue Reading

• Storage and PaaS shine in cloud computing adoption spotlight

  As cloud computing adoption proliferates, certain use cases, such as storage, stand out as clear winners for the enterprise.Continue Reading

• Cost savings, efficiencies lead IT pros to cloud computing

  Public and private cloud use has gained steam in the enterprise, shows survey data, despite IT pros' nagging concerns.Continue Reading

• Experts weigh in on Platform as a Service adoption

  Amid claims that PaaS adoption will take off in the coming year, our cloud experts weighed in on its pros and cons -- and what the future will hold.Continue Reading

• Top five must-read cloud computing blogs

  It's the tail end of the summer-reading season. Check out these voices in cloud computing: the top five bloggers who help shape cloud discussions.Continue Reading

• The lifecycle of your enterprise cloud adoption strategy

  Cloud adoption is more than choosing a technology; it requires planning for the future. This chapter looks at all steps of a cloud adoption strategy.Continue Reading

• How cloud computing is transforming the IT department

  As enterprise IT adopts cloud, traditional IT pros struggle to remain relevant, often molding their roles to adapt to the changing environment.Continue Reading

• On-premises vs. SaaS: Making the choice

  Choosing between on-premises or SaaS is a common problem in today's IT world, but there are many things to consider before making that decision.Continue Reading

• Windows Azure Active Directory enables single sign-on with cloud apps

  Linking Active Directory to multi-tenanted Windows Azure apps can simplify user sign-on in the cloud.Continue Reading

• Making sense of the cloud API war

  As Google enters the IaaS market, enterprises have yet another cloud API choice to make. Yet, taking a wait-and-see-who-wins approach could cost them.Continue Reading

• Cloud computing gaffes and other letdowns

  Stuff happens. Not only do IT admins flub cloud projects but even IT giants like Google slip up. Take comfort in knowing you’re not alone.Continue Reading

• Real and perceived security threats of cloud computing

  The idea of public and private cloud can be unnerving to risk-averse IT pros. But not all security threats are real, says CSA director Jim Reavis.Continue Reading

• Top 10 cloud computing leaders in 2012

  Our cloud leaders list includes the usual suspects and some surprises, ranging from cloud architects to CEOs to those with influence in the cloud.Continue Reading

• Keys to integrated cloud application management

  Seamless cloud application management isn’t a pipe dream. By following a few steps, cloud admins can monitor cloud app performance from one interface.Continue Reading

• Checklist: Managing applications in the cloud

  Moving applications to the cloud goes beyond selecting the right apps. Next steps include configuring apps, migrating data and monitoring.Continue Reading

• Mapping applications to the hybrid cloud

  Moving the right application to a hybrid cloud can help enterprises eke out the most value from the public cloud.Continue Reading

• Warning: Not all cloud licensing models are user-friendly

  Cloud licensing models can be complex, limiting and aggravating. Don't get trapped with the wrong license.Continue Reading

• Was Citrix's acquisition of Cloud.com a defensive move?

  There's a lot of speculation in the cloud market about why Citrix purchased Cloud.com this week, including talk of Citrix trying to edge out VMware.Continue Reading

• Resolving cloud application migration issues

  To construct increasingly portable cloud applications, more appropriate application architectures and open cloud standards are a necessity.Continue Reading

• Apple fuels cloud computing hype all over again

  Apple launches iCloud, a highly anticipated new service that has nothing to do with its namesake, and joins the march of major IT vendors and telcos into whatever they're calling "cloud."Continue Reading

• Microsoft brings rapid application development to the cloud

  If you're an enterprise user with little programming experience who needs to design and deploy apps on Azure, Microsoft's LightSwitch development environment is for you.Continue Reading

• How cloud computing kills clustering

  Cloud computing's benefits, including improved disaster recovery and increased connectivity flexibility, have surpassed what clustering has to offer. Cloud is the new cluster.Continue Reading

• How DevOps brings order to a cloud-oriented world

  Today's evolved IT model magnifies the divide between developers and IT operatives, but DevOps pushes to increase collaboration among these diverging departments.Continue Reading

• Can you trust your public cloud provider?

  Secure public cloud services aren't a pipe dream; service providers just have to connect some of the dots. How close are we to regulatory compliance in the cloud?Continue Reading

• Cloud computing development for beginners

  Cloud newbies that find themselves navigating unfamiliar terrain should check out this collection of tips, tutorials and news for a cloud development orientation.Continue Reading

• Choosing from the major Platform as a Service providers

  Many organizations prefer Platform as a Service offerings for their cloud needs. Our expert compares options from Google, Microsoft and Amazon.Continue Reading

• Sun Microsystems: The real inventor of cloud computing?

  The co-founder of Sun Microsystems reminds everyone that before Amazon Web Services, there was Sun Cloud Compute.Continue Reading

• The last cloud computing definition you'll ever need

  What is cloud computing? This overview defines cloud for once and for all -- until the next round of vendor hype.Continue Reading

• Comparing four cloud computing strategies

  It's important for prospective cloud adopters to know what the key vendors are planning. Our expert explains what to expect from four different offerings.Continue Reading

• Weighing the cloud computing standards dilemma

  Until the cloud computing world agrees on common standards and APIs, IT shops should choose cloud providers that appropriately satisfy their needs.Continue Reading

• IBM’s cloud computing strategy: Flying blind?

  IBM seems like a natural to lead in the cloud computing market, but instead the industry pioneer struggles to redefine itself in a fast-changing services world.Continue Reading

• Cloud computing crime poses unique forensics challenges

  As cloud services grow, so does the likelihood of their use in criminal activities. Providers must prepare for an increased emphasis on cloud forensics.Continue Reading

• How cloud computing is changing IT

  How much disruption will the cloud model cause in the average enterprise? This special report digs into strategic areas of cloud computing where IT pros are short on answers.Continue Reading

• Five tips for evaluating the TCO of a cloud application

  Before moving applications into a cloud computing environment, take a look at these five guidelines for calculating the total cost of ownership of your apps.Continue Reading

• Comparing open source cloud platforms: OpenStack versus Eucalyptus

  OpenStack, Rackspace and NASA's new open source cloud offering, has already drawn significant praise. How does it compare to open source stalwart Eucalyptus?Continue Reading

• Cloud computing complicates customer-vendor relationships

  Find out how both customers and vendors can adapt to the contractual demands of a cloud computing environment in this podcast with Jeff Kaplan of THINKstrategies.Continue Reading

• What is VMforce?

  On April 27, VMware and Salesforce.com will reveal VMforce to the world. As anticipation builds, find out everything we know about VMforce in this special report.Continue Reading

• Cloud management tools guide for beginners

  Get a better understanding of the major players in cloud infrastructure management and provisioning, including RightScale, Kaavo, Zeus and Scalr.Continue Reading