Ann Bednarz
Senior Editor
Ann Bednarz writes, assigns and edits feature articles aimed at enterprise IT pros. She can be reached at ann_bednarz@idg.com.
What is a SAN and how does it differ from NAS?
A storage area network (SAN) is a pool of centrally managed storage resources, but how is a SAN different from NAS, and how are SANs being impacted by flash storage, AI and hyperconvergence?
JPMorgan Chase spent $2 billion on brand new data centers last year
JPMorgan Chases's tech spending priorities for this year include investments in both data centers and cloud computing, digital consumer experience, and data analytics.
Hybrid cloud demands new tools for performance monitoring
Platforms that draw performance data from multiple devices on multiple networks will make for better hybrid-cloud performance and troubleshooting.
Gartner: Diversity, equity and inclusion is key to better I&O teams
Infrastructure and operations technology needs to be less brittle and more agile, and DEI can help.
6 data center trends to watch
Power failures remain the leading cause of major data-center outages, according to Uptime Institute’s annual survey.
5 things you need to know about pay-per-use hardware
Consumption-based pricing for on-prem storage, servers and network gear can bring greater agility, but evaluating pricing requires financial acumen. Contracts may involve long-term commitments and minimum payments, and the hardware...
What is NAS (network-attached storage) and how does it work?
Improvements in network-attached storage density and performance target unstructured data workloads. Here's how a NAS server works, how it is different from a SAN, and what IT buyers want in file-level storage.
IT vendors push on-prem, pay-per-use hardware
Cisco, Dell, HPE, and others are ramping up efforts to deliver usage-based pricing models and managed services for on-prem servers, storage and networking gear.
Dell delivers lineup of on-prem, pay-per-use hardware
Dell Apex consumption-based storage, server, and hyperconverged services are designed to enable cloud-like pricing and deployment flexibility in on-premises environments.
Major League Baseball makes a run at network visibility
Legacy network-monitoring tools weren't cutting it for MLB with its demanding lineup of video, gaming, and AI workloads across its data centers, ballparks, and the cloud.
Data-center training, recruitment changes needed to avoid staff shortages
Data-center managers need to raise the profile of available job roles and rethink hiring tactics, say executives from Google Data Centers and Compass Datacenters.
4 essential edge-computing use cases
Placing processing power and storage at the edge of enterprise networks takes many forms but delivers faster response times and can reduce the need for WAN bandwidth.
Guide to virtual tech conferences, including Cisco Live, IBM Think and VMworld
COVID-19 has quashed in-person events worldwide. Red Hat Summit, Cisco Live, and VMware's VMworld are just a few of the upcoming network industry events that will now be held virtually.
Automation helps network providers weather coronavirus disruptions
Automation can play an important role in maintaining IT operations during the COVID-19 pandemic, say network pros from Netflix, Zoom, Dropbox and Equinix.
Providers address capacity, supply-chain challenges brought on by COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic is causing internet traffic to surge and usage patterns to shift. Learn how network teams at cloud services Netflix, Zoom and Dropbox, along with data center provider Equinix, are keeping operations running.
COVID-19 best practices for data-center operators
Uptime Institute has created a COVID-19 response guide based on tips and recommendations from its network of data center operators and partners.
Evolution of the internet: Celebrating 50 years since Arpanet
50 years after the birth of the internet's precursor, Arpanet, there are more internet-connected devices than people in the world, and traffic is measured in exabytes.
Survey: Data-center staffing shortage remains challenging
Building public awareness and achieving workforce diversity will help data-center operators contend with skills shortage, says Uptime Institute.
Network issues are causing more data-center outages
As enterprise computing environments grow more complex, IT system failures and network errors are bringing down data centers in greater numbers, causing more unplanned downtime.