Frank J. Ohlhorst

A funny thing happened on the way to virtualization: Many IT managers discovered that instead of bringing simplicity to their busy data centers, the technology actually made things more complicated. Sure, physical server counts were reduced, energy costs lowered and hardware footprints shrank-all thanks to virtualization. However, complexity and confusion grew, and managing virtual environments […]

Schneider Electric is acquiring Viridity’s EnergyCenter 2.0 platform, aiming to provide data center managers complete visibility over IT and facility operations, especially when it comes to power management and green technology. Schneider Electric’s strategic investment in EnergyCenter 2.0 will enhance the company’s existing data center management suite, StruxureWare, by adding functionality to track energy use […]

When it comes to blazing new trails in the realm of IT, the road is often paved with a mixture of danger, luck and, most importantly, uncertainty. Nowhere is this more true than with cloud services, an ever evolving segment of technology that many enterprises are hoping provides them with reduce costs and improve IT […]

The worldwide systems management and database software markets grew significantly through 2011, despite a weak global economy, according to two Dec. 21 reports from IDC. IDC’s Worldwide Semiannual System Management Software Tracker showed that the global systems management software market is expected to reach $15.4 billion by the close of 2011. That’s a 9.2 percent […]

Paessler, with the release of PRTG Network Monitor Version 9, is looking to keep ahead of the competition in the ever-evolving world of network monitoring tools. About a year ago, I took an in-depth look at Version 8 of PRTG and was quite impressed with the product, which left little room for improvement. While there […]

Companies of all sizes are starting to appreciate the value of archived and historical data, yet accessing and analyzing that data has proven to be a challenge. Datawatch Monarch Professional brings analytical capabilities to those data sets, while meeting the needs of businesses that cannot afford expensive, time-consuming business intelligence solutions, “big data” platforms and […]

Symantec, through its Validation and ID Protection Service (VIP), is looking to give access control back to administrators at a time when data breaches, hack attempts, stolen data and system attacks are seemingly becoming everyday events. While the results and damages caused by breaches can vary, there is a common thread behind any type of […]

HOLTSVILLE, N.Y.-Motorola has faced several challenges that would have spelled the end for most other companies. At one point, Motorola was losing more than $1 billion a quarter on its mobile device business, forcing the company to make tough decisions, sell off its less-than-profitable divisions and return to its roots as a solutions-based company. In […]

Management Console Orion Network Performance monitor offers a browser-based console that uses AJAX technologies to present information in an interactive fashion. The Home screen gives a high-level geographic view of the primary components of the network. Administrators can drill down on the various elements to get more information. Top 10 A “top 10” list shows […]

Xangati Aimed at Easing VMware ESX Server Management Woes by Frank Ohlhorst Xangati Deployment The Xangati for ESX deploys as a virtual appliance (.OVF format) on any ESX/ESXi server. It sees all communications across the vSwitches inside the ESX host. To-the-Second Visibility into Behavior of Each VM Xangati shows every communication from every VM and […]