New technologies, capacity challenges, and security threats put network managers at the center of one of the most challenging roles in IT.

Written by Chris Smith

As with many areas of IT, network technology is evolving at a rapid pace. New networking initiatives extend from foundational technologies to a host of emerging ones, involving the full spectrum of routing, switching, WAN management, unified communications, LANs, wireless, network systems management and administration, mobility, and, of increasing importance, security.

Despite longtime promises that virtualized desktop infrastructure (VDI) is ready for broad adoption, companies have been wary of moving too quickly into uncharted waters.

Written by Chris Smith

The concept of a virtual desktop has been gaining appeal among technology managers for the past several years, but for various reasons virtual desktops haven't been broadly adopted. Recent advances in technology, along with the advent of cloud computing and a faster Internet, have finally come together to create an environment that may finally make the virtual desktop a reality across the enterprise. Virtual desktop infrastructure, or VDI, has been gaining traction in just the past year at an accelerated pace.

Server, storage, and network virtualization increase flexibility, mask complexity, and reduce costs for IT departments.

Written by Joel Klebanoff

Virtualization is getting to be long in the tooth, at least in terms of the accelerated universe in which IT now operates. Nonetheless, the term is still somewhat confusing. That's not surprising because there isn't just one variety. Thus, when someone tries to talk to you about or sell you virtualization, your first question should be, "Which type?"

PPTP, L2TP, IPSec, or SSL…what's a company to do?

Written by Laura Ubelhor

Today, we often connect remotely to perform the same tasks we used to do onsite. The rapid acceptance and growth of the Internet has played a major role in organizations extending private networks. Now, organizations are creating and using Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) to provide access to network users whenever and wherever needed.

For the non-gamers in the crowd, however, USB 2.0 may be good enough.

Written by Chris Smith

There is a distinct downside to being a cheapskate: one is always buying technology that is behind the power curve. Just once in my life, I'm going to go and buy a computer with the fastest processor available just for the sheer thrill of knowing what it feels like to have the best.

Network management software offers IT professionals access to their peers' best practices while providing a free basket of first-rate tools.

By Chris Smith

When aviator Steve Fossett disappeared on a solo flight over Nevada in 2007, searchers had little to go on. Someone (billionaire Richard Branson comes to mind) came up with the bright idea that if the search for Fossett were crowdsourced--i.e., if enough people were brought into the effort to look for his airplane--eventually someone would find him. Needless to say, not everyone owns a private plane and belongs to the Civil Air Patrol, so it's tough to re-create a World War II scenario in which thousands of planes fly over the suspect territory and one lucky aviator shouts over the radio, "Look! Down there! I think I see it!"