March 5, 2013 8:04 PM
Posted by: Michael Tidmarsh
Contests,
Data Center,
Database
Database image via Shutterstock
Living the life of a DBA can be pretty rough, especially when it comes to creating database environments, data modeling and normalization. However, help is on the way with Craig Mullins’s book, Database Administration: The Complete Guide to DBA Practices and Procedures. It provides up-to-date coverage of almost every DBA task plus analysis on big data, cloud computing and NoSQL. We have an excerpt of the book on our IT Bookworm blog.
To win a copy of the book, tell us your worst IT story involving a database. Good luck!
February 28, 2013 3:59 PM
Posted by: Michael Tidmarsh
HP,
ITKE,
Microsoft
Blog post image via Shutterstock
February may be a short month, but it wasn’t short on blog posts at ITKnowledgeExchange. Take a look at the top blog posts from this past month!
February 12, 2013 7:42 PM
Posted by: Michael Tidmarsh
ITKE featured blogger,
Storage
ITKnowledgeExchange recently had the chance to talk to this month’s ‘featured blogger’ Sharon Fisher. Her blog, Yottabytes: Storage and Disaster Recovery, gives users valuable insight into data storage hardware, software products and disaster recovery.
ITKE: Tell us a little bit about yourself: What do you do? What’s your area of expertise?
SF: Well, I like to say that I explain stuff. I write about all sorts of things, whether it’s computers or public policy or business profiles or how the Idaho legislature works. I particularly like to explain stuff that other people might think is boring (like the Idaho legislature) and show how it’s actually really interesting.
ITKE: If you weren’t writing about IT, you’d be…
SF: If I weren’t writing about IT, I’d probably be writing about something else. Maybe the back of cereal boxes. Writers are funny that way.
ITKE: Who’s one person you look up to in the IT world, and why?
SF: It sounds like a cliche’, I guess, but I’d say Marissa Meyer; she risked a nice career at Google to take over as CEO at Yahoo, which was really struggling, and is doing a darn fine job of it, by all accounts. And then going, oh, by the way, I’m pregnant. She didn’t compromise on what she wanted. And after people like Carly Fiorina, it’s nice to have a really competent woman CEO to act as a role model.
ITKE: How to you see the future of IT developing over the next decade?
SF: They say that history doesn’t repeat itself, but it rhymes. When I was first getting started in this business, organizations were circumventing the IT department by buying PCs. Then the IT department took over PCs. Now people are circumventing the IT department by buying smart devices, and the IT department is trying to handle that. So however the IT department figures out how to control smart devices, in the next decade, people will be working on how to circumvent that. Smart watches? Google Glasses?
ITKE: What advice would you give prospective IT workers (say college students)?
SF: Study something in addition to computer science so you can do programming *about* stuff and not just programming in and of itself. More and more, computer science is becoming interdisciplinary with science and business and even the humanities. So think about what else you like to do, and figure out how to apply IT to that.
February 11, 2013 5:28 PM
Posted by: Michael Tidmarsh
Contests,
DevOps,
Linux
Linux image via Shutterstock
When organizations have issues with their Linux server, DevOps allows development teams to find and troubleshoot problems much more quickly and efficiently. But before fixing those problems, you need to learn the basic functions of DevOps. That’s where Kyle Rankin’s book, DevOps Troubleshooting: Linux Server Best Practices, steps in. It provides expert analysis and the best techniques to help you solve those Linux server problems. We have an excerpt of the book on our IT Bookworm blog.
To win a copy of the book, tell us how DevOps has helped you in the past. Good luck!
February 7, 2013 8:00 PM
Posted by: Michael Tidmarsh
BriForum,
TechTargetAt BriForum, leading independent industry experts led by Brian Madden, as well as technical staff from the top solution providers in the space, share the latest tips, tricks and verified techniques to help save your organisation time, money and countless headaches.
Here are 5 reasons why you can’t afford to miss out…
5) Unparalleled networking opportunities
With attendance limited to 250 attendees, you’ll have plenty of time to mingle with the experts who will be leading our 30+ technical sessions. Plus, you’ll have the opportunity to interact with your peers from around the globe, during both daytime and evening activities, who are dealing with the same issues you are. Who knows, your IT department’s #1 challenge could be solved by just talking to someone from a different company in a different country! And where else will you find that person than BriForum?
4) Perfect timing & location
For our European conference, London combines an easy to reach travel destination that offers plenty of activities. Also, May is the ideal month to seek new technology for inclusion in the second half of 2013 and projects for the upcoming calendar year.
3) We address the most relevant technologies
2013 is a busy year – Windows 8 is here, and the mobile device trend is solidifying itself as part of the corporate culture. On top of that, you’re still faced with delivering Microsoft Windows to traditional desktop environments as well as multitude of end-user devices and Web apps. During this independent two day conference you’ll get your toughest questions answered by technical experts and leading solution providers– all free from hype.
2) The most qualified group of speakers
According to previous BriForum attendees, the number one thing that keeps them coming back to BriForum year after year is the high quality of the speakers. Where else can you find speakers Brian Madden, Gabe Knuth, Shawn Bass, and over 20 of the most renowned technical bloggers, real-world practitioners, and best-selling authors who are dedicated to the technologies you care the most about? These guys aren’t giving sales pitches about solutions that haven’t been developed yet, they’re giving you advice to improve your organisation’s technology strategies right when you get back to the office.
1) Best value for your money
As we all know, the economy is continuing to put pressure on IT teams to deliver superior solutions with shrinking budgets. Attending BriForum is the most cost-effective way to obtain pertinent knowledge and best practices on this essential technology, rather than spending months reading books and articles, browsing websites, or traveling to multiple events and conferences.
Register by 15 February to save £200 with our super early bird pricing!
We hope to see you in London this May!
January 31, 2013 8:20 PM
Posted by: Michael Tidmarsh
ITKE,
VMware
Blog post image via Shutterstock
Another month has come and gone here at ITKnowledgeExchange and so it’s time to look back at the top blog posts from January!
January 28, 2013 7:21 PM
Posted by: Michael Tidmarsh
Contests,
JavaScript
JavaScript image via Shutterstock
For many IT workers, using JavaScript can become a major headache. No need to worry, David Herman’s book, Effective JavaScript: 68 Specific Ways to Harness the Power of JavaScript, provides many detailed techniques and strategies to avoid the hassles and get the most out of JavaScript. We have an excerpt of the book on our IT Bookworm blog.
To win a copy of the book, tell us your most frustrating story involving JavaScript. Good luck!
