Evaluate

Evaluate

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

• configuration drift

  Configuration drift occurs naturally in data center environments when changes to software and hardware are not recorded or tracked in a comprehensive and systematic fashion. Continue Reading

• Office 365 advantages, disadvantages and surprises

  With new features, increased stability, different pricing models and cloud capability, Microsoft Office 365 is showing itself to be a robust, evolving option for businesses. This handbook looks at the Office 365 advantages and weaknesses.

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• Five Exchange 2016 migration best practices

  If your organization is considering an Exchange 2016 upgrade, follow these expert tips to make the transition as painless as possible. Continue Reading

• Upgrade to Windows Server 2016 or consider other options?

  As the release date for Windows Server 2016 draws near, will your organization decide to upgrade or go another route? Continue Reading

• Exchange mobile device management poses challenges to administrators

  While allowing end users to access Exchange from multiple devices usually won't affect the server, it can quickly drive up licensing costs and help desk calls. Continue Reading

• Storage Replica presents cheaper replication option

  The Storage Replica feature in Windows Server 2016 delivers a backup and recovery option for organizations that might otherwise require an offsite data center.Continue Reading

• How well do you know these Hyper-V Server 2016 security features?

  Microsoft ramped up Hyper-V security in Windows Server 2016 with new features such as shielded VMs and guarded hosts. Here's what to expect from the latest technical preview.Continue Reading

• Best practices for authenticating PowerShell script permissions

  PowerShell scripts can only run when they have the proper permissions, but an administrator may need to authenticate the script so it has the right privileges.Continue Reading

• What are the benefits of deploying Microsoft Nano Server?

  Nano Server, one of the key new Windows Server 2016 features, is a lightweight installation option designed to run in cloud instances and virtualized environments.Continue Reading

• Crunching the costs of Microsoft Exchange on-premises vs. cloud services

  Security concerns are less of an issue for most organizations, but do the costs of using Exchange on premises vs. the Office 365 mail service stack up?Continue Reading

• When to use OneDrive for Business vs. SharePoint Online

  With multiple options available from Microsoft for personal and corporate document storage and sharing, it's easy to get confused about which to use and when.Continue Reading

• Determining the right time for a Windows Server 2016 upgrade

  The release of Microsoft's latest server OS gives organizations a chance to rethink their IT infrastructure. Windows Server 2016 requirements are largely the same as those for Windows Server 2012 R2, which remains a viable option for organizations. ...Continue Reading

• Will Windows Server 2016 licensing change drive Azure adoption?

  With the looming increase to Windows Server pricing coupled with lower Azure costs, Microsoft continues to steer customers to the cloud. Here's how the costs compare.Continue Reading

• Exchange 2016 CU1 overshadowed when mailbox anchor drops

  Microsoft released updates for all supported versions of Exchange Server. The updates cover issues with mailbox anchoring in Exchange 2013 and improvements to lagged database copies.Continue Reading

• What are the most notable features in System Center 2016?

  System Center 2016 can manage a mix of environments, but administrators should evaluate new features before upgrading from an older version.Continue Reading