Understanding Azure Functions: An Introduction to Serverless Computing

Serverless computing, like Azure Functions, enables developers to build and run applications without managing infrastructure, cutting time and resources for deployment. Azure Functions offers on-demand, scalable, event-driven computing, supporting multiple programming languages, with cost-effective, consumption-based billing. While Azure Functions competes with Google Cloud Functions and AWS Lambda, the best choice depends on specific business needs and existing ecosystems.

Simulate ONTAP – how to set up your own UAT environment

NetApp's Simulate ONTAP is a virtual simulator for running ONTAP software on Windows or Mac. Users can download it from NetApp's support site with customer access, create VMs for each node using VMware, and customize serial and system ID settings. The setup involves creating a cluster and joining nodes, managing disk snapshots to save space, setting up management interfaces, and installing licenses. The process is user-friendly, mostly conducted via the ONTAP CLI, with specific steps for modifying the system's environment variables and configurations.

Automate VMware ESXi host updates

This post outlines an automation script, Update-ESXi.ps1, designed to manage VMware ESXi host updates with enhanced control over VMware's standard Update Manager. It targets individual hosts or clusters, providing detailed logs and multiple notifications during the update process, sent via email at key stages including job start, host maintenance mode initiation, and job completion. A sample log and script usage instructions are provided, with the script available for download on GitHub.

NetApp cluster configuration backups

NetApp Cluster Configuration Backups are vital for quick disaster recovery, by preserving important cluster configurations. They enable rapid restoration, ease upgrades, and enhance overall data protection. Without them, organizations face risks like extended downtime and potential data loss. Administrators can configure backups via CLI, setting FTP destinations and passwords, and scheduling the frequency of these backups. Manual backup initiation is also possible.

Uninstall NSX

To decommission NSX in an old environment, steps included force-removing disconnected NSX controllers via API, backing up NSX Manager, migrating VMs to vLANs, and orderly deleting NSX Edges, Logical Switches, and transport zones. Hosts required maintenance mode for VIB removal and rebooting. NSX Manager was shut down, pending final deletion, and the plugin was manually removed from the MOB. These detailed steps are essential as vendor documentation often lacks offboarding guidance.

Create a NetApp NFS SVM using ONTAP’s command-line interface

This blog post outlines how to create and configure a NetApp NFS Storage Virtual Machine (SVM) using the ONTAP command-line interface, ideal for environments with strict change management. It covers the full process, including SVM creation with security settings, NFS configuration, LIF creation, policy rules, FlexVol creation without snapshots, and final mounting in vSphere.

Install Ansible in a docker container

A beginner's guide to setting up Ansible on a MacBook involves installing Docker Desktop, creating a Dockerfile to specify container contents, including Linux, Ansible, and Python packages, and building the docker image "ansible". Subsequent steps include running and using the container interactively to interact with Ansible playbooks.

gcloud CLI Basics

The Google Cloud CLI, a robust suite of tools for managing Google Cloud resources, is easy to install and initialize. It offers tools such as gcloud, gsutil, and bq. Users can effortlessly authenticate and choose projects through the 'gcloud init' command. The CLI is rich in functionality, outrivalling its marketplace competitors, and its component-based structure allows for simple management and updates.