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Top 21 IT Reads for 2021

January 22, 2021 | min

New year, new you—and hopefully, new datacenter goals!


If 2020 did one thing for all of us, it was to help us reprioritize—whether that be in the workplace, in our personal lives, or elsewhere. And for many businesses, 2020 forced them to rethink their approach to IT and reconsider just how ready they were for an insurgence of at-home workers. 

We made it through, and now, let’s make sure we start IT off on the right foot with the right reads. Below are 21 all-important reads you’ll need to make the most out of the new year. 

1. Ultimate IT Stats Guide

Need a good fact-finding guide for key metrics across topics like private cloud, databases, end-user computing, and more? Here’s an easy-to-skim eBook to keep handy.

Dive in for key adoption rates, trends, challenges, goals, and so much more on various top-of-mind interests in IT. Some eye-catching stats include:

  • Worldwide IT spending is estimated to total $3.5 trillion
  • 91% of organizations are involved in some kind of digital initiative
  • 79% of IT leaders are investing in private cloud

2. NEXT Magazine

Consider this edition of NEXT Magazine the “feel good” issue—it’s packed full of inspiring and innovative organizations, thinkers, and even students. 

Find lots of hot takes on hot topics like: 

  • “Intraprenuership” (ft. LEGO!) 
  • Doing good during times of crisis 
  • Making change with a STEM education 
  • Piloting the “elephant” part of your brain 
  • ...and more.

3. Database-as-a-Service for Dummies

Database dragging you down? More organizations are turning to Database-as-a-Service (DBaaS) to streamline time-consuming administrative tasks and quickly spin up database copies for analytics. 

Download the Dummies guide to learn where to run which databases, how to support databases on-prem and in the cloud, create common operational paradigms, and more.

4. The Total Economic Impact™ of Nutanix End User Computing Solutions

Thinking about implementing an end-user computing solution? Be sure to consult the Forrester TEI report first. Forrester interviewed Nutanix customers to evaluate the benefits and costs of running Nutanix EUC over traditional 3-tier architectures. 

You’ll learn howwhy Nutanix customers realized benefits of $21 million over 3 years, a 164% ROI, 90% faster deployment times, and more.

5. Private Cloud for Dummies

Got a cloud question? Chances are, this Dummies guide has you covered. With the cloud market as saturated as it is, this Dummies guide features a “bestiary” on cloud models, figures on the state of cloud adoption, tips for implementing your private cloud, and beyond.

6. O’Reilly Hybrid Cloud Management eBook

One of the biggest challenges of hybrid cloud is the perceived complexity of managing the technology. In fact, many organizations cite a lack of management skills as an inhibitor of hybrid cloud adoption.

Consider this O’Reilly eBook your guide as your organization embarks on your hybrid cloud journey, complete with best practices for making management more autonomous, hands-off, and stress-free. 

7. Gartner Magic Quadrant for Hyperconverged Infrastructure Software

This year’s Gartner Magic Quadrant for Hyperconverged Infrastructure Software includes a big change—it focuses exclusively on software-only HCI offerings. The Gartner Magic Quadrant evaluates the most significant providers of hyperconverged infrastructure software and examines how they stack up against one another.

See why Gartner has recognized Nutanix as a Leader again and learn more about:

  • The state of the software-defined hyperconverged infrastructure market
  • Trends in datacenter modernization and hybrid cloud capabilities
  • Key HCI solution differentiators 
  • Strengths and cautions for leading HCI vendors

8. Top 20 Questions About Databases on Hyperconverged Infrastructure

You may think you know the true value of HCI—but did you know you can also get data insights faster by running your databases on it? It’s true! We know you have questions about it, so here are the answers.

Find out how to get your databases running on HCI, troubleshoot common issues, save costs by consolidating database storage, and more.

9. Enterprise Cloud Index 2020

Cloud numbers galore! The third annual ECI report features insights from 3,400 global IT decision-makers. The report covers cloud adoption trends, cloud priorities, workload migration plans, and more.

Explore this past year’s findings, including key numbers like:

  • 76% say COVID-19 has caused them to view IT more strategically
  • 86% cite hybrid cloud as their ideal cloud computing model
  • 92% on private cloud have or plan to deploy hyperconverged infrastructure

10. Anatomy of a Private Cloud

Unwind the DNA of private cloud in this comprehensive eBook, complete with details on its various components, including automation, business continuity and disaster recovery, storage, cost governance, and security.

Plus, you’ll discover common cloud pitfalls like complexity, inflexibility, low security, and how to overcome them with a hyperconverged core.

11. Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard 

Chip Heath, author of NEXT Magazine article “When Elephants and Riders Move Together,” is most famous for his book, Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die—you may even have a copy yourself like I do!

But have you checked out Switch? Chip and Dan Heath talk about why companies, communities, and people struggle with change, and they uncover how to unite the rational and emotional parts of our minds to defeat our psychological aversion to change.

12. Woman of Influence: 9 Steps to Build Your Brand, Establish Your Legacy, and Thrive

Another NEXT Magazine contributor, Jo Miller takes an important step in evaluating why women often feel like their organization’s “best-kept secret” rather than recognized leaders in her book Woman of Influence—and most importantly, how to overcome this form of career stagnancy. 

She provides 9 essential tips to build and establish your brand, along with handy self-assessments, exercises, and checklists, and inspiring stories of women who’ve built their legacies from the ground up.

13. The Dos and Don’ts of Hybrid Cloud

With all the hybrid cloud talk these days, sometimes all you need is a down-to-business checklist of dos and don’ts to help you make the best decisions along your hybrid journey. 

This eBook provides 7 essential tips to maximize the cost-effectiveness of your hybrid cloud, minimizing complexity, improving data security, and much more. 

14. ESG: Accelerating the Adoption of Hybrid and Multicloud Environments

If hybrid and/or multicloud technologies have been sitting on your “to adopt” wishlist untouched, you’re not alone. Plenty of organizations like yours have understandable concerns and questions about the adoption process, and ESG aims to answer those in this report.

Download to uncover best practices for optimizing your clouds, troubleshooting tips for common implementation roadblocks, tips for automating your environment, and more.

15. Charting the Course to Cloud

Clear the path to your hybrid cloud with expert tips and a play-by-play from Nutanix CIO, Wendy M. Pfeiffer. You’ll find 10 steps to get cloud-ready, including:

  • Augmenting your teams’ skill sets
  • Establishing autonomous IT
  • Measuring the success of your cloud
  • ...and more.

16. Cloud Usage Report for 2020

Curious how organizations around the world are using and investing in the cloud? Our third-annual Cloud Usage report delivers key trends and metrics around AWS and Azure spending patterns across various industries and showcases how COVID-19 has impacted public cloud financial decisions.

17. IDC White Paper on Nutanix Enterprise Cloud TCO & ROI Analysis

Curious about the financial efficiency of your Nutanix investment? IDC has done the math to find out the average value Nutanix customers realize, including:

  • 5-year ROI of 477%
  • TCO savings of 62%
  • 85% less unplanned downtime
  • ...and more.

Dive in to see the full analysis along with opportunities, challenges, and trends on how to evaluate and use hyperconverged infrastructure-based cloud solutions.

18. The 2021 State of IT

Geek out on an in-depth analysis of this year’s State of IT report, complete with budget and technology trends. SWZD interviewed over 1,000 tech pros to identify trends over a 3-year period, and the results are in.

Here are a few facts that stood out to us:

  • 76% of businesses plan on long-term IT changes as a response to COVID-19
  • Over ⅓ of 2021 budgets are expected to increase due to COVID-19
  • 80% of businesses expect tech spending to stay the same or increase

19. The Forrester Wave™: Hybrid Cloud Management, Q4 2020

This is a year of firsts! Nutanix has debuted as a strong performer in the Forrester Wave Hybrid Cloud Management report thanks to Calm and Beam, enabling a truly differentiated hybrid cloud management solution. Download the report for an evaluation of today’s top hybrid cloud management solutions and how Nutanix stacks up against them.

20. The Changing Face of Cybercrime

As the world has shifted to remote working, cybercrime has shifted as well, with cybercriminals evolving their attacks to target the lowest hanging fruit. Discover how trends in the space have changed over the last year and how to prepare your organization for the greatest chance of success against cyber threats. 

21. Bursting 2,000 Citrix Desktops to AWS in Under 2 Hours with Nutanix Clusters

Transformation is starting to feel like a timed event—but luckily for you, Nutanix can help you realize your goals at record speed. And if you need to distribute virtual Citrix Desktops, set your timer to 2 hours and get started. 

Nutanix Clusters is your key, enabling seamless hybrid cloud deployments natively integrated into your public cloud(s). Check out the blog above for a video walkthrough on how to deploy 2,000 new Citrix virtual desktops in an existing site in under 2 hours.


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