If you were looking for a free alternative to VMware ESXI or ProxMox, or Oracle VM Manager, look no further. XCP-ng is a free alternative based on popular Xen Hypervisor, which runs on Baremetal KVM, and completely Web Managed. Professional support is there for you from the developers of XCP-ng themselves, if you ever need it for your enterprise production network.
Following is the minimum system requirement:
Server with minimum 100 GB Hard Drive Disk (HDD) or Solid State Drive (SSD) or more.
RAM- 8 GB or more
CPU: 8 Core or more.
The installation is straight forward.
There are two components:
- First, install the Xen Hypervisor.
- Second, deploy the XOA (Xen Orchestrator) VM on top of it.
The whole process is fully automated and onscreen instructions to be followed.
- You need to download the ISO, make a Bootable USB out of it, boot the server from USB and then follow the on-screen instructions.
- During the installation, you will be asked to set the Management IP address, Root Credentials etc.:
- Once the installation finishes, open up Chrome/Firefox and browse to the IP address you had set earlier: https://IP_ADDRESS and you will land on a page similar to the following:
- Now, to deploy the XOA dashboard click on "Quick Deploy". In the next steps create the login credentials for the XOA dashboard. Please note, this credential is not the same as the Root Credential set for Xen Hypervisor.
- Once all is done, navigate to the IP address you have set for XOA VM (Xen Orchestrator Virtual Appliance). This IP address will be different than, what you have set for the Hypervisor. - Onece you pass the login page, you'll see the following:
- From there you will be able to create the VMs, setup networking, Virtual Disks, add other Xen Hypervisor Servers, everything.
Here is the link to their official documentation: https://docs.xcp-ng.org/management/manage-at-scale/xo-web-ui/
In Symmetric encryption the same secret key is used to decrypt an encrypt the message. Examples include RC4, AES, DES, 3DES, etc.
In Asymmetric encryption system two different cryptographic keys (asymmetric keys), called the public and the private keys, are used for encryption and decryption. Examples include RSA, Diffie-Hellman, ECC, etc.
RSA and ECDSA both are asymmetric encryption algo.
RSA was invented by Ron Rivest, Adi Shamir, and Leonard Adleman in 1977, RSA has been the gold standard when it comes to asymmetric encryption algorithms. RSA uses the prime factorization method for one-way encryption of a message. In this method, two titanic-sized random prime numbers are taken, and they’re multiplied to create another gigantic number.
ECDSA (elliptic curve digital signature algorithm), or ECC (elliptic curve cryptography) as it’s sometimes known, is the successor of the digital signature algorithm (DSA). ECDSA was born when two mathematicians named Neal Koblitz and Victor S. Miller proposed the use of elliptical curves in cryptography. However, it took almost two decades for the ECDSA algorithm to become standardized.
Azure DevOps is a comprehensive suite of development tools and services provided by Microsoft, which is
flexible, platform-agnostic, and cloud-agnostic.
Here are its main features:
Azure Boards: Helps with project management using work items, Kanban boards, and dashboards.
Azure Repos: Offers version control using Git or Team Foundation Version Control (TFVC).
Azure Pipelines: Automates building, testing, and deploying applications across various platforms.
Azure Test Plans: Assists with managing and running manual and automated tests for quality assurance.
Azure Artifacts: Provides hosting for packages and dependencies, enabling seamless sharing and distribution.
Azure DevOps has a wide range of real-world applications across industries.
Here are some examples:
Software Development:
Automating the build, testing, and deployment process with Azure Pipelines to ensure continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD).
Managing source code and version control using Azure Repos, whether for small teams or large enterprises.
Cloud Migrations:
Managing and tracking the migration process with Azure Boards to ensure smooth planning, task assignments, and progress monitoring.
Deploying applications to cloud environments like Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) through Azure Pipelines.
QA and Testing:
Running and managing test cases with Azure Test Plans to ensure software quality.
Automating performance and stress testing as part of the CI/CD pipeline.
Enterprise-Grade Applications:
Coordinating large-scale application releases for banks or healthcare providers by integrating DevOps workflows.
Managing shared libraries and dependencies using Azure Artifacts.
Cross-Platform Mobile Applications:
Building and deploying apps for iOS, Android, and Windows platforms using Azure Pipelines.
Tracking feature development and bug fixes via Azure Boards.
Open-Source Projects:
Hosting code repositories in Azure Repos for global collaboration on open-source initiatives.
Utilizing Pipelines to ensure code quality and consistency across contributors.
IoT Solutions:
Automating the deployment of firmware updates to IoT devices.
Managing release pipelines for edge computing applications.
Azure DevOps stands out among DevOps tools for its comprehensive suite of services, but its suitability depends on specific needs. Here's a comparison with some popular alternatives:
Azure DevOps vs. GitHub:
Azure DevOps is ideal for enterprises needing a full suite of DevOps tools, including project management, CI/CD, and testing.
GitHub, also owned by Microsoft, is more developer-focused, excelling in open-source collaboration and Git-based workflows.
Azure DevOps vs. GitLab:
Azure DevOps offers a broader range of services, while GitLab emphasizes an all-in-one platform with strong CI/CD capabilities.
GitLab is often preferred for its open-source nature and self-hosting options.
Azure DevOps vs. Jenkins:
Jenkins is a powerful, open-source CI/CD tool with extensive plugin support, but it requires more manual setup and maintenance.
Azure DevOps provides a more integrated and user-friendly experience, especially for teams already using Azure services.
Azure DevOps vs. AWS CodePipeline:
Azure DevOps integrates seamlessly with Azure cloud services, making it a natural choice for Azure users.
AWS CodePipeline is tailored for AWS environments, offering similar CI/CD functionality but with tighter integration into AWS services.
Azure DevOps vs. Atlassian Bamboo:
Bamboo is well-suited for teams using Atlassian tools like Jira and Bitbucket.
Azure DevOps offers a more comprehensive toolset, including project management and artifact hosting.
Setting up Azure DevOps involves creating an organization, a project, and configuring repositories and pipelines.
Here's a step-by-step guide:
Step 1: Create an Azure DevOps Organization
Sign in to the .
Click on "Create new organization."
Name your organization and select the region closest to you.
Click "Continue" and wait for the organization to be created.
Step 2: Create a Project
Within your organization, click "New Project."
Name your project and choose its visibility (Private or Public).
Click "Create Project."
Step 3: Set Up a Repository
Navigate to the "Repos" section.
Click the "+" sign to create a new repository.
Choose "Git" as the repository type, name it, and optionally add a README file.
Step 4: Configure Azure Pipelines
Go to the "Pipelines" section.
Click "Create Pipeline" and select your repository.
Choose a pipeline template or configure it manually.
Now, go ahead and download the agent software from Microsoft. click the new agent option and you will see the popup.
Ensure that if you are running the agent on Windows, you set it up to run as a service.
Once the Agent has been setup, you are ready to run the pipeline.
Step 5: Explore Additional Features
Use Azure Boards for task tracking and project management.
