EC-MEA July 2020

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PA G E S 6 4 VOLUME O7 | ISSUE 12 J U LY 2 0 2 0 WWW.EC-MEA.COM

IS YOUR TECHNOLOGY READY FOR THE NEW NORMAL

Jacob Chacko HPE Aruba

As workforces return to office and others continue remotely, a new breed of technologies and solutions are emerging to enable the hybrid workplace.

AD-ECMEA-102020

Purushotam Savlani Wipro

Back to work checklist

ARUN SHANKAR EDITOR A R U N @ G E C M E D I A G R O U P. C O M

What all Boards want, is getting back to normal and getting out of a crisis situation.

Three top trends dominated the month gone by and the pages ahead. As businesses begin their journey back to work, IT departments are relooking at their technology mix. The workplace is going to be hybrid with workforces deployed remotely as well as on-site. Both teams are equally important and IT needs to work equally well for them.

In this month’s cover story we look at what vendor HPE Aruba and global system integration partner Wipro, have to say about the technology mix, especially around network access, collaboration and security. HPE Aruba’s Jacob Chacko and Wipro’s Purushotam Savlani deep dive into how organisations need to revisit technologies and applications, considering the new normal of today and ahead.

Another key part of reengineering organizations in the months ahead, is to plan for business interruptions and prioritise those measures that boost business continuity and efficiency. Automation of processes and devices is a top priority for those organisations ready to manage the organization change.

While the technology of automation can be prescribed, taking an organization through the process is more complex. Explains Adrian Castillero at BCG, a critical success factor of such transformation is the effective adoption of an agile model. The idea of automating is to drive business performance by easing workload of jobs that are repetitive. The combination of AI and automation has brought life to chatbots, which have emerged as a prominent way to save costs.

Fawwaz Qadan at Blue Prism, also points out, end user organisations must be ready to fail fast and collaborate in order to increasingly sieve through complex processes and achieve success. They must also have the right robotic process automation delivery, from the start. Automation Anywhere’s Milan Sheth indicates, a key requirement post automation is upskilling of the impacted employees. Employees need to engage in identifying the high-value, repetitive tasks within an enterprise that can be automated and this often requires several departments and moving parts coming together.

Alain Kaddoum at Swisslog points out with palletising making up 60% of warehousing operational costs, it is crucial to choose future-ready new technologies. Any improvement in this process can directly benefit the business. Emerson Automation’s MS Prakash points out that legacy automation technology, used to be embedded in the oil and gas, regional process industry. With the advent of big data and open platforms, it is now being adopted in discreet manufacturing.

Growing maturity of the regional IT and cyber security services market is drawing the attention of global cyber insurance players. Munich Re, a top global provider of risk management, recently signed up with Help AG for its incident response capability. Cyber insurance is a very new service in the UAE, and Munich Re offers it as a triage with technical, legal, public relations, embedded services.

There is work ahead, happy preparation. ë

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Why Should You Partner with NetApp to Help Customers Achieve a True Hybrid Multicloud Experience?

350+ customers

The only one

NetApp multicloud products are proven, with more than 350 customers and more than 200PB deployed to date.

NetApp offers the only hybrid cloud infrastructure in the market today.

Why HCI?

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What customers say?

87% of customers report that hyperconverged has made their organization somewhat or significantly more agile.

Contact Ingram Micro today to know more about NetApp solutions Tel.: +971 4 369 7111 | Web: ae.ingrammicro.com

CONTENTS J U LY 2 0 2 0 | V O L U M E 0 7 | I S S U E 1 2

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IS YOUR TECHNOLOGY READY FOR THE NEW NORMAL

EDITOR’S PAGE.

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HOW AI CAN REVITALISE THE RETAIL BUSINESS POST COVID RANJITH KAIPPADA, CLOUD BOX TECHNOLOGIES.

26 / COVER STORY

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NETWORK ARCHITECTURES CAN HELP REDUCE CO2 EMISSIONS ARAFAT YOUSEF, NEXANS CABLING SOLUTIONS.

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HOW CISOs CAN MANAGE PANDEMIC RELATED CHALLENGES ADAM PALMER, TENABLE.

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ARE YOU REALLY PROACTIVE IN YOUR CUSTOMER SERVICE AUGIE RAY, GARTNER.

11-14 NEWS EVENTS

REAL LIFE

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HELP AG, MUNICH RE

16-20 NEWS CHANNEL

21-24 NEWS SECURITY

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MAKING STORAGE OF DATA MORE AGILE AND EFFICIENT EGYPT

SCALING TECHNOLOGY PARKS

AND OUTSOURCING CENTRES

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NEWS PRODUCTS.

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INNOVATION

BUSINESS AUTOMATION IS A LOGICAL STEP POST-COVID

PEOPLE

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VIEWPOINT

HOW AI CAN REVITALISE THE RETAIL BUSINESS POST COVID

With footfalls hugely impacted due to pandemic lockdowns, Ranjith Kaippada from Cloud Box, describes how retailers should use AI in the future.

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he COVID-19 pandemic has given way to challenges across industries and has brought some businesses to a standstill. Each industry is taking time to adjust and return to business and operate within new dynamics. The retail industry is one of the hardest hit sectors with physical outlets, shopping centres and malls closed to public or reopened with a string of constraints has taken its toll on revenues.

Retailers were not prepared to make the sudden and swift changes for various reasons and had ill-prepared IT environments. Many were not equipped with online and e-commerce platforms which would be the most appropriate way to conduct business during a lockdown. It was e-commerce giants and local online platforms that upped their game and utilised the situation to their advantage.

Artificial intelligence was incorporated into these online platforms. Understanding behavioural patterns and playing it out accordingly. Going forward, artificial intelligence that will play a vital role in many areas within retail.

According to a recent survey by ResearchandMarkets.com, artificial intelligence in the retail market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 35.9% from 2019 to 2025 to reach $15.3 billion by 2025.

The market by itself is divided into software and services. It covers a variety of retail aspects including, supply chain and logistics, predictive maintenance on the manufacturing floor, product design, inventory and in-store management, customer behavior and relationship management, and others. What is evident is that artificial intelligence will help retailers think and plan more strategically instead of following a reactionary trend to meet customer demands.

While artificial intelligence algorithms are put into use to predict fashion trends, be it color or style, retailers can now have a more analytical approach to product design and

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Another area where artificial intelligence will make strong inroads is with supply chain planning

RANJITH KAIPPADA,

Director, Cloud Box Technologies.

AI brings along operational agility and efficiency while reducing risks through visibility, lowered costs forecasting. It can be suitably used to ensure that the manufacturing unit is up and running with a minimum downtime by predicting any emerging production faults or abnormalities in machine behavior.

Inventory can be a deterrent for retailers where huge amounts can be trapped in

inventory capital. Artificial intelligence helps in controlling this by analytical forecasting and can definitely enable waste reduction.

Another area where artificial intelligence will make strong inroads is with supply chain planning. It is estimated to transform into a more collaborative process that will involve material management and quality control, distribution and transportation. What it really means is that artificial intelligence is grasping available data across these functions and enabling teams to make real time decisions.

Moving into the consumer realm, artificial intelligence will now play a very significant role in understanding consumer behavior very relevantly at this point in time in the e-commerce sphere to engage and convert users. It will have a very strong impact on how brands will interact with consumers be it personalisation of the customer experience, retargeting customers, visual search capability, identifying customer leads, chatbots and virtual assistants and advanced customer relationship management.

In a nutshell artificial intelligence brings along operational agility and efficiency while reducing risks through visibility, lowered costs and higher quality products for the retail industry. With changing times, what retailers now need to focus on is a system to undertake some radical restructuring and foresee the possible changes they need to implement while moving into the future. ĂŤ

VIEWPOINT

HOW CISOs CAN MANAGE PANDEMIC RELATED CHALLENGES

Tenable’s Adam Palmer, reflects on five possible best practices that CISO’s can use to better manage the challenges raised by the pandemic.

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he pandemic has changed the world, perhaps forever. For a Chief Information Security Officer, CISO used to believing that for the corporate network perimeter inside is safe, outside is unsafe, now nearly everything is outside and there is no perimeter. Despite these risks, organisations expect business continuity and a way forward.

Below are five ways that CISOs can do this successfully - reduce risk based on sound advice and progress through a systematic checklist:

#1 IF EVERYTHING IS IMPORTANT, THEN NOTHING IS IMPORTANT During a crisis, resources are short and everyone is overloaded with demands. Everything can feel like a priority. For the CISO, the first task is to identify what is only innocent smoke from what is actually a fire. Prioritisation focuses resources to the right area, in the right amount, and in the right sequence.

#2 AVOID BOX TICKING EXERCISES In these complex times, CISOs cannot afford to use a generic checklist to scan their extended network, which has now changed beyond earlier recognition. Work at home has meant that employees are now connecting to the network using whatever device is at hand that gets the task done.

In short, convenience has overtaken risk as workers struggle to deliver from home. For the CISO in this environment, a risk-based management approach that focuses on actual risks being exploited, not generic lists of potential risks, is most effective. This also avoids overrun of the operating expense budget.

#3 YOU CANNOT PROTECT WHAT IS UNKNOWN One of the biggest challenges for a CISO today

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The CISO needs to understand this activity pattern is now the new normal. To gain complete visibility of the extended enterprise network, CISOs should utilise authenticated agent scans that register and profile all assets being used.

#4 THE BOARD WANTS RISK DETAILS

ADAM PALMER,

Chief Cybersecurity Strategist, Tenable.

During a crisis, resources are short and everyone is overloaded with demands

is visibility into what is happening in their remote work environment. The organisation’s workers may have had to relocate from their normal home, or even their geo-location.

Staff are connecting from multiple private and public networks, using multiple known and unknown devices, and at predictable but also unpredictable hours.

The Board of Directors will want to know what risks the organisation is exposed to, and what is being done to reduce - address them.

By adopting a risk-based approach, CISOs can accurately assess, quantifiably, the level of risk exposure in terms that the Board can understand.

Using a risk-based approach, the CISO can profile the distributed risk across the extended enterprise on the basis of large-scale assets, geolocation, business units, and device groups, etc. The Board will be able to evaluate the business impact if any mission-critical areas are exposed compared to the cost to implement controls that reduce the risk.

#5 THE TRAP OF INSTANT GRATIFICATION In this time of crisis, and under pressure from management to deliver security, CISOs might be tempted to purchase additional tools, hoping that a single purchase order may be the key to alleviate the overall risk levels of the organisation to deliver quick results.

Unfortunately, a magic bullet simply does not exist. What is more meaningful is to better understand the risk environment and systematically demonstrate reduction of risks based on the prioritisation of vulnerabilities.

CISOs could consider using managed service providers to reduce their day-to-day overheads of monitoring risks and vulnerabilities. They can also consider bringing in professional services to boost the skills capability of their internal teams to use existing tools and be more effective. ë

VIEWPOINT

NETWORK ARCHITECTURES CAN HELP REDUCE CO2 EMISSIONS As networks grow so do the number of devices on them, and Fibre to the Office is a way of balancing energy consumption, writes Arafat Yousef at Nexans.

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he digital economy is growing fast.

IDC has predicted that the digital economy will account for 60% of the world’s total economy by 2022.

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development estimates that the digital economy makes up anywhere from 4.5% to 15.5% of global gross domestic product GDP. In the US, home of several dominant players, the digital economy already accounted for 6.9% GDP $1.35 trillion in 2017.

The digital economy is based on hyperconnectivity. More and more people, devices and organisations are interconnecting, driven by developments such as 5G, Cloud, Wi-Fi 6, Internet of Things IoT and more. In all of these areas, vast growth is predicted. According to IDC some 212 billion IoT-enabled devices may be connected to the internet soon. Cisco predicts that by 2021, there will be 4.6B Internet users worldwide and 271 billion connected devices. But as the number of devices, users, applications and networks grow, so will the global carbon footprint.

According to the European Commission, the ICT industry generates up to 2% of all global CO2 emissions. The journal Environmental Science and Pollution Research writes that the installation and the operation of new ICT devices can be characterised as highly energy intensive. A study carried out by the Global Enabling Sustainability Initiative and Deloitte shows that ICT can help solve a wide variety of sustainability challenges and climate change in particular.

There is also a great deal to be gained by simply reducing the amount of power consumed by the devices, cabling and networks that provide the backbone for the digital economy. Furthermore, making sure systems can remain operational for as long as possible also reduces the burden on the environment.

One possible solution is the introduction of Fibre to the Office, FTTO networks to connect

FTTO is a hybrid network consisting of fibre optic and twisted pair copper patch cords with connectors

ARAFAT YOUSEF,

Managing Director Middle East and Africa, Nexans Cabling Solutions.

devices throughout a building at Gigabit speeds. FTTO is a hybrid network consisting of fibre optic and twisted pair copper patch cords with connectors. In an FTTO network environment, fibre is laid from the central distribution switch right into the office floor, where it ends in active FTTO switches within the workplace.

FTTO networks require significantly less equipment, consume less energy and require

less cooling. In a traditional copper-based Ethernet network with 1,000 ports, the annual electricity consumption is estimated to be 82k kWh. However, using an FTTO architecture, the same network would consume some 30k kWh per year. A fast, low latency, responsive FTTO network with PoE Power over Ethernet capacity also supports the introduction of smart building management systems, helping reduce energy consumption by optimising lighting, air conditioning and heating usage.

The use of fibre also allows compliance with 802.3az Energy-Efficient Ethernet’ standard.

This allows each port on the switch to power down into a standby mode when no connected devices are active. Energy Efficient Ethernet EEE ports consume power only when data is transferred.

FTTO architecture can reduce energy consumption by as much as 70% lower, cut total cost of ownership by 40%, and reduce installation time by 60%. What is more, the added flexibility means networks can accommodate changes in building layout and function and cabling can stay support consecutive generations of equipment.

As a result, it is not necessary to dispose of large volumes of cabling and equipment every few years. The exact type of solution and best configuration depends on the on-site conditions of different buildings. ë

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VIEWPOINT

ARE YOU REALLY PROACTIVE IN YOUR CUSTOMER SERVICE The pandemic is disrupting business and rules of the game that your customers have been used to, so managing them is critical writes Gartner’s Augie Ray.

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n the first week of March, US delivery platform Instacart launched a new feature — Leave at My Door Delivery — an alternative for quarantined or vulnerable people who want to avoid close contact during the coronavirus crisis. Instacart’s launch is just one example of creating proactive customer experience consistent with the new normal of customer uncertainty in the era of COVID-19.

Brands across industries and geographies must confront a new reality.

Customer anxiety about visiting your location or purchasing your product. Is your product safe? What steps are you taking to ensure customer health at your physical site?

How will you serve customers if you can’t open for business?

Customer concerns about your ability to deliver. If I buy your product, can you deliver on time? Will your inventory or logistics cause delays?

Customer hesitancy about making commitments.

If I buy an event ticket or make a reservation, I am unable to use, will I get a refund? If I make a purchase and my financial situation changes, what options are available to me?

Concerns like these can raise call volumes, increase expenses and strain your staff. And they are still just the tip of the iceberg, because customers are delaying or canceling purchases or foregoing them altogether.

A few examples of proactive steps and communication.

Citi sent a proactive email to inform clients about its efforts to augment daily cleaning of branches and also reminded customers about the bank’s online and mobile apps. This email did more than resolve brand issues. It also proactively offered to solve customer difficulties by waiving monthly service fees and penalties for early CD withdrawal. At a time when many customers are experiencing volatile incomes, Citi is stepping up as a trusted partner.

Big brands are not the only ones taking

Microsoft set the bar when it announced it will pay hourly workers their full pay AUGIE RAY,

Vice President Analyst, Gartner.

Brand reputation hinges on the community of employees that make the business run creative and proactive steps. Local small businesses are also adjusting their process to adapt to the new normal. A family-owned provider of music instrument rentals and lessons switched to video lessons. Gyms and sports facilities are offering free classes via video streaming. Arts organisations are streaming concerts and offering virtual tours of galleries in an effort to share some beauty and homeschooling resources at a challenging time.

Nor are customers the only stakeholders to consider. Brand reputation also hinges on the community of employees that make the business run, who in turn depend on their employers for income and connection — both threatened by shutdowns and social distancing policies. Businesses that do the right thing for their teams earn high marks in the court of public opinion.

Microsoft set the bar when it announced it will pay hourly workers their full pay — not just if they are sick and need to stay home, but also if their hours are cut due to diminished demand. Trader Joe’s likewise changed its sick-leave policy to reimburse hourly workers who would otherwise not be paid for hours missed due to illness. These changes encourage workers to stay home if they feel ill and reduce the risk of transmitting the disease to customers or coworkers.

The exact decision or actions any given brand takes will vary according to the business it is in, the customers it serves and its employee dynamics. B2B customers may face supply chain disruptions or reductions in revenue.

B2C brands may feel the follow-on impacts of volatile customer incomes, as well as limited mobility and freedom caused by quarantines.

Brands that proactively help people in a time of crisis can ensure healthy customer and employee relationships. ë

EVENT NEWS

Global CIO Forum, Bahrain’s AI Society host Session 2 of BotTalk on AI and Covid-19

On June 28 Global CIO Forum, in partnership with Bahrain’s Artificial Intelligence Society, hosted the second session, in Arabic, of the BotTalk AI Virtual Conference. The topics discussed included AI Ethics, Roles of AI in Education Post Covid-19, and GCC Countries Strategies on AI. The BotTalk series discusses the impact of AI on the Covid-19 pandemic, and what the future holds. It covers nine different sectors with keynote speakers and expertise from the health, finance, legislation, industrial, beverages and education sector.

The partnership between GEC Media Group and the Artificial Intelligence Society has entered its 4th year, and it has contributed significantly towards awareness of AI and digital transformation, in Bahrain and amongst its CIOs. The guest speaker for the BotTalk AI Virtual Conference, Arabic, Session 2, was HE Abdul Nabi Salman, First Deputy Speaker of the Representatives Council, Bahrain. The Conference Chairman was Dr Jassim Haji, the President of Artificial Intelligence Society, Bahrain. He is a veteran in the field Information and Communications Technology with over three decades of robust experience in implementing IT strategies across sectors.

Dr Haji was joined by Dr Ahmed Zeki, Assistant Professor, College of IT, University of Bahrain; Dr Jaflah Al-Ammary, Assistant Professor, College of IT, University of Bahrain; and Ahmed Buhazza from Bahrain’s Artificial Intelligence Society.

The session was moderated by Ahmed Saleh AlBalooshi, Managing Director, Fintech IT Services & Consultations.

Global CIO Forum, Zebra, Westcon and Comstor host WebSummit on patient identity management

On June 24, Global CIO Forum hosted a healthcare-focused WebSummit titled Patient Identity Management and Verification, powered

by Zebra Technologies, Westcon and Comstor. Attendees got to learn about how breakthrough technologies will navigate healthcare towards a new direction. Due to the pandemic, healthcare transformation has accelerated at lightning speed, with virtual care delivery going from rare exception to operating norm almost overnight. As institutions are prepping up to get patients back in, a more sophisticated digital engagement and collaboration strategy will become mission-critical.

Topic covered included: l Communication and collaboration tools in healthcare l Next evolution in clinical and OT documentation l Automation of patient triage l Ensuring connectivity at remote COVID-19 testing sites and expanding capacity l Supporting remote work and communication for team members The keynote speakers for the Patient Identity Management and Verification WebSummit included Wayne Miller, Director, EMEA Healthcare Practice at Zebra Technologies; John Maliakal, Senior Sales Manager at Zebra Technologies; Khaled Alakel, Territory Lead at Zebra Technologies; and Aliasgar Bohari, Director IT at Zulekha Hospitals. The WebSummit concluded with a Q&A session.

The Patient Identity Management and Verification WebSummit brought together attendees from across GCC and Middle East.

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EVENT NEWS

Global CIO Forum, Bahrain’s AI Society host BotTalk on AI and Covid-19 On June 21, Global CIO Forum in partnership with Bahrain’s Artificial Intelligence Society, hosted the region’s first BotTalk, titled AI in Navigating the Pandemic. The virtual event was held under the patronage of His Excellency Ali ben Saleh A-Saleh, Chairman of Shura Council.

The online gathering discussed the impact of AI on the Covid-19 pandemic, and what the future holds. It covered nine different sectors with keynote speakers and expertise from the health, finance, legislation, industrial, beverages and education sector, including Bahrain University. The event was conducted in both English and Arabic languages.

The partnership between GEC Media Group and the Artificial Intelligence Society has entered its 4th year, and it has contributed significantly towards awareness of AI and digital transformation, in Bahrain and amongst its CIOs. The AI in Navigating the Pandemic BotTalk was inaugurated by HE Ali ben Saleh A-Saleh, while the Conference Chairman was Dr Jassim Haji, the President of Artificial Intelligence Society, Bahrain.

He is a veteran in the field Information and Communications Technology with over three decades of robust experience in implementing IT strategies across sectors.

Dr Haji was joined by Shaikh Khalid Bin Hamad Al-Khalifa, Project Director, Supreme Council of Health; Dr Sh Fay Abdulla Al Khalifa, Director of eLearning University of Bahrain; and Dr Ahmed Nasser, Assistant Secretary General, HR, Finance & IT, Shura Council.

The WebSummit was moderated by Khalid Rashid Jalal, Senior Group ICT Manager, Garmco.

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EVENT NEWS

sectors, states, and nations.

The WebSummit focused on how organizations can solve even their most complex cyber challenges. Topics covered included: l The current level of advanced threats and their targets and methods l How to apply the accepted principle of collective defence to better protect your company. l Why current cyber defences routinely fail. l How to get beyond legacy signature-based detection to more effective behaviour-based alerts. l How to leverage the strengths of the group to cover the vulnerabilities of individuals.

The welcome note and introductions for the Collective Defence WebSummit were handled by Joel Bork, Threat Hunter at IronNet Cybersecurity. He also set the backdrop for the current cybersecurity landscape and the need for collaboration.

The keynote speaker was Brett Williams, Maj Gen USAF (Ret) On June 15, Global CIO Forum presented leading cybersecurity experts from and Co-Founder and COO of IronNet Cybersecurity. He explored IronNet Cybersecurity, for a WebSummit titled Collective Defence: The only the current level of advanced threats and talked about applying option to defeat today’s cyber threats. CyberKnight was the event partner for this the accepted principle of Collective Defence to better protect WebSummit. organisations.

Collective defence is a proactive, collaborative approach to cybersecurity that This was followed by a demo session. Closing remarks were by involves organizations working together within and across sectors to defend against Alexandre Depret Bixio, Regional Director Middle East, Turkey targeted cyber threats. By sharing correlated threat behaviours across the ecosystem, and Africa at IronNet Cybersecurity. participating organizations can mutually aid in the detection, remediation, and The WebSummit brought together 80+ CISOs, CIOs and IT mitigation of cyber threats to individual enterprises, business ecosystems, industry heads from UAE, KSA, Qatar and Kuwait.

Global CIO Forum hosts WebSummit on Collective Defence, the best option against cyber threats

Global CIO Forum, Automation Anywhere host WebSummit on IT automation use cases On June 16, Global CIO Forum hosted a live WebSummit titled IT Automation Use Cases, which was powered by the leading developer of robotic process automation software, Automation Anywhere and CyberMAK, the experts in digital enterprise management solutions.

Robotic Process Automation, RPA, is ideally suited for streamlining complexities in organizations that occur due to overriding IT infrastructure costs, human errors, and poor back end systems. RPA can not only enhance processes to increase their efficiency and

effectiveness and in turn reduce overheads. Over the past few years, we have been witnessing greater RPA adoptions in ITO. RPA and Intelligent Automation has a great advantage as it can be seamlessly integrated with existing infrastructure without incurring higher cost.

In this customised and high-level WebSummit, Automation Anywhere presented some winning stories and use cases of how its Intelligent Automation platform has helped organizations keep inefficiencies at bay and reap more benefits from their infrastructure. The highly experienced speakers took attendees through some real-life demos of the platform and interface. The speakers were: l Sumeet Pathak, Digital Workforce Evangelist with over 20 years of experience in top-tier global banks l Tasnim Pithapurwala, Chief Technical Officer, CyberMAK. She has 20 years of experience in cutting-edge innovative technologies l Fady Ahmed, Technical Services Manager, CyberMAK. He is an expert in the automation domain with over 12 years of industry vertical knowledge The IT Automation Use Cases WebSummit brought together more than 250 attendees from across GCC and the Middle East.

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EVENT NEWS

Global CIO Forum hosts WebSummit on indoor air quality amid Covid-19

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Global CIO Forum brought together renowned indoor air quality experts on June 11, for a GCF Unite WebSummit on a topic that affects everyone: Impact of indoor air quality, now and in the post-Covid world. As the world continues to be battered by Covid-19, with over 7 million people infected and over 400,000 dead, there has been renewed focus on the role played by the air around us. Ongoing research has found a strong correlation between improving air quality and reducing the risks from Covid-19, whether it is at the workplace, home, malls, factories or movie theatres.

Improving outdoor air may be beyond our control, but given that we spend most of our time indoors, management of indoor air conditions can be crucial to inhibiting the propagation of Covid-19.

The WebSummit brought together more than 300 attendees across India, GCC and Middle East. The audience included: l Designers and planners of human and urban habitats l Urban solution providers l Executives from inspection and audit institutions l Human resource and training consultants and specialists l Key executives of socially responsible organisations The welcome note for Impact of Indoor Air Quality: Now and in the post-Covid world WebSummit was delivered by Ronak Samantaray, CEO GEC Media Group, Arun Shankar, Editor, GEC Media Group.

Next, Jeffery Smith, WHO Consultant discussed the global pandemic, how big data is delivering important insights, what going back to work means, and likely future scenarios. Smith’s session was followed by Uni-Lever BlueAir AB’s Girish Bapat, who talked about how indoor air quality management has become the new corporate buzzword. The next expert was Mansoor Ali, Founder of Amfah India, who dived into the topic of managing indoor air quality control through industrial systems.

Ali was followed by Anders Hedstrom, IAQ Expert from IAQ Sweden AB. He elaborated on a topic that was closer to home: Do indoor air quality controls in residences need to be upgraded? Hedstrom’s session was followed by Pradeep Viswanathan, Global System Architect, MEA and India, Digital Energy Division at Schneider Electric. He focused on healthier buildings and new normal building operations, and how HVAC and air management needs to be overhauled.

The final speaker was Barun Aggarwal, CEO of BreatheEasy, who detailed out a step by step approach to improving indoor air quality, and the role played by consultants, equipment and audits.

The IAQ WebSummit concluded with a panel discussion, on the topic that is on everyone’s mind: Indoor Air Quality and back to work. Are we ready? The panel included Paul Slater, Vice President, Operations and Health, Safety and Environment at GEMS Education, Pradeep Viswanathan, Jeffery Smith and Mansoor Ali. The session was moderated

by Arun Shankar.

CHANNEL NEWS

Nutanix expands ServiceNow integration, simplifies IT ops

RAJIV MIRANI, CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER, NUTANIX.

Nutanix has announced expanded integration with digital workflow company ServiceNow, as well as new capabilities in Nutanix Calm, the company’s application automation and management solution for DevOps. As customers look to streamline their IT operations and costs during this global crisis, these new features will help customers to simplify and automate infrastructure, application, and cloud management.

Manual processes are still the norm in IT despite the cost savings and increased speed from automating repetitive operations. It is expected that by 2024 organisations will lower operational costs by 30% by combining hyperautomation technologies with redesigned operational processes, a transition that might accelerate in response to the current global situation. According to a PwC survey, 62% of organisations are looking at containing costs and 54% are concerned about the potential or significant impact to business operations as a result of the global pandemic.

Nutanix aims to simplify automation and make it more accessible to IT professionals at all levels. With Nutanix, IT generalists will be able to simply set up triggers and automated

actions to simplify day-to-day operations.

Integration with leading automation solutions like ServiceNow allows Nutanix customers to further simplify cloud and application management by integrating with their existing IT ticketing system to simplify workflows. With these latest product enhancements, Nutanix aims to significantly expand on the suite of automation and cost governance benefits for its customers.

Nutanix Calm 3.0 will deliver expanded capabilities as well as strengthened ServiceNow integration. Customers can now automate their app lifecycles, including upgrades, patches, expansions and more, while taking advantage of the approval flow and audit capabilities of ServiceNow. They can also increase their security posture by maintaining passwords in a central CyberArc vault, particularly important for government and enterprise customers. In addition to the strengthened integration, Calm 3.0 enables DevOps teams to easily automate workloads across an organisation’s hybrid cloud infrastructure, as well as provision Infrastructure as Code with Python-based domain-specific language for writing Calm blueprints.

ServiceNow expands partner programmes to mitigate Covid impact ServiceNow has announced expanded partner programmes and industry-aligned solutions. These programmes will empower its Global Partner Ecosystem to grow with ServiceNow and accelerate customers’ digital transformation as they help companies adjust to the way we will work in the future. The new programmes and solutions will be highlighted at ServiceNow’s Global Partner Ecosystem Summit, as part of the company’s Knowledge 2020 Digital Experience.

Highlights of ServiceNow’s new global partner programmes and solutions include the following.

ServiceNow Partner Industry Solutions is a new marketplace that showcases partner solutions designed to address the industryspecific workflow and digital transformation needs of our joint customers. The showcase will enable partners to drive differentiation, champion their industry expertise, and unlock new growth opportunities by reaching ServiceNow’s customers across the globe.

Inaugural partners offering ServiceNow Industry Partner Solutions include Accenture,

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DAVID M PARSONS, SERVICENOW SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF GLOBAL ALLIANCES AND CHANNEL.

Atos, Deloitte, DXC Technology, Ernst & Young, and KPMG. Solution highlights from inaugural partners include: l Accenture will continue to build telecommunications solutions that enable clients to run mission critical services uninterrupted. l Atos Quality Inspection enables Manufac-

turing companies to apply new automation, artificial intelligence, and machine-learning technologies to perform cost-effective and reliable quality inspections. l Deloitte will provide banks with a bespoke Complaints Management solution as well as a timely Small Business Administration Paycheck Protection Programme Forgiveness Solution built on the NOW platform. l KPMG will provide Powered Enterprise Service Management capabilities with specific tailoring for industries including State and Local, Healthcare, and Manufacturing. l KPMG’s Physician Onboarding and Credentialing solution will help clients efficiently process credentialing, privileging, and enrolment tasks required for physicians to begin providing patient care.

ServiceNow also launched the Built on Now programme, a new app monetisation framework that enables partners to build, test, certify, distribute, and sell digital workflows for the Now Platform, at scale, through the ServiceNow Store, OEM PaaS, and Service Provider channels.

CHANNEL NEWS

CyberKnight offers Clearswift’s adaptive data loss prevention

AVINASH ADVANI, FOUNDER AND CEO AT CYBERKNIGHT TECHNOLOGIES.

Exponential growth of data volume is dramatically increasing opportunities for theft, data leaks and accidental disclosure of sensitive information. According to Gartner, by 2021, 90% of organisations will implement at least one form of integrated data loss prevention, an increase from 50% today. In addition, recent Gartner research concludes that organisations continue to struggle with DLP deployments and complexities.

CyberKnight has announced a new partnership with Clearswift, a HelpSystems Company, to further help organisations secure critical information. The Adaptive Data Loss Prevention Platform, A-DLP, by Clearswift is designed to automatically apply optimal security treatment based on data content, context and required regulation policy.

This includes real-time redaction, encryption, blocking or deleting. Adaptive DLP offers a unique ability to only remove sensitive information and malicious content passing in and out of the network without the need for human intervention, delays, and quarantines while eliminating false positives.

Ingram Micro to distribute Red Hat cloud and open source solutions

ALI BAGHDADI, SVP AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE, META, INGRAM MICRO.

Cloud Box Technologies achieves Dell Platinum Partner status Cloud Box Technologies, CBT, has announced that it has achieved the prestigious Platinum Solution Provider status within the Dell Technologies global partner programme. This elevates CBT into the top level of regional partners for the vendor. In order to qualify as Dell’s Platinum Level Solution Provider, any channel partner must achieve certain certified competency requirements. Cloud Box Technologies met all these criteria to be elevated to the Platinum level.

CBT was recognised at the Platinum Tier of Dell Technologies because of a number of solution competencies, which include Core Client, Converged Infrastructure, Data Protection, Client Data Security, Networking, Server, Storage, and Workstation. The company was also certified to provide Data Protection Services.

Cloud Box Technologies offers end-to-end solutions in infrastructure, networks, security and cloud solutions including public cloud, private cloud and hybrid cloud. The company is uniquely positioned to offer a single interface to technology integration and services and provides effective and efficient IT infrastructure sourcing and enabling services to organisations of all sizes across various industry segments.

Ingram Micro has announced the signing of a distribution agreement with Red Hat, to offer Ansible, Open Source, Open Shift, and Cloud solutions to enterprises across the Middle East and Africa as they continue to operate remotely during this period. Covering all Gulf and Levant countries, in addition to Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia, the partnership guarantees the provision of products that will contribute toward Automation, IT Optimisation, Digital Transformation, and Cloud-Native development within the financial, public, healthcare, and telecommunications sectors.

Channel partners and end customers benefit from the capabilities to build smarter with Red Hat solutions on a hybrid platform that offers portability, choice, and support. At the same time, they can sell differently, growing their business, building revenue streams, creating long-term relationships with a flexible subscription model, engaging with customers based on their needs, accessing new markets, and developing upsell opportunities.

Service with confidence is also made possible by building trust and developing deeper relationships through professional and operational service offerings that empower customers, while reach expansion is achievable with Red Hat solutions as customers join an active, growing ecosystem of partners and benefit from access to new markets.

RANJITH KAIPPADA, DIRECTOR AT CLOUD BOX TECHNOLOGIES.

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CHANNEL NEWS

Dell Technologies Cloud and Google Cloud launch hybrid storage

Dell Technologies and Google Cloud have launched Dell Technologies Cloud OneFS for Google Cloud to help organisations control exponential data and application growth and ease the flow of files across their private clouds and Google Cloud. Dell also is reducing the barrier of entry and improving overall capabilities for hybrid cloud deployments with additional Dell Technologies Cloud advancements.

Customers now can move workloads across public and private clouds with greater flexibility and adopt a hybrid cloud approach that best fits their needs while reducing costs. According to Forrester, customers using Dell Technologies Cloud over the course of three years could see an incremental return on investment of more than 170% and recoup their costs in fewer than six months.

OneFS for Google Cloud delivers a native cloud experience that combines the scalability and performance of scale-out network-attached storage from the industry’s number one provider of storage systems, Dell Technologies, with Google Cloud’s analytics and compute services.

Now, companies can easily move and access high performance computing and demanding workloads, as large as 50 petabytes, in a single filesystem between on-premises Dell EMC Isilon filesystems and Google Cloud without having to make changes or adjustments to their applications.

According to a recent report from Enterprise Strategy Group, while file data often accounts for at least half of an organisation’s on-premises data, very little of it is stored in public clouds, primarily due to performance and scale limitations. Take the media and entertainment industry, for example.

Video files with 4K resolution demand terabytes of storage and require high throughput and low latency file storage, which makes it challenging for production companies to manage large file workloads in public clouds.

But, now with OneFS for Google Cloud, they can easily work across private and public clouds with consistent operations and have the flexibility to scale as needed.

Nutanix signs Alpha Data as Master Reseller Partner for UAE

Nutanix has announced that it has signed Alpha Data as a Master Reseller Partner in the UAE. As part of the agreement, Alpha Data is authorised to purchase products and services from Nutanix distributors and carry out implementations of the vendor’s market-leading multi-cloud infrastructure solutions across the UAE. Nutanix will assist Alpha Data in developing and certifying its staff to provide design, configuration and support capabilities to its customers for the entire portfolio of Nutanix solutions. Nutanix will conduct regular training and enablement sessions for online certifications, product updates and workshops for hands-on instruction.

Currently the reseller has more than six engineers certified on Nutanix technology. Alpha Data technical and sales staff will have access to the various tools and resources available as part of the Nutanix Channel Charter programme. Nutanix will also make available skilled resources to assist the reseller in the execution of its Nutanix opportunities.

In support of the vendor, Alpha Data will be inviting customers to its state-of-the-art Digital Information Centre where it will offer live demos and proof of concepts of Nutanix solutions. The two companies will also jointly host events and customer master classes to educate the market about the importance of having a well-defined cloud computing strategy in place as part of overall digital transformation initiatives, as well as latest cloud computing technology updates.

BASSAM AL MASRI, DIRECTOR OF CHANNEL, METI AT NUTANIX.

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CHANNEL NEWS

Epicor launches business resilience programme amid Covid-19

PAUL FLANNERY, VICE PRESIDENT, CHANNEL SALES, INTERNATIONAL REGION, EPICOR SOFTWARE.

Epicor, a global provider of industry-specific enterprise software to promote business growth, has announced the launch of a Fit for the Future Programme, designed to empower its partners, and help them emerge stronger from market conditions than ever before. As an extension of the Epicor brand, partners are a vital part of Epicor’s go-to-market model.

By providing competency, capability, and capacity within the market, these partners enable Epicor to better serve and deliver even more value to its customers. Partners include resellers, system integrators, and service partners, which can implement, design, and develop transformational IT strategies using the broad Epicor product portfolio and tools. In order to support partners through today’s challenging marketplace, Epicor has committed to deliver on three core pillars within an ongoing remote programme.

Success over the coming months requires staying connected to those partners and companies that stand by a company’s side. As businesses continue to navigate through the new now, it’s now more vital than ever to offer and enable connectivity and agility.

Epicor is actively encouraging partners to share their experiences and learnings in order to drive business improvements, needed to fuel continued growth and shore up business resilience. Partners will be able to access recordings, PowerPoint presentations, demo scripts, and other supporting documents from a partner hub to boost sales and scalability.

An enablement plan has also been put in place to help partners continue to develop a range of skills that can help them to remain competitive and agile over the coming months.

To support partner development, Epicor is also publishing a series of weekly webinars and has been offering free-of-charge certifications over the last month.

Spectrami to distribute Check Point products in GCC and Egypt Spectrami has announced that the company has partnered with Check Point Software Technologies as the authorised value added distributor in GCC countries and Egypt. According to the terms of agreement, Spectrami will promote, market and distribute entire suite of Check Point security products and solutions including its cloud security, network security, endpoint security, mobile security and security management through its strong network of channel partners.

Check Point offers a multilevel security architecture with its new Gen V advanced threat prevention that protects all networks, cloud and mobile operations of a business against all known attacks combined with the industry’s most comprehensive and intuitive single point of control management system.

Spectrami is one of the fastest growing cyber security value-added

ANAND CHOUDHA, CEO AT SPECTRAMI.

distributors in the region with a focus on providing advanced security products and solutions across the Middle East. The distributor has a strong network of channel partners spread all across the region and it works closely with partners their customers to offer them innovative and most advance cyber security solutions.

Software AG, Tech Mahindra offer analytics services to CSPs Software AG has announced a partnership with Tech Mahindra. Working together, Software AG and Tech Mahindra will provide Internet of Things, analytics and integration technologies, services and support. This will enable communications service providers, CSPs, and manufacturers to drive digital transformation efficiently, quickly and with maximum impact for their customers, employees and business.

As CSPs increasingly move towards more data-driven and value-added services revenues, powered by intelligent networks, they require substantial systems integration and solutions development work that can be best provided by Tech Mahindra and Software AG. CSP revenues will increasingly come from new digital offerings. To best take advantage of this opportunity, CSPs need new building blocks of connectivity management, hardware management and integration management which will be provided by Tech Mahindra’s domain knowledge and Software AG’s Cumulocity IoT platform.

JOHN SCHWEITZER, CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER, SOFTWARE AG.

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CHANNEL NEWS

Naizak to distribute TP-Link SMB solutions in the UAE, Oman

D-Link has announced a new reseller store together with its partner Grand PCD. The new D-Link branded store by Grand PCD is located at the heart of Khaled Bin Waleed Street, formerly known as Computer Street, in Bur Dubai, Dubai. The latest store will be Grand PCD’s fourth showroom in the UAE. D-Link customers now have one more avenue to experience the company’s innovative SMB and consumer solutions and products before making a purchase and benefit from the regular on-going in-store promotions. Grand PCD’s newest store is equipped to sell D-Link’s products to individual customers as well as in wholesale for larger organisations. The friendly staff at the store are well-trained to address customers’ queries about any D-Link product expertly.

Specialised in networking products, Grand PCD commenced its operations in 2008 and over the years has successfully built its credible reputation and stood strong even during turbulent market conditions.

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TP-Link Technologies has announced that it has signed a distribution agreement with Naizak Distribution in Dubai for their SMB solutions. In terms of the deal, Naizak Distribution will supply TP-Link MEA’s SMB product range and services across the UAE and Oman. TP-Link manufactures a broad range of SOHO and SMB solutions, including Wireless solution, ADSL, Routers, Switches, IP Cameras, Powerline Adapters, Print Servers, Media Converters and Network Adapters.

Their deal with Naizak Distribution aims to amplify their footprint in the SMB solutions segment in the UAE and Oman.

Naizak is a value-added distributor for physical security and cybersecurity, networking, and Infrastructure solution for numerous global brands. Naizak Distribution is part of Abdul Karim Holding group with a focused approach on CCTV and surveillance, VMS, cybersecurity, networking, load balancing, SD-WAN, backup, archival and cloud solutions providing end-to-end solutions pre, post, authorised training and support services.

Naizak will be distributing the full range of TP-Link’s SMB solutions. The alliance of both entities will benefit the SMB market greatly, allowing system integrators and solution partners to access world-class SMB solutions from a global provider with the local service support of an experienced distribution partner.

D-Link, Grand PCD launch store in Dubai for SMBs and consumers

SECURITY NEWS

Kaspersky finds 27% IT managers missed key personal events The Kaspersky report - Taking care of corporate security and employee privacy: why cyber-protection is vital for both businesses and their staff, highlights the human side of cybersecurity incidents, examining the discomfort and losses employees face because following breaches.

According to the report, around a third of employee, 27%, in the META region who are involved in the aftermath of an incident missed important personal events, had to work over night, 28%, or suffered additional stress, 30%.

A quarter even had to cancel vacations, 20%.

While the risk of data breaches always exists, organisations need to keep data security under control so incidents don’t negatively impact employees’ attitude and a business’s reputation, especially during the Covid-19 outbreak.

Work-related stress encroaches on staff work-life balance, efficiency and motivation, with 76% of employees feeling it impacts personal relationships, and 16% even quit their current job because of it. This stress needs to be considered, especially now when so many people are working from home and struggling to maintain their productive working routine.

For businesses, such stress can create an overall decrease in employee efficiency, affecting business performance and then leading to direct financial losses. For example, an increasing number of employees absent days caused by stress can cost a large enterprise up to $3.5 million annually. After all, it can also lead to a company’s reputation being potentially damaged as an employer.

As Kaspersky’s report has revealed, cybersecurity incidents may contribute to a negative work experience too. In fact, it has already

Trend Micro reports rising demand for malicious services

TONY LEE, HEAD OF CONSULTING, HONG KONG AND MACAU, OF TREND MICRO.

ARA ARAKELIAN, HR MANAGER FOR THE MIDDLE EAST, TURKEY AND AFRICA AT KASPERSKY.

happened in around half of SMBs, 48%, and enterprises, 53%, that experienced at least one data breach last year.

Stress is again the most likely ramification: a third 30% of administrators fell into much more stress than they would usually, regardless if they were working in a big enterprise with advanced incident response practices, or in a medium-sized business without a dedicated IT security department.

Trend Micro has released new data on cybercriminal operations and patterns for buying and selling goods and services in the underground. Trust has eroded among criminal interactions, causing a switch to e-commerce platforms and communication using Discord, which both increase user anonymisation. The report reveals that determined efforts by law enforcement appear to be having an impact on the cybercrime underground. Several forums have been taken down by global police entities, and remaining forums experience persistent DDoS attacks and log-in problems impacting their usefulness.

Loss of trust led to the creation of a new site, called DarkNet Trust, which was created to verify vendors’ and increase user anonymity. Other underground markets have launched new security measures, such as direct buyer-to-vendor payments, multi-signatures for cryptocurrency transactions, encrypted messaging, and a ban on JavaScript.

The report also reveals the changing market trends for cybercrime products and services since 2015.

Commoditisation has driven prices down for many items. For example, crypting services fell from $1,000 to just $20 per month, while the price of generic botnets dropped from $200 to $5 per day. Pricing for other items, including ransomware, Remote Access Trojans, online account credentials and spam services, remained stable, which indicates continued demand.

However, Trend Micro Research has seen high demand for other services, such as IoT botnets, with new undetected malware variants selling for as much as $5,000. Also popular are fake news and cyberpropaganda services, with voter databases selling for hundreds of dollars, and gaming accounts for games like Fortnite can fetch around $1,000 on average.

Trends in underground marketplaces will likely shift further in the months following the global Covid-19 pandemic, as attack opportunities continue to evolve.

To protect against the ever-changing threat landscape, Trend Micro recommends a multi-layered defence approach to protect against the latest threats and mitigate corporate security risk.

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SECURITY NEWS

McAfee reports sharp rise in attacks on corporate cloud accounts

McAfee has released a new research study titled Cloud Adoption and Risk Report, Workfrom-Home Edition. The report uncovers a correlation between the increased use of cloud services and collaboration tools, such as Cisco WebEx, Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Slack during the Covid-19 pandemic, along with an increase in cyber-attacks targeting the cloud.

Based on anonymised and aggregated data from more than 30 million McAfee MVISION Cloud users worldwide between January and April, the report reveals significant and potentially long-lasting trends that include an increase in the use of cloud services, access from unmanaged devices and the rise of cloud-native threats. These trends emphasise the need for new security delivery models in the distributed work-from-home environment of today and likely the future.

In the time surveyed, overall enterprise adoption of cloud services spiked by 50%,

including industries such as manufacturing and financial services that typically rely on legacy on-premises applications, networking and security more than others. Use of cloud collaboration tools increased by up to 600%, with the education sector seeing the most growth as more students are required to adopt distance learning practices.

Threat events from external actors increased by 630% over the same period. Most of these external attacks targeted collaboration services like Microsoft 365, and were large-scale attempts to access cloud accounts with stolen credentials. Insider threats remained the same, indicating that working from home has not negatively influenced employee loyalty.

Access to the cloud by unmanaged, personal devices doubled, adding another layer of risk for security professionals working to keep their data secure in the cloud.

With cloud-native threats increasing in

RAJIV GUPTA, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, CLOUD SECURITY, MCAFEE.

step with cloud adoption, all industries need to evaluate their security posture to protect against account takeover and data exfiltration.

Companies need to safeguard against threat actors attempting to exploit weaknesses in their cloud deployments.

Infoblox says DNS evolution is critical to 5G adoption

Infoblox has announced new research that identifies the challenges Communication Service Providers, CSPs, face in transitioning to distributed cloud models, as well as the use cases for multi-access edge computing, 5G New Radio, and 5G Next Generation Core networks.

The report, titled DNS and the Edge: The Evolution will be distributed was conducted by Heavy Reading and surveyed communication service providers around world to understand the role that DNS plays in the evolution of these cloud-based network models.

DNS is a critical element to these new network architectures and technologies, enabling devices to access the network securely and reliably. And as 5G NR, NGC, and MEC technologies enable faster, more distributed networks with significantly more connected devices, DNS will need to be increasingly automated and operate at greater scale and with greater flexibility.

Yet, despite the importance of DNS to the reliable functioning of these networks, the survey found that few CSPs believe that their DNS is currently capable of supporting MEC or 5G NEC. To meet this need, networks will need to leverage the benefits of distributed DNS technology that can enable network managers to meet users where they are—at the network edge.

Other key findings of the survey include: l CSPs consider DNS to be critical to the adoption of next-generation network technologies like 5G, 71%, cloud-based managed security services, 66%, and MEC, 63%. l More than one third of CSPs surveyed plan to implement MEC, 36%, 5G, 35%, and NEC, 35%, in the next 12-18 months. l Despite this, the lack of a mature vendor solution ranks as the largest obstacle these providers face in MEC, 36%, 5G NR, 46%, and 5G NEC, 39%, deployments.

The CSPs surveyed included companies that represent all aspects of the industry; the largest groups were converged operators, 46% of respondents, mobile operators, 26%, and fixed-line and cable operators, 10% each.

DILIP PILLAIPAKAM, VICE PRESIDENT AND GM OF SERVICE PROVIDER BUSINESS AT INFOBLOX.

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SECURITY NEWS

Valak contains a fileless stage in which it uses the registry to store different components, it collects user, machine, and network information from infected hosts, can check the geo-location of the victim’s machine and take screenshots of infected machines.

OTHER KEY FINDINGS: Targeting enterprises: More recent versions of Valak target Microsoft Exchange servers to steal enterprise mailing information and passwords along with the enterprise certificate. This has the potential to access critical enterprise accounts, causing damage to organisations, brand degradation, and ultimately a loss of consumer trust. l Rich modular architecture: Valak’s basic capabilities are extended with a number of plugin components for reconnaissance and information stealing. l Fast development cycles: Valak has evolved from a loader to a sophisticated, multi-stage modular malware that collects plugins from its C2 server to expand its capabilities. The Cybereason Nocturnus team has observed over 30 different versions in about six months. l Designed for stealth: Valak uses advanced evasive techniques like ADS and hiding components in the registry. In addition, over time the developers of Valak chose to abandon using PowerShell, which can be detected and prevented by modern security products. l

Cybereason warns Valak malware is a sophisticated threat Cybereason has unveiled new research from its Nocturnus Research team. Titled Valak: More than Meets the Eye, the report is an investigation into an info stealing, data siphoning malware hitting hundreds of enterprises in the United States and Germany. The sophisticated malware, discovered in late 2019, collects and steals sensitive information from the Microsoft

Exchange mail system, including credentials and the domain certificate and uses evasive techniques to avoid detection and has evolved from being a malware loader into an information stealer.

To date, more than 30 versions of the malware have been found, revealing tremendous improvements in a very short period of time.

Fortinet sees major demand for its SD-WAN solution

Fortinet has announced continued momentum with network service providers who have chosen to leverage Fortinet Secure SD-WAN to scale and grow their business, deliver new value-added services, and limit overhead. With the recent increase in remote workforces, network service providers are facing unprecedented demand for highly scalable VPN service offerings.

Additionally, as the SD-WAN market has matured, these same SPs are beginning to offer security services as new customer demands and deployment efficiency call for advanced and integrated security. In fact, all participating service providers in a recent Metro Ethernet Forum, MEF, survey identified security as an essential value-added service they were either planning to offer or have already started offering on top of their SD-WAN solution.

With advanced routing, security and SD-WAN functionality in a single solution, Fortinet Secure SD-WAN has emerged as a top choice for network service providers to offer new and differentiated value-added services to their customers. Heightened by one of the broadest API ecosystems in the industry, Fortinet enables service providers to customise highly scalable secure SD-WAN services that can be quickly added to their offerings and easily deployed at customer sites.

Fortinet’s security-driven networking approach to SD-WAN empowers service providers with the ability to deliver highly scalable VPN services for business continuity. This approach also gives SPs the ability to build a complete security services platform with next-generation firewall capabilities such as web filtering, anti-malware, and threat protection, including deep SSL inspection, and even further expand to SD-Branch for complete consolidation of branch services.

Fortinet’s flagship operating system. FortiOS 6.4 includes advanced SD-WAN orchestration capabilities, automated NOC with advanced monitoring, and advanced analytics to help service providers offer additional value to end customers. Fortinet also continues to be an active member of MEF and shares its dedication to facilitating the adoption of assured services orchestrated across global networks and helping define SD-WAN services standards.

JOHN MADDISON, EVP OF PRODUCTS AND CMO AT FORTINET.

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SECURITY NEWS

Vectra integrates network threat detection with Microsoft services Vectra AI has announced deep product integration with Microsoft Defender Advanced Threat Protection and Microsoft Azure Sentinel to elevate Vectra’s unique NDR detections to the Microsoft security platform in the Security Operations Centre, enabling more capability to prevent attackers from establishing footholds across enterprise networks.

Vectra has also been invited to become a member of The Microsoft Intelligent Security Association; an ecosystem of independent software vendors purpose-built to defend against increasing cyber threats. A model of modern security operations, the SOC visibility triad, anchored by Vectra’s NDR platform, provides organisations with full visibility into the threats that face their network from cloud to ground.

Since inception, Vectra has been committed to amplifying the efficiency of existing teams by combining data science and security research to detect and triage attacker behaviours. With Vectra’s open platform and rich technology ecosystem, security operations teams experience reduced workload, deeper context, and faster, more accurate response by leveraging tools they already know and prefer.

Customer benefits of Vectra Integration with Microsoft Defender ATP include: l Close the network visibility gaps by combining Vectra’s full 360-degree aerial view of interactions on all your networks with the in-depth groundlevel view. l Enrich the high-fidelity Vectra detections

SCOTT CASSITY, MANAGING DIRECTOR, GIAC CERTIFICATIONS.

with deep process-level host-context from, giving professionals the information needed to pinpoint attackers. l Block and isolate attackers, not resources. Take surgical and immediate enforcement actions from Vectra closer to the source.

Customer benefits of Vectra Integration with Microsoft Azure Sentinel include: l Bring the Vectra high fidelity behavioural detections straight to your Sentinel Workbook for immediate attention with direct links into the Vectra UI for deeper analysis. l Automate incidents in Azure Sentinel based on configurable threat and certainty score thresholds from Vectra. l Perform forensic analysis on incidents to identify devices, accounts, and attackers involved.

Leverage Vectra threat intelligence feed to proactively prevent future attacks.

GIAC, ProctorU offer remote cybersecurity certification exams

GIAC Certifications recognises the significant role that technology is playing in all our lives at this unique point in time. The Covid-19 pandemic has caused disruptions around the world, including the mandatory closure of testing centres.

Adapting to this new normal, GIAC today announced its partnership with ProctorU, a well-known and trusted exam delivery service, to offer remote exam delivery.

Customers can take their GIAC Certification exams remotely, proctored from wherever they are. With SANS Institute also now offering 100% online training via its OnDemand and new Live Online platforms, GIAC’s launch of remote proctoring means our customer community can now train and certify from any location, at any time after scheduling.

GIAC is committed to delivering the same quality, high-value exams and outcomes that our customers and community expects. With remote proctoring, GIAC is able to provide a safe environment for customers to thoroughly prepare for and take a GIAC exam.

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SANS offers courses to support cyber security education

NED BALTAGI, MANAGING DIRECTOR, MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA, SANS INSTITUTE.

The SANS Institute has announced that users can avail the advantages of SANS Flexi-Passuntil June 30th, 2020 upon purchasing the firm’s cybersecurity courses.

This includes benefits such as complimentary GIAC Certification Attempt, 6-month NetWars continuous training experience and Electronic courseware.

Users also get full access to all of the different training formats SANS has to offer.

Students can conveniently opt to study at their own pace, interact with world class instructors virtually or even hone their skills with hands-on labs and rich cyber ranges.

As classroom-based trainings are currently on hold until after September 1st, SANS has put together a package to support the growing demand for cybersecurity education and to encourage technology experts on the frontlines at customer organisations to sharpen their skills and keep abreast of the times. This will empower them to secure their firms against the rising number of Covid-19-themed cyber-attacks including phishing, ransomware, loaders, DDoS-attacks and so on.

SANS has recently identified a 30% increase in attacker interest in Remote Desktop Protocol servers during the month of March 2020. This increase coincides with a significant increase in exposed RDP servers, as measured by Shodan, the search engine that allows users to search the internet for connected devices.

COVER STORY

HPE ARUBA, WIPRO

IS YOUR TECHNOLOGY READY FOR THE

POST PANDEMIC WORKPLACE As workforces return to office in the post pandemic phase, rules of engagement between enterprises, vendors, global system integrators are positively changing.

Purushotam Savlani Wipro

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Jacob Chacko HPE Aruba

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COVER STORY

BY ARUN SHANKAR

T

he onslaught of the pandemic has spared no one. Even organisations that had a business continuity plan in place have been impacted, and the past few months have shown that merely having such a fall back plan is not sufficient to withstand such events like the global pandemic. Yet some organisations have been able to adapt faster than others, maintaining their financial position.

“Only the skillful disruptors or adopters, especially in the digital economy, are emerging stronger,” says Jacob Chacko, Regional Business Head, Middle East, Saudi and South Africa at HPE Aruba. “From a learning point of view, one thing which comes to my mind is irrespective of your size of the organisation, you need to be agile. You need to be prepared for the worst and you need to take your learnings across.”

Aruba as an organisation has always been a strong disruptor, and has brought new technologies into the global market place. Chacko points out that Aruba, as a technology solution provider, has learnt from previous disruptions on the global landscape. But alongside, Aruba has been an advocate of providing the choice of technology to the customer. “We learnt that our customers need to be given a choice.”

The pandemic has tested organisations in terms of their preparedness for uncertainties and unpredictability, which came across without any warning. Having accepted the disruptive nature of the pandemic, organisations have also worked relentlessly to protect their most important assets, that is employees.

“Work from home, the ability to transform, and speed of transformation, have been some of the key success factors for organisations,” says Purushotam Savlani, General Manager and Business Head, Middle East, Cloud Infrastructure Services at Wipro Limited.

For global system integration partner Wipro, Aruba’s digital transformation solution built on cloud automation and backed up by Aruba’s security framework, are being used to build agility and robustness of enterprises in the post pandemic workplace. Aruba’s cloud based remote access and virtual private network solution, help to rebuild an office like experience, from remote locations like a worker’s home.

Wipro’s Savlani adds that, along with the right solution to help them transform, regional enterprises have also found that it is important for them to have an IT partner who can help them navigate the digital journey. “For global system integration partners like us, it is important that we empathise with the customer’s business need and become a trusted partner and an agent of change for them.”

INTO THE POST PANDEMIC MONTHS AHEAD In this post pandemic phase, the need to survive is creating a pressure cooker kind of effect, boosting digital transformation regionally. This is especially so in the healthcare and education market segments. “They

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COVER STORY

JACOB CHACKO,

Regional Business Head, Middle East, Saudi and South Africa at HPE Aruba.

What we are going to see is an amalgamation of how we used to work and how we are going to work. n The lockdown months have given regional enterprises sufficient time to think ahead and plan for changes. n While discussions with vendors may not name technologies required, the business outcomes that need to be delivered are usually clear. n Customers know exactly what is the outcome they want and journey for that outcome. n Vendors and channel partners are likely to experience a sense of urgency amongst end customers. n Digital transformation is happening and it is happening at a very fast pace. n

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are adopting this change much faster than I would have ever imagined. There are a lot of discussions that we are having in the Middle East with customers from healthcare and the education segment, where I did not see that push before,” says Aruba’s Chacko. “They are preparing themselves for the post pandemic era, which I would call as the new normal.”

As a vendor aligned with regional enterprises in driving digital transformation adoption, Aruba has put a lot of focus on solutions for the education, healthcare and hospitality market segments. “What we are going to see in the post pandemic months ahead is an amalgamation of how we used to work before and how we are going to work in the new normal,” adds Chacko. “Digital transformation will pick up and customers are really looking for it. But yes, in the sectors where it now impacts the most.”

The pandemic has triggered a lot of interest in the latest digital technologies, according to Wipro’s Savlani. The onslaught of the pandemic has made IT decision makers realise the need to be agile and flexible, that can help them remain relevant in the market and build resiliency for the future.

“Since agility and flexibility are key characteristics of digital technologies, hence it makes sense to say that the pandemic has really accelerated the need for digital adoption and customers realise that,” adds Savlani. “It is also making end customers re-look at their investments and delivery models.”

Aruba’s Chacko feels that the lockdown months have given regional enterprises sufficient time to think ahead and plan for changes in the post pandemic workplace.

“Most of the people were working from home during this lockdown, and there were a lot of minds thinking on this aspect. We have been talking about a contactless everything, but I think going forward, it is going to become a hybrid world. Customers are thinking about it and gearing up for it - they know exactly what they need to do. Technology providers like Aruba and Wipro are coming together to provide solutions to customers,” he says.

FOCUS ON BUSINESS OUTCOMES NOT TECHNOLOGIES In the post pandemic world, multiple technologies and multiple ecosystems may come into play. And while discussions with vendors

COVER STORY

PURUSHOTAM SAVLANI,

General Manager and Business Head, Middle East, Cloud Infrastructure Services, Wipro Limited.

Work from home, ability to transform, speed of transformation, have been some of the key success factors. n The onslaught of the pandemic has made IT decision makers realise the need to be agile and flexible. n Both end users and global system integrators have been talking about service level agreements, stitched to business. “ n With the pandemic we have seen client acceptability to offshoring has gone up. n Consolidation of vendors in large regional enterprises is another area where Wipro is seeing a change. n

may not specifically name the technologies required, the business outcomes that need to be delivered are usually clear, feels Aruba’s Chacko. “I expect my customer to know exactly what is the outcome that they want, and the journey for that outcome. I think it is a joint responsibility between the customer and a partner like Wipro and technology vendors like Aruba.”

Delivering a business outcome, in other words requires a diverse ecosystem of vendor with a global system integrator to stitch together technology components. Global system integrators are finally responsible for delivering the business outcome to the end customer.

“There are a lot of ecosystem partners, that need to be bought together to make a solution work. The strength of Aruba comes from the fact that we have an open platform. This is where Wipro comes in and builds the whole solution for the customer,” explains Chacko.

“Business outcomes and service level agreements are married together,” points out Karthikeyan Gunasekar, Category Lead, Wireless and SD-WAN, EMEA at HPE Aruba.

A business outcome specified and desired by an end customer is transformed into a service level agreement. It is for this reason, “A service level agreement is always a business outcome,” continues Gunasekar.

“What really matters is a customer’s business outcome and how we are going to make that into a service level agreement. That is how we really approach customers. It is all tailor made,” he continues.

Focusing on business outcomes is not something new, according to Wipro’s Savlani.

Both end users and global system integrators like Wipro have been talking about service level agreements, stitched to business. “ Customers do not see technology. What they see are the outcomes of technology that impacts their businesses,” he explains. “In the past also, service level agreements have been structured in such a manner, that uptime of services, in reality drives and enables business outcomes.”

HAS PANDEMIC BROUGHT NEW LIFE INTO SLAS? None of this is really changing in the post pandemic world, while organisations are preparing to go back to work. But as time

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COVER STORY

KARTHIKEYAN GUNASEKAR,

Category Lead, Wireless and SD-WAN, EMEA at HPE Aruba.

Business outcomes and service level agreements are married together. n A service level agreement is always a business outcome n Technology is not going to change. n It is how we make technology a valuable part of an organisation. n Cloud is a major thing and that is where the market is. n We are pushing our whole solution towards the cloud era and cloud native solutions. n Aruba’s technology vision in the post pandemic workplace can be described as connect, protect and monitor. n

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goes by, end customers may become more sensitive to disruptions and how service level agreements from global system integrators can work to sustain business outcomes, through pandemic like events.

Prasanth Unnikrishnan, Pre-Sales Manager for Cloud and Infrastructure Services, Middle East, Wipro, also clarifies that service level agreements covering business outcomes have been around for some time, but with a relatively lower level of adoption and emphasis.

In the post pandemic phase, this is starting to change. Since technology has always been the enabler for service level agreements, it has come into the spotlight overnight and is now attracting attention as well.

“Now that these times are tough for all of us, the emphasis on business level agreements like end user experience, has gained more momentum,” reflects Unnikrishnan. “Although the technological levers are the same, and will not change, it is for this reason, that the adoption rate for some of the technologies like cloud and analytics, will see a greater emphasis as we move forward,” adds Unnikrishnan.

In addition to specifying business deliverables in their expected outcomes, Wipro’s Savlani points out that end users are aligning better with global system integrators, who have much better experience to navigate the current crises. Traditionally regional enterprises with large operations used to rely on their in-house IT departments to pull them through their day to day operations. “Now, what we are seeing is, because of the disruption that has happened, they realise this is better done by service providers like Wipro,” says Savlani.

ROLE OF GLOBAL SYSTEM INTEGRATORS Global system integrators have the right processes, right tools and right experience to enable enterprises, and to ensure that their day to day work is not affected. “I would say it is a matter of the three of us, the technology partner, service provider, and the end customer talking about the business challenges and then coming up with the solution,” adds Wipro’s Savlani.

Another change that is happening in the region, to align with the new normal of business transformation in the post-pandemic world, is end user acceptability in moving to new and innovative ways of consuming IT. While the technology ecosystem including

COVER STORY

PRASANTH UNNIKRISHNAN,

Pre-Sales Manager for Cloud and Infrastructure Services, Middle East, Wipro Limited.

Service level agreements covering business outcomes have been around for some time, but with a relatively lower level of adoption and emphasis. n Now that these times are tough for all of us, the emphasis on business level agreements like end user experience, has gained more momentum. n The technological levers are the same, and will not change. n The adoption rate for some of the technologies like cloud and analytics, will see a greater emphasis as we move forward. n There have been instances where we have challenged the existing process in place to make it more streamlined. n

vendors and global system integration partners, are under pressure to deliver, end users in the region are increasingly becoming more flexible in adopting agile ways of consuming technology.

Outsourcing and offshoring, an acceptable way of mitigating IT costs in the West, were usually met with lukewarm interest in this region prior to the pandemic. In the West, according to Savlani, offshoring is to the tune of around 85%, while in the Middle East it used to be around 35%. “But with the pandemic we have seen client acceptability to offshoring has gone up.”

Consolidation of vendors in large regional enterprises is another area where Wipro’s Savlani is seeing a change. This is also driving the regional move towards outsourcing and offshoring. Regional enterprises have realised the inevitable need to transform and bring on board the right IT partner, to help them in their journey of transformation.

In order to meet end user expectations, as they upscale operations and adjust to the new normal, a new approach is necessary.

“We are approaching the same set of customers obviously, since our customers have not changed. But we are changing the dialogue we are having with customers and with channel partners,” says Aruba’s Chacko.

NEW APPROACH BY VENDORS AND GLOBAL SYSTEM INTEGRATORS Moving forward into the new normal, both vendors and channel partners are likely to experience a sense of urgency amongst their end customers. This sense of urgency is driven by business and use cases with a high level of expectation, according to Aruba’s Chacko.

“One of our healthcare customers wanted to convert a ship into a hospital, overnight. And we had to get the whole thing up and running in two or three days,” he points out. On the other hand, upgrading a customer’s system infrastructure may not carry that same level of urgency.

Inside the new normal, Aruba’s Gunasekar does not expect the vendor’s technology solution portfolio to change. He points out that Aruba’s portfolio is adaptive, is scalable and follows open standards, and can be tailor made to fit into any solution that a channel partner wants.

“Technology is not going to change. It is

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COVER STORY

GLOBAL SIS AND END CUSTOMERS IN THE POST PANDEMIC WORKPLACE Aruba’s Chacko recommends the following guidelines as global system integrators engage with end users in the post pandemic workplace. #1 How does the end user define the new normal, understand the new normal from the customer’s point of view #2 Select a specific vertical market segment, including healthcare and education, understand the challenges inside the domain #3 Build specific solutions best suited for that market segment, specifically for healthcare and education #4 Build up the use case most suited for that specific customer, the new normal is creating unique uses cases #5 Use cases built up to manage the new normal, can be shared and reused, amongst other end customers as well #6 Along with the end users, identify the business outcomes that need to be delivered, and drive them through solutions developed

ARUBA’S TECHNOLOGY VISION IN THE POST PANDEMIC WORKPLACE Aruba’s technology vision in the post pandemic workplace can be described as connect, protect and monitor. With work forces distributed at multiples places and customers increasingly making online purchases, connectivity has become the fundamental backbone of existence in the post pandemic world of existence. With all types of end points being deployed and accessed on the network at the same time, the scalability of both the network and security frameworks are being stretched to the limit.

Monitoring and management of the connected network has therefore also become critical. Aruba’s Gunasekar indicates that Aruba’s platform provides complete visibility of which end points are on the network; the bandwidth being consumed; what are the security protocols in play around the device; and the types of processes that are happening. “This is a complete insight, a 360-degree view, even while sitting in one corner of the world,” he remarks.

With enterprises re-looking at their back to work strategies, technologies like cloud, VDI, SD-WAN, automation, that were low in adoption have started picking up traction. For now, the benefits of public cloud out-weight the benefits of on-premises applications hosted in enterprise data centres. Pay as you grow, cyber security frameworks, robotic process automation, digital workplaces, and business continuity, have become overnight buzzwords, in this post pandemic phase.

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how we adapt and how we make that a valuable part of a customer’s day to day organisation,” continues Gunasekar. Aruba has also made its technology into a zero-touch provisioning solution for end users. Since the end user is not an IT expert, the solution is more like a plug and play tool. Zero touch provisioning also helps to reduce the downtime and makes the service level agreement more robust.

A key technology that is helping to meet end user expectations of urgency in the post pandemic phase is cloud. If a ship needs to be converted into a hospital, in the absence of hardware, this can be done by activating virtual machines and virtual private networks in the cloud.

Cloud makes the solution robust, offers a central point of control, gives visibility, and is fast.

“Cloud is a major thing and that is where the market is. We are pushing our whole solution towards that cloud era and cloud native solution,” emphasises Aruba’s Gunasekar, “We are already finding customers are going to crash down the time to deliver. Going forward, the expectations are only going to go up and that definitely puts pressure on us. We need to ensure that we have our resources aligned to meet this kind of expectation,” adds Wipro’s Savlani.

“Cloud, definitely is an enabler in terms of crashing down the time to provision a virtual machine, rather than having infrastructure enabled at their end. There is a huge amount of difference and time to market gets factored in,” continues Savlani.

Crashing down the delivery time was not possible, till just a few years back, when in the traditional way, hardware had to be procured with a lead time and then those systems had to be deployed. This challenge has now been eased with the adoption of cloud, bringing with it, agility.

Acceptance by regional end users of the usage of offshore delivery centers, captive development centers, and factory-based delivery models, in return for the quickest delivery span, is also helping global system integrators meet end user expectations, reducing the buildup of pressure at both ends. Wipro’s Unnikrishnan also points out, “There have been instances where we have challenged the existing process in place to make it more streamlined in order to deliver this service as quickly as possible.”

FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES POST PANDEMIC In the near future, markets are going to have their share of opportunities and challenges. A number of factors are at play here, according to Aruba’s Chacko. “Digital transformation is happening and it is happening at a very fast pace. Processes are changing because business wants to cut costs and become leaner and meaner. Government regulations are also making it conducive, for example in tele-medicine.”

Wipro’s Savlani, points to another set of driving factors in the overall equation. Due to the disrupted nature of the workplace forcing both offsite and onsite workers to continuously collaborate, the consumption of IT is going to soar. To meet those demand levels both the consumption model of IT services and the delivery model of IT services will continue to change.

In addition, due to continuous disruption in the market, vendor Aruba and global system integration partner Wipro, will go through higher levels of collaboration and alignment, with each other.

However, the final caveat, according to Chacko, and a principal driver, across the complete span of transformation, is changing consumer behavior at the end points. And this is the driving vision for Aruba and Wipro to take strategic positions across the regional market, to meet and deliver end user expectations. ë

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CHANNEL STREET

CYBER INSURANCE

When global reinsurance player Munich Re, signed up with Help AG to become its incident response partner, ability to manage a crisis situation was a decisive factor.

BY ARUN SHANKAR

A

bout a year ago, Munich Re, global provider of insurance-related risk solutions, approached Help AG, a leading security solutions and services provider, to explore the possibility of a partnership centered around Help AG’s incident response services. On discussion with Munich Re, Help AG realised there was an alignment between itself and reinsurance companies such as Munich Re, wanting to support organisations in UAE and in the region in the event of a cyberattack. A year ahead, Help AG is now operating the incident response, coordination and management service for insured parties, on behalf of Munich Re. Since it was founded in 1880, Munich Re has been known for its risk-related expertise and its financial position. The Group is playing a key role in driving forward the digital transformation of the insurance industry, and in doing so has further expanded its ability to assess

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risks and the range of services that it offers. Its tailor-made solutions and close proximity to customers make Munich Re one of the world’s most sought-after risk partners for businesses, institutions, and private individuals.

Today, Munich Re has 120+ cyber colleagues who are working worldwide with its customers on various cyber solutions. Munich Re started more than 20 years ago to develop cyber insurance solutions in the US. “We can be really proud to call ourselves the leading cyber insurance solution provider with a global market share of about 10%,” says Marco Petrovic, Head of Cyber Middle East, Africa, and Australasia at Munich Re. As part of its market shaping strategy, and to be a driving force in developing the maturity of the cyber insurance industry, Munich Re is talking to the regulators and stakeholder of the insurance industry. In terms of client enabling, Munich Re is partnering with leading cyber

security solution specialists like Help AG, and training and helping local insurance companies in the co-creation of products and development of its network. The way cyber insurance works is different from the rest of insurance coverages - it is not just about the payout mechanism and capacity but is a lot about the service component attached to it.

Other than working with specialised cyber security solution providers like Help AG, Munich Re’s strategy is also to work with local insurance companies to launch new products for most of them. “It is the first time they would develop with our consulting, an insurance product for cyber risks in the commercial space,” says Rupert Wimmer, Senior Cyber Network Manager, Munich Re. The choice of a local partner can include, smaller companies in various sectors all the way to large conglomerates, industrial, financial services, transportation, hospitals all these

CHANNEL STREET

SIMON WILLGOSS, HEAD OF MANAGED SECURITY SERVICES, HELP AG. If they are cyber insurance customers, you will see that the cyber insurance workflow kicks in. n We have a defined way of managing, handling and coordinating across any insured parties that call in. n Our goal is to eradicate and recover the services back to a steady state, a known good state, and then close out the activity with a detailed report. n We have seen an increased need and demand for hands and feet on the ground, that is technical expertise for incident response. n The skills required for incident response are extremely hard to come by. n

kinds of businesses. For Munich Re, Middle East is one of its strategic markets, where cyber insurance will become more prominent.

ENTRY OF MUNICH RE In 2018-19, Munich Re decided to invest and build a support network in the Middle East to help insured companies in the event of a cyberattack. The objectives of such a network are three-fold for the benefit of insured companies. # The first and most important objective is to rapidly resolve the cyberattack and help the insured company get back to normal as closely and as quickly as possible. # The second objective is to help the com-

pany under cyberattack to pull through the negative consequences and experiences of the crisis situation. The local insurance company that has insured the business under cyberattack, must be seen as providing support and guiding the business through the crisis. This is a value-add service by the local insurance company, under the training and guidance from Munich Re. # The third objective is to help the insured company be in a better place after the cyberattack, so that the cyberattack does not happen again. For this, the presence of a cyber security solution provider, specialised in incident response is fundamental.

It is for this reason that Munich Re is selective about its local and regional cybersecurity solution partners, who provide the highly specialised, incident response and forensic services. “We look out for the best, and we could see that Help AG was well entrenched in security services,” remarks Wimmer.

After appointing Abu Dhabi National Insurance Company, as its first insurance partner in the UAE, Munich Re is now expanding to other countries in the Middle East. These include Saudi Arabia, Oman, Lebanon, amongst others. Help AG remains its incident response partner inside UAE and other countries, wherever Munich Re chooses to appoint an in-country primary insurance partner. With Munich Re expanding to other countries in the Middle East, through its partnership with Help AG, it is able to leverage Help AG’s presence in those countries as well.

The general public is well aware of traditional insurance policies covering accidents and incidents. But in the case of cyber insurance, most of the insurance companies themselves, are just beginning their journey into cyber insurance, and are not experienced enough to manage incidents that impact the insured company and their potential insured loss.

“As cyber insurer, you need a blended skill set. In addition, we believe it is the best way when customers can directly call a professional service provider, that is helping insurance companies to deal with such incidents when they happen,” says Petrovic.

HOW CYBER INSURANCE WORKS Whenever a company, regardless of its size, signs up for a cyber insurance policy with a local insurance company which is backed by

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CHANNEL STREET

STEPHAN BERNER, CEO HELP AG. We are talking about the triple B - business to business to business concept. n You have a technical incident response; you have the legal aspect; and you have the public relations aspect. n Our role is pretty much taking care of the incident response. n It is quite fair to say, in a situation of crisis and emergency, effective incident response replaces the chaos with calm. n I think that is extremely important because only after the containment, you can actually destroy the malicious code or the parasite. n

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Munich Re, the service promise from Help Ag is included in the policy. The insured company is also notified about how to contact Help AG during a crisis or an attack and a checklist of recommended actions.

During an actual attack, the head of risk management of the insured company first contacts Help AG. The 24x7 managed security services team of Help AG receives the call and assesses the nature of the attack. The Help AG team will validate that it is an insured company of a local insurance company which is backed

by Munich Re, following which Help AG will further activate a classical incident response.

The managed security services team will also advise the insured company how to contain

the incident, while awaiting incident responders from Help AG, to begin their response.

Finally, the forensic experts of Help AG will do the remote or on-site detailed forensic investigation, recovery and remediation. The response to a cyberattack also includes availability of legal experts and crisis management public relation firms, to support the insured company, if it seeks to access such services.

“If they are cyber insurance customers, you will see that the cyber insurance workflow kicks in. We have a defined way of managing, handling and coordinating across any insured parties that call in. Our goal is to eradicate and recover the services back to a steady state, a known good state, and then close out the activity with a detailed report,” elaborates Help AG’s Simon Willgoss, Head of Managed Security Services.

In this way, Help AG is at the centre of the incident response for the benefit of the insured customer who has been impacted, along with the rest of the supporting partners. With Help AG managing the suitability of the response, the end to end service is expected to be seamless for the insured customer. This is through the incident response, coordination and management service managed by Help AG. Stephan Berner, CEO Help AG, describes the uniqueness of the cyber insurance solution further. “We are talking about the triple B business to business to business concept. You have a technical incident response; you have the legal aspect; and you have the public relations aspect.” This triage of services is meant to cover not just financial losses but also other areas such as loss of intellectual property and classified information, business continuity, and safety, amongst other areas.

“Our role is pretty much taking care of the incident response. It is quite fair to say, in a situation of crisis and emergency, effective incident response replaces the chaos with calm,” says Berner. “I think that is extremely important because only after the containment, you can actually destroy the malicious code or the parasite.”

Adds Munich Re’s Petrovic, “Cyberattacks are on the rise and for many victims that experience this the first time, it can be devastating. The support of an experienced team, which knows each other, and which are ready to act fast is extremely important to get back to normal. What all entrepreneurs or Boards want, is getting back to normal and getting out of this crisis situation.”

CHANNEL STREET

MARCO PETROVIC, HEAD OF CYBER MIDDLE EAST, AFRICA, AND AUSTRALASIA, MUNICH RE. As cyber insurer, you need a blended skill set. n We can be really proud to call ourselves the leading cyber insurance solution provider with a global market share of about 10%. n We believe it is the best way when customers can directly call a professional service provider, that is helping insurance companies to deal with incidents. n Cyberattacks are on the rise and for many victims that experience this the first time, it can be devastating. n The support of an experienced team, which knows each other, and which are ready to act fast is extremely important to get back to normal. n What all entrepreneurs or Boards want, is getting back to normal and getting out of this crisis situation. n

INCIDENT RESPONSE AND HELP AG A key activity of Help AG has been to develop its incident response services. Says Willgoss, “We have seen an increased need and demand for hands and feet on the ground, that is technical expertise for incident response.

The skills required for incident response are extremely hard to come by.” Incident response services are perceived to be a mystery by end customers and by the general public as well.

The reality is that the skills required to be an incident responder are very niche and very specialised as well.

An incident responder needs to be a consultant, an analyst, and a technical expert, able to

create tools and adapt to a changing landscape that may change minute to minute. Help AG has seen a continuing demand for incident response services, as well as for the people that hold them.

In January this year, Help AG announced that it had launched a new incident response and forensics service. The service empowers security teams to shorten the time taken for identification, response and remediation in case of incidents involving cyber-attacks, data leakage and service disruption. The Help AG team will work to identify and provide measures to address the root cause of the incident, helping to prevent reoccurrence of the threat.

An addition to Help AG’s managed security services portfolio, the new incident response and forensic service will be delivered by experts with over ten years of experience in cybersecurity. Help AG will assign and dispatch an incident response expert, in the shortest possible time, to work with the customer to conduct analysis and evaluation of the security incident or suspected compromise, up to the identification of root cause. This expertise has been validated by Frost & Sullivan which presented the Help AG with its prestigious, UAE Managed Security Services Provider Company of the Year award.

Help AG has now established two specific services around its incident response capabilities. # The first service provided by Help AG is called, incident response, coordination and management. This is an overlay, an always-on service, which integrates with other services in Help AG’s portfolio. This is the face of Help AG’s incident response with other entities as well, specifically Munich Re. Incident response, coordination and management, is a way for Help AG to coordinate between itself, end customers and reinsurers like Munich Re, when there is an incident. # The second service provided by Help AG is called the incident response technical service or forensic services. This is an on-demand, immediate support service, that is delivered either remotely or on-site to the end customer, based on accepted service level agreements. The second service seeks to identify the incident, contain the incident, make recommendations, support the remediation and eradication of the threat actor.

“These two services have evolved, expanded and form the core or the foundation of the services we provide to insurance companies,” sums up Willgoss. ë

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INNOVATION

(Left to right) l l l

Adil Baghir, A10 Networks l Adrian Castillero, BCG l Alain Kaddoum, Swisslog l Ayman Al Shaikh, Red Hat Fawwaz Qadan, Blue Prism l Milan Sheth, Automation Anywhere l Mohammad Jamal Tabbara, Infoblox MS Prakash, Emerson Automation Solutions l Said Zantout, Ericsson l Sherif Aziz, Mambu.

BUSINESS AUTOMATION

IS A LOGICAL STEP POST-COVID As businesses grapple with the new normal and hybrid workplace, adopting and accelerating automation is the next logical step.

INNOVATION

A10 NETWORKS

AUTOMATING SECURITY AND DYNAMIC WORKLOAD SCALING

It is critical that infrastructures employ automation and cross-infrastructure visibility via a Polynimbus secure application services strategy.

A

10 Networks is in the midst of a global event such as we have not seen in recent memory. It is requiring all of us to retool, revamp and readjust again and again. It is a time to re-evaluate your critical infrastructure and security practices to ensure they are fortified to the level required for the network traffic and cyberattacks we are experiencing and will continue to experience in the months ahead.

We are not dealing with the more anticipated worldwide spikes in Internet use caused by the World Cup or the Olympics for which service providers can plan. In fact, streaming services are being asked to throttle their services back so the Internet does not break now that consumers are not only home working but home gaming and watching programs.

And business services like video conferencing and SaaS applications are experiencing unprecedented use for work, school work and connecting with others.

For businesses facing these issues, it is critical that their application services can meet the new levels of demand. Can you handle peak loads or does infrastructure need to be upgraded? Can cloud-bursting help alleviate the challenges caused by dramatic spikes in use? Can traffic or web workloads be split to quickly deploy new virtual application delivery instances for failover and continuity?

What about staffing shortages when employees must shelter-in-place or worse, fall ill? In these types of scenarios, it is critical

that infrastructures employ automation and cross-infrastructure visibility via a Polynimbus secure application services strategy.

We have already seen customers in the financial services, education and technology sectors having to pivot rapidly to fortify their infrastructures as millions of workers go home.

Not surprisingly, cyber criminals are using the global crisis to launch new attacks at new targets. Since the start of the pandemic in late 2019, we have seen different attacks, ranging from attackers targeting the World Health Organisation to steal information to mass phishing email and spam campaigns targeting remote workers. We have even seen cases where cybercriminals are launching websites with domain names related to Coronavirus and COVID-19, exploiting people’s curiosity or worry to eventually launch ransomware attacks.

Embracing artificial intelligence machine learning and automation can help find known and unknown attacks in real-time. Combining these capabilities with actionable threat intelligence is especially important with the ongoing shortage in security expertise.

Now, more than ever, organisations must take a trust nobody approach to security.

Organisations of all kinds must take a Zero Trust approach. Make sure that no user has access to data that they don’t depend on for their day-to-day functions. Restrict access as much as possible. Ensure that you have visibility into all your users, traffic, data and workloads, and that you have uniform security policies applied across all locations to make sure no security loopholes exist.

When it comes to security automation, every security aspect needs to be revised regularly and analysed thoroughly. So, channel partners and consultants need to be skilled enough to be able to implement the right technology solution and fine tune security polices to ensure they are up to date and aligned with the recent changes in the networks, apps and threats, etc.

ADIL BAGHIR,

Senior Presales Consultant, A10 Networks.

INSIGHTS Key to the product portfolio is the drive to increase security efficacy, automate complex processes and provide intelligence. n We are not dealing with the anticipated spikes in Internet use caused by the World Cup or the Olympics. n For businesses facing these issues, it is critical that their application services can meet the new levels of demand. n

They also need to be able to impart end-user education and training so that the technology implemented can be used most effectively. It is important to note that automation would help reduce the workload for an employee to work on other tasks and minimise risks, but it cannot replace them.

A10 Networks provides a portfolio of secure application services that automates processes and are essential to digital businesses today.

Key to the product portfolio is our drive to increase security efficacy, automate complex processes and provide intelligence, all at hyperscale, ensuring businesses can be agile and operate efficiently. ĂŤ

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INNOVATION

MAMBU

AUTOMATION MOVING FROM PROCESS TO DISCRETE MANUFACTURING A digitalisation strategy draws out a roadmap for how technologies need to be implemented and how work enterprise processes need to be changed.

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oday, even the simplest banking service involves a complex orchestration of core systems, transaction processing, decisioning, reporting, analytics, authentication, security and beyond. Instead of locking these functions together for dedicated applications and workflows, composable banking allows for separation of these functions so they can be combined and recombined in new ways to deliver new automated services and customer experiences.

Mambu delivers a composable banking approach. Composable banking is about having the control to use fit-for-purpose technologies to compose precisely the right infrastructure for customers. It helps banks create modern customer experiences to compete in the fintech era — and constantly evolve them to respond to change. Through the use of an agile core platform, cloud and APIs, it is possible to be proactive instead of reactive in an evolving market.

These tools are key to building a dynamic digital bank. It gives banks the ability to harness differentiated services, choose only the applications that support growth and ease of business, and just as easily change them as technology evolves.

Institutions acknowledge the need to be ready to rapidly evolve to address a very different world and a possible recession. The future of financial services is a moving target, and institutions must streamline their operations and be able to cost-effectively bring the right products to the right customers.

To succeed in a market that keeps changing, you need to be able to move quickly and be agile, composing new products and services faster. Even with restrictions relaxing in many countries, the expectation is that many employees will continue to work from home and that face-to-face interactions will continue to be limited.

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The value of enabling an agile workforce through digitalisation and automation has increased even more. Simply put, new solutions are needed across many industries, and the push for digital remains a top priority.

With the current adoption and need of process automation, partners and consultants have never been more needed. Customers embarking on these transformation projects, or even new businesses being built with the concepts of digitization and automation need a strong partnership during that process.

Financial institutions need that strong partner supporting every step of the way during the entirety of the project, from creating the best fit, best of breed architecture to actually deploying it while sharing global best practices to ensure both successful and flexible results, while maintaining a fast go to market practices.

When financial institutions start that transformation process, change management is key. That is where consultants and consulting partners have a lot of work to do. It is a lengthy engagement that requires mindset change, cultural and structural adaptation. Consultants support their customers all throughout this process, ensuring it is done the right way, and maintaining best practices to ensure a successful transformation.

Combining services like identity validation and credit ranking alongside internal insights into customer behaviour decreases new loan approval times from five days to one minute.

Financial institutions changing or adapting to change used to be a huge liability but today, it can be a bank’s biggest asset. By implementing the right technology, new digital banks have infinite options to provide new experiences, empower users, and understand customers better.

The caveat being they have to be independent, able to define their own processes and

SHERIF AZIZ,

Partner Manager, MENA, Mambu.

INSIGHTS Banks and lenders can use APIs to automate and speed up credit decisioning. n Combining services like identity validation and credit ranking decreases new loan approval times. n Financial institutions changing or adapting to change used to be a huge liability but today, it can be a bank’s biggest asset. n By implementing the right technology, new digital banks have infinite options to provide new experiences. n

empowered to test markets and customer strategies in order to learn and iterate quickly.

That said, technology is not the driver of financial institutions but rather a key enabler of its business strategy. It is a combination of people and processes supported by technology. ë

INNOVATION

SWISSLOG

WAREHOUSE AUTOMATION IMPROVES BUSINESS PROFITABILITY

Picking and palletising make up 60% of warehouse costs, so it is crucial for businesses to choose future-ready technologies to support their operations.

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recent survey by PwC indicated CFOs across sectors are increasingly focused on the benefits of automation within supply chain functions as they exit the initial shock period of the coronavirus pandemic and plan forward to diminish disruption from future crises or even subsequent waves of COVID-19.

Automation is now considered as an extremely attractive option for businesses to increase the storage capacity even with the existing infrastructure in a very convenient and efficient manner.

Businesses are asking how they can integrate automation technology without disruption to their current business processes, to remain viable and profitable, and ultimately create the future.

The implementation and set up will depend on complexity of solutions chosen, but many can be set up within few months and, most

importantly, without disruption to the current business operations. Technical support and maintenance are provided throughout the whole project lifecycle, not only locally but by our global team of experts as well.

COVID-19 dramatically changed customer behaviour, presenting a new set of challenges for the supply chain industry. Shoppers under the pressure of panic were flooding the online websites with orders leading to retailers feeling overwhelmed by the surge in demand, resulting in delivery delays and logistics bottlenecks at its warehouses.

Since the start of the pandemic, we have witnessed an uptick in the automation of processes in Retail, E-commerce, E-grocery, Food & Beverage and Spare Parts sector.

Swisslog’s light goods solutions like conveyor system QuickMove, AutoStore, the space saving and order picking system, and pallet automation portfolio like stacker crane Vectura are preferred by most of the businesses in the Middle East as it offers the most flexible and cost-effective solution for businesses.

Picking and palletising make up 60% of warehouse operational costs, so it is crucial for businesses to choose the right, future-ready new technologies to support their operations. Also, Swisslog’s modular warehouse management system SynQ as it covers the full spectrum of an organisation’s supply chain needs to optimise their warehouse operation in the era of Industry 4.0.

Swisslog offer companies with innovative data-based services to optimise their warehouse. For any business, whose number-one priority is to achieve maximum productivity with reduced costs and minimum downtime, the vendor provides consultation and a detailed analysis with an effective throughput services strategy and recommendations to help ensure their business’s growth, profitability, and success.

ALAIN KADDOUM,

General Manager, Swisslog Middle East.

INSIGHTS Picking and palletising make up to 60% of warehouse operational costs. n It is crucial for businesses to choose future-ready new technologies to support operations. n Automation is considered as an attractive option for businesses to increase the storage capacity. n Palletising make up to 60% of warehouse operational costs, it is crucial to choose future-ready new technologies. n

Swisslog’s Global Help Desk also provides global customers with remote, 24x7 service support to resolve incidents before they can impact operations; and our specialists on modernisations advise on the next steps if a business is fast expanding and require extensions, assessment and management support. ë

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INNOVATION

RED HAT

AUTOMATION IN AN OPEN SOURCE PLATFORM ENVIRONMENT

Consulting teams help the customer introduce a scale technology, process, and culture to support the evolution of automation across all stages.

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he COVID pandemic caused major issues for organisations where automation became an essential technology to consider.

Organisations are looking for a faster return on investment than ever before. To achieve this, an organisation must shift its focus from having one big process with many complex subprocesses. Rather, aggregating many small tasks to help form this complex process has a significant impact on the company to achieve the success of these major projects.

Red Hat has worked extensively on developing a framework to help customers in their journey to adopt Red Hat automation solutions. The automation adoption journey consists of several stages in order to give customers the best out of this program.

The programme is mainly driven by Red Hat Consulting Team which will working with customers on all stages of automation adoption, from introducing techniques and technology to aligning teams on standard practices, to orchestrating powerful workflows aligned to customers’ evolving business objectives.

The first step is to identify use cases, challenges, and potential issues, as well as viable approaches and technologies, necessary participants, and desired outcomes. Second, Red Hat and the customer will be working on developing an overarching plan to deliver the high-level strategy along with the architecture of the automation process. Then, Red Hat SMEs and the customer will be looking to identify the needed skills from the customer perspective to deliver the plans defined in the previous stage.

The team will be working on establishing strategies to build a collaborative culture, determine responsibilities, foster new skill and innovation, and make sure that the environment is secure and flexible to comply with business rules and regulations. The fourth step is to set guidelines for cross-functional teams in standardising and applying automation approaches across projects and processes.

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Lastly, Red Hat and the customer teams will be working together to optimise the process by forming specialised teams to combine and enhance workflows and orchestration to meet business requirements.

During the automation adoption journey, the Red Hat consulting team will be helping the customer to define a unified strategy focused on their unique business needs. Then they introduce a scale technology, process, and culture to support the evolution of the business with automation across all the stages mentioned above.

On the other hand, the channel partners will be helping the customer extend Red Hat offering by providing integration services, outsource skilled resources, and cover the optimisation framework that includes Red Hat and non-Red Hat products. This allows customers to keep focusing on their business requirements and ensures that automation best practices are followed and applied.

We have seen a lot of attraction from different customers in every single vertical including big enterprises, banking sectors, government, education, oil & gas, health, and telco companies for automation solutions. The requests have risen especially during the pandemic to optimise processes and deliver faster outcomes to their customers.

AYMAN AL SHAIKH,

Senior Manager Solutions Architect, CTO CEMEA, Red Hat.

INSIGHTS

During the automation adoption journey, the consulting team will help the customer to define a unified strategy. n Red Hat has worked on developing a framework to help customers adopt Red Hat automation solutions. n Channel partners cover the optimisation framework that includes Red Hat and non-Red Hat products. n

Whether customers are looking to automate IT systems and operations or business decisions, Red Hat automation solutions are playing a role in reducing complexity and cost and providing the best of breed solutions.

For IT systems automation, Red Hat Ansible Automation platform provides customers with a centralised automation system that can help in automation systems provisioning, carrying repetitive tasks, install service, compliance and health checks, and much more. On the other hand, if customers are looking to automate processes, Red Hat Process Automation Manager helps organisations capture business logic and develop applications that automate business processes and decisions. ĂŤ

INNOVATION

AUTOMATION MUST FAIL FAST AND BE COLLABORATIVE Automation thrives collaboratively through communication, building intelligent, complex, enterprisewide automation as it scales across the business.

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lue Prism is seeing a renewed urgency to use robotic process automation as a lifeline for organisations meeting accelerated change with increasingly constrained and distributed resources -while maintaining business continuity, meeting customer demand and ensuring a higher level of overall responsiveness.

Most organisations in these regions also view robotic process automation as enabling greater competitiveness, while supporting remote collaboration in this new normal and are now looking to expand or extend robotic process automation use within their organisations.

This is about business leaders employing robotic process automation to strategically automate more process, faster, safely, more efficiently - without waiting for IT departments to keep their digital transformation efforts on track.

Having the right robotic process automation delivery methodology, right from the start, is key to success.

First, the complete journey is defined upfront, aligned to an ambitious, inspiring vision of desired outcomes – backed by senior C-level and IT stakeholders. A governance board is then created that is responsible for setting the strategy for robotic process automation and then centrally delivering it across operations. Automation opportunities are then discovered that can swiftly drive greatest value and continual demand is generated via a managed and defined pipeline schedule.

People or cognitive AI design, draw, publish, share and re-use automated process assets, and manage any required manual or humanin-the-loop interaction. Promoting robotic process automation’s benefits throughout the organisation is key to further generate new automation opportunities. Ultimately, successful organisations start delivering, fail

fast, and widely communicate robotic process automation’s achievements – which allow the programme to really thrive and collaboratively build more intelligent, complex and enterprise-wide automation as it scales across the business.

Blue Prism has a large rapidly growing community of partners dedicated to delivering the best possible robotic process automation skills and expertise - while raising the cross-industry benchmark for quality. Our Technology Alliance Program involves with the world’s most innovative companies that augment our robotic process automation solution.

The company’s training and implementation partners provide the human talent most skilled in running robotic process automation and the proven methodologies to best deliver it.

Microsoft, Google, Amazon and IBM Cloud Partners provide a secure gateway and drag and drop access to the best in AI, cognitive and machine learning technologies to augment robotic process automation and drive enterprise-wide transformation.

The financial services sector uses robotic process automation to swiftly respond to growing profit pressures and changing customer demands, fighting cybercrime and managing continuing waves of regulatory requirements.

The transportation and logistics sector use robotic process automation to maintain high performance and keep pace with new innovative competitors and evolving customer expectations.

Blue Prism provides an intelligent robotic process automation platform running a smart, multi-skilled, hyper productive, digital workforce that safely accelerates evermore complex process automations across front, middle and back offices. The platform deploys flexibly in four ways – SaaS, cloud, enterprise installed, and hybrid. Blue Prism also provide a powerful suite of tools enabling organisations

FAWWAZ QADAN,

Region Executive Middle East, Blue Prism.

INSIGHTS Having the right robotic process automation delivery, right from the start, is key to success. n Successful organisations start delivering, fail fast, and communicate achievements. n Programmes thrive and collaboratively build more intelligent, complex and enterprise-wide automation. n

to business-align, organise, identify, design, test, deploy and sustain unlimited process automations at scale.

A digital innovation exchange brokerage enables access to endless groundbreaking intelligent automation capabilities for accelerated testing, advancing and sharing. A private digital innovation exchange enables the secure testing and sharing of internal and public assets. ë

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INNOVATION

AUTOMATION ANYWHERE

COMING TOGETHER, IDENTIFICATION, ACCEPTANCE, UPSKILLING For automation to successfully work across an organisation, departments need to collaborate and identify processes, and workers need to be upskilled.

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utomation is providing effective solutions to ensure business resiliency by arming employees with the tools to process data with speed and efficiency. Since certain industries and enterprises need to relay timely solutions and information to citizens, they are opting for document processing solutions mixed with cognitive abilities to reduce errors. Others who are on-boarding more employees to meet increased demand are also turning to automation for recruitment and training.

Automating high-value but repetitive tasks within an enterprise requires several departments and moving parts to come together.

The objective is to resolve long-standing business limitations while measuring the ROI of automation. It is important to begin with a strategic overview of digital transformation at the organisation, and then determining the role of automation and its ability to scale as per business needs through a Center of Excellence.

Effective process identification is the first step, as this will decide how many resources can be freed and which business operations can be transformed. Choosing the right vendor is a critical part of the process, as the appropriate vendor can help build proof-of-value of automation to help get stakeholder buy-in.

The next step is building a culture of acceptance within the organisation. If employees are encouraged to share the process and provided upskilling, automation can be augmented with effective customer success teams.

In every region that we operate in, we work with partners that know the region and the customers best. Partners enable us to build holistic solutions by engaging with customers in effective ways. They have the domain knowledge needed for specific industries.

Moreover, they have the local know-how and access to touchpoints that take years to build in any region.

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By leveraging our partners’ expertise and network, we contribute towards the building of an automation ecosystem that works towards collective objectives.

Channel partners are integral to our customers’ success, and we cannot envision transforming intelligent automation into a ubiquitous technology without building strong relationship with the local and global partner community, now 1,900 strong.

Automation is being adopted across many industries, with the top three industries speeding and scaling the fastest, include: Banking and Financial Services, Public Sector and Healthcare & Life Sciences. These sectors are seeing unprecedented demand during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Automation Anywhere has a range of RPA offerings for enterprises, no matter where they are in the automation journey.

Enterprise A2019 RPA platform – the first web-based and cloud-native intelligent automation platform combining RPA, artificial intelligence, machine learning and analytics right out of the box, to help organisations rapidly start and scale their process automation journey.

Discovery Bot - driven process discovery solution that discovers business processes and with one-click creates bots to automate them.

IQ Bot - the world’s only web-based, cloud-native intelligent document processing solution that combines RPA with AI technologies to intelligently extract semi-structured and unstructured data from a variety of complex document types, such as invoices, purchase orders, bill of materials, mill sheets – even medical receipts.

Bot Store - the world’s first and largest marketplace with more than 850 pre-built, intelligent automation solutions.

Automation Anywhere’s solutions are

MILAN SHETH,

EVP-IMEA, Automation Anywhere.

INSIGHTS Automating high-value but repetitive tasks within an enterprise requires several departments and moving parts to come together. n Begin with a strategic overview of digital transformation in the organisation, and then determine the role of automation. n The next step is building a culture of acceptance within the organisation. n

widely deployed across diverse industries such as financial services, BPO, manufacturing, public sector, healthcare and pharmaceuticals.

Each of these contain successful use cases of automation deployed for tasks related to finance & accounting, human resources and more.

With documented results and clearly defined ROI, enterprises across domains are leveraging Automation Anywhere’s technologies such as Attended Automation 2.0, ERP Automation and more to navigate their digital transformation journeys. ë

INNOVATION

INFOBLOX

AUTOMATING, ORCHESTRATING, SECURING, CORE NETWORKS

IT teams need to identify processes and machines that need to be automated and orchestrated, and possible approaches and options available to them.

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he COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the need for digital transformation more than ever before. What was considered to be a luxury or a future plan; has become an inevitable necessity and a top priority urgent plan for organisations eager to maintain high-level of business continuity.

This digital transformation can only be achieved with secure core-network services such as DNS, DHCP, and IPAM, with the latest automation and orchestration platforms in the industry. In short, organisations nowadays have to adapt or die!

The journey starts with setting a comprehensive plan with a clear vision on where the organisation needs to be within a determined timeline. Setting priorities on what has or should be automated at first and phasing the journey according to the business drivers is imperative.

The responsibility of an automated cyber infrastructure in almost all organisations is divided into diverse teams such as the Application team, Security team, Network team, Systems team. Each team needs to identify, based on the business drivers commonly set by the CIO and the higher management of these teams, the diverse processes and machines that needs to be automated and orchestrated, and the possible approaches and options available to them.

Let us take the automation of the CyberSecurity aspect for example; the team should look into implementing SOAR Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response and Cyber-Security frameworks that helps the team to expedite the remediation of security incidents in-line with other teams such as Network and Systems teams.

If there is one thing constant in the cyber technology realm, it is change! It is nearly impossible for an organisation to conclude

the journey of automation all by itself, neither from skill-sets perspective nor by keeping up the pace with such a dynamic industry as the IT and OT. Everyday there is a new technology in the market that has the potential to better and smarter than its predecessor. Organisations on their own cannot keep up, and hence they should always seek consultancy from their service providers and solutions integrators.

The automation vendors and manufactures on the other hand should as well maintain the recurring enablement of their channel partners for them to provide the suitable consultancy to the end users.

Infoblox automation solutions span across network, security, and cloud private, public, and hybrid helping customers deliver a nextlevel secure digital experience and transformation, and greatly simplify the management and security of core network services in even the most complicated cloud and on-premise infrastructures.

Infoblox NetMRI for Network Automation, Cloud Network Automation CNA, Cyber-Security Ecosystem, SOAR integration, Threat Intelligence Data Exchange, SDN and SDN-WAN integration, Global Server Load Balancing GSLB, Threat Insight for machine-learning, and Reporting; are all forms of Infoblox automation and orchestration products and solutions.

All of that is provided with a single-paneof-glass experience, providing comprehensive visibility into network assets, DNS based threats and IOCs, virtualisation platforms, and orchestration and automation tools.

With such a platform, Infoblox is able to dramatically reduce errors and delays associated with manual efforts related to network services provisioning and security remediation, hence maximise the ROI for its customers.

MOHAMMAD JAMAL TABBARA,

Senior Solutions Architect, Infoblox.

INSIGHTS The responsibility of an automated cyber infrastructure in almost all organisations is divided into diverse teams. n Each team needs to identify processes and machines that needs to be automated and orchestrated. n It is nearly impossible for an organisation to conclude the journey of automation all by itself. n Infoblox automation solutions span across network, security, and cloud. n

Cloud in its different forms Hybrid, Native, Private, Public, SaaS, IaaS, SDN & SD-WAN, and Secure Core-Network Services DNS, DHCP, IPAM technology providers are today leading the market in our region for automation of processes and machines. Besides, frameworks like SASE, Mitre Att&ck, NIST, PCI-DSS, ISO, and others are commonly being adopted. ĂŤ

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INNOVATION

EMERSON AUTOMATION

AUTOMATION MOVING FROM PROCESS TO DISCRETE MANUFACTURING A digitalisation strategy draws out a roadmap for how technologies need to be implemented and how work enterprise processes need to be changed.

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s an automation provider for digital transformation, Emerson’s comprehensive operational analytics portfolio enables users to deploy targeted solutions and achieve ROI before scaling up to larger and more transformative initiatives. Emerson offers an array of data and diagnostics enablers through wireless, pervasive sensing, and connected services, as well as a wide base of industrial applications around operational efficiency and reliability, asset management, and energy optimisation.

This also includes full stack analytics capabilities for pursuing targeted or general application analytics, and consulting services for driving Digital Strategy, upskilling and change management, and driving excellence in turnaround and outage management processes.

Automation in the Middle East region is still heavily weighted towards the upstream Oil and Gas sector although the onset of big data and open platform software has seen increasing adoption in the Food and Beverage and discrete process industries such as packaging and pharmaceuticals.

In order to effectively adopt new automation practices, a company should first set out a digitalisation strategy. This exercise defines the objectives of the strategy and then sets out a roadmap for how and when certain technologies need to be implemented and when and how work processes need to be changed.

To ensure success, the transformation should be tackled using a holistic approach preparing the workforce in advance to be able to take full advantage of new technology.

A cost effective and efficient approach is to Think Big, Start Small, and Grow Fast.

This approach allows for all the required field components such as smart field instrumentation, secure communications and IT infrastructure to be installed and produce return on

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investment from an early phase of the plan and allows the company workforce to adjust to the new ways of working in a stress-free manner.

Emerson engages with end-users to understand their drivers and help them in the following: l Developing a road map for the digital future that is fully aligned with their business objectives, current state, and the desired future state. l Leveraging existing investments as there is a lot of digitalisation that already exists with end users. l Prioritising what applications to start with, see quick returns, gain confidence, and build on success, as they realise ROI at every step along the way. l Ensuring scalability as they expand and extend digital transformation into more areas, allowing all technologies to integrate seamlessly. l Managing change by supporting their workforce through skills enhancement to help them accept change and embrace new work processes.

Emerson’s digital transformation solutions span the value chain – from sub-surface to distribution. These connect stakeholders, as it enables them to make informed decisions,

MS PRAKASH,

Strategic Planning and Marketing Director, Middle East and Africa, Emerson Automation Solutions.

INSIGHTS A cost effective and efficient approach is to Think Big, Start Small, and Grow Fast. n Automation in the Middle East region is still heavily weighted towards the upstream Oil and Gas sector. n Big data and open platforms have seen increasing adoption in the Food and Beverage and discrete process industries. n

real-time. They encompass Production, HSSE, Reliability and Plant Availability, and Energy Management.

Working with channel partners and consultants will allow automation to be adopted in the most effective manner, as the key to success is a collaborative approach with the end user defining what they know best, and the consultant applying what they know best to arrive at a structured and well planned automation strategy. The previous experience of the consultant expert is invaluable, ensuring that the end user applies automation technologies to the best advantage in their business. ë

INNOVATION

ERICSSON

HELPING SERVICE PROVIDERS AUTOMATE NETWORKS IN REAL-TIME Service providers are automating networks, turning legacy into elastic infrastructures that are lightweight, programmable and endlessly adaptable.

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he unprecedented health crisis has accelerated the shift towards a new digital era, powered by 5G, IoT and the 4th industrial revolution, highperforming and intelligent mobile networks will be the drumbeat of this new digital world order. Successful network operations will depend on advanced AI, automation and analytics to move from reactive to proactive – making sense of billions of data points and acting before network issues become user issues.

The region’s service providers understand that automating network management and operations is an imperative in their networks’ modernisation, and the network efficiency enabled by automation is fundamental to their ability to manage 5G complexity and deliver end-to-end 5G services to customers.

As a result, the telecom world is entering a new era in automation – one where the physical and cyber worlds converge. Benefitting the entire lifecycle of a network, millions of devices will soon connect all the dots for full network modernisation – efficiently addressing the demands being placed on it by the burgeoning growth of data, devices and new technologies.

With greater automation, service providers in the Middle East and Africa can slash operations costs and introduce services more quickly, become fully prepared to manage complexity and exceed customer expectations.

As the world is racing towards a new digital era, powered by 5G, IoT and the 4th industrial revolution, high-performing and intelligent mobile networks will be the drumbeat of this new digital world order. Successful network operations will depend on advanced AI, automation and analytics to move from reactive to proactive – making sense of billions of data points and acting before network issues become user issues.

It is clear that advanced technologies like

AI, automation and analytics represent the underlying pillars for supporting and enabling operational transformation. At this time, collaboration is key as customer service providers, AI & automation experts, and thought leaders can be instrumental in sharing experiences and collaborate on their transformation journeys.

The mining industry is a hotbed of economic activity in the Middle East. In fact, mining is Head of Solution Area OSS, Core and Cloud, Ericsson the first of four industry verticals that form the Middle East and Africa. primary focus in the addressable 5G business potential opportunity in Middle East and Africa.

The future of mining is automated. Once seen as a hazardous and challenging operational environment, the tech revolution is set to dramatically shift our perceptions of the mining industry. A major driver of this change is a INSIGHTS need to be more efficient and productive, safe and resourceful, particularly in light of harsher n With greater automation, service climates and rising energy costs faced by the providers can slash operations costs industry every day. and introduce services more quickly.

Automation, AI and the power of data, are n Telecom world is entering a new rewriting the rules of designing, operating and era in automation – one where the optimising the networks of the future. Ericsson physical and cyber worlds converge. is helping service providers worldwide automate n Millions of devices will soon their networks, so they can turn legacy networks connect all the dots for full network into elastic infrastructures that are lightweight, modernisation. programmable and endlessly adaptable. n With more than 6,000 automation The goal? Help service providers gain the rules, Ericsson Operations Engine ability in each of their unique environments drives efficiency at every level of the to govern, manage and orchestrate hybrid networks holistically and in real time. organisation.

Automation uses technology to remove n Service providers can govern, monotonous, repetitive tasks from traditional manage and orchestrate hybrid ways of working and boosting productivity. networks in real time.

With more than 6,000 automation rules, the Ericsson Operations Engine drives efficiency at every level of the organisation – evolving operations from being network-centric to user experience-centric and fundamentally changing our way of operating networks from reactive to proactive, leveraging data, automation and AI. ë

SAID ZANTOUT,

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INNOVATION

BCG

AI, AUTOMATION DRIVING IMPROVED CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

The combination of AI and automation has brought life to chatbots, which have emerged as a prominent way to save costs and expedite customer responses.

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ockdowns put in place due to the pandemic have resulted in customer-facing processes being transitioned to an entirely new format. The main focus of companies in the region is to develop resilience in challenging periods and ensure business continuity.

With that said, companies are actively developing Robotics Process Automation RPA solutions to identify innovative approaches to continue business as usual, while maintaining efficiency and efficacy.

Furthermore, the push towards becoming a more bionic and human-technology integrated company will need to drive automation as a priority together with other technologies like Artificial Intelligence AI across the value chain in light of the ongoing circumstances.

When integrating AI and robotics into the enterprise process, companies usually begin the journey by identifying and understanding all related processes, with a particular emphasis on those that have the potential to boost strategic priorities while targeting repetitive manual activities to make the process leaner. At the same time, the process will also evaluate the priorities of the business on both the value obtained and the feasibility of the robotisation exercise.

This stage is defined or known as the transitional stage of the journey, which will also involve reengineering process exercises. Finally, prior to the launch of the robotisation transformation, companies will need to prepare a realistic assessment and implementation schedule of a robust change management plan. It is also important to note that the inclusion of automation and AI processes requires new skills, and thus would require an investment of specific talent and skillsets to adopt automation into current business operations properly. ë

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INSIGHTS The process of adopting automation can be technically challenging, it can also bring true value. n The automation journey requires diligence, comprehensive evaluations of projected results, and rigorous assessments. n A critical success factor of such transformation is the effective adoption of an agile model. n

ADRIAN CASTILLERO,

Associate Director, BCG.

AHMED KHASHAN,

President of Gulf Countries and Pakistan, Schneider Electric.

AUTOMATING GREENFIELD, BROWNFIELD PROJECTS Typically, the vendor and consultant engage with the end user organizations during early stages of the project. They support the end user in defining the system architecture and technical requirements. The end user will use this information for feasibility studies and internal evaluations, which will help them on further defining costs and technical issues.

Once a project is green-lighted, there’s two approaches based on whether this is greenfield or brownfield. For greenfield projects, a large EPC would be selected for the execution. This EPC would reach out to automation vendors to validate the technical requirements and final costs.

For brownfield projects, an EPC or consultant may be involved. Often, a customer will take direct control and engage with the automation vendor. In both cases, the automation vendor will execute the project based on the technical specifications. After project is complete, the automation vendor will offer the end user maintenance and post-sales services to optimize the system’s performance.

Usually, the consultant will help the end user to define the technical requirements for the project and define the most appropriate architecture and its commercial impact.

They will help the end user select the right technology and the right vendor for the specific project.

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SPECIAL FOCUS

EGYPT

SCALING TECHNOLOGY PARKS AND OUTSOURCING CENTRES The Egyptian government is working to attract foreign and private investments to boost growth of startups, IT manufacturing, and software development.

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gypt is a large and fast-growing country. It is the most-populous Arab nation, the third-most-populous country in Africa and the 14th-most-populous country in the world. As of 2017 the population was some 97.5M, according to the World Bank, and growing by 2% per year. Population pressure is one of the key factors driving the national economic agenda.

In a 2018 assessment of the challenges and opportunities facing the country, the IMF highlighted the need for private entities to provide employment opportunities for the estimated 3.5M young Egyptians entering the labour force by 2023.

Guided by its ICT 2030 Strategy, which aims to transform Egypt into a telecoms and tech centre on both a regional and global scale, government support remains key with infrastructure investments, tax incentives for tech parks and manufacturing projects.

Private sector support for the nascent tech start-up industry offers promising prospects for the country. The government is focusing on new initiatives such as electronics design and manufacturing, as well as providing greater support to Egypt’s burgeoning start-up industry.

Though the country is a mature market for telecoms, local consumer dynamics are constantly changing. Competition is Continued next page

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IDC’s current forecast for Egypt’s overall ICT market is -1.6% YoY decline in spending for 2020, down from pre-Covid-19 projection of 6.6% growth.

NAGIA EL-EMARY, EGYPT COUNTRY DIRECTOR AND MEA SENIOR CONSULTANT, IDC EGYPT

IMPACT OF PANDEMIC ON THE EGYPTIAN ICT INDUSTRY

IDC’s Nagia El-Emary gives an update on how the pandemic has impacted end-user markets and the overall ICT spending inside Egypt.

In the wake of Covid-19, the expected GDP growth for Egypt has been revised downwards, although it is still projected as being positive for 2020. Initially, growth was largely driven by a macroeconomic stabilisation programme that was successful in generating a primary budget surplus and reducing the debt-to-GDP ratio while replenishing reserves.

The monetary policy adopted by Egypt while confronting the virus aims to keep inflation at a stable rate as much as possible to run in line with the Central Bank of Egypt’s shortterm goals. This aim has been supported by only a partial lockdown to keep the economy running while controlling the spread of the outbreak.

Telecommunications accounts for over 50% of total ICT spend in Egypt. This has helped constrain the impact of Covid-19 on the overall ICT market, particularly since there has been an increase in data usage, both mobile and fixed. However, some IT segments are experiencing declines; as such, IDC’s current forecast for Egypt’s overall ICT market is a -1.6% year-on-year decline in spend for 2020, down from the pre-Covid-19 projection of 6.6% growth.

Narrowing in on the IT outlook, we can see a clear picture that reflects supply-chain constraints for devices and hardware-based technologies from China. However, any digital or cloud-based services will experience less of an impact as we expect to see an even greater shift from CAPEX to OPEX. IDC has lowered its 2020 forecast for Egypt across all verticals due to the crisis. Communications, government, and financial services contribute over 50% of the country’s total IT spend. In dollar terms, IDC has lowered its 2020 forecast for these three combined by nearly $130 million from the pre-Covid-19 view in January 2020.

Transportation and personal services which include the tourism industry are the worst hit and are both now projected to suffer the steepest year-on-year contractions in IT spend for 2020, at over -20%. However, healthcare and education — bolstered by remote learning — are projected to see some growth in 2020, although at lower levels than pre-Covid-19 projections. They are now the fastest growing verticals in terms of 2020 IT spending.

One of the key areas IDC continues to focus on is digital transformation and how it is enabling businesses to survive the Covid-19 pandemic. Most organisations are accelerating their digital transformation efforts or at least pressing ahead with their existing digital initiatives.

Businesses are working to meet new customer and operational needs, with only about 16% of those surveyed by IDC in Egypt slowing down. Many businesses quickly enabled their staff to work from home as a priority, with 57% providing devices, connectivity, and collaboration tools. Digital transformation is seen as being critical to helping them respond to the crisis despite the pressure on IT budgets.

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strong, with new operators entering the market in recent years, but telecoms companies have been able to boost profits through significant data-service revenue increases and by diversifying their value-added offerings.

The rollout of 4G since 2017 has created opportunities for innovative service providers.

Furthermore, greater willingness on the part of state-owned Telecom Egypt, to loosen its monopoly on fixed-line services presents open up a new window for investment.

In 2018 there was strong growth in Egypt’s ICT sector alongside significant increases in operator revenues. According to the most recent government statistics, sector revenues grew by 16.4% in the second quarter of FY 2018-19. The sector’s contribution to GDP grew by 14% in 2018, when it accounted for 3.2%.

Egypt has a strong ICT infrastructure, and a labour force with the technical skills to be able to compete globally in offering cloud and other digital business services. In addition to the export potential for these services, there is a growing local demand.

Other metrics are also indicative of the sector’s healthy growth. For example, ICT exports – comprised of IT, business process outsourcing BPO and knowledge process outsourcing, KPO services – reached $3.3B in 2017, according to IDC, while sector investments in the sector rose sharply between 2017 and 2018, from $843M to $1.2B. Investments in infrastructure are laying the foundation for sustained ICT growth. The government is focused on developing facilities like technology parks to establish Egypt as a regional and global leader in telecoms and offshore services. There has been real progress in the ease of bureaucratic process when it comes to serious investors.

With the new investment law in place, the government has been able to build a level of efficiency that is attractive when you are looking to set up a factory or similar. There is also strong interest in investing in electronics manufacturing via initiatives like Egypt Makes Electronics.

Manufacturing and tech start-ups are also attracting increased investment in Egypt. SICO Technology, the Egyptian firm pioneering the manufacturing of locally made tablets and mobile phones, is looking to increase its investments to $56.2M by 2021, up from $23.6M in 2018, as it seeks to reach a sales target of 1.5M devices annually.

Lastly, several multinational firms have made significant investments to expand into

SPECIAL FOCUS

Willingness from Telecom Egypt to loosen its monopoly on services opens up a new window for investment

AVAYA, UNDP, EGYPT’S ICT MINISTRY DEVELOP BOT FOR PEOPLE OF DETERMINATION Egypt’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, MCIT has teamed up with United Nations Development Programme, UNDP, Egypt and Avaya to extend the capabilities of WASEL — its dedicated contact center service for people of determination. It has introduced automated testing for Covid-19 symptoms for the deaf and hard of hearing.

A world first, this chatbot utilises AI to enable sign-language based interaction, providing users intuitive access to critical Covid-19 related information and support. The service is available via the Tamkeen website or WASEL smartphone application.

This initiative aligns with the efforts of the MCIT to support the Egyptian government’s plan to effectively mitigate Covid-19 challenges, and the State’s vision of deepening social integration by utilising smart technologies that foster inclusivity through all segments of society.

Speaking at the launch of the service, Amr Talaat, The Minister of Communications and Information Technology in Egypt explained that this first of its kind service in the Arab World and Africa represents the Ministry’s latest effort to reach all segments of society, provide technical support to face the current crisis and keep citizens safe.

UNDP’s Resident Representative in Egypt, Randa Aboul-Hosn, stressed the importance of using ICT solutions and smart technologies to combat the spread of Covid-19 and mitigate its negative effects, especially for people with special needs.

She highlighted that her organisation’s partnership with MCIT Egypt and Avaya has successfully materialised into an easy-to-use solution that is carefully designed to help deaf and hearing-impaired people cope with the challenges imposed by the ongoing pandemic.

One of the key benefits of advanced AI-based solutions such as the one employed by MCIT is that they reduce the workload on call center agents in critical sectors such as healthcare, banking, education and government, that are experiencing a surge in service requests from concerned customers and citizens.

the Egyptian market, including Valeo, a leader in the development of smartcar technologies; the ride-hailing app Uber, which plans to invest $100M in the country in the near term; and the software developer and quality assurance provider SQS. Egypt’s ICT sector development policy is overseen by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, MCIT. The MCIT is pulling out all the stops to boost growth and FDI inflows. Its 2014-20 strategy document sets a goal of increasing the sector’s GDP contribution to 8% by 2020, and it has made consistent progress in this respect.

According to the CBE, foreign investments in ICT made up 3.4% of the total $13.2B in FDI inflows received in FY 2017-18, in line with the sector’s GDP contribution for the year and up from a 0.3% share in FDI of FY 2016-17.

Moreover, it received 9.7% of all non-petroleum investments, which placed it third in FDI value, trailing only the manufacturing and construction sectors.

There are currently four technology parks in the country that offer local and foreign firms access to modern infrastructure like high-speed broadband and uninterrupted power supply.

The MCIT envisions the tech parks as key to achieving its ambitious growth agenda for ICT exports.

These parks are also likely to serve as significant drivers of employment in highly-skilled, tertiary services, and the government has set a target of creating 100,000 additional jobs in the BPO and KPO segments by 2022.

Supporting high-tech electronics design and manufacturing is another policy goal of the government’s ICT 2030 Strategy. In August 2018 the MCIT announced that it was engaging with the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Military Production and the private sector regarding plans to manufacture, programme and develop content for an educational tablet.

This project forms part of wider government efforts to provide opportunities to local manufacturers and tech companies; the tablets will be provided to first-year secondary school students.

The government has set a target of 6% for high-tech exports as a percentage of total exports by 2030, up from the current level of 1%. It also wants to improve Egypt’s ranking on the information and communications technology sub-index of the Global Innovation Index, up to 30th in the world from its 2018 placing of 92nd out of 126 countries. ë Excerpted from Egypt 2019 by Oxford Business Group.

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REAL LIFE

METITO

MAKING STORAGE OF DATA MORE AGILE AND EFFICIENT

By implementing a flash-based storage system, Metito has reduced the downtime for business users and created a road map for efficiency driven upgrades.

M

etito is a global leader and provider of choice for intelligent water management solutions with operations covering three business areas: design and build, specialty chemicals, and utilities. With over 60 years of experience, the Group provides customised, comprehensive and advanced solutions across the full spectrum of its industry.

From clean to dirty water; desalination and re-use; industrial solutions up to hyper pure water; investing into water and wastewater assets; and structuring both greenfield and

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brownfield schemes under project finance structures. The Group also provides custom alternative energy development and management solutions for utilities and corporations looking to uphold sustainable operations through generating clean, emissions-free energy.

Metito successfully developed and executed thousands of projects across the world earning it the trust of market leaders and a reputation for professional excellence. The Group was the first to introduce the reverse osmosis technology for desalination outside the USA in 1972.

It was the first to pioneer concession contracts with private entities under Build Own Transfer, Build Own Operate, and Build Own Operate Transfer schemes in the Middle East, and under Public Private Partnership agreements for bulk surface water supply concessions in Sub Saharan Africa.

The Group is at the forefront of the water and wastewater industry with a project portfolio that includes more than 3,000 projects in more than 46 countries managed by over 3,000 experienced and talented employees worldwide in strategically located operational offices.

REAL LIFE

Champek water purification plant in Indonesia

With established global operations and growing business, the company optimises its operations and systems, including its IT infrastructure. This is particularly true given the rapidly growing trend towards further digitising processes and facilities.

PAIN POINTS Metito’s data centre is, based out of Dubai’s National Industries Park premises and feeds all satellite offices and runs a private cloud that hosts ERP, email, reporting, file servers, and telephony solutions. Metito’s back-end server and network infrastructure provided excellent performance until data capacity reached a certain point, after which the team battled severe bottlenecks in storage.

Metito’s legacy storage infrastructure had become a drag on performance and the larger technology stack. To keep costs manageable, the IT team procured a mix of 7K- and 15K-rpm hard-disk drives. Still, performance bottlenecks persisted as time passed and Metito added more critical applications.

To cite an example, storage constraints impacted the performance of the ERP system.

This was keenly felt by the finance and procurement departments. There were a lot of session timeouts, which meant users had to log out and back in, and re-input all their data.

This impacted productivity of the users.

Beyond wasted time and a less-than-optimal user experience, Metito faced slow backups and limited upgrade options. These factors cemented the company’s decision to replace its storage infrastructure. A six-month procurement process centered around identifying a solution to deliver performance and predictability. Metito looked at many solutions before settling on Pure Storage FlashArray.

THE SOLUTION PRASHANT MENON, MANAGER OF IT INFRASTRUCTURE AND SUPPORT SERVICES, METITO.

INSIGHTS n

n n

n n n

Any network or server outage can be resolved with no lasting impact, but storage is critical.

When storage fails, you are likely left with a lasting impact.

With Pure 1, we can now easily view all key performance metrics from a single dashboard.

We moved to sa more proactive systems management.

Technology is central to capacity to keep delivering excellence.

The challenge is staying agile in a digital world.

“With Pure Storage, we are getting an efficient product and advanced technology at a predictable cost of ownership,” explains Prashant Menon, Manager of IT Infrastructure and Support Services, at Metito. “All the other vendors we considered offered legacy-storage technologies with flash add-on but did not have the required software component to manage it. With Pure 1, Pure Storage’s cloudbased storage management solution, we can now easily view all key performance metrics from a single dashboard.”

Metito deployed the FlashArray solution at its primary data centre as part of a converged infrastructure. The organisation’s legacy stor-

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REAL LIFE

Customer Name: Metito Industry: Manufacturing Country: UAE USE CASE PLATFORMS n Microsoft SQL Server n Infor ERP, Microsoft Office 365 n VMware vSphere LEGACY CHALLENGES n Session time-outs on business-critical applications hampered efficiency n Extremely slow backups n Limited upgrade options n Complicated storage management SOLUTION BENEFITS n 3:1 data reduction n 30% faster application performance throughout n Full-stack visibility n Ability to proactively manage storage performance and upgrades

SNAPSHOT

Hefei wastewater treatment plant in China.

Al Yosr seawater desalination plant in Egypt.

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age has been made redundant. Implementation took less than an hour and data migration took around one week to complete.

“On switching to Pure Storage, we saw improvements with data reduction of 3:1 and a 30% improvement in application performance throughput. We have also managed to reduce time for backup of critical data, from two to three days with the legacy infrastructure, down to just 10 to 12 hours with Pure Storage,” notes Menon. “With performance improvement across applications we have increased productivity and delivered a much happier end-user experience.”

Metito now relies on Pure Storage technology to improve the performance of its business-critical applications, provide cost predictability, and simplify management. The Pure Storage implementation has resulted in improvements in employee productivity, decision making, and user experience.

“As organisations in the region continue to digitally transform, something that has only been accelerated in the current climate, it is essential that they shed legacy, rigid infrastructures that are a drain on IT resources and budgets and impact employee performance and efficiency,” commented Assaad El Saadi, Regional Director, Middle East, Pure Storage.

“At Pure, we are delivering a modern data experience that enables our customers, like Metito, to transform their IT departments, and wider organisations, into true centres of innovation that can serve as catalysts for business growth.” ë

PRODUCT NEWS

Genetec launches secure solutions for transit orgs Transit agencies have traditionally relied on multiple single-purpose proprietary systems that do not interconnect. To help security, IT, operations and vehicle maintenance staff work together, Genetec has announced a portfolio of solutions designed to help transit organisations unify their security and operations from a single intuitive interface.

The Genetec Transit Portfolio enables key stakeholders to work in sync using a solution that unifies wayside and onboard security with operational and intelligence products that leverage their existing security infrastructure to bring additional insights.

Most onboard and wayside systems are built on separate, closed architectures that require costly custom updates and integrations to communicate with other systems in a limited way. Transitioning to a single, open platform under a single pane of glass helps unify systems while laying the foundation for coordinated processes, efficient incident response, and collaborative work.

This makes it easier to build internal processes to increase an agency’s overall operational efficiency. Additionally, transit agencies are increasingly being solicited for information from external partners. A unified system establishes an infrastructure that facilitates sharing data while keeping it secure.

At the core of the Genetec Transit Portfolio is the Genetec Security Centre platform which unifies video management, access control and Automatic License Plate Recognition capabilities.

With the Security Center Omnicast video management system, transit agencies can monitor their infrastructure and vehicles to help protect commuters and staff using a wide range of industry-leading cameras, encoders, and CCTV equipment.

Security Center Synergis access control system secures entrances for staff and commuters, improves compliance, while leveraging existing network and third-party access control devices.

Security Center AutoVu automatic license plate recognition makes it easier for parking management teams to enforce parking restrictions by locating and counting vehicles of interest like buses, taxis, and car-sharing services, and providing a real-time inventory of vehicles on access roads and in monitored parking lots.

Western Digital announces NVMe SSDs for agile infrastructures Western Digital has announced new solutions that provide the foundation for next-generation data infrastructures designed around Ultrastar NVMe SSDs and supercharged by NVMe-oF. Building upon the company’s innovative design and integration capabilities, from NAND Flash to storage platforms, the new dual-port, performance Ultrastar DC SN840 NVMe SSDs and in-house RapidFlex NVMe-oF controllers are standalone solutions that combine to create the new OpenFlex Data24 NVMe-oF Storage Platform, a new shared storage JBOF, Just a Bunch of Flash, enclosure that extends the value of NVMe to

multiple hosts over a low-latency Ethernet fabric network.

These new solutions further expand Western Digital’s data centre portfolio to help customers transition to higher efficiency NVMe SSDs and more advanced shared storage architectures to meet the evolving demands of performancedriven applications and workloads.

In today’s global digital economy, microseconds count. As hyperscale cloud and enterprise data centres constantly work to remove bottlenecks to ensure uncompromised performance and availability of essential applications, while also keeping pace with unprecedented data

growth, customer adoption of NVMe and NVMe-oF solutions continues to accelerate.

Industry analyst firm IDC expects hyperscalers, OEMs and end-user IT organizations to continue to transition away from legacy SATA and SAS interfaces, with NVMe on track to reach more than 55% of total enterprise SSD units shipped in 2020 and grow at a 2018-2023 CAGR of 38%.

Ultrastar DC SN840 data centre NVMe SSD Extending Western Digital’s leadership in dual-port architecture, the new performance Ultrastar DC SN840 Gen3.1 NVMe SSD is the company’s third-generation solution with a vertically integrated in-house NVMe controller, firmware and 96-layer 3D TLC NAND technology. The new Ultrastar NVMe SSD enables enterprise customers to seamlessly transition from SATA and SAS to NVMe, delivering competitive performance of up to 780K/250K random read/write IOPS and capacities up to 15.36TB in a drop-in U.2 15mm form factor. Its comprehensive set of enterprise-class features includes 1 and 3 DW/D endurance levels, full power-loss protection and TCG encryption.

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PRODUCT NEWS

Aruba launches AIpowered solutions for workplaces

PARTHA NARASIMHAN, CTO AND HPE SENIOR FELLOW, ARUBA.

Aruba has unveiled a suite of innovative workplace solutions and a new vision for three return to work scenarios, returning to the office and venues, working from home,

and ultimately, the office reimagined. With Aruba’s AI-powered, cloud-native networking solutions as their foundation, each scenario provides pragmatic steps organisations can take today to expedite business recovery and implement contact tracing and touchless solutions that enhance the health and wellness of employees and visitors.

There is no question that the new state of work will be much different from office life prior to the Covid-19 pandemic. The mandate to shut down non-essential physical offices and businesses tested the effectiveness of fully virtual workforces, which has been successful when the right networking technologies and tools are in place.

We will return not to one, but to many kinds of workplaces, traditional offices, homes, on the road, within which our safety must be ensured, and between which we must move seamlessly without retraining or compromise.

Traditional offices and buildings are relying on AI-powered contact and location tracing tools to enable social and physical distancing monitoring solutions that make the workplace

Pure Storage unveils Purity 6.0 for FlashArray, agile data

Pure Storage has announced Purity 6.0 for FlashArray, the latest version of Pure’s flagship suite of software. Engineered with the modern organisation in mind, these new agile data services provide customers with an efficient way to store, safeguard, manage, access and mobilise their data with strategic consumption models custom-tailored to their needs.

Purity 6.0 further simplifies modern infrastructure with a unified block-and-file solution designed to help solve infrastructure challenges, including storage silos and sprawl,

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which impact modern business across every industry.

With a host of new agile data services, Pure customers can immediately leverage two key new capabilities, unified protocol support with NFS and SMB, along with active disaster recovery built on brand new continuous replication technology. As part of the Evergreen Storage subscription model, these new features require no additional licenses, no added support costs, and zero added complexity.

Pure’s new unified block and file capabilities

safer for employees, students, patients, customers, and fans. Through Aruba-led innovations or implemented in concert with Aruba Technology Partners, these solutions use IoT and Bluetooth radios already built into Aruba access points and managed from a single pane of glass.

The solutions operate on customers’ existing Aruba infrastructure, eliminating the need for rip and replace, and leverage cloud-based applications that are easy to activate and affordable to deploy.

Aruba will be releasing a new set of native contact and location tracing tools for existing Aruba infrastructure customers based on both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. This will be demonstrated at Aruba Atmosphere Digital on June 9, 2020.

For expanded capabilities, Aruba Technology Partners AiRISTA Flow, CXApp, Kiana Analytics, Modo Labs, and Skyfii integrate with Aruba infrastructures to monitor social distancing and group sizes, and generate contract tracing trees of potentially exposed individuals.

on FlashArray save customers the trouble and expense of running two incompatible environments. They are designed to simplify operations for organisations that primarily run block storage but still require or utilise separate network-attached storage.

This enables customers to run all workloads within the Purity operating environment, leverage the same data layer, user-interface, pool of capacity, and benefit from Pure’s industry-leading global data reduction.

Similarly, the new continuous replication feature, ActiveDR, helps Pure customers improve their business resiliency without the cost and complexity of third-party disaster recovery software add-ons. This new activepassive replication technology addresses a major business requirement by protecting critical applications with a near-zero recovery point objective.

Now customers have the ability to leverage synchronous, active-active, replication with ActiveCluster snapshot-based asynchronous replication, and now continuous replication all on the same Purity platform.

Enterprises with big data or machine learning requirements will still assign those workloads to FlashBlade, but for other use cases and for many smaller businesses FlashArray now addresses all data storage needs.

PRODUCT NEWS

Netskope expands NewEdge network to meet soaring demand Netskope has announced the expansion of the Netskope NewEdge network to a new data centre in the UAE, serving customers across the Middle East. With millions of enterprise users around the world, Netskope NewEdge is a carrier-grade private cloud network that is reserved exclusively for Netskope customers.

The decades-long efforts to digitally transform enterprises have pushed the capabilities of the public internet to its maximum.

Inherently unpredictable and unsecure, the public internet is strained by users who demand great web, cloud, and private application performance and enterprises that demand more security. Compounding this challenge, legacy security tools often introduce delays to accessing these critical services.

As a result, industry analysts have scrutinised the reliance on the public internet for security of these services, giving rise to new architectural frameworks like Gartner’s secure access service edge that enterprise security

leaders are moving to adopt.

Netskope NewEdge is built by industry veterans representing the largest and most performant networks ever built. Like no other network, NewEdge delivers inline security services through a carrier-grade, next-generation global infrastructure based on advanced application and network optimisation technologies and processes.

As a private cloud network, NewEdge optimises connectivity with its resilient global architecture, which is directly peered with major providers, mitigating the challenge of the public internet. This enhances the overall user experience, resulting in a better web, cloud, and private application performance for most Netskope customers.

The Netskope Security Cloud, delivered on NewEdge, provides unrivalled visibility and real-time data and threat protection for cloud services, websites, and private apps accessed from anywhere, on any device. No other

MOHAMAD ALHAKIM, NETSKOPE’S GM, MIDDLE EAST.

company in the market has addressed shifting demands by combining next-generation SWG capabilities, the world’s leading CASB, zero trust network access, and advanced machine learning to detect unauthorised data exfiltration and advanced threat protection.

Only Netskope understands the cloud and takes a data-centric approach that empowers security teams with the right balance of protection and speed they need to secure their digital transformation journey.

BeyondTrust’s PM for Windows and Mac now available as SaaS BeyondTrust has announced that the BeyondTrust Privilege Management for Windows and Mac solution is now available as SaaS, software-as-a-service, enabling organisations to stop malicious attacks by enforcing least privilege on endpoints, while benefiting from the low total cost of ownership, rapid time to value, and reduced administration burden of a SaaS solution.

As organisations are challenged to secure endpoints that are now in employees’ homes, BeyondTrust Privilege Management for Windows and Mac allows them to secure user devices and limit privileges without hindering productivity or driving up calls to the service desk.

With the increase of remote workers, and the cyberattacks targeting them, it’s now more imperative than ever to secure endpoints and prevent phishing attacks, malware, and ransomware from being introduced through home workers into the corporate environment.

BeyondTrust Privilege Management provides the exact level of privileged access end users need to perform day-to-day activities, such as installing and updating approved applications and printers, webcams, without giving them full administrative rights.

This just-in-time approach to privileged access allows employees working from home to access the applications and peripherals they need without having to contact the service desk. It also enables traditionally Windows-oriented service desks to manage an increasing number of Mac users created by bring your own device policies.

Privilege Management for Windows and Mac via SaaS enables organisations to: l Implement endpoint security to protect users that are vulnerable to malicious attacks like phishing, malware, and ransomware l Achieve rapid time-to-value with SaaS deployments and Quick Start policies for immediate risk reduction and fast deployments l Enforce least privilege policies across Windows desktops-servers and macOS l Empower employees with the access to applications they need for maximum productivity l Minimise costs from IT staff and infrastructure while reducing the burden on IT and Service Desk teams l Meet the requirements of security and compliance, displayed through dynamic dashboards

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DANIEL DEROSA, CHIEF PRODUCT OFFICER AT BEYONDTRUST.

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PRODUCT NEWS

D-Link launches temperature measurement, fever screening tools D-LINK DCS-F7200FT

D-Link has expanded its innovative portfolio with two unique solutions apt for today’s market demands. The all-new D-Link Thermal Solution Fever Screening Kit DCS-F9400KT for group thermal imaging screening and D-Link Temperature Measurement Face Recognition Terminal DCS-F7200FT for temperature measurement and access control will significantly contribute to the challenge of high-volume temperature screening encountered by customers all over the world.

As economies open up and lockdowns ease globally, it continues to be critical to monitor the spread of Covid-19. D-Link’s latest contactless solutions aim to make temperature measurement and screening effortless during these challenging times.

Designed to accurately and efficiently test people’s body temperature, the brand-new solutions are ideal for numerous scenarios where large crowds are expected, such as airports, railway stations, offices, school, communities, supermarkets, malls, banks and so on.

DCS-F9400KT: D-LINK THERMAL SOLUTION FEVER SCREENING KIT Some of the highlights of this solution includes high accuracy ±0.3? with the blackbody, face identification,

DCS-F9400T

auto alarm face capture, multi-target face detection, contactless and ease of deployment. Also Support alarm when no mask and abnormal temperature are detected. The Attributes detection includes face ID, mask and human body temperature status.

DCS-F7200FT: D-LINK TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT FACE RECOGNITION TERMINAL The digital temperature measurement face recognition terminal is an access control device equipped with precise recognition rate, large storage capacity and fast recognition, which integrates face recognition technology and non-contact temperature detection technology.

The digital temperature measurement module supports real-time rapid body temperature detection.

Thus, the product can achieve face recognition and temperature detection at the same time, and support warning people with abnormal body temperature including real-time temperature detection and screen display.

It also supports face recognition with a mask. The device’s UI can even indicate whether to wear a mask or not as well as set off an alarm for those who do not wear a mask.

Synology introduces SSDs for demanding environments Synology unveiled SSD product lineup built to meet today’s increasingly demanding environments, such as virtualisation workloads, high traffic volume database storage, and AI and HPC projects. Synology’s SSD lineup covers 2.5” SATA, M.2 2280, and M.2 22110 form factors and is designed to provide consistent performance while maintaining low I-O latency. Complementing Synology’s existing NAS solutions, the product lineup went through rigorous stress testing which enables customers to deploy a fully validated and reliable solution.

SYNOLOGY SAT5200 SATA SERIES SSDS Speed up workloads confidently with classleading performance. SAT5200 delivers up to 98K-67K sustained 4K random read-write IOPS with minimal performance degradation across the lifespan of the drive. SAT5200 series includes power-loss protection and end-to-end

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data path protection for enhanced data durability, minimising service disruptions due to data corruption. SAT5200 drives are rated for 1.3 Drive Writes Per Day under the JESD219A enterprise workload and are intended for mixed-usage deployments.

SYNOLOGY SNV3400, SNV3500 NVME SERIES SSDS Accelerate existing hard drive storage pools with SNV series NVMe SSD cache drives, optimised for low latency and random write performance. Synology’s SNV series are built to be consistent, providing over 40K IOPS under sustained random write workloads. SNV3400 and SNV3500 are both rated for 0.68 DWPD under the JESD219A enterprise workload.

Synology M2D20 and E10M20-T1 Designed to boost I-O performance and streamline storage experience, Synology’s new M.2 adapters allow existing Synology customers to take full advantage of the

enterprise-grade endurance and performance of SNV3000 series NVMe SSDs. E10M20-T1 is designed specifically for users looking to simultaneously increase storage and networking performance, with the addition of a 10GbE RJ-45 port. E10M20-T1 additionally supports multi-gigabit standards to enable cost-effective networking upgrades at home or office environments.

Integration with Synology DiskStation Manager enables lifespan prediction based on actual workloads, providing accurate estimations to remove the guesswork for system administrators. Comprehensive validation tests ensure maximum long-term reliability.

PRODUCT NEWS

DANNY ALLAN, CTO AND SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF PRODUCT STRATEGY AT VEEAM.

Shure launches MXA710 Linear Array Microphone for AV conferences Building on the success of its Microflex Advance line of microphones for AV conferencing, Shure is launching the MXA710 Linear Array Microphone. A major component in Shure’s new conferencing audio ecosystem, it represents the next evolution in Shure array microphone technology. This new model is designed for high-quality audio capture in premium AV conferencing environments.

Whether it is under or next to a wall-mounted display, suspended from the ceiling or flush mounted in a table, the low-profile form factor of the MXA710 subtly blends into any meeting room aesthetic without sacrificing audio quality. It is an ideal alternative for spaces where the MXA910 or MXA310 might not be the best option.

Patented Steerable Coverage technology captures audio anywhere in the room, featuring four lobes with the 2-foot array, and eight lobes with 4-foot array.

With onboard IntelliMix DSP, the MXA710 provides Automatic Mixing, Acoustic Echo Cancellation, Noise Reduction, and Automatic Gain Control, providing all the processing needed for echo and noise-free audio, ensuring end users experience a high-quality, unifying AV conference experience. Autofocus technology fine-tunes each lobe position in real-time, adjusting for meeting participant movements.

Using Designer System Configuration software for deployment, room coverage templates enable quick and easy lobe optimisation specifically for wall, ceiling, or table installations.

Available in 2-foot or 4-foot lengths and three colours, the MXA710 is compatible with both Dante and AES67 audio networking protocols. It is PoE-powered and features LED status bars at each end of the array with configurable colours and brightness. The smaller form factor is ideal for huddle rooms and smaller meeting spaces that are being equipped with video conferencing to provide greater virtual meeting capacity.

Also being introduced alongside the MXA710 Linear Array is the MXA Network Mute Button, a configurable PoE-powered mute button accessory designed for mute-unmuting of Shure networked systems products, including all MXA Arrays, as well as the IntelliMix P300 and IntelliMix Room DSPs and ANIUSB-MATRIX Audio Network Interface.

Veeam announces key product upgrades at VeeamON 2020

Veeam Software has leveraged the technology general session at VeeamON 2020, an online Data Management event, to announce new Veeam Availability Orchestrator, VAO, v3 and new DR Pack, which provides businesses up to 80% cost savings while immediately receiving a purpose-built disaster recovery planning and compliance solution for ALL workloads, dramatically simplifying and improving DR and business continuity by eliminating the need for difficult upfront decision making around what workloads not to protect.

Veeam also provided a unique preview of what the company is planning for upcoming product releases. Keeping true to its reputation for simplified innovation and also addressing the current mass transition to work from home environments, Veeam continues to put the data and business continuity needs of its customers and partners at the forefront of its product development.

This new release brings full recovery orchestration support for NetApp ONTAP snapshots, enabling users to reliably ensure the continuity of their IT services at any scale through extensible recovery orchestration from Veeam-powered backups and replicas and array-based replication. VAO v3 offers a unique range of capabilities that can help businesses to achieve necessary levels of DR planning and compliance by automatically testing, dynamically documenting and executing disaster recovery plans in as little as 1-click, from single applications to entire sites.

New VAO v3 adds additional capabilities to offer extensible recovery orchestration from array-based replication for all NetApp ONTAP customers. This new feature, Storage Orchestration Plans, will enable customers to orchestrate failover on NetApp ONTAP storage to a secondary recovery site, whether it be a DR site or a new datacentre in the case of datacentre migration.

VAO enables Veeam and NetApp ONTAP users to: l Maximise service availability. Get near-zero RTOs and RPOs for all applications and data with full recovery orchestration support for NetApp ONTAP snapshots as well as Veeam-powered backups and replicas. l Skyrocket operational efficiencies. Eliminate manual, expensive processes with comprehensive one-click orchestration and automation for DR and migrations.

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EXECUTIVE MOVEMENTS F5 names Tom Fountain as Head of Global Services and Strategy

Nutanix appoints Adam Tarbox as Director of GSI Business for EMEA

Nutanix has announced that it has appointed Adam Tarbox as Director of Global System Integrator, GSI, Business for EMEA region.

With more than 25 years’ experience in the IT industry, Tarbox moves to Nutanix from NetApp, where he spent more than a decade running the Service Provider, Channel UKI and GSI UK business units, before moving to head the EMEA GSI business.

As EMEA Director GSI, he built the EMEA strategy and a high performing sales team to support business with and through the GSIs. In his new role, Tarbox will be responsible for developing and executing an overarching regional alliance strategy for Nutanix’s GSI partners. He will lead a team distributed across the EMEA region, and be focused on driving go-to-market activities with GSIs around joint offerings for both horizontal markets and industry verticals.

F5 has announced the appointment of Tom Fountain as Executive Vice President of Global Services and Chief Strategy Officer. In this role, he will head F5’s global support, professional consulting, educational services, customer success, manufacturing, and technology services operations. In addition to the expanded role leading services, Fountain will continue to oversee the company’s long-term strategy and corporate development programmes.

Fountain will succeed Steve McMillan, who was recently named President and CEO of Teradata. As a member of the F5 Executive Team, Fountain will continue to report directly to Locoh-Donou from F5’s offices in San Jose, California.

Fountain joined F5 in 2018 from the security company McAfee, where he was Senior Vice President of Strategy and Corporate Development. In this role, he was responsible for defining the company’s corporate strategy, building its technology partnerships and strategic alliances, managing the business’ operations, and leading corporate development.

Forcepoint appoints Myrna Soto as Chief Strategy and Trust Officer

Forcepoint has announced Myrna Soto has joined the company as Forcepoint’s inaugural Chief Strategy and Trust Officer. In this newlycreated role, Soto will serve as a strategic business and technology driver of the company’s enterprise vision, strategy and programmes to protect people, critical data and IP both within the company and for thousands of Forcepoint customers around the globe.

As Chief Strategy and Trust Officer, Soto will also serve as a global leader and champion for both the development and execution of strategic initiatives that continue to propel Forcepoint forward as the industry leader for user and data protection worldwide and global enterprises’ trusted cybersecurity partner of choice. And, will function as a member of Forcepoint’s Security Council.

Ericsson appoints Kevin Murphy to head Ooredoo Group, Levant Customer Unit

Ericsson has announced the appointment of Kevin Murphy as the Vice President and Head of Customer Unit Levant Countries and Global Customer Unit Ooredoo Group, effective September 1, 2020. Prior to his current role, Kevin held several senior sales roles including Key Account Management assignments in Egypt, Indonesia, Oman and Malaysia along with serving as the Head of Industry Verticals Sales Support and Head of the Managed Services Practice for Ericsson in Region North East Asia.

Kevin Murphy will be a member of Ericsson’s Market Area Middle East and Africa Leadership Team. He has more than 25 years of international experience across the Ericsson business portfolio.

Throughout his years of experience, he has gained strong service delivery experience from multiple markets in Asia and Africa.

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