TECHx Review Magazine - GITEX Edition October 2022

Dear Readers,

It’s that time of the year again and the biggest tech event in the middle east is here, GITEX 2022. Every year the event over delivers and I am sure 2022 will be no different. Every TECH brand strives hard to showcase their offerings & stand out from the crowd and GITEX has proven to be the perfect platform for achieving this and TECHx is no different. Through our online & offline media in English & Arabic languages, we provide a platform for the technology eco-system, 24/7 to communicate to the right audience, learn about other major industries and of course, to showcase their offerings for the world to see.

We are pleased to bring you the GITEX Special edition of TECHx Review Magazine with exciting, encouraging and exclusive news from TECH & Business World in the Middle East. The special issue comes with various highlights, one of the top ones being the Launch of Aruba’s first of its kind AI driven local cloud in the UAE. The special edition also offers Interviews with though leaders & stakeholders of the ICT Value Chain, new launches & success stories, special features from tech brands, product features and much more.

Also, we encourage you to read our special segment on TECHx vision 2030 with our Chairman, Mr. Khaled Al Maeena, a veteran Saudi journalist, to get insights on the course of direction we are looking at in the next 7 years.

We sincerely hope you enjoy reading our GITEX special edition and you are always welcome to drop me a line on how we are doing, would love to hear from you.

Don’t forget to visit us @GITEX, Booth CC1-5. See you around. Cheers!

Christopher David Director –Business & Media Relations

Content

Networking

Content

Dear Readers,

Having grown up with technology, as my generation has, is to constantly ask oneself, Where Do We Go From Here?

Growing up with giant PCs in our homes, then having personal smartphones, tablets, and laptops, and now entering the Metaverse with cutting-edge technological breakthroughs, technology is a crucial component of our daily lives that we simply cannot function without. With every new technological development, our curiosity about where we go from here remains alive.

As a flag bearer in providing the most recent technology news, TECHx perceives it as a huge responsibility to keep its audience up to date on industry insights and emerging technologies that are empowering innovation.

TECHx Review is a critical component of the mission that TECHx is carrying out. Hence, this issue includes information about newly launched technology products, expert opinion articles, and insightful interviews with industry professionals.

Enjoy the issue and let us know what you think at editor@techxmedia.com. You can also directly connect with us during our five-day Gitex presence in CC1 - 5 at DWTC, as it's always great to connect with our audience and industry professionals in person.

TECH BYTES

ABU DHABI GOVT. TO SHOWCASE 100+ DIGITAL INITIATIVES AT “GITEX GLOBAL 2022”

The Abu Dhabi Government is set to participate for the 11th time in the 42nd edition of “GITEX Global 2022”. More than 30 government and academic entities will be participating under the umbrella of the Abu Dhabi Government pavilion during this global tech event.

At GITEX Global 2022, the Abu Dhabi Government will showcase more than 100 initiatives and innovative digital projects in its pavilion that aim to create a unique experience for visitors by introducing a unified platform that features all government entities.

This participation comes under the supervision of the Higher Committee of Digital Government in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and is in line with its efforts to implement a governance framework across the Abu Dhabi government and make a fundamental change in the concept of government services, moving towards digital future.

His Excellency Ali Rashid Al Ketbi, Chairman of the Department of Government Support - Abu Dhabi, said:

“GITEX Global 2022 is one of the biggest technology events to showcase the latest innovations and technology. It is an important platform to showcase the achievements of the government’s digital transformation in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, which comes as a manifestation of the vision of the UAE leadership, which places innovation and digital transformation at the forefront of its priorities to meet the needs of society.

PABLO ZABALETA TO APPEAR AT GITEX WITH ACRONIS

the world's first flying electric racing car at the previous GITEX in 2021, in collaboration with its business and sports partners.

Acronis announces that Pablo Zabaleta, former Manchester City and Argentina international footballer, will attend GITEX 2022 on Tuesday, October 11th from 1-2 pm GST at the Acronis booth H1 - C58. Acronis, the global provider of cyber security, is also expected to make additional announcements during GITEX Global Week, adding to the event's uniqueness. The presence of Zabaleta follows Acronis' previous presentation of

“Acronis is the only vendor with a one-stop solution that helps all audiences, from the SME to the enterprise and also the individual, when it comes to full cyber protection. By being present massively at GITEX this year once again, we want to take this opportunity to meet in person with our partners and customers, and also anyone who might have questions about how we can help them with our innovative technology. We have tripled our investment into this event because the Middle East region is at the core of our priorities, and we feel that there is still a lot that can be done around educating on cyber risks,” said Pasha Ershow, Senior Vice President APJ & MEA Sales and Global Channel.

Visit Acronis at H1 - C58 to learn why top sports teams and businesses across industries rely on Acronis products and how you can do the same.

TECH BYTES

DU EMBARKS ON REGION'S LARGEST DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION PROGRAM

du, from Emirates Integrated Telecommunication Company (EITC), has announced working on a new digital transformation program to enhance customer experience and maximize its business and operational capabilities. In collaboration with Netcracker, Accenture, HPE, Arimac, Tata Consulting Services, Tech Mahindra and ATOS, the program is an initial step in one of the important transformations at du and a significant milestone of the organization’s transformation journey in line with its aim to become a leading digital Telco in the region and contribute to the UAE leadership’s transformation agenda.

Fahad Al Hassawi, CEO at du said: “This is one of du’s biggest digital

transformation programs to date goes beyond transformation to start from scratch and build a holistic, future-focused network. As a digital telco, our goal is to deliver all the services that customers are using and expecting to use and maximize everything emerging technologies have to offer. We’re excited and proud to work alongside our partners to pave the way for change and transformation and deliver new and innovative solutions that will shape our digital future.”

du’s new program further accelerates its journey to a digital telco, recently strengthened by the opening of its new headquarters (HQ) in Dubai Hills, which supports the company’s growth strategy as part of its ongoing transformation agenda.

Fahad Al Hassawi CEO, du

GLOBAL ALLIANCE ON GREEN ECONOMY LAUNCHED IN DUBAI

Energy. The summit was held under the theme ‘Climate Action Leadership through Collaboration: The Roadmap to Net-Zero’.

During a ministerial roundtable on green economy at WGES with around 25 ministers and officials from around the world, HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Chairman of WGEO and MD&CEO of DEWA, launched the ‘Global Alliance on Green Economy’ to build a coalition of countries, prioritising a green economy in the context of climate action and sustainable development, to enhance the capacity of developing countries, provide support for their green economy transition projects and exchange knowledge on implementation.

Under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the 8th World Green Economy Summit (WGES) concluded in Dubai. It was organised by the World Green Economy Organization (WGEO), DEWA, and the Dubai Supreme Council of

Al Tayer said that the Alliance will continue to grow, be replicated, and be upscaled in various domains. He invited leaders across the world to join this journey and support effective green economic solutions that address the current economic and environmental needs.

TECH BYTES

HUAWEI RETURNS TO GITEX WITH ITS LARGEST EVER PRESENCE

Huawei will participate in GITEX GLOBAL 2022 in greater numbers than ever before, under the theme "Unleash Digital," demonstrating its commitment to the regional and global technology platforms. The company has agreed to be the show's Diamond Sponsor, bolstering the region's ICT ecosystem.

Huawei intends to showcase its most recent end-to-end products, solutions, and advanced ICT technologies at GITEX GLOBAL, with a focus on 5.5G, AI, digital power, cybersecurity, cloud, and industry applications designed to meet the needs of various industry scenarios and sectors such as government, utilities, oil and gas, transportation, and finance, thereby creating new value and addressing government national digital transformation

goals. In addition, the company will reveal its most recent solutions and technological advancements that can address climate change and drive clean energy development.

Throughout the week, Huawei will host a series of conferences that will provide new value to partners and

customers. Huawei executives will participate in a variety of keynotes and panel discussions throughout GITEX GLOBAL, in addition to their own events. Session topics include cybersecurity, smart cities, Edtech, the future roadmap for 5G technology, and mobility.

SENTINELONE TO HIGHLIGHT AUTONOMOUS XDR PLATFORM AT GITEX

SentinelOne, an autonomous cybersecurity platform company, plans to showcase its autonomous extended detection and response (XDR) platform and identity and credential protection solution at GITEX Global 2022. The company will also engage with channel players in key Middle East and Africa markets as part of its aspirations to

expand further in the region, as the appetite for technology grows.

Joining GITEX Global 2022’s extensive conference and workshop agenda, Tamer Odeh, Regional Sales Director at SentinelOne will give a presentation on ‘The Importance of Identity Security Modernization’ on the first day of the event.

“GITEX Global has evolved from its original concept in step with the market and, as a result, it has maintained its position as the Middle East’s key ICT exhibition. We are excited to be part of the event this year and plan to showcase our Singularity XDR and Singularity for Identity autonomous cybersecurity solutions. These solutions offer enterprises autonomous, comprehensive and responsive protection, which is absolutely vital given the rapidly evolving global threat landscape and the potential damage a security breach can cause,” said Tamer Odeh, Regional Sales Director, SentinelOne.

TECHx

TECHX VISION 2030

Khaled Almaeena, a veteran Saudi journalist, was interviewed by TP Sharafudheen, DirectorEditorial & Business Strategy at TECHx, in the context of his taking over as Chairman of the Executive Board of TECHx. After dedicating his life to journalism for over 5 decades, Khaled Almaeena is now working for the upliftment of youth in the Middle East and Africa through technology, which he has often referred to as his "Life Mission."

The TECHx family is delighted that you will be taking over as Chairman of the Executive Board. On behalf of the entire team, it is my pleasure and honor to congratulate you and welcome you. A media legend who needs no introduction, you had a long career with remarkable experience in playing your part in the region's socioeconomic power dynamics, and, certainly, your new chairmanship role in this new age digital media company will be notable news across the Middle East and Africa's news media segment.

I'd like to start our conversation by asking you to share the details of TECHx' new direction "TECHx Vision 2030" as you join the Executive Board; our readers would love to hear more about it from the Chairman himself.

Thank you for the warm welcome and kind words, Sharaf. As much as I'm excited to tell you about "TECHx Vision 2030," I'm even more excited to be a part of this young team. I mean, after nearly 35 years in various capacities in the media world; as editor-in-chief for the

Arab News and Saudi Gazette, and Chairman of Al Bilad for Journalism & Publishing, I've seen journalism change at an unprecedented pace and into new realms that no one could have predicted a decade ago.

As Chairman of the Executive Board of TECHx, I am thrilled to be a part of this young new generation media brand, especially one that is so focused on technology, the most influential domain of our time.

In one line, the "TECHx Vision 2030" is the ambitious aspiration to play a vital role in the region's digital transformation, working with and for a diverse range of agencies who are critical to the execution of this epic transformation of the region through technology.

And how is TECHx going to accomplish this? Well, TECHx aims to serve, strives to serve multiple stakeholders in the MEA (Middle East and Africa) region. We have technology professionals, governments, academia in the technology domain, non-profits working

for technology, technology startups, businesses in the technology domain including big tech brands, their distributors, and all other players in the ICT value-chain who make technology deployment possible, and not to forget the emerging gig economy in tech or the numerous tech freelancers offering services.

Even though TECHx is focused on technology and MEA, that is a very versatile and diverse stakeholder ecosystem with which we want to collaborate. "TECHx Vision 2030" is the blueprint for TECHx to attract or bring together various stakeholders of the technology ecosystem in a single platform "TECHx," and how do we bring them all to a single platform? Our news media services, various online and offline value-added products and services, and other non-profit initiatives all benefit our stakeholder communities. This will have numerous advantages for businesses, universities, and government agencies. As part of this master plan, TECHx will launch a number of initiatives over the next five years, including a job portal, a gig portal, an OTT platform, and much more.

TECHx's vision is to expand beyond news media; as I previously stated, TECHx aspires to play a critical role in the region's digital transformation, particularly through collaboration with various regional governments.

TECHx, the Middle East and Africa region's youngest yet fastest growing technology media agency has already carved out a niche in the news media segment with its domain-specific expertise in the technology landscape and, in particular, its unique identity as a technology news content creator in Arabic over the last two and a half years. How do you see this TECHx initiative leveraging Arab youth technological aspirations and their new cultural journey in technology? Do you believe TECHx can create or act as a gravity force of technology happenings in the heart of the Arab land; that is, another "Silicon Valley" story will emerge from here?

It's an interesting question. There's a trend that's pretty obvious these days, especially among Arab youth in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and pretty much everywhere else in the GCC region, as well as some prominent hubs on the African continent. I'm referring to the youth's growing interest in technology, not only in their business aspirations but also in their academic preferences. It is also worth noting that in the next 5 years or so, these young Arab students of technology will be the leaders of various government digital transformation missions, technology initiatives, and other private sector projects. In addition to this positive transition, the major cities of the Middle East region are becoming hubs for attracting technology startups from all over the world; of course, the government agencies working on this mission deserve credit for this.

So, analyzing this scenario, we have an emerging youth who understand the sophisticated language of technology and are ready to take leadership of worldclass technology projects in both the public and private sectors, supported by investments from around the world and government policies attracting technology startups who can contribute to the region's digital economy.

In poetic terms, I can state that this sounds just like the period of time immediately before "Silicon Valley" spring. However, to support governments in promoting this opportunity and vision, coordinating these trends through various platforms, maintaining their momentum through ongoing engagements and events, and ensuring that there is an integrated action towards this mission, we need a highly influential agency that amplifies the voices of the region's leaders at the grassroots level. Over time, that will be TECHx.

TECHx is entering this space to connect and integrate these young leaders, and I believe that I and many other veterans in our ecosystem can help them with our decades of experience in the region's socio-political dynamics. This is a huge responsibility, and how can we make an impact on this scale without understanding the cultural dynamics of this region, which revolve around the spirit of the Arabic language? If we are to serve the people of this region at the grassroots level, we must speak and think in Arabic. I'm proud that TECHx is one of the few successful pioneers in Arabic journalism that focuses solely on technology.

As you mentioned, TECHx is focusing on the Middle East and Africa; how important are these two markets? How will the digital transformation and new-age digital

"TECHx Vision 2030" is the blueprint for TECHx to attract or bring together various stakeholders of the technology ecosystem in a single platform "TECHx,"

SPECIAL FEATURE

AUTOMATING BUSINESSES WITH MARSES

MARSES Robotics Company, a regional manufacturer of mobile robots as well as a provider of engineering services and automated manufacturing systems for factories, has established new R&D and business facilities in the UAE in conjunction with its participation in GITEX Global Week as a partner to activate robotics technology for the fourth year in a row. The new facilities will serve as the company's regional base of operations, allowing it to better serve its customers.

The company is looking forward to expanding its opportunities and business in the MENA region while also strengthening its global market presence.

The new facility, which is located in the Sharjah Research Technology and Innovation Park " SRTIP " in the UAE, will allow us to better serve our growing customer base in the region while also expanding our market share. The trust we have earned from our customers motivates us to stay on the cutting edge of technology in order to provide them with the right solution. We are excited about this new chapter in the history of our company and look forward to continued success in the UAE,' Eng. Mohamed Abdel Rahman, Regional Manager of MARSES Robotics Company, stated.

that is constantly innovating and developing new technology and outof-the-box solutions.

The company has established itself in a prominent position by providing reachable and customizable robotics and automation for sectors such as banking, healthcare, entertainment, energy & utilities (and other critical infrastructure), the government, education, and retailers.

generation of robots that are more agile than previous generations. All robots are customizable, cloudbased, and have an autonomous navigation system powered by AI built-in algorithms. MARSES Robotics' advanced robotics arms and automation solutions are also used by manufacturers in the GCC and Egypt for task automation in the factories and industrial fields.

The company was founded in Cairo, Egypt in 2018 with production facilities for services mobile robots and automation units spanning 1000 square meters, and it has built a solid reputation over the last five years. Their products are of the highest quality and extremely reliable. They have a fantastic engineering team

Chet Namboodri SVP, BD & Alliances, Nozomi Networks

MARSES Robotics Company creates self-driving mobile robots. Robots from the company are used in a variety of settings, including warehouses, hospitals, restaurants, clinics, hotels, and shopping malls. The company has created a new

MARSES Robotics will be present at GITEX with a booth (H7A-5) in Hall No. 7. The company's product experts and senior executives will be on hand to interact with visitors and guide them to the best automation and robotics solutions.

ARUBA LAUNCHES NETWORKING INDUSTRY’S FIRST ENTERPRISE CLOUD-INSTANCE IN UAE

COVER

Zeeshan Hadi Country Manager, UAE Aruba

Aruba,

a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company, announced the much awaited launch of the company’s Enterprise Cloud instance in UAE. The new deployment is in response to the increasing appetite of enterprises in the country for cloudbased networking that provides resilience, efficiency, automation and flexibility of the business. The Cloud instance will provide in-country data residency and enable local enterprises to maintain proximity to their data.

Zeeshan Hadi, country manager, UAE at Aruba provides insight on the launch saying, “We have witnessed an acceleration in the demand for cloud services in the UAE, as organizations seek to modernize and transform their IT infrastructures and architectures in order to support a hybrid workforce. According to a report by Ken Research, the UAE Cloud services market is set to grow at a CAGR of 16.9% in terms of revenue generation, over the period 2021-2026. However, one of the key barriers to cloud adoption has been around data residency, and concerns over data that is stored in a cloud hosted outside the borders of a country, especially when it relates to customers operating in regulated industries like government, healthcare and financial services. The launch of our UAE Cloud instance is a momentous achievement and will go a long way in allaying these concerns. This

signals another landmark in our ongoing pursuit to better serve our customers and partners in the UAE.”

The launch comes on the back of the UAE government’s Federal Personal Data Protection (PDP) Law introduced early this year that places new regulations around the processing of personal data for individuals in the UAE. Besides the issue of data privacy, having cloud services hosted close to UAE customers translates to better and faster network and application performance, ultra-low latency, and thereby the best user experience.

The company’s flagship Aruba Central platform that provides AI-powered, cloud-managed networking for branch, campus, remote, and data center networks will be hosted on the local Cloud instance.

As the management and orchestration console for Aruba ESP (Edge Services Platform), Aruba Central provides a single point of control to oversee every aspect of wired and wireless LANs, WANs, and VPNs across campus, branch, remote, and data center locations. AI-powered analytics, end-to-end orchestration and automation, and advanced security features are built natively into the solution. Live upgrades, robust reporting, and live chat support are also included, bringing more efficiency to day-to-day maintenance activities.

Built on a cloud-native, microservices architecture, Aruba Central delivers on enterprise requirements for scale and resiliency, and is also driven by intuitive workflows and dashboards that make it a perfect fit for SMBs with limited IT personnel. The solution is also integrated with HPE GreenLake, providing a consistent operating model and single platform for IT executives to view and manage their compute, storage, and networking infrastructure for unmatched efficiency and improved cost controls.

Recently the company has added Client Insights to the Aruba Central Foundation License, providing customers with a service for detecting and provisioning devices at no additional cost. The platform has also been bolstered with four new AI features that tap into Aruba’s massive data lake to give more actionable networking and security information to partners and IT administrators.

“We are excited about today’s announcement, enabling our customers to consume Aruba Central in region, and providing an easier way to extend their network from edge-to-cloud – all enabled by a seamless, unified wired, wireless, and SD-Branch infrastructure. Leveraging Cloud technologies enables us to deliver solutions that use Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning at scale, resulting in what we call Aruba Self-healing AIOps. The benefit for customers is that problems are

Lars Koelendorf VP, Solutions & Enablement, EMEA Aruba

automatically surfaced and fixed before end users or business performance are impacted, without requiring any manual effort on behalf of IT operators,” concludes Lars Koelendorf, Vice President, Solutions & Enablement, EMEA at Aruba.

The company’s flagship Aruba

Central platform that provides AIpowered, cloud-managed networking for branch, campus, remote, and data center networks will be hosted on the local Cloud instance.

SPECIAL

Being a technologist isn’t like it used to be!

The latest research from Cisco AppDynamics — the ‘Agents of Transformation 2022’ report — finds 88% of global technology professionals reporting that the last four years have changed what it means to be a technologist, and altered what is required to deliver seamless digital experiences in a world of hybrid work.

In 2018, our first Agents of Transformation study revealed the emergence of a group of elite technologists at the forefront of innovation, with the skills, vision and determination to deliver positive and sustainable transformation and leave a lasting legacy. But of course, nobody could have predicted the seismic events that were coming down the line.

In response, these elite technologists have had to adapt and reinvent themselves to stay relevant and to ensure they’re able to drive transformation in a very different world. Indeed, 84% of technology professionals claim that the skills and qualities that define an Agent of Transformation have evolved over the last four years.

The research uncovers seven skills and qualities that have become more important for Agents of Transformation to demonstrate in the new world of hybrid work, and they make useful reading for any technologist looking to accelerate their career and reach the summit of their profession.

BECOME MORE OUTCOMEORIENTED

Elite technologists are using realtime insights to optimize the digital experience and link IT performance to business outcomes. 93% of global technologists say that being able to monitor and observe all technical areas across their IT stack and directly

SKILLS ELITE TECHNOLOGY PROFESSIONALS NEED TO SUCCEED IN THE HYBRID WORKPLACE

Gregg Ostrowski Executive CTO, Cisco AppDynamics

link technology performance to business outcomes is now important to become Agents of Transformation.

Improve your critical thinking

Agents of Transformation are increasingly able to interpret data and identify trends to make decisions and prioritize their actions. Technologists need to find ways to cut through overwhelming data noise across an increasingly fragmented and dynamic IT environment to generate actionable insights which can inform their approach.

PROVIDE INSPIRATION

Agents of Transformation are doing more to support, empower and inspire their colleagues to drive innovation and navigate through difficult challenges. Technologists are pushing each other to reach new heights and 85% say that they would like to work alongside more Agents of Transformation.

EMBRACE AN AGILE APPROACH TO LEARNING

Elite technologists are preparing themselves for future technology and business demands. For instance, many have needed to learn new skills and approaches in order to get to grips with a cloud-first application strategy based on cloud native solutions. They’ve recognized the need to do this in order to deliver accelerated

innovation and meet customer demands for seamless digital experiences.

INFLUENCE STRATEGY AT A BUSINESS LEVEL

Agents of Transformation are demonstrating the insight, vision and credibility to shape strategy based on real-time business metrics.

The age-old gap between IT and the business is disappearing, with 88% of technologists now considering themselves to be business leaders.

ADOPT A CUSTOMER-CENTRIC APPROACH

84% of technologists recognize that the need to maintain the performance of applications is more important than ever. This is because consumers and employees now have zero tolerance for anything other than brilliant and flawless digital experiences. Elite technologists are ensuring that they fully understand rapidly evolving customer needs and expectations and feeding this into their innovation strategies.

COLLABORATE WITH A BROAD SET OF STAKEHOLDERS

Agents of Transformation are looking to engage with every corner of the organization and to upskill employees around new technologies. They’re also leaning on strategic partners to develop their strategies and explore new approaches.

SPECIAL FEATURE

QNAP BRINGS COMPELLING NEW PRODUCTS TO GITEX

QuTS hero operating system, which is based on ZFS. The TVS-h874 SMB NAS protects data and offers blocklevel inline data deduplication and compression, near-infinite snapshots, real-time SnapSync, and SSD optimization.

QNAP will proudly display its latest technology and products at GITEX this year, including professional high-end models TVS-h1688XW1250-32G and TVS-h874-i5-32G with the QuTS hero operating system, as well as QGD-1602PC3758-16G, a newly developed cyber security product. A variety of Intel-based NAS and Seagate or WD hard drives used to improve business workflows, such as 10GbE-ready NAS, are also on display.

• QuTS hero 5.0.1 features QNAP storage solutions based on ZFS offer up to 5 PB of capacity for a single shared folder, allowing enterprises to tackle storageintensive applications such as big data analytics, edge computing, and AI. In addition to full NAS encryption and shared folder encryption, you can easily encrypt specific LUNs for enhanced access security because mounting/accessing the LUN requires decryption.

• Smart edge PoE switch QGD1602P

The QGD-1602P is the world's first PoE managed switch series with VM support. The QGD-1602P, with 2.5GbE and 10GbE SFP+ ports and up

to 90-watt PoE output, enables you to construct a high-speed and highpower PoE network infrastructure for Wi-Fi 6 Access Points and Routers. The QGD-1602P is a dualCPU design that uses Intel® Atom® multi-core 2.2GHz processors and two SATA drive bays to support VM and QTS applications.

The QGD-1602P not only fulfills IP surveillance, network security, wireless AP management, and storage expansion applications, but it also integrates QuWAN with other QNAP devices across multiple sites to form an SD-WAN architecture, assisting in the development of a resilient and secure IT infrastructure. The QGD-1602P achieves the highperformance transmission required for edge computing virtualization and IPsec VPN with 20GbE internal bandwidth capacity and Intel® QuickAssist Technology (Intel® QAT), and provides SMBs with a costoptimized and centrally managed LAN deployment solution.

• Intel-based enterprise NAS solutions QNAP will also demonstrate the TVS-h874, which features an Intel® Core i5 six-core processor and the

The TVS-h874 is an ideal NAS solution for mission-critical file servers, virtualization servers, collaborative video editing, or efficient data backup and recovery applications. The highperformance TVS-h874 offers PCIe Gen 4 expandability (up to twice the transmission speed of Gen 3), M.2 NVMe SSD caching, and 2.5GbE connectivity for highspeed virtualization network environments.

The high-capacity TS-h3087XU-RP is powered by a next-generation Intel® Xeon® E-2300 series processor, supports up to 128 GB DDR4 ECC memory, and offers a hybrid HDD/SSD storage architecture that balances performance and cost to deliver reliable server-grade performance.

The TS-h3087XU-RP, which runs the ZFS-based QuTS hero operating system, prioritizes data integrity with inline data deduplication, near-limitless snapshots, real-time SnapSync, and QSAL (QNAP SSD Antiwear Leveling) - making it an ideal storage solution for file servers, virtualization servers, VDI, and backup/restore.

QNAP invites all visitors to stop by stand H3-F50 and take advantage of the opportunity to meet its business development managers, who will answer any additional questions about QNAP's product development.

PENTERA AND GULF IT PARTNER TO DELIVER UNIFIED INTELLIGENT SECURITY SOLUTIONS IN THE GULF REGION

Gulf IT, a value-added distributor, announced that it has chosen Pentera, a provider of automated security validation, to assist over 1,500 customers in the Gulf region in combating ransomware attacks and ensuring continuous security validation.

According to recent research, in 2021 the UAE saw a 71% increase YoY in cyberattacks against corporate networks, per week.

and an actionable roadmap to remediation to improve security posture by emulating real-world hacking techniques. Validating the effectiveness of their existing security, Pentera’s platform will also ensure Gulf IT customers see improved return on investment from their security controls.

“The number of successful ransomware attacks continues to rise at an unbelievable rate,” said Abdul Rahman, CEO of Gulf IT. “Companies that fail to adapt and meet the emerging challenges will quickly fall behind. At Gulf IT we are helping customers stay one step ahead of the constantly evolving threats they are facing. We are excited to partner with Pentera and introduce their platform to validate the effectiveness of our customers' security controls against the latest attacks and ransomware.”

The collaboration is an important component of Gulf IT's strategy to provide a unified turnkey security solution to customers in the region.

Pentera’s Automated Security Validation platform enables CISOs to validate the effectiveness of their cybersecurity by challenging their existing security controls across the entire kill-chain. The company provides continuous visibility into organizations' security exposure

“Today, most companies struggle to keep track of their true security exposure across an ever-expanding threat surface,” said Morgan Jay, SVP Sales, EMEA & APAC, Pentera. “The addition of Pentera's platform to Gulf IT’s offerings will ensure that companies across the region have access to top-of-the-line automated security validation technology. Our platform will increase confidence in existing security controls while dramatically reducing security exposure.”

During this year’s GITEX Technology Week in Dubai October 10 - 14, Gulf IT and Pentera will be showcasing Pentera’s flagship Automated Security Validation platform. Please visit https://go.pentera.io/2022-10gitex-book-a-meeting to schedule a meeting at Gitex, or stop by Pentera's booth (H2-D30) for a demonstration.

Morgan Jay - SVP Sales, EMEA & APAC, Pentera Abdul Rahman - CEO of Gulf IT

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION MAXIMISED WITH KODAK ALARIS SCANNERS

Kodak Alaris has expanded its award-winning S3000 Scanner Series with the launch of two new models, the Kodak S3120 Max and Kodak S3140 Max. Both scanners are designed to help organizations make the most of their information - faster.

The S3000 Max Series combines high-volume capacity with the simplicity and compact size of a desktop unit. Both scanners are ideal for document-heavy processes and make it easy to quickly and accurately convert paper-based information into business-critical data.

The S3000 Max Series delivers exceptional image quality, superior paper protection, versatile media handling capabilities, and faster capture speeds, plus three months of onsite, next-day service and support and extended service options to ensure maximum productivity.

These new models build on the award-winning S3000

Series Scanners that have brought so much success to the healthcare, logistics, banking, education, and government markets. They can capture up to 140 pages per minute (ppm), while on-board image processing enables independent operation and reduces PC resources. RESTful Web API support delivers efficient document capture via the browser, with no software or drivers required. This makes it easy to integrate them into line-of-business applications, webbased scanning applications, and mobile devices.

The new Kodak S3120 Max and Kodak S3140 Max Scanners are easy to set-up and use; knowledge workers can configure the scanners themselves, without IT support, and the intuitive interface and 3.5” color touchscreen deliver simple operation. Operators can personalize workflows with Smart Touch software, capable of configuring up to twenty different scan jobs to suit specific scanning needs – all with one-touch simplicity.

A

PC

SPECIAL FEATURE

TURN COMPLEX DATA INTO ACTIONABLE INSIGHTS WITH UNIFIED OBSERVABILITY

While digital channels have simplified engagements for customers and employees, they have saddled IT teams with new levels of complexity. Despite their best efforts, IT teams find they have an insufficient understanding of how the network and applications are performing. Without the ability to derive valuable insight from the deluge of data, IT teams find their effectiveness inhibited when asked to innovate, or address issues that arise.

OBSERVABILITY PRESENTS THE ANSWER

IT teams that actively contribute to driving business results need greater insight from the data they receive so they can do their job well. The solution? Observability, which represents the next phase in the evolution of monitoring and visibility. Observability gives IT the flexibility to dig into “unknown unknowns” on the fly. It enables access to actionable insights by correlating information across disparate tools and providing appropriate context around why things are happening.

It is important to note that observability is not a replacement for monitoring which has been key to keeping environments running. Rather ‘completes the story’ by augmenting this established practice to provide actionable insight that aids troubleshooting and resolution. While observability should bring together the benefits of monitoring, visibility, and automation, most observability tools available today have limitations. This is why it is not just observability, but unified observability that organisations need.

FULL-FIDELITY TELEMETRY

Full-fidelity data is captured across the entire IT ecosystem, from client devices, networks, and servers, to applications, cloudnative environments, and the users themselves. This complete picture enables IT to understand what is happening and what has happened while avoiding missing key events due to sampling. This, coupled with the analysis of actual user experiences, not just sample data, offers organizations a deeper level of insight that augments quantitative measures of user experience with qualitative measures of employee sentiment.

INTELLIGENT ANALYTICS

Applying Artificial Intelligent (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and proprietary data science techniques across disparate data streams, including third-party data, can help organisations better detect anomalies and changes. By doing so, it can surface the most important issues faster and with precision. This is a significant difference from existing observability tools available today because organizations can better understand the impact and severity of issues from the start. This enables better prioritization so they can focus their time and effort on the areas that matter the most.

ACTIONABLE INSIGHTS

By leveraging the powerful combination of AI and ML enabled automation, organisations gain context-rich, filtered, and fix-first insights, ready for IT action. These insights enable effective crossdomain collaboration because it offers a single source of truth, allowing for more efficient decision-

Mena Migally

Regional VP, META - Riverbed

making to accelerate mean time to resolution.

In fact, this approach also reduces time spent in war rooms, fingerpointing, and excessive escalations. Through open APIs, these actionable insights can be imported from or exported to a broader ecosystem of third-party systems, including ITSM and security tools, to continuously improve digital experiences and IT service quality.

TIME TO ACT AND OBSERVE

As new paradigms, workforce models, and customer preferences will continue to add to the demands placed on IT teams, complexity can become an ever more significant challenge. Unifying data, insights, and actions across IT will help organisations eliminate data silos and alert fatigue, improve decision-making, apply expert knowledge broadly, and continuously improve digital service quality.

Organisations that invest in this ability will find flawless digital experiences within reach once more.

DRIVING CHANNEL GROWTH THROUGH SOLARWINDS TRANSFORM PARTNER PROGRAM

As businesses accelerate digital transformation efforts, their IT environments have become more complex than ever. The shift to the cloud, hybrid IT, distributed workforces, and increased use of new tools and technology have made some networks so sophisticated IT and DevOps teams often spend more time managing this infrastructure than they do supporting the business.

As a result of this increasing complexity, a shockingly low number of technology professionals surveyed in our 2022 SolarWinds IT Trends Report expressed confidence in their ability to manage their environments effectively.

For years, companies have turned to the critical expertise of the channel— including value-added resellers (VARs), managed service providers (MSPs), and technology distributors— to effectively implement new technology. Given the rapidly growing number of solutions that have emerged to manage complex IT environments, the expertise of the channel is more valuable than ever.

SOLARWINDS + THE CHANNEL = DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

For more than two decades, SolarWinds and our partners have worked together to support digital transformation by providing simple, powerful, and secure IT management software. Over the years, our solutions have evolved from monitoring tools to observability offerings.

It’s no surprise businesses today want and need this type of comprehensive, integrated, and cost-effective full-

stack observability solution to help support their digital transformation efforts. As we continue to innovate through new solutions—such as SolarWinds® Hybrid Cloud Observability—designed to help companies improve performance, availability, security, and digital experience across hybrid and multicloud environments, our friends in the channel will play a key role.

ANNOUNCING THE SOLARWINDS TRANSFORM PARTNER PROGRAM

We’re now transforming our growth strategy with a focus on creating simple, secure, and tightly integrated full-service operational solutions for enterprises of all sizes. There are several key components of this strategy we’ve announced in recent months, starting with the launch of our observability solutions.

Today, with an eye on our company’s future, we’re thrilled to share a significant milestone with the launch of the SolarWinds Transform Partner Program. This exciting new program will further enable our partners to accelerate digital transformation for their customers through simple and AI-powered SolarWinds observability offerings.

The Transform Partner Program is the first formal SolarWinds channel program in our 20-year history and represents our enhanced focus on channel growth and development of our partners. The platform is designed to transform the way SolarWinds partners with industryleading technology distributors, VARs, global system integrators, MSPs, and cloud partners around the world by offering strong profit

Jeff McCullough VP, Worldwide Partner Sales at SolarWinds

potential and significant growth opportunities.

The Transform Partner Program will accelerate SolarWinds partners’ ability to drive digital and IT transformation for their customers by offering powerful tools, increased profit potential, performance rebates, enablement and training programs, an enhanced Partner Portal, and new marketing and sales support.

We’re offering multiple paths to success for our partners with this program. Whether you’re a new integrator just beginning and building out practice areas or a longestablished partner with a proven track record in delivering value, the SolarWinds Transform Partner Program offers opportunities to grow a profitable business.

To learn more about the program and how you can become a SolarWinds channel partner, please visit us at www.solarwinds.com/partners.

SPECIAL FEATURE

RUIJIE NETWORKS GETS BIGGER IN MEA

Ruijie Networks was founded in 2000 and now has 50+ branch offices worldwide, covering more than 100 countries; 7 R&D centers in China; 100,000 global employees; and 5000 R&D engineers.

What is Ruijie Networks?

• One of the top-3 networking vendors in China

• No.1 in Wi-Fi 6 product shipment

• No.2 market share in the Chinese Enterprise WLAN market

• No.3 market share in the Chinese Ethernet switch market

Ruijie and Reyee provide a comprehensive range of wired/ wireless LAN SMB and Enterprise solutions to international vertical markets such as hospitality, retail, education, transportation, finance, government ISPs, and so on.

Ruijie Networks provides all network solutions under one Lifetime FREE Cloud, and we have the unique value that Ruijie provides to customers on the cloud. The ONLY Tolly certified vendor providing more Enterprise-grade features for SMEs at no cost for life, with an unlimited capacity platform and simple maintenance.

Ruijie Cloud Solution includes equipment deployment, monitoring, network optimization, and operational lifecycle management, allowing customers to deploy, operate, and maintain their systems with ease. It supports mobile monitoring as well as automatic cloud RF planning and user experience monitoring (add equipment using QR code scanning, network status monitoring and alarm). Simultaneously, it offers flexible wireless user access control features such as high security "One person, one machine, and one password" PPSK, a built-in cloud Portal, and Facebook authentication.

Ruijie Cloud Mobile App allows you to manage your entire network from anywhere and at any time. The app provides a Dashboard view for multiple sites, allowing you to monitor network status in real time. Even an IT dummy can master the entire network provisioning such as gateway, switches, and wireless AP in minutes with the step-by-step wizard. With the App, you can perform WiFi inspection and optimization while on the go, without the need for IT support.

Ruijie began developing the Middle East and Africa markets in 2016. We have already covered the majority of the major countries, including Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Pakistan, Morocco, South Africa, Kenya, and Nigeria. Local teams have already arrived to assist our channel partners.

We built two warehouses this year, one in Dubai's Jebel Ali Free Zone and the other in Turkey, to support the fastest delivery during the severe shortage period.

Ruijie Networks has over 1000 references in the META Region, including 4-5-star hotels, universities, K12 schools, staff housing, ISPs, government, defense, industry, retail chains, shopping malls, and so on.

Ruijie insists on collaborating with our loyal valueadded distributors and master resellers to create winwin situations and deliver more advanced products and solutions to our customers in the Middle East and Africa.

Ruijie Networks will be present at GITEX 2022 with their Value-added Distributor MBUZZ in Hall# 4 H4- B1 from the 10th to the 14th of October 2022.

Meanwhile, at the Mbuzz Booth, Ruijie Wi-Fi 7 and Wi-Fi 6E Wireless Access Points will be launched.

Ruijie Networks has also organized the MEA PARTNER SUMMIT 2022 on October 12th, 2022 in Fairmont Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Rd - Trade Centre 1 - Dubai, where they invite all partners to come and experience the next generation network solutions.

LEXAR PROFESSIONAL NM800PRO PCLE GEN4X4 NVME SSD WITH HEATSINK OPTION NOW AVAILABLE

Lexar, a global brand of flash memory solutions, has announced the Lexar® Professional NM800PRO M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4x4 NVMe SSD, with a heatsink model. It is engineered for hardcore gamers, professionals and creators who demand high-performance computing.

The Lexar® Professional NM800 M.2 2280 NVMe SSD provides maximum SSD performance that puts you in the computing fast lane with speeds up to 7500MB/s read and 6500MB/s write. With blazing-fast performance, the Lexar® NM800 PRO SSD leverages the 12nm controller to produce lower power consumption and longer battery life for all your high-performance computing needs.

Unlike traditional hard disk drives, the Lexar® NM800PRO SSD has no moving parts, so it’s built to last. On top of that, it’s also shock and vibration-resistant, making it one robust and reliable SSD.

Powered by PCIe Gen4x4 NVMe 1.4 technology standard and also backward compatible with PCIe 3.0, you can experience 2x faster speeds than PCIe 3.0 SSDs and up to 12x faster than SATA SSD3.

For gamers looking to take their game to the next level, the NM800 PRO is also available in a heatsink model. The Lexar® Professional NM800 PRO with Heatsink NVMe SSD features an integrated Heatsink and heat spreader label to effectively maintain speed, power efficiency, and thermal control for sustained highperformance when playing on PlayStation® 5 and PCs. And with up to 2TB capacity, store and play more of your favorite games so you never run out of room.

Lexar® Professional NM800PRO M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4x4 NVMe SSD and with Heatsink version is available for purchase online.

“Inspired by gamers, creative professionals, and content creators who demand high-performance computing, we are proud to announce the Lexar® Professional NM800PRO M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4x4 NVMe SSD. With unparalleled SSD performance, NM800 PRO is designed for data-heavy applications for gaming, design and more.”, said Joel Boquiren, General Manager of Lexar.

SPECIAL FEATURE

STRENGTHENING CONNECTIONS ACROSS NETWORKS

D-Link's latest technologies promote a healthy lifestyle by providing intelligent, strong network connections for bandwidth-intensive applications in densely populated households. D-Link also emphasizes three product development methods for creating breakthroughs that enable the current digital revolution.

The brand enhances the performance of home networks by developing solutions that use AI technology to detect and correct network issues. D-Link Green is an environmentally friendly approach to packaging goals that ensures corporate responsibility goals are met. D-Link is also committed to developing a vertically integrated ecosystem of network communication equipment that complies with the Made in Taiwan (MIT) quality assurance standard.

The EAGLE PRO AI Series includes AI-enhanced capabilities to optimize your Wi-Fi, as well as the AI Assistant, which intelligently monitors network usage to provide simple, actionable recommendations to keep your network running smoothly for the entire family.

EAGLE PRO AI Series has a wide range of routers to meet everyone's needs for home Wi-Fi and 4G Wi-Fi. The R15 AX1500 Wi-Fi 6 Smart Router, M15 AX1500 Mesh Router, and E15 AX1500 Mesh Range Extender all feature Wi-Fi 6 Technology, which provides up to four times more capacity and a 40% increase in throughput over Wi-Fi 5. The R03, R04, and R12 Wi-Fi AI Routers are entry-level devices for emerging markets that use WPA3 security encryption for more secure connectivity.

The EAGLE PRO AI series also includes 4G AI Routers G415 and G416, as well as entrylevel models G403 and G412, all of which come standard with two built-in external LTE antennas. Furthermore, the G416 makes use of Carrier Aggregation Technology to boost data speeds up to 300 Mbps. Carrier Aggregation is the foundation for deploying 4G and 5G networks, allowing multiple frequency bands to be combined for higher peak rates and increased cell coverage.

The EAGLE PRO AI capabilities built into the series routers monitor traffic and improve the home network. The AI Wi-Fi Optimizer continuously searches and monitors the network to ensure that users are connected to the best Wi-Fi channel. Mesh Optimizer by D-Link AI is an AI-enhanced Beamforming Technology that provides stronger, more dependable Wi-Fi throughout the home. The AI Traffic Optimizer automatically prioritizes and assigns bandwidth to different apps, while also informing users about which devices are causing congestion.

The AI Assistant collects actionable data to keep users up to date on network quality, and AI Parental Control gives parents more control and freedom over their children's online activity. The EAGLE PRO AI App includes a built-in Speed Test to assess Internet speed, a Health Mode to manage sleep patterns, and voice control compatibility with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.

SPECIAL FEATURE

STREAMLINING INTERACTIONS

Jadd Elliot Dib, Founder, and CEO of Pangaea X shares an update on the latest features of his platform that will transform how clients will interact with freelancers through actionable real-time insights, content & industry updates.

Data science is surging, faster than many of us anticipated. Understanding the behavior of the consumer and responding to their need, as defined by the consumer, in the quickest time and decisive manner is the only means to survive in the future.

Pangaea X is a ‘first-of-its-kind’ Data Analytics platform that connects Data Analytic seekers with the world’s best Data Analysts and Scientist freelancers. We recently launched our new website which is designed to revolutionise the user experience and transform the way clients will interact with freelancers.

This move is a significant step as data science and data analytics advance to new heights and is expected to be one of the top ten most in-demand careers in the UAE and in the world in the future.

According to a report commissioned by Dataiku, the platform for Everyday AI, it was found that the UAE leads EMEA in the leverage of data, data science, and artificial intelligence (AI) for the purposes of decision-making and business growth. It further showed that UAE respondents were most convinced of data’s utility in the workplace, with 84% considering it essential.

Technology in general has been the focus of governments across the globe, especially in the Middle East. Regionally, Saudi Arabia has also been taking great strides in promoting data analytics substantially in line with the Saudi Vision 2030. Recently the Saudi Ministry of Economy and Planning signed an MoU with the Saudi Data & AI Authority (SDAIA) to explore ways AI and data can strengthen policymaking and economic growth. Through this partnership, government data modeling and simulation techniques will be significantly enhanced. In addition to this, the UAE’s ADQ – the Abu Dhabi Developmental Holding Company and the Oman Information, Communication and Technology Group (ITHCA), which is under falls under the Oman Investment Authority (OIA) signed an MoU to establish an AED 592 million venture capital fund to invest in high-growth

Jadd Elliot Dib Founder and CEO Pangaea X

technology companies in the Sultanate.

With the launch of our new website platform, our strategy is to make the hiring process easy for business owners and worthwhile for freelance data professionals. This is a win-win situation for both parties.

The smart platform makes it easier for candidates to filter opportunities according to their skill set. Additionally, business owners have access to an extensive database through which they can browse talent, access case studies, and select the right candidate without having to worry about longevity and overheads that can’t handle the uncertainty of tomorrow.

The new website is very informative and focused on quality and educational content pertaining to four key sectors including finance and accounting, marketing, real estate and construction. The content is updated on a realtime basis and delivers insights and recommendations by combining data collection, aggregation, machine learning, and predictive analytics. This makes it easy for prospective customers to find relevant information to make informed decisions.

Additionally, an extensive database of data analysts, data scientists, data visualization experts and data entry specialists is also available for clients with case studies

INTERVIEW

‘NO ONE TELLS A STORY LIKE WE DO’

Absolutely no one is able to tell a story the way we can. Managing the entire IT, we sort of stand out because we bring all of those aspects together that are beneficial to the actual user, says Sascha Giese, Head Geek at SolarWinds.

presents all teams with the same level of information and enables users to escalate cases to the resolver group. Since absolutely no one is able to tell a story the way we can. Managing the entire IT, we sort of stand out because we bring all of those aspects together that are beneficial to the actual user.

Could you provide more information about the New Software Development Process SolarWinds has introduced and how it addresses the needs of enterprise software security today?

The new software design process, known as Secure by Design, is an industry first. We came up with this after a December 2020 incident in which our development line was compromised and hackers inserted malicious code into each update that we sent.

Sascha Giese Head Geek at SolarWinds

What made SolarWinds stand out among its competitors to be named a Leader in the GigaOm Radar Report for Network and Cloud Observability? When it comes to observability, it's kind of like a buzzword that came up a couple of years ago, but there's no set way to describe it. So each observability vendor has its own way of explaining what it actually means. For us, it is a kind of evolution of monitoring and management that has propelled us to the forefront of network management.

However, we have been focusing on many other areas for more than ten years because we see it as a very fragile construct based on different teams. To give you an example, it's incredibly challenging to bring together teams for things like network team, server team, cloud architects, etc. Additionally, the first concern when anything breaks is not how to fix it, but rather who will fix it.

Customers, therefore, require a single platform that

To prevent this from happening again, we changed the way software vendors create software. We still have the developer writing code, but we ask them to document every step they take. And, before we use that code, we have a second team that recreates it based on the documentation. Then there's a third team whose sole responsibility is to compare those two sources of code and ensure their integrity and authenticity are always perfect. In my cooking analogy, it would be like a judge checking to see if what you cook is the same as what I cook.

What major goals do you have for your participation in Gitex this year? Tell us about the products and solutions you are exhibiting. The main goal is always to meet the people over there. So we only go there once, maybe twice a year. But that is essentially the only time we meet the locals who are our customers. We also have long-term relationships with many of our customers. So it's always nice to meet and greet them, shake hands, and talk about what's important.

We, at SolarWinds, want to know how they feel about our tool and if they have any feedback for us. And they usually come to us because they want to know what is new and what we have planned. It is therefore critical to establish that relationship, and there are many new things this time around.

INTERVIEW

SIMPLIFYING AND AUTOMATING - KODAK ALARIS

As a consistent winner of BLI Scanner Line awards for the past several years, what differentiates you from other existing players in the market?

As “scan to process” becomes more popular, the ability to extract information from documents reliably and accurately will become more important. The overall quality of Kodak Alaris desktop, departmental, and production office scanners consistently stands out from the competition. Accurate and highquality information capture combined with intelligent software and trusted Kodak Alaris services provide custom document management solutions designed just for the customer.

Kodak Alaris has claimed the coveted Buyers Lab (BLI) 2022 Scanner Line of the Year Award from Keypoint Intelligence thanks to its:

• Outstanding performance across Keypoint Intelligence’s scanner test suite

• Distributed capture and intelligent workflow automation capabilities

• Simple user experience that reduces the amount of time workers spend scanning while eliminating errors

• Seamless fit into hybrid work environments

What type of solutions do you provide to help customers in their digital transformation journey?

Kodak Alaris is a leading provider of information capture solutions that simplify and automate business processes. We exist to help the world make sense of information with smart, connected solutions powered by decades of image science innovation.

We provide commercial grade scanners, capture software and professional services to create solutions

Maria Moubarak Regional Marketing Manager Kodak Alaris

which drive speed, accuracy, and profitability into business processes for customers around the world. Our INfuse Solution is a secure scanning solution that protects sensitive data and gives channel partners new avenues for growth. Partners such as ISVs and Systems Integrators can now customize their core INfuse offering by adding one or more of these modules to their solutions. The INfuse Solution integrates into other applications allowing users to complete tasks more accurately and faster than ever before. Tasks previously completed in days are now measured in minutes or hours.

Could you please give our readers an overview of your new line of printers and scanners that help consumers maximize their digital transformation?

In May 2022, Kodak Alaris expanded its award-winning S3000 Scanner Series with the launch of two new models, the Kodak S3120 Max and Kodak S3140 Max. Both scanners are designed to help organizations

make the most of their information - faster. They combine high-volume capacity with the simplicity and compact size of a desktop unit. Both scanners are ideal for document-heavy processes and make it easy to convert paper-based information quickly and accurately into business-critical data. As organizations worldwide continue to advance their DX strategies, they demand powerful, productivity-boosting, and secure capture technologies to support their continuous innovation. The S3000 Max Series Scanners are designed to address the capture challenges our customers are facing now, and to enable them to digitize workflows and process digital data in an automated and intelligent way.

A new version of Kodak Alaris' Capture Pro software has been released; what new features does it offer to consumers?

Organizations today are faced with a near-constant influx of paper and digital documents that threaten employee productivity. With the exponential growth of data that arrives in various formats and from multiple sources, organizations must find new and innovative ways to take the complexity out of information capture.

Engineered to work seamlessly with any document scanner, Kodak Capture Pro makes it easy to turn volumes of scanned data into information that businesses can use. It truly is the key to overcoming challenges related to secure and reliable capture. And, by letting you share information across your organization, it enables knowledge sharing throughout your enterprise. The latest release introduces platform enhancements, security updates, and integrations with third-party applications.

Maria Moubarak, Regional Marketing Manager for Kodak Alaris, believes that the company's desktop, departmental, and production office scanners consistently outperform the competition in terms of quality.

WHY UNIFIED OBSERVABILITY IS REQUIRED?

Alluvio IQ, according to Shaun Bierweiler, Chief Revenue Officer at Riverbed Technology, is the first truly intelligent solution to show how data is transformed into knowledge and useful insight.

What results did the IDC survey on observability commissioned by Riverbed reveal for the UAE?

One of the things we discovered here in the UAE, which is fairly comparable to the rest of the world, is that organizations have far too many tools that don't provide enough actionable insights to support their environment or mission.

According to the IDC survey of UAE respondents that Riverbed comissioned, 53% lack unified observability, which limits their ability to meet business requirements. So, when we talk about unified observability, it means being able to see problems across domains and then using that information to provide actionable insights. According to 52% of respondents in the IDC survey, it makes their job more difficult. We see that some organizations use more than six distinct tools for monitoring and measurement.

In the UAE, 60% of organizations fall into that category, with 59% claiming that a lack of tool limitations or capabilities is impeding their productivity, collaboration, and capabilities. When we consider what to do with visibility and observability, we are all constrained by operational capacity and skilled IT staff.

61% of respondents said they have the best-trained IT staff. As a result, individuals are devoting too much time to tactical challenges rather than high-value, highproductivity tasks that they would prefer to solve. So those factors contribute to why unified observability is required, as well as the fundamental elements of our strategy, and why we're so excited about it here in the UAE.

We'd like to know more about Riverbed's Alluvio IQ solution, what does it do?

Alluvio IQ is effectively the first of many SaaS services that we intend to bring to market. Riverbed has long provided full fidelity visibility capabilities spanning our customers' environments, beginning with network infrastructure, application devices, and end users, and now our customers. As a result, we have a high level of intimacy with every packet, flow, and user interaction. Working closely with our clients has taught us that while data is valuable in and of itself, there is tremendous value in being able to correlate and contextualize it.

Shaun Bierweiler Chief Revenue Officer Riverbed Technology

So, for the past 18 months, we've been working closely with our engineering and product partners to create an integrated solution that leverages all of that data to correlate, contextualize, or prioritize it, enrich it, and display it in an automated fashion for our clients.

Alluvio IQ is the first truly intelligent solution to demonstrate how data is transformed into information and actionable insight. So it's the first of a number of innovative services that Riverbed will introduce to the market.

How does Alluvio IQ address the challenges that organizations face?

One of the findings of the IDC survey was that nearly 60% of organizations believed their most trained personnel were working on tactical tasks. So the first thing Alluvio IQ does is allow for automated remediation. Consider that a big help in taking one's knowledge and organizing it so that other users can use it. So we're using AI and automation tools to take tactical tasks and either complete them for clients or make recommendations on their behalf. Furthermore, by bringing all of that data together and providing insights, we save organizations weeks of manual labor investigation and correlation.

QNAP INTENDS TO COLLABORATE WITH SAUDI, QATAR & KUWAIT PARTNERS, SAYS ALEX TSAI

What new products and solutions did QNAP release in 2022?

QNAP has released the TS-hx87XURP series of QuTS hero NAS, which is available in 9, 18, 22, and 30-bay models. The series incorporates the power of Intel® Xeon® E-2300 series processors, prioritizes data integrity, and offers powerful data reduction, near-limitless snapshots, up to 5 petabytes capacity per shared folder, and more, making it an ideal storage solution for file servers, virtualization servers, VDI, and backup/restore.

What was your channel partner strategy this year in MEA region, and what plans do you have for 2023?

QNAP has been deploying NAS / backup solutions in the GCC region since 2010; we intend to collaborate with Saudi/Kuwait and Qatar partners in vertical solutions such as Finance, Medical, Education, and Media Production.

What challenges are organisations facing when adopting cloud-based NAS technology? How is QNAP addressing them?

Many entry users are more interested in cloud solutions, which may have an impact on the NAS business. However, SMB to enterprise customers' data is still growing and demanding more safety

Alex Tsai Sales Manager - IMEA QNAP

and confidentiality protection, so QNAP will force high Network Detection and Response (NDR) to ensure all data is protected by zero risk on QNAP NAS.

What are the highlights of your Gitex Global 2022 presence, and where can visitors find you at the exhibition?

QNAP will introduce HDP (Hyper Data Protector) and HBS (Hybrid Backup Sync) at Gitex 2022. HDP

can back up an unlimited number of VMware® / Hyper-V environments and PCs. HDP provides you with a cost-effective and dependable disaster recovery plan, ensuring that your services are operational 24/7. HBS could keep three copies, two types of storage, and one copy off-site to ensure your data's security. On the other hand, HBS has QuDedup (Data deduplication technology) to save bandwidth and time/SSD life when backing up to 34 cloud services.

QNAP's Alex Tsai, Sales Manager - IMEA, shares that the company intends to collaborate with Saudi, Kuwait and Qatar partners on vertical solutions such as Finance, Medical, Education, and Media Production in 2023.

MAKING THE MOST OF GITEX WITH ACER PARTNER WEEK

Joumana Karam, Acer Middle East's Head of Marketing and Product Business Unit, discusses sustainability, products for the gaming and education sectors, and Acer Partner Week, which is taking place alongside Gitex at Emirates Towers.

Which initiatives did you implement this year as part of Acer's commitment to environmental sustainability?

Acer began incorporating sustainability practices into its operations more than a decade ago. From 2008, when we implemented the CDP Supply Chain for carbon disclosure reporting, to 2013, when we increased the recycled content in our notebook and PC packaging, to 2017, when we launched Project Humanity. Finally, in 2021, Acer launched its Earthion Program, which encouraged eco-friendly initiatives into the company's supply chain ecosystem.

Acer's Vero line of eco-conscious devices, which incorporates ecofriendly and recycled materials, such as PCR plastic and ocean-bound plastic, in carefully reimagined recycled packaging, was launched in 2021 as a manifestation of all of the above efforts. In the Middle East this year, our eco-friendly initiatives had a special taste as they coincided with our 30th anniversary in the region. These initiatives included a desert clean-up, donating old clothes, tree-gifting, and e-waste collection to name a few. In January this year, we launched our Acer Aspire Vero laptop in the UAE and we will introduce our newest Acer Aspire Vero 14” in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia this fall through our major retailers.

What new products do you have in your portfolio this year for gamers?

This year we are excited to add a new dimension to gaming by incorporating our SpatialLabs technology into our popular Predator Helios gaming series. The SpatialLabs TrueGame application

enables exciting industry-leading glasses-free stereoscopic 3D gaming. Furthermore, we announced two new SpatialLabs View monitors this year: standalone 15.6-inch 4K displays that can be connected to desktops or laptops, providing users with portable access to glasses-free stereoscopic 3D technology to gamers, home-entertainment enthusiasts and creators without the need to buy a new PC.

We continue to revamp our Predator line-up with new models of Predator Orion Desktops, Predator Triton notebooks, Predator monitors like Predator XB273K and Predator accessories. Also, our Acer Nitro gaming line-up including desktops, laptops like the Nitro 5 and monitors like Nitro XV272U.

How does Acer's product line serve the education sector?

Acer Education solutions include first our Acer large portfolio devices based on the latest specifications from our alliance partners like Microsoft, Google, Intel and AMD, as well as our latest Acer innovations like antimicrobial solutions, thermal components, flexible designs and ecofriendly material. A few products that fall into this portfolio include the Acer Chromebook line-up, our TravelMate B series notebook, our Aspire 5 and Nitro 5 laptops, etc.

Acer Education solutions include a reliable ecosystem alongside channel and alliance partners to provide the best knowledge and tools for teaching and learning needs. Also, we provide exciting and valuable resources for the education sector in our Acer for

Acer Middle East's Head of Marketing and Product Business Unit

Education blog.

Give us an overview of your GITEX participation, and where can the visitors find you at the exhibition?

GITEX Technology Week is an important event, and we are taking advantage of it by hosting our Acer Partner Week at Emirates Towers during that time. We host a series of meetings to strengthen the mutual commitment of Acer, our major retailers and distributors, commercial and educational partners, and others.

Our EMEA VP PBU head will be joining us this year as well as our EMEA Education lead. We are looking forward to sharing business updates, discussing market trends, exchanging ideas and discussing the outlook for 2023 at Acer Partner Week. But more than anything we are excited to see the reaction of our partners when they will touch and feel our SpatialLabs products line-up!!!

Joumana Karam

INTERVIEW

MEETING THE NEEDS OF BUSINESSES

As one of the key IT distributors in the Middle East, ASBIS provides a wide selection of IT products, including networking infrastructure, software and security, printing and business solutions, and more. Hesham Tantawi, vice president for MENA at ASBIS Middle East, talks about the company's strategic priorities and regional strengths.

How has the year 2022 treated ASBIS thus far?

Despite the slower market growth overall, ASBIS is doing well in 2022, particularly in terms of growth in the core products.

What we had envisioned over the previous five years has already been accomplished. The robust cooperation that we sought is finally bearing fruit. Along with adding consumer-centric items and focusing on a particular group of clients, we also intend to launch new distribution business segments.

We recently introduced a consumer-focused section to ASBIS' earlier portfolio in addition to the core business verticals (volume, value-added, and commercial services).

Through our value vertical, ASBIS aims to assist businesses in advancing cutting-edge technologies like data analytics, cyber security, and AI. When firms set themselves up with the newest technology, it gives them a competitive advantage. To make it happen, we eagerly collaborate with system integrators and solution providers. Among the top companies, we recommend to clients from the value-added divisions are Logitech and Supermicro.

With security being a major concern for many organizations these days, what is ASBIS doing in this space?

When it comes to security, we sell cutting-edge security cameras that assist companies in data analysis, action plan creation, customer behavior analysis, and other tasks. Retail, building management, agriculture, and other industries can benefit from these solutions.

Give us some highlights of your Gitex presence this year.

At GITEX, we represent our entire portfolio, including Logitech - Intel and AMD in components, -Western Digital, Seagate, Toshiba, Kingston, Transcend, QNAP, Synology, Dahua, Solidigm, Infortrend, and Infinidat in storage. TP-Link, Ubiquiti, Grandstream, Mimosa, Yealink, and Mikrotik in networking - Supermicro, NVIDIA, and Gigabyte in server - luxury brands such as Bang & Olufsen and Loewe with our private brands such

Hesham Tantawi VP, MENA, ASBIS ME

as Prestigio, Canyon, Lorgar, Aeno, and Perenio, as well as other brands such as AOC, ECS, Lexmark, and video analytics vendors Despite ASBIS' policy of not attending the event, we are planning a client outreach and meeting program for the near future.

What will be the company’s key strategy for the year 2023?

Our main plan of action is to maintain a strong relationship with our partners. That's the mindset we've had from the start, and we'll continue to incorporate additional businesses while providing top-notch support for the ones we already have.

Micro, medium, and large businesses are the emphasis of ASBIS. Additionally, we are open to cooperating with anyone because we think that everyone contributes something valuable to the supply chain. A $3.7 billion profit was made by ASBIS. We anticipate growth of $7.97 billion, or bottom-line profitability, and we're driven to grow even farther.

ASBIS used to generate 22% of its annual income from Eastern Europe and Russia. However, given the ongoing geopolitical concerns, the firm is now not running there. ASBIS is attempting to make up the difference by bringing in an additional 2-3% in foreign earnings.

EXPLORING NEW VERTICALS WITH DATA

TECHx

economy impact these two regions? Could you provide a comparison of these regions to the European and American markets, particularly in terms of technology trends and macroeconomics?

In comparison to European or American markets, the MEA region as a whole is still in its early stages when it comes to global technology initiatives and game-changing innovations on a global scale. America's and Europe's contributions to technology have not only resulted in great brands or stories but have also served as soft power in the global political and economic landscape.

America has a "Silicon Valley" story, with Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, and now Elon Musk. Every major city or capital city in Europe, be it London, Paris, or Berlin, has its own unique story in technology and hegemony in how it creates an impact in the global market. So, in comparison to those markets, this region has a long way

to go, but we have a speed advantage due to a variety of factors. The MEA economy is transitioning to a post-oil economy, and the GCC region benefits from a migrant economy, as well as a large number of HNIs (High Net Worth Individuals), not to mention the region's SWF and institutional investment capabilities.

So, taking into account the following factors: the desire to transition from an oil-based economy to a digital economy, the ability to attract top talent from around the world, the ease with which investments for infrastructure development for technological innovations can be made, and, most importantly, the enormous support from various governments, we can confidently predict that the MEA region will soon catch up with the American and European markets.

This is due to the fact that what we have now, these blessings, are similar to what America had a few decades ago in order to create their Silicon Valley. This is not just my observation; the governments in the region are also heading in the same direction, as evidenced by their proclaimed visions such as Saudi Arabia's "Vision 2030" or the UAE's "UAE Centennial Plan 2071," which are all in favor of this agenda, and TECHx is taking place at this point and has a responsibility to play in amplifying the nations' visionary voices across the region.

When you spoke earlier about "TECHx Vision 2030," you mentioned that you will work closely with governments in the region, which includes 50+ governments, and it is also briefly mentioned in "TECHx Vision 2030" that TECHx will emerge as an advocate of these governments' technology policies in the Middle

East and Africa. Could you please share your action plan and the main agenda for this remarkable program?

Speaking of technology policy advocacy, we will see that, unlike in the past, technology is now instrumental in defining social-cultural-political aspects of any community; thus, citizens of every nation must be aware of the government's initiative in technology and its policies to ensure a safe and peaceful socio-cultural and political environment.

As much as technology provides enormous opportunities for human life, it also poses threats ranging from personal to national in scope. In this context, it is critical for the public to understand the government's policies, whether they are technology startup acceleration packages, data residency policies, cyber security initiatives, or public awareness programs for digital well-being, so that the public can effectively participate in making its deployment faster and smoother.

TECHx will serve as a "platform" for various governments' technology policies in order to contribute to public welfare and society. As we work at the grass-roots level, we provide a platform for the public to respond to these government initiatives in order to make them more effective. TECHx will serve as a bridge between the government and the public, a noble responsibility for any news organization, and we have already begun working with various ministers in the region on this remarkable program, for which we are grateful.

TECHx has stated in multiple statements that it has special programs in collaboration with the region's universities and other academic communities and a slew of other non-profit initiatives from TECHx. Could you please elaborate on these noble ideas, which I believe will leave historical imprints in the region's sociocultural areas and will be well received by students, academic communities, and even regional governments?

Before I answer your question, I'd like to explain why TECHx has so many non-profit initiatives. This will allow me to better answer your question.

As we enter the second decade of the twenty-first century, the goal of news media is more than just the dissemination of news; while we have a huge responsibility to address misinformation, disinformation, and misrepresentation, the pressing challenges within the news segment, we also feel responsible as an organization to take initiatives that have a greater impact on the lives of our stakeholders than what news media has done thus far.

How can we not? We have better ideas and action plans

for various solutions for society through technology because we are at the center of information about what is going on in the technology world, and we can also make predictions or create intelligence for the benefit of the technology industry. So, either we will inspire our stakeholders to act on these ideas, action plans, and intelligence, or we will pioneer and set the track for better societal benefit through technology. One such initiative is the TECHx Sustainability & Security Projects, a non-profit initiative attempting to develop solutions to climate change, cyber security, and e-waste management issues in collaboration with various stakeholders in the technology industry and academia.

TECHx non-profit initiatives are strategic programs designed to accelerate the region's digital transformation. For example, TECHx' "Alif Va Laila" project aims to massively develop digital content in Arabic language in various forms such as websites and more, as well as to support Arabic speakers with Arabic tools enabling them to create digital content; this helps to overcome the linguistic barrier in the execution of our vision to make every person in the region a participant rather than a consumer of technology transformation.

Each of our non-profit initiatives is aimed specifically at our stakeholders, such as the "International Students' Forum" project, which aims to prepare technology students to be future-ready as soon as they graduate from educational institutions, and the "Indusmia" project, which aims to bridge the gap between academia and the technology industry in order to boost innovation, and my personal favorite, the "Arab Student Coders & Developers" project, which aims to train 1000+ Arab coders and developers in two years.

As an impact organization, TECHx feels obligated to give back to the region, and TECHx is proud of its vision of making a modest contribution to the development of the Arabic language and its cultural values. As part of this agenda, one of our initiatives is attempting to develop a new cutting-edge programming language in Arabic using Arabic syntaxes.

Now, returning to your question, I believe it is clear from what I have said that the "historical signatures" of TECHx, as you mentioned, will have a significant impact on the socio-cultural areas of the region. And why a special emphasis on academia and universities? Because we want to target where the expertise and aspiration in technology are developing, in the young minds, as they are the leaders of the future. We would see remarkable innovations for the benefit of the public if we could simply effectively connect academia and industry, if not "bridge the gap."

TECHx, like our fellow domain organizations, is dedicated to contributing to this noble cause. And the rest is up to history to decide whether we made it or not!

I'd like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for such an insightful and comprehensive visionary discussion about TECHx. Your voice is filled with passion and energy, and it is clear that, as Chairman of TECHx, you have already made the upliftment of youth in the Middle East and Africa region through technology a "life mission." TECHx is proud to be the reason or carrier of your life purpose, and with your clear vision for TECHx, there is no doubt that history and a healthy generation will be defined by time. Thank you very much!

TECH WATCH

PNY CS3140 Solid State Drive

The CS3140 M.2 NVMe Gen4 x4

Solid State Drive is the ideal solution for PC enthusiasts, gamers, and video rendering professionals to upgrade to the latest in NVMe technology. The NVMe Gen4 x4 interface delivers extreme performance of up to 7,500MB/s seq. read and 6,850MB/s seq. write speeds.

Offered with an optional extruded aluminum heatsink, it is designed to be an extreme high performance SSD to deliver the performance you demand for your laptop or desktop system. Boot up in seconds, enjoy lightning fast application launches, and incredible system performance. The PNY XLR8 CS3140 is highly durable, less likely to fail, and features a 5-year warranty or TBW.

FEATURES

• Sequential Read of up to 7,500 MB/s and Write of up to 6,850 MB/s

• Offered with or without an integrated extruded aluminum heatsink for compatibility with a variety of form factors and systems

• Boot up in seconds, enjoy lightning fast application launches, and incredible system performance

• Extreme performance is ideal for demanding applications, high-end games, and intense workloads

• Backed by a 5-year limited warranty or TBW & EU tech support

PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS

• NAND Components: 3D Flash Memory

• Interface: PCIe Gen4 x4

• Form Factor: M.2 2280

• PERFORMANCE (MAX SEQUENTIAL READ/WRITE)

• 1TB: 7,500 MB/s (Read), 5,650 MB/s (Write)

• 2TB: 7,500 MB/s (Read), 6,850 MB/s (Write)

• 4TB: 7,500 MB/s (Read), 6,850 MB/s (Write)

• 8TB: 7,000 MB/s (Read), 5,900 MB/s (Write)

POWER

• PCIe Power Management: APST, ASPM, L1.2

• ENVIRONMENTAL

• Operating Temperature: 0°C ~ 70°C

• Storage Temperature: -40°C ~ 85°C

RELIABILITY/SECURITY

• Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF): 2,000,000 Hour

• Error Correction Code: LDPC (Low Density Parity Check) ECC Algorithm

Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology (S.M.A.R.T)

• Full End-to-End Data path protection: Supported

• Encryption: AES256

COMPATIBILITY

• RAID (0/1): Supported

• NVMe: NVMe 1.4

• Performance Optimization: TRIM (requires OS support)

PRODUCT INFORMATION

• Service & Support: 5-Year Limited Warranty or TBW

• Dimensions (L x W x H): No Heatsink: 22 x 80 x 4 mm (Max)

• With Heatsink: 22.8 x 80.4 x 20.5 mm

• Weight: No Heatsink: 6.6g

• With Heatsink: 45g

TECH WATCH

KODAK INFUSE - SMART, CONNECTED, SCANNING SOLUTION

Kodak INfuse is a standalone, network-connected enterprisegrade scanning solution that is designed to efficiently submit content into business processes and receive real-time acknowledgment at the point of scanning. The system does not require a PC to operate, and setup is done through a single QR code sheet that is unique to the customer, so configuration takes seconds. The Kodak INfuse Solution integrates directly with a variety of business applications, allowing customers to complete tasks that would have previously taken days.

SPECIFICATIONS:

Daily Volume

Feeder Capacity

Connectivity

Max. Document Size

Min. Document Size

Up to 12,000 pages per day

Up to 80 sheets of 80 g/m²

USB 3.2 Ge n 1x1

USB 2.0 co mpatible

Network 802.11

mm x 3000 mm

mm x

Max. OCR 600 dpi

Environmental

mm

NVIDIA RTX A4500

The NVIDIA RTX™ A4500 combines high performance, enterprise reliability, and the latest RTX technology to help you achieve your best work in realtime. Built on the NVIDIA Ampere architecture, the RTX A4500 combines 56 second-generation RT Cores, 224 thirdgeneration Tensor Cores, and 7,168 CUDA® cores with 20 GB of graphics memory to supercharge rendering, AI, graphics, and compute tasks. Connect two RTX A4500s with NVIDIA NVLink to scale memory and performance with multi-GPU configurations , allowing professionals to work with memory intensive tasks such as large models, ultra-high resolution rendering, and complex compute workloads.

NVIDIA RTX professional graphics cards are certified with a broad range of professional applications, tested by leading independent software vendors (ISVs) and workstation manufacturers, and backed by a global team of support specialists. Get the peace of mind needed to focus on what matters with the premier visual computing solution for mission-critical business.

FEATURES

PCI Express Gen 4

NVIDIA Quadro Sync II ompatibility

Four DisplayPort 1.4a connectors

NVIDIA RTX Experience™

decode

RTX

GENERATION WIRELESS

Ruijie's Wi-Fi 7 solutions push the boundaries of what Wi-Fi can do, with enhanced speeds, latency and network capacity plus support for advanced features like 320MHz channels, 4K QAM and advanced multi-link implementations such as High Band Simultaneous Multi-Link.

KEY SPECIFICATION:

• The Highest throughput in global, Up to 19.31Gbps;

Dual 10Gb ports (1*10Gb PoE uplink and 1*10Gb SFP+ ports);

IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax and be;

Quad-radio Tri-bands: 2.4GHz + 5GHz+ 5GHz + 6GHz;

320MHz Channel Bandwidths;

Multi-Link Capabilities;

4K QAM Modulation;

Flexible Channel Utilization;

Ruijie Cloud and WS series controller Management;

TECH BYTES

NEW TRAINING ACADEMY IMMERSES DIGITAL STARTUPS IN THE METAVERSE

Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, one of three chambers operating under Dubai Chambers, has launched the Future of the Digital Economy: Business in the Metaverse academy, a specialized training programme designed to equip digital startups with the practical knowledge and tools they need to build in the metaverse and leverage Web3.

A total of 30 businesses from Dubai and other markets will be chosen to participate in the training academy, which will use VR, AR, and XR technologies to help participants experience and understand the metaverse's business dynamics.

Participants will go through four sessions covering the core principles of Web3, its history and roots, and case studies of successful and unsuccessful Web3 business strategies. Furthermore, sessions will examine the value of NFTs as a new form of communication between brands and customers, as well as how to manage expectations of various blockchains.

After completing the program, participants will receive mentorship support in Dubai and gain access to a free sustainable co-working space, as well as the opportunity to share their success stories with an audience at one of the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy's biggest events in 2023.

Eligible digital startups can apply for the training program until October 31. The training program will take place from December 5th to December 14th.

RIYADH GEARS UP FOR THE ULTIMATE HACK FEST

The event is the result of a collaboration between the Saudi Federation of Cybersecurity, Programming, and Drones (SAFCSP) and Informa Markets, the world's largest events company. This strategic partnership highlights the Kingdom's investments and growth in cybersecurity and the digital space, while also demonstrating the region's adaptation to modern technology.

Black Hat, the prestigious information security event series, is preparing to bring the top minds in information security to Riyadh this November as part of an iconic three-day event. Black Hat MEA is set to welcome 30,000 visitors to Riyadh from the 15th to the 17th of November at the Riyadh Front Exhibition Center, making it the largest cybersecurity event in the region while featuring the most powerful speaker lineup of any technology show in its first edition.

“@hack set the bar for cybersecurity events across the region in 2021, surpassing our expectations across all measures. This success reflects Saudi’s position as growing centre of global cybersecurity excellence & the global ecosystem’s confidence and curiosity in what we are building from the grassroots up” said Faisal AlKhamisi, Chairman, SAFCSP. “The credibility of evolving @hack to Black Hat MEA is a powerful indicator of our intentions within the cybersecurity space. This partnership will spark innovation, supercharge our capacity building and develop investment opportunities which we are excited to share with the world in November”

TECH BYTES

SAUDI ARABIA WINS BID TO HOST 2029 ASIAN WINTER GAMES AT NEOM

Saudi Arabia has won the bid to host the 2029 Asian Winter Games at a planned mountain resort in the Gulf Arab state's $500 billion flagship NEOM project.

According to the project's website, the TROJENA development will be completed in 2026 and will include outdoor skiing, a manmade freshwater lake, and a nature reserve.

"With the unlimited support by the Saudi leadership & HRH Crown Prince to the sport sector we are proud to announce we have won the bid to host AWG TROJENA2029 as the first country in west Asia," Sports Minister Prince Abdulaziz Bin Turki Al-Faisal said on Twitter.

NEOM is Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's most ambitious project as part of the kingdom's Vision 2030 development plan to reduce reliance on oil and transform the economy, including through sports development.

NEOM, a 26,500-square-kilometer (10,230-square-mile) high-tech development on the Red Sea, will include "The Line," a zero-carbon city, as well as industrial and logistics areas.

MBZUAI SHOWCASES AI RESEARCH AND INNOVATION AT GITEX

intelligence. Short, informative presentations will be given by university faculty and collaborators, and faculty and students will participate in GITEX webinars and panels.

The MBZUAI exhibit, located in Hall 8, will feature a multimedia experience from Hao Li, MBZUAI associate professor of computer vision and founder of startup Pinscreen. Li is leading the charge to create the artificial intelligence (AI) technologies that will power shopping, work, and so much more in the metaverse. Li is the director of the MBZUAI Metaverse Lab, and his technologies have already helped Amazon and Expo 2020, among other organizations.

Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) has announced its participation in GITEX Global 2022, where it will showcase some of its most recent research and innovation in a two-story interactive exhibit.

Visitors to the university's exhibit will be able to see firsthand how MBZUAI's faculty, researchers, and students are pushing the boundaries of artificial

Visitors will be able to learn about development innovations at MBZUAI that are the result of student research. One such application is one that aims to assist speech-impaired people in communicating and navigating society. Visitors will also be able to contribute to science by participating in an activity that immerses them in the world of a person with a speech impairment.

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