Techitup Middle East by www.techitupme.com

EDITOR’S NOTE ——

Dear Readers, Its GITEX again, but this one is Special. Read on….and allow me to share my excitement with you… I am both humbled and thrilled to introduce our inaugural edition of Techitup Middle East in print, making its debut at GITEX Global 2023, the world's largest technology event. After spending a decade in the technology media sector in the UAE, and with this being my 10th GITEX experience, there couldn't have been a more fitting moment to launch our print publication. Techitup Middle East – A David Media Company launched its media & content publishing platform www.techitupme.com on 7th July 2023 and in just three months we are growing steadily. Headquartered in Dubai UAE, Techitup Middle East is a media arm of The David Media company, bridging gaps between the tech industry – enterprise end users – consumers. We are currently witnessing, and possibly partaking in, one of the most significant transformations in modern IT environments and global consumer expectations. With digitalization sweeping across various sectors and AI technology revolutionizing global markets, we are poised for substantial changes in our approach to technology. This edition promises to deliver precisely that! Within these pages, you will gain insights from leading minds in the technology and enterprise sectors on how they intend to shape the ever-evolving technological landscape. Expect comprehensive coverage on crucial subjects such as Artificial Intelligence, Digital Transformation, Cybersecurity,

Green Technology, Innovations, Product Launches, Recognitions, Consumer Technology, and much more. Additionally, you will have the opportunity to hear directly from tech leaders as they share their perspectives on Digital Transformation, AI, and Innovation in our exclusive interview section. I trust you will relish reading our inaugural edition and consider it a trusted source for tech and enterprise news. Don't forget to explore our online news publication at www.techitupme.com for round-the-clock coverage of technology and major industries throughout the MEA region. Wishing you an outstanding GITEX experience, and I will see you there. Take good care, and don’t forget to Techitup! Christopher David Founder & Managing Editor Techitup ME- A David Media Company

PUBLISHERS:

The David Media FZC LLC Christopher David

Ajman Media City Free Zone United Arab Emirates

Nikita Khandagale

General inquiries: info@techitupme.com

Founder & Managing Editor

Director Marketing & Social Media

Jignesh Parmar Head Developer

www.techitupme.com

Editorial: chris@techitupme.com Nelson Nworie

Manager Social Channels

Business & Media Relations: chris@techitupme.com October 2023 |

CONTENT CHANNEL ——

Ingram Micro and Cloudera Partner to Drive AI Adoption

06 Toshiba Gulf: “Build Your 09 Own Data Centre” INTERVIEW ——

Deliver Exceptional Digital Experiences with Unified Observability and Acceleration Driving Customer Success

14 Through Innovation Re-imagining Hybrid 15 Workspace

WOMEN IN TECH ——

Sherifa Hady Takes the Helm as GM, EMEA Sales at HPE Aruba Networking IFS Appoints Hoda Mansour

24 as Chief Operating Officer ENTERPRISE ——

27 28

Cisco Unveils Latest Innovation Trends ahead of GITEX 2023 OCG Delivers the Philippines’ First Subterranean Railway Network

OPINION ——

AI is Only as Good as The Data That Fuels it

CONSUMER TECH ——

| October 2023

Western Digital Releases New Drive for Content & Creative Professionals

www.techitupme.com

Don’t Miss Riverbed at GITEX Global 2023! Visit Riverbed Technology to explore two industry-leading portfolios that drive enterprise performance and exceptional digital experiences. With Alluvio™ Unified Observability, transform data into actionable insights to deliver seamless, secure digital experiences for customers and employees. With Riverbed Acceleration, provide fast, agile, secure acceleration of any app, over any network, to users everywhere. Learn more at riverbed.com.

Concourse 2, Booth CC2-18 Dubai World Trade Center 16th – 20th October 2023

CHANNEL | INGRAM MICRO & CLOUDERA ——

Ingram Micro and Cloudera Partner to Drive AI Adoption

Dr. Ali Baghdadi SVP & Chief Country Executive – MEA, Ingram Micro

ngram Micro Inc., has announced a distribution agreement in the Middle East and Africa with Cloudera, a data company for trusted enterprise artificial intelligence (AI). This strategic collaboration will enable Ingram Micro’s extensive network of resellers, system integrators, and service providers to access Cloudera’s powerful hybrid data platform. Furthermore, it will empower businesses to efficiently manage, analyze, leverage data to gain valuable insights, make informed decisions and use AI solutions based on trusted data. The collaboration comes at a time when organizations across industries are increasingly recognizing the importance of

| October 2023

data-driven innovations such as AI in gaining a competitive edge. Cloudera’s comprehensive data management and analytics solutions provide enterprises with the agility, scalability, and security required to navigate the complexities of the modern data landscape. “We are thrilled to collaborate with Cloudera and expand our portfolio of transformative technologies,” said Dr. Ali Baghdadi, SVP & Chief Country Executive – MEA, Ingram Micro. “Cloudera’s data management and analytics solutions perfectly align with our commitment to delivering innovation and empowering our partners to meet the evolving needs of their customers. Together, we can help enable organizations to unlock the true potential of their data assets and drive growth in the digital age.” Cloudera’s enterprise data cloud platform leverages open-source technologies such as Apache Hadoop, Apache Spark, and Apache Kafka to provide organizations with a unified and scalable solution for data engineering, data warehousing, data science, and machine learning. By combining data management, analytics, and artificial intelligence capabilities, Cloudera enables businesses to extract actionable insights, streamline operations, and fuel innovation. At a time when most enterprises are looking for benefits from AI, they need to stay ahead of the curve by using modern data architectures.

Ahmed Tayeh Partner Manager Emerging Markets, Cloudera

“We are excited to work with Ingram Micro and extend the reach of our enterprise data cloud platform,” said Ahmed Tayeh, Partner Manager Emerging Markets at Cloudera. “Ingram Micro’s vast distribution network and deep understanding of the technology landscape will play a pivotal role in accelerating the adoption of our solutions. Together, we aim to help businesses harness the power of their data and drive digital transformation.” The distribution agreement between Ingram Micro and Cloudera represents a significant milestone in their shared commitment to enabling organizations to leverage data as a strategic asset. www.techitupme.com

—— CHANNEL | NIGHTDRAGON & CYBERKNIGHT

NightDragon and CyberKnight Partner for Cyber Innovation

yberKnight will help NightDragon’s portfolio companies bring their innovations to customers and partners. NightDragon, a dedicated cybersecurity, safety, security and privacy (CSSP) investment and advisory firm, announced a new strategic partnership with CyberKnight Technologies. With this partnership, NightDragon is looking to continue the international expansion capabilities of its portfolio companies and bring the latest CSSP innovations to customers in the Middle East, Turkey, Africa (META) and other regions. CyberKnight has rapidly grown into the largest pure-play cybersecurity VAD in the Middle East in just under four years. Through its strategic partner channel, it helps more than 500 enterprise and government customers implement leading solutions to simplify breach detection, prevention, and incident response, as well as implement regulatory compliance, zero trust practices, critical infrastructure protection, artificial intelligence (AI), threat intelligence, and more. Through this partnership, NightDragon’s portfolio will get access to CyberKnight’s many customers in the region across banking, finance, telco, energy, government, and other sectors. Additionally, they will get access

www.techitupme.com

Avinash Advani CEO and Founder, CyberKnight

to more than 80 strategic partners and more than 400 channel partners across the region to further expand go-to-market capabilities internationally and deliver the latest innovations for mitigating risk from rising cyber threats around the world. “NightDragon continues to align ourselves with leading partners around the world, such as CyberKnight, who can help drive new growth and go-to-market opportunities for our portfolio and bring their innovative CSSP solutions to customers that need them in the Middle East and around the world,” said Dave DeWalt, Founder and CEO, NightDragon. “We look forward to partnering closely with the CyberKnight team to advance a shared mission to secure our world for tomorrow and increase

Dave DeWalt Founder and CEO, NightDragon

public-private partnerships globally.” NightDragon companies will receive elevated levels of technical, sales, and business development support to ensure the successful roll-out of programs between the two organizations, including certifications and training for CyberKnight and channel partners as well as comprehensive pre- and post-sales services. CyberKnight will additionally support NightDragon portfolio companies to build robust global partner ecosystems through program consulting and access to its extensive reseller base of partners in the region. Finally, the companies will benefit from joint marketing activities and other efforts that will drive higher awareness, pipeline generation, and increased market penetration in the region. October 2023 |

CHANNEL | MINDWARE ——

Mindware & NVIDIA to Drive Digital Transformation Across MEA

NVIDIA and Mindware executives at the partnership signing ceremony

indware, announced that it will promote and distribute NVIDIA’s leading technology solutions in the AI and digital twins sectors, which are transforming some of the world’s largest industries and significantly influencing society. Speaking about the milestone, Philippe Jarre, Mindware Group President, comments: “As we become an NVIDIA value-added distributor, we are truly excited about the opportunities it presents for both our company and our valued customers across the Middle East and Africa. NVIDIA’s innovative solutions not only complement, but also enrich our portfolio. Its leading technologies align seamlessly with our commitment to delivering innovative solutions.

| October 2023

By providing these offerings, we eagerly anticipate the advancement of the technological landscape in the region.” NVIDIA technologies will help empower organizations in the Middle East and Africa to accelerate their digital transformation, enhance productivity, and gain a competitive edge in today’s data-driven world. NVIDIA’s advancements in AI, highperformance computing, graphics, and simulation make it an attractive choice for customers seeking to harness the power of cutting-edge technology for their business needs. Mindware is committed to serving its customers with NVIDIA AI software and accelerated computing. Among the NVIDIA products it plans to offer are NVIDIA DGX systems for enterprise AI

infrastructure at scale; NVIDIA AI Enterprise software for secure, stable, and supported production AI; and NVIDIA Networking for the extreme bandwidth and low-latency performance required by modern, high-performance AI and enterprise workloads. “AI is helping businesses solve complex problems, improve customer engagement, and foster innovation,” said Geoff Fancher, vice president of worldwide distribution at NVIDIA. “Mindware’s established distribution channel and expertise in serving local customers will help enterprises advance their businesses with NVIDIA AI software and accelerated computing to drive innovation and savings.”

www.techitupme.com

—— CHANNEL | TOSHIBA

Toshiba Gulf: “Build Your Own Data Centre”

oshiba Gulf FZE (TGFZ), a fully owned subsidiary of Toshiba Corporation (Japan) managing the MEA region for storage products and solutions announced the launch of its “Build Your Own Data Centre” initiative across the Middle East and Africa including KSA. This initiative will help its channel partners adapt to a data-driven future while optimizing costs and performance. In a rapidly evolving technological landscape, companies are faced with the pivotal decision of whether to migrate entirely to the cloud or continue maintaining on-premises data centers. While cloud adoption is on the rise, many enterprises are finding value in balancing the two—a strategy known as a hybrid approach. This initiative will help educate and empower channel partners, including System Integrators, VARs, and VAD, to help their enterprise clients enhance their business-critical enterprise server storage systems and cloud storage capabilities while leveraging high-capacity hard drives. Santosh Varghese, VP, TGFZ said, ”We want the data storage channel ecosystem to be aware of the kinds of storage backup companies need. We see many companies still using tape as a storage backup option, but a hard drive is the first choice for storage because the cost per GB is still very low compared to SSDs.” As of 2021, approximately 63% of data storage worldwide still relies on traditional hard disk drives (HDDs). However, the landscape is evolving, and by 2025, SSDs are expected to claim a 16% share of data storage, with NAND making up 10%. Nonetheless, HDDs will continue to hold the majority share at 58%. By 2030, it’s projected that HDDs will still account for 48% of total data storage, while SSDs will grow to 29%, and NAND will comprise 12%. To raise awareness, Toshiba will host a series of events across the MEA, with an aim to equip sales and pre-sales teams belonging with in-depth knowledge about enterprise-level storage and purpose-built hard drives – As an educated channel can better address specific market requirements, such as surveillance, backup, and big data storage.

www.techitupme.com

Santosh Varghese Vice President, Toshiba Gulf FZE

The “Build Your Own Data Centre” initiative also seeks to demystify different storage frameworks like RAID and NAS, allowing channel partners to recommend tailored solutions for their clients. With the global data explosion showing no signs of slowing down, data storage remains a critical concern for businesses – Toshiba, has been dedicated to meeting this demand. In 2018, the company introduced the Helium 14TB enterprise Server HDD, and they have ambitious plans to bring 40+TB enterprise hard drives to market by 2026. Santosh Varghese added, ”The market has matured quite a bit in the past couple of years in terms of their appreciation of the need to invest in the right kind of storage.” As businesses worldwide reevaluate their data storage strategies, Toshiba’s “Build Your Own Data Centre” initiative offers valuable insights and cost-effective solutions that align with the evolving storage landscape. October 2023 |

CHANNEL | ACRONIS ——

Acronis Enhances MSP Productivity with Advanced Automation New cloud-centric platform, purpose-built for small and midsize MSPs, improves customer billing, reduces complexity, and maximizes revenues

Patrick Pulvermueller CEO, Acronis

cronis, has announced the general availability of Acronis Advanced Automation, building on Acronis’ proven track record of delivering integrated solutions that help partners streamline and simplify their services. Acronis Advanced Automation helps MSPs transition from simple break-fix services to cloud-centric, subscriptionbased services that require a new approach to billing and contract management. Complexity is a common challenge for MSPs, driven by the numerous business initiatives focused on innovating their products, delivery models, and value-added services. Acronis Advanced Automation is a solution

10 | October 2023

for small and midsize MSPs worldwide who want to simplify and streamline their business operations. With centralized control and management of services, complete time tracking and staff utilization capabilities, and automated, consumption-based billing, Acronis empowers MSPs to gain full visibility of their contracts, delivery, tickets, and work items — maximizing revenue and improving client trust. “New use cases for native automation solutions continue to emerge in the IT industry and Acronis offers a product that allows MSPs around the world to automate their operations and make better, data-driven decisions. Whether emerging as a startup or evolving to maturity, Acronis Advanced Automation helps service providers control and grow their managed service business”, said Patrick Pulvermueller, CEO at Acronis. “We’re excited to continue bringing new, innovative automation tools to our Cyber Protect Cloud solution and help MSPs expand their businesses.” Advanced Automation offers MSPs robust capabilities to fuel business growth, including error-free invoices and billing, an integrated service desk, automated time tracking, and support for subscription-based services. These capabilities enable: • Increased efficiency:

Advanced Automation helps MSPs streamline workflows, automate repetitive tasks, and reduce manual effort, allowing for a greater focus on high-value activities. • Reduced friction in business operations: Advanced Automation simplifies support for subscription-based services. • Improved productivity: Advanced Automation provides a single platform for managing customer data, tickets, projects, and billing, so MSPs can save time and effort to ultimately deliver faster, more effective services. • Enhanced customer and employee satisfaction: Advanced Automation helps MSPs better manage customer interactions, and improve communication and responsiveness, leading to an increase in customer satisfaction. • Greater profitability: Advanced Automation automates processes and reduces manual efforts, which allows MSPs to improve their operational efficiency and profitability. “Acronis Advanced Automation has automated our invoicing process,” said Alex Presman, President at Racom Business. “We love how it ties in with QuickBooks and makes transferring invoices and data so easy.” www.techitupme.com

INTERVIEW | RIVERBED ——

Deliver Exceptional Digital Experiences with Unified Observability and Acceleration Charbel Khneisser, VP Solutions Engineering, EMEA, at Riverbed discusses the pressing needs of Unified Observability and Acceleration Solutions for organizations looking to drive effective Digital Performances

Please tell us about your GITEX 2023 presence and what are you be showcasing? Through our participation at GITEX 2023, we will highlight how enterprises today and tomorrow can ‘Deliver Exceptional Digital Experiences with Unified Observability and Acceleration’. Under this theme, our team will conduct live demos of Riverbed’s flagship Unified Observability and Acceleration solutions for visitors to our stand. By doing so, we will help attendees understand how they can illuminate and accelerate every digital interaction to deliver a seamless and secure digital experience for their customers and employees. We will showcase our Alluvio Unified Observability portfolio which enables enterprises to capture every packet, flow, and end user transaction across multicloud and on-premises networks, applications, and user systems at full fidelity. By then applying intelligence through machine learning and artificial intelligence and automated investigative workflows, Riverbed’s Alluvio solutions helps IT team quickly identify and resolve business-impacting issues so organisations can maintain productivity and deliver on user experience expectations. This portfolio is perfectly complemented by our flagship Acceleration solutions that provide fast, agile, secure acceleration of any app over any network 12 | October 2023

to users, whether mobile, remote, or on-premises. Riverbed's industry-leading acceleration portfolio delivers cloud, SaaS, client and eCDN (MS teams & streams) applications at peak speeds, overcoming network latency, congestion, and suboptimal last-mile conditions to empower the hybrid workforce. Can we expect any new announcements from Riverbed this GITEX? Of course, the ones that you can share. GITEX remains at the centre of our regional events calendar. Following the overwhelmingly positive reception to the unveiling our new brand identity and value proposition at GITEX last year, we will continue to focus on raising awareness around how Riverbed enables organisations to deliver world-class digital experiences. We will do this by maximising the value of our engagements with end-users attending GITEX. Our customers are at the heart of everything we do, and we therefore welcome the opportunity to engage with our existing and potential customers at GITEX to gain deep insights into their unique challenges, aspirations, and digital transformation journeys. In addition to walking them through immersive product demos, we will share our success stories and case studies, demonstrating how our www.techitupme.com

—— INTERVIEW | RIVERBED solutions have already given some of the region’s most prominent enterprises a decisive digital edge. We are also keen to strengthen our ties with our valued channel partners. As with previous editions of the show, we have invested to have a dedicated presence on the stands of each of our three regional distributor partners - Crestan, Mindware, and StarLink. Together with our distributors, we will host exclusive meetings and discussions with our partners, providing them with insights into our product roadmap, marketing strategies, and collaborative opportunities. By strengthening these partnerships, we aim to create a unified front, ensuring that our customers receive the highest level of support and expertise. With businesses focusing on Hybrid environments, how is Riverbed enabling such organizations to simplify implementation? Riverbed enabled organisations to effectively ‘Shift Left’ – empowering all staff to do the job of more experienced IT experts, freeing-up senior IT staff to focus on strategic business initiatives. This approach is key to generating better performance, reliability, and security, scaling up, and boosting the capabilities of software. Moreover, it can help with NetOps, where it can boost productivity and performance, leading to an improved culture and happier customers. With today’s IT environments becoming increasingly complex, Shift Left can also help companies to safely manage and protect their growing amounts of data. Our Unified Observability solution is fundamental to facilitating the effective Shift Left by moving the focus of IT teams from basic, routine tasks to strategic projects such as predictive modelling or improvements to infrastructure. So, as well as enabling better network performance, Shift Left can also help companies meet their strategic objectives, boosting profitability and effectiveness. Could you share some top features of Alluvio and what pain points does it address for enterprises? The first step towards resolving the digital performance issues that plague organisations is to have visibility of the environment. However, current observability solutions – even so-called “full-stack” observability tools – can miss some telemetry and fail to collect data in a way that captures the scale and complexity of modern environments. Many solutions gather only a few types of data and limit their scope to the alert itself, rather than www.techitupme.com

Charbel Khneisser VP Solutions Engineering, EMEA, Riverbed

The first step towards resolving the digital performance issues that plague organisations is to have visibility of the environment."

providing contextual insights based on full-fidelity data about the event or events behind it. What is needed therefore is Unified Observability – the bringing together of data, insights, and actions across all domains and environments. Unified Observability, as offered by Riverbed, combines network performance management (NPM), IT infrastructure monitoring (ITIM), and digital experience management (DEM). The high-fidelity view of digital experiences across the environment that our tools gather can be fed into advanced AI and ML algorithms to deliver accurate, actionable insights and intelligent automation. By differentiating our offering in this way, we have carved a niche for ourselves in this crowded space and are delivering on the true promise of observability. October 2023 | 13

INTERVIEW | D-Link ——

Driving Customer Success Through Innovation Sakkeer Hussain, Director – Sales & Marketing at D-Link Middle East & Africa discusses how Dlink is innovating to meet modern business challenges and shifts in IT environments.

Sakkeer Hussain Sales & Marketing, D-Link Middle East & Africa

How is D-Link enabling customers to keep up with the changing IT demands? At D-Link, we are enabling customers to keep up with the demand of ever evolving IT environments through continuous innovation, agile development and deployment, scalability, education, training and by implementing cloudbased solutions. We also make sure our products and solutions are interoperable and works seamlessly with other technologies. Often, we recommend smaller updates that are pocket-friendly instead of a complete overhaul when there is a need to change an element considering current market requirements. Proactive support from D-Link and our channel partners helps customers to stay up-to-date. 14 | October 2023

How is D-Link using AI in its products/solutions? AI has become an integral part of our product and solution design process. Many of our offerings now incorporate embedded AI technology. With D-Link's EAGLE PRO AI series, we introduce AIenhanced capabilities designed to optimize Wi-Fi. The series includes an AI Assistant that intelligently monitors network usage, providing straightforward and actionable recommendations to maintain peak network performance. The AQUILA PRO AI M30 AX3000 dual-band Mesh Wi-Fi 6 system from D-Link represents a cutting-edge solution with a mesh router of assured quality, proudly made in Taiwan (MIT). Engineered to address the most common pain points of Wi-Fi users—coverage, speed, and reliability—the AQUILA PRO AI M30 features a built-in AI algorithm poised to revolutionize the home networking experience. Tell us more about your network management and cloud–based solutions. Nuclias Connect and Nuclias Cloud Remote Network Management Solutions are part of our transformative remote work solutions portfolio and are genuine market differentiators. The complete end-to-end innovative suite of solutions is crafted to assist and empower

remote learning and working. It is unique because never before have IT administrators set up, automated, monitored and scaled wireless networks remotely so easily and seamlessly. Nuclias Cloud portfolio allows SMBs and large enterprises across retail, education and hospitality, as well as MSPs, to deploy professional-grade networks from anywhere and anytime, eliminating physical space constraints. Convenience, costeffectiveness and ease of use make the solutions ideal for onboarding, studying, troubleshooting as well as monitoring and reporting network activity quickly and easily. How is D-Link exploring newer tech like Wi-Fi 6/6E? D-Link’s EAGLE PRO AI series of Wi-Fi solutions is powered by Wi-Fi 6 technology. The solutions deliver up to four times more capacity and up to 40% throughput increase than current Wi-Fi standards with dual-band speeds up to 1.5Gbps. Designed to fit seamlessly into any room or office, it also works with Google Assistant and Alexa for convenient voice control. Covr Series Wi-Fi 6 solution also includes multi-pack options that are all equipped with Wi-Fi 6 and mesh technology to provide faster speeds, greater capacity, and less network congestion for the modern devicedense smart home. www.techitupme.com

—— INTERVIEW | EUROTECH

Re-imagining Hybrid Workspace Michael Andersen, Founder and CEO of EuroTech ME, discusses how they are reshaping Hybrid workspace for customers. Can you please tell us more about EuroTech and your solutions portfolio? EuroTech was conceived from a deep-rooted passion for entrepreneurship and a vision to fill a niche in the IT/AV sector across the Middle East. Over the past 14 years, we've successfully bridged the technological needs of our clients, ranging from governments in the UAE and KSA to Fortune 500 and blue-chip companies. Our expansive solutions encompass both IT and state-ofthe-art Audiovisual services. This dual expertise allows us to cater to the ever-evolving demands of modern businesses, especially in this era where collaborative technologies and video conferencing are paramount. Our unyielding commitment to quality means every solution undergoes rigorous testing before it reaches our clients. Our growth is also evident in our recent expansion with the inauguration of our KSA office, further solidifying our footprint in the region.

Michael Andersen Founder and CEO, EuroTech ME

How are you enabling customers with their Hybrid set-up? The shift to hybrid work has reshaped the corporate landscape. At EuroTech, we recognize that hybrid work is not just about remote operations but involves optimizing office spaces while ensuring robust and secure remote access to resources. With our keen understanding of regional intricacies and global standards, we've been fast-tracking procurement processes, aligning with global IT teams, and partnering with top-tier providers. Our solutions, from cloud-based WiFi to antivirus and remote management, ensure businesses operate efficiently, irrespective of their chosen work model.

that catered to the firm's specific video conferencing and other IT/AV requirements. Through proactive planning, leveraging our vast network of suppliers, and a deep understanding of their operational needs, we were able to establish a state-of-the-art office environment for them, achieving both efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

Can you talk about a customer project in the Middle East where EuroTech has added value for the customer? Certainly. One of our pivotal projects involved a collaboration with a large government investment firm. The complexities of serving such a significant entity posed a set of unique challenges. Nonetheless, our teams rose to the occasion, delivering a holistic solution

How are you supporting customers to stay relevant with changing IT needs? At EuroTech, we remain agile and informed. We're always in the exploration phase, testing and integrating pioneering technologies from global suppliers. Our approach ensures our clients are always equipped with the latest advancements, from AI-driven solutions to sustainable products.

www.techitupme.com

October 2023 | 15

TECH FEATURE | RIVERBED ——

Why it’s Vital to Build a Resilient Network as Your Business Scales

s the tech industry continues to expand and evolve throughout the Middle East, it is all-too easy for IT teams to be so focused on the next big trend – be it generative AI, or the metaverse – that they overlook the health of their networks. However, it is precisely in times of major growth and transition that the consequences of failing to prioritise the network are especially pronounced. With a large growth in both users and devices, in the cloud and on-premise, it’s much harder to keep up with crucial factors such as compliance and visibility. In turn, this means networks are far less robust, leading to problems such as cyber-attacks, compliance issues, outages and unhappy customers. It’s vital therefore not to ignore this as your business scales and puts more pressure on your network. Allowing your network to become stressed will result in a poor digital experience for both customers and employees, and risk causing an impact to not only your bottom line, but also your reputation. Fortunately, NetOps teams can entirely mitigate these risks by adopting a more proactive approach and negating the threats caused by a fragile network.

RECOGNISING A STRESSED NETWORK Many IT teams have begun to notice the tell-tale symptoms of larger issues that are preventing their hybrid networks from operating properly. Sometimes it shows through an increase in IT tickets, other times it’s a slowing down of their network’s speed, or it’s a major incident requiring large, cross-functional bridge calls. Taking note of these signs of network fragility can be key to identifying areas that require an increased level of business resilience. Here are some of the most common signs that a network is stressed and the underlying problems they represent: 16 | October 2023

NETWORK PERFORMANCE ISSUES Many hybrid networks combine older, on-prem devices with newer elements, endpoints, and cloud applications and services. However, when bandwidth demands increase – due to factors like user traffic and application requirements – the system can become overwhelmed leading to poor network performance and expensive downtime. It’s true that network performance will always face some challenges, but if they become frequent or significant, this is a key indicator that a hybrid network is being stretched too thin. To avoid issues escalating into large outages, NetOps teams should have access to quick and clear insights into their networks to troubleshoot issues promptly.

NON-COMPLIANCE CHALLENGES Organisations in highly regulated industries, like healthcare or financial services, often have to abide by rigid internal compliance regulations, government regulations, or even both. Regardless, a sure sign that a network is being unduly stressed is that it fails to comply with these regulations. It’s not uncommon for third-party vendors to struggle with compliance, with the additional complexity thirdparty vendors can bring to networks’ applications and services. For example, the work around compliance – such as creating audit trails, executing timeline updates, and establishing clear data governance rules – can cause a lack of visibility and trouble gathering reliable data for third parties.

SECURITY STRUGGLES Network breaches and a large number of unsecured endpoints in a hybrid network can cause issues for IT teams. But while the location, device, and data need to www.techitupme.com

—— TECH FEATURE | RIVERBED be monitored and protected, it can prove difficult to impose the on- and off-premises security measures that are required. The combination of cloud and on-premises elements can also make it hard to gain a holistic view of an organisation’s infrastructure, so security issues can go unnoticed for long periods. Network breaches, or even the fear that one might occur, are often an indication that a hybrid network lacks the requisite level of resilience.

BUILDING A MORE RESILIENT NETWORK Incorporating a higher level of business resilience into a network means preparing it to be able to deal with a variety of internal and external challenges, while also putting it in a position to grow and evolve. Let’s look at some of our top tips for how to build a more resilient network: Ramzi Bsaibes Regional Sales Director, Gulf Region, Riverbed Technology

TIP 1: CREATE AN ACCURATE NETWORK MAP Many businesses find it useful to use diagrams and flowcharts to visualise dependencies and categorise their complex, hybrid network. This kind of mapping helps teams find and fix issues faster, scale more accurately, and track the performance of different network elements.

TIP 2: IDENTIFY INFRASTRUCTURE WEAKNESSES Network mapping helps teams identify weaknesses in their hybrid network. By gathering the infrastructure’s elements, they can understand which parts need to be optimised or replaced. The same kind of considerations should be made for security. By identifying insecure elements within a hybrid network, organisations can decide when and how to take action – installing patches, replacing equipment, or deploying independent security solutions.

TIP 3: INVEST IN OPEN AND EXTENSIBLE NETWORK PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS Implementing some of these processes manually is possible, but automation can save a lot of time and money. By leveraging the right network performance management (NPM) tools to collect full-fidelity data from their hybrid network, teams can: • Find and fix issues quickly with automated workflows. • Optimise network traffic by automating data collection around users, flow, and prioritisation. www.techitupme.com

• • • •

Create audit trails and reports required for regulatory compliance. Break out of siloed working and cut down on software bloat. Power up-stream runbook automation by providing full-fidelity data. Power up-stream AIOps workloads by synthesising all operational data into a common format.

A RESILIENT AND THRIVING BUSINESS It’s important to provide a positive digital experience for customers that remains compliant and secure as networks come under increasing pressure. To do this, businesses in the Middle East need to identify when a network is under strain, determine which areas are problematic, and focus efforts on strengthening those areas. This will lead to a resilient network that helps your business expand and prosper, even during times of transition and change. October 2023 | 17

TECH FEATURE | VEEAM ——

Veeam Announces Backup-asa-Service for MS 365 & Azure

eeam Software, has announced two new offerings which combine the confidence and reliability of Veeam’s backup and restore capabilities with the ease-of-use of Backup-asa-Service (BaaS). Cirrus by Veeam, which is available for Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Azure customers, provides a simple, flexible, reliable and powerful BaaS offering. It gives companies the option of simplifying the management and administration of their backup operations with all the resiliency of Veeam technology. “450,000 customers trust Veeam to protect their business and keep it running, which has led us to become the #1 global provider of data protection and ransomware recovery,” said Danny Allan, CTO at Veeam. “We’re now giving customers those trusted capabilities – for Microsoft 365 and for Microsoft Azure – delivered as a service. Through this new BaaS offering, customers have increased flexibility in how they wish to use Veeam to protect their business, whether in the cloud, on-premises or in a hybrid model.” Customers can now choose from several options in how they wish to utilize Veeam and manage their Microsoft 365 and Azure data:  New Cirrus by Veeam: Delivers a simple, seamless SaaS experience, without having to manage the infrastructure or storage.  Veeam Backup for Microsoft 365 and Veeam Backup for

18 | October 2023

Danny Allan CTO, Veeam

leverage powerful data protection and security technology with a simple, seamless user experience.  Trusted, reliable technology:Customizable backup, flexible recovery options and powerful search capabilities.  All-inclusive backup service:Simplifies Microsoft 365 backup by providing everything a customer needs, bundled together at one price.  Modern, secure and intuitive: Keeps business-critical data protected with built-in immutability; no software to download or infrastructure to maintain.

CIRRUS CLOUD PROTECT FOR MICROSOFT AZURE Microsoft Azure: DeployVeeam’s existing software solutions for Microsoft 365 and Azure data protection and manage the infrastructure.  A backup service from a Veeam Cloud & Service Provider (VCSP) partner: Built on top of the Veeam platform, with value-added services unique to the provider’s area of expertise.

CIRRUS FORMICROSOFT 365 Cirrus forMicrosoft 365 builds on the industry’s leading Microsoft 365 backup solution – Veeam Backup for Microsoft 365 – and delivers it as a service. It simplifies a customer’s backup strategy with software, infrastructure, and unlimited storage in an all-in-one cloud service, allowing organizations to

Data on Microsoft Azure is exposed to the same cyber threats and data loss as anywhere else, and it’s the owner’s responsibility to protect it. Cirrus Cloud Protect for Microsoft Azure is a fully hosted and pre-configured solution that delivers proven, resilient backup and recovery.  Quick ROI: Speed time to value by removing blockers like implementation, patching and remediating misconfigurations.  Enterprise-readiness: Leverage backup, security and FinOps best practices in a service built for Azure Well-Architected Framework.  Confident recoverability: Comprehensive, native protection with the most customizable RPOs and recovery to any location. www.techitupme.com

—— TECH FEATURE | D-LINK

D-Link AQUILA PRO AI AX3000 Wi-Fi 6 Smart Mesh System including the M30 smart mesh router and MS30 Matter-compliant smart home gateway, honored with 2023 Good Design Award

-Link Corporation is proud to announce that its AQUILA PRO AI AX3000 Wi-Fi 6 smart mesh system, including the M30 smart mesh router and MS30 Matter-compliant smart home gateway, has been honored with the prestigious 2023 Good Design Award. This recognition is a testament to D-Link's commitment to user-centric design and its dedication to delivering high-speed, seamless, and reliable whole-home Wi-Fi solutions to eliminate common pain points faced by users. Designed to be the ideal centerpiece for modern smart homes, both the M30 and MS30 represent MIT (Made in Taiwan) quality-assured smart mesh systems. Meticulously designed to offer a hassle-free Wi-Fi experience and elegantly blend with any décor, these devices elevate both aesthetics and connectivity, revolutionizing the smart home networking experience. The MS30 introduces a unique hollow circular ring design, inspired by the graceful motion of spacecraft. This design symbolizes the heart of the home, reflecting the concept of harmonious family life. Drawing inspiration from the Aquila constellation, the M30 takes the form of a majestic eagle, symbolizing its lightningfast speed. Both models ingeniously incorporate internal antennas into their unique designs, ensuring optimal signal

www.techitupme.com

transmission and reception through 360-degree spherical coverage. The versatile designs of the M30 and MS30 allow for horizontal placement or wall mounting, effortlessly integrating into any home environment while the textured finish adds elegance, enhancing device appearance. Both M30 and MS30 are constructed with post-consumer recycled (PCR) materials and eco-packaging, reducing environmental impact. Furthermore, the unique feather-patterned ventilation design optimizes power consumption for greater energy efficiency while efficiently dissipating heat to ensure unparalleled performance and lightning-fast internet speeds. “To enable smarter living, we are dedicated to innovative product design, aiming not only for functionality and sustainability but also to showcase technological beauty,” said CJ Chang, CEO of D-Link Corporation. “D-Link will continue to deliver products that offer a superior user experience and enhance smart home connectivity.”

October 2023 | 19

TECH FEATURE | CLOUDFLARE ——

Cloudflare Helps Companies Cut IT Carbon Footprint by 96% New report finds that switching enterprise network services from on premises devices to Cloudflare services can cut related carbon emissions up to 96%

loudflare, Inc. (NYSE: NET), the security, performance, and reliability company helping to build a better Internet, shared a new independent report published by Analysys Mason. The report shows, switching enterprise network services from on premises devices to Cloudflare’s cloud-based services can cut related carbon emissions up to 78% for very large businesses to up to 96% for small businesses. The report is one of the first of its kind to calculate potential emissions savings achieved by replacing enterprise network and security hardware boxes with more efficient cloud services. Global Internet usage accounts for 3.7% of global CO2 emissions, about equal to the CO2 emissions of all air traffic around the world. The Internet needs to reduce its overall energy consumption, especially as regulators continue to implement the Paris Climate Accord, including plans to transition to a zero emissions economy. The European Climate Law requires that Europe’s economy and society become climate-neutral by 2050, with a target of reducing net GHG emissions by at least 55% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels. Regulators in the United States and the European Union, among others, have also announced plans to require companies to disclose

20 | October 2023

Matthew Prince CEO and Co-founder, Cloudflare

climate-related information including carbon emissions resulting from their operations and supply chains, as well as climate related risks and opportunities. Finally, among the Fortune Global 500, 63% of companies now set 2050 targets for emissions reductions. Companies large and small will increasingly be looking to reduce carbon throughout their supply chains, particularly their IT infrastructure. “The best way to reduce your IT infrastructure’s carbon footprint is easy: move to the cloud,” said Matthew Prince, CEO and co-founder, Cloudflare. “At

Cloudflare, we’ve built one of the world’s most efficient networks, getting the most out of every watt of energy and every one of our servers. That’s why, with Cloudflare, companies can help hit their sustainability goals without sacrificing security, speed, performance, or innovation.” The Analysys Mason study found that switching enterprise network services from on premises devices to Cloudflare services can cut related carbon emissions up to 96%, depending on the current network footprint. The greatest reduction comes from consolidating services, which improves carbon efficiency by increasing the utilization of servers that are providing multiple network functions. On premises devices are designed to host multiple workloads and consume power constantly, but are only used for part of the day and part of the week. Cloud infrastructure is shared by millions of customers, often all over the world. As a result, cloud providers are able to achieve economies of scale that result in less downtime, less waste, and lower emissions. Furthermore, the Analysys Mason study found that there are additional gains due to the high Power Usage Effectiveness of cloud data centres, and differences in the carbon intensity of generation in the local electricity grid. www.techitupme.com

—— TECH FEATURE | HUAWEI

HUAWEI CONNECT 2023: Enterprise Network Integration Service Solution 3.0 Released

uawei Connect 2023 kicked off on 21st September in Shanghai. With the theme of “Accelerate Intelligence”, the conference discussed with global industry elites, technical experts, partners, and developers how to seize strategic opportunities and win-win intelligent futures through actions. Mr. Geng Wenfeng, Product Director of Huawei Enterprise Network Integration Service, delivered a presentation entitled “Enterprise Network Integration Service: Building an Efficient, Secure, and Reliable Resilient Network”, and released the Enterprise Network Integration Service Solution 3.0 with Mr. Zhou Yu, President of Huawei Network Consulting and System Integration, and Mr. Yang Shengbao, General Manager of Eccom Network System East Financial Technology. As the industry digital

www.techitupme.com

transformation deepens, the enterprise network architecture becomes more complex due to the multi-service bearing, multicenter interconnection, ultra-large network capacity, and increasingly high security and reliability. How to build efficient, secure, and reliable resilient networks and achieve smooth, fast, and orderly network evolution has become a challenge for many enterprises during network construction. Through intelligent planning and design, automatic network migration, and configuration translation, Huawei achieves value features such as smooth network architecture evolution, flexible service bearing, and bandwidth utilization improvement. For different customer scenarios, Huawei provides service solutions that ensure high network reliability

and high graded protection level compliance, implementing efficient network deployment and enabling quick commercial use of services. In Huawei enterprise network integration service portfolio, the network migration service provides smooth, fast, and service-free network evolution; the industry scenario-based integration services are used in industries such as finance, government, electric power, and rail transit to build smart network infrastructure and facilitate industry digital transformation; the powered service works with partners to serve more customers, through special support such as collaborative design, collaborative audit, and collaborative implementation assurance, Huawei work with partners to improve project delivery quality and build high-quality networks for customers. October 2023 | 21

TECH FEATURE | NUTANIX ——

DGA and Nutanix Sign MOU to Support Digital Transformation in KSA

utanix, announced today the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Digital Government Authority (DGA) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with the aim of developing mechanisms for government agencies to benefit from cloud services, explore digital business opportunities and intensify ways of cooperation to accelerate innovation and digital transformation in Saudi Arabia. The memorandum was discussed – in New York City – during a meeting involving a high-level delegation from the Authority, headed by His Excellency Eng. Ahmed Alsuwaiyan, Governor of the Digital Government Authority, with representatives of Nutanix – Mr. Pai Venugopal, Chief Customer Experience Officer, and Mr. Talal Al-Saif, Nutanix’s Sales Director for Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, and Egypt. The agreement was signed in Riyadh. H.E. Eng. Ahmed Alsuwaiyan said that this memorandum supports the Authority’s initiatives aimed at accelerating the adoption of cloud computing services, and applying international best practices in various fields related to digital government – in order to enhance the Kingdom’s digital leadership, localize the technology industry, provide the necessary support for the process of adopting cloud 22 | October 2023

computing services, and raise the quality of digital services. This is in line with the strategic directions of the digital government and achievement of the goals of Saudi Vision 2030. Mr. Talal Al-Saif added that the Nutanix platform enables hybrid cloud computing for public sector agencies by allowing them to run and manage workloads and applications across on-premises data centers, public and private clouds, multiple hypervisors, and containers as a single cohesive infrastructure. By simplifying IT infrastructure

and associated tasks by Nutanix, government IT teams are freed to focus on new projects and initiatives. “Our technologies keep critical services running smoothly,” he said. Under this agreement, Nutanix strengthens its cooperation with the Authority and approved XSP service providers, to develop skills and expertise, by providing resource enablement as part of Nutanix’s pre-sales activities, in addition to supporting government and public institutions to adopt public cloud computing services, by creating smooth, fast and scalable methods. www.techitupme.com

—— WOMEN IN TECH | HPE ARUBA NETWORKING

Sherifa Hady Takes the Helm as GM, EMEA Sales at HPE Aruba Networking

ewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) today announced that Sherifa Hady has been appointed to lead the HPE Aruba Networking EMEA Sales business, assuming the role on September 1. An accomplished senior leader within HPE, Sherifa recently celebrated 23 years with HPE and three years with the HPE Aruba Networking team. She steps into her new position as General Manager, EMEA Sales, having previously led the HPE Aruba Networking EMEA Channel business. In her new role, Sherifa is responsible for the driving the business, inspiring the team and creating a clear vision for the sales team across the entire Europe, Middle East and Africa region. Sherifa is a highly experienced leader with a very deep knowledge of the IT channel. She brings a wide range of sales, channel, marketing, and business development experience having previously held numerous senior leadership positions in the Middle East, Africa and Central Europe, including one year as interim HPE Managing Director in South Africa. Sherifa is also an avid diversity and inclusion champion, having been recently announced as the worldwide HPE Aruba Networking DEI Ambassador, and loves to spend time mentoring and bringing the best out of many of her colleagues www.techitupme.com

Sherifa Hady VP & General Manager EMEA Sales, HPE Aruba Networking

around HPE. “Sherifa has a wealth of experience in the networking industry, and she is a proven leader. She is also passionate about helping businesses succeed and is committed to making HPE Aruba Networking the leading provider of networking solutions. Under her leadership, I know that our customers, partners and team members will continue to thrive,” added Alain Carpentier, SVP & Head of Global Sales, HPE Aruba Networking. “I am excited to be taking on a

new role at HPE Aruba Networking and working with the team to continue growing its presence in the region. I am confident that my expertise will enable the company and our partners to create the right foundation for scalability, drive business transformation, and aid in growth,” said Sherifa Hady, VP & General Manager EMEA Sales, HPE Aruba Networking. Sherifa holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering from Ain Shams University in Cairo and has received numerous industry accolades throughout her career. October 2023 | 23

WOMEN IN TECH | IFS ——

IFS Appoints Hoda Mansour as Chief Operating Officer

FS, the global cloud enterprise software company has announced the appointment of Hoda Mansour as the Chief Operating Officer for Asia Pacific, Japan, Middle East & Africa (APJ, ME&A). This appointment is evidence that the company’s consistent performance, industry accolades and ambitious regional growth plans is attracting highly experienced and seasoned talent to build on the exceptional results of the first half of 2023. Commenting on her new appointment, Hoda Mansour, Chief Operating Officer, APJ, ME&A at IFS, said, “I am excited to join IFS at such an important time in its growth trajectory and bring my experience to the team. IFS is a leader in the industry, with a unique customer focus and truly differentiated market position. I am delighted to be on board and looking forward to working with our customers and partners.” Vincent Carvalho, Regional President, APJ, ME&A, IFS commented: “IFS has experienced phenomenal growth and as we continue our trajectory in the region, I am pleased to welcome Hoda to the organization as Chief Operating Officer.” Carvalho continued, “Hoda’s proven track record of leading business transformation and growth, developing world-class teams, and delivering business value to customers will enable us to 24 | October 2023

Hoda Mansour Chief Operating Officer, APJ, ME&A, IFS

accelerate towards our goals.” Prior to joining IFS, Hoda worked for leading multinational software companies including SAP, Oracle & Microsoft in regional and global capacities, most recently leading SAP’s Business Process Transformation Practice across Southern Europe, MEA. Hoda’s leadership and impact has been acknowledged by Forbes Middle East, recognizing her as one of the 100 Most Powerful Businesswomen in 2023. This came on the back of her recognition by Forbes Middle East as one of Top 5 Women in Technology for 2022 and

being on the Forbes Middle East Most Powerful Businesswomen list since 2018. Additionally, in March 2023, she was appointed as Non-Executive Board Member of Commercial International Bank (CIB), was selected to Chair CIB’s Board Sustainability Committee and is a Member of the Operations & Technology Board Committee. She is a member of the Board of Governors of the American Chamber of Commerce since June 2021 and served as Vice President & Board Member of the German Chamber between September 2020 and September 2022. www.techitupme.com

—— WOMEN IN TECH | SENTINELONE

SentinelOne Elevates Meriam El Ouazzani to Regional Sales Director META

ompany elevates Meriam El Ouazzani to Regional Sales Director for the Middle East, Turkey and Africa, signalling a new chapter in META cybersecurity leadership SentinelOne, an autonomous cybersecurity platform company, announced the elevation of Meriam El Ouazzani as the Regional Sales Director for the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa (META) region. Prior to her appointment as Regional Sales Director, she was Regional Channel Manager for the META region at SentinelOne. El Ouazzani was instrumental in driving SentinelOne’s continued growth and success across the channel industry, having built strong relationships with partners, distributors, and resellers. In her new role as Regional Sales Director, El Ouazzani will be responsible for overseeing SentinelOne’s operations, strategies, and initiatives within the region, including sales, marketing, and customer relations. This entails building and leading high-performing teams, setting strategic goals, identifying novel market opportunities, and adapting to industry trends to ensure SentinelOne maintains its competitiveness and agility. Commenting on her elevation, El Ouazzani said, “I am humbled

www.techitupme.com

Meriam El Ouazzani Regional Sales Director, META, SentinelOne

to be appointed as the Regional Sales Director for the Middle East, Türkiye, and Africa markets at SentinelOne. I look forward to driving the company’s overall success through a blend of strategic leadership, operational excellence, and the cultivation of a collaborative, diverse and innovative environment. This new journey represents a significant milestone in my professional life, and I’m excited about the opportunities that lie ahead for women in cybersecurity.” El Ouazzani is poised to bring

fresh perspectives and strategic insights to her new role, building upon the strong foundation established during her time as Regional Channel Manager. “The dynamic nature of channel management has prepared me to adapt to changing market conditions, customer preferences, and emerging technologies. My experience across META has resulted in a deep understanding of regional market dynamics, competitor landscape, and industry trends. This has helped me effectively manage and nurture customer relationships, and over the years, I have gained valuable insights into various customer needs and pain points. I will leverage this knowledge to tailor solutions that align precisely with customer requirements, delivering value and building long-lasting relationships,” concluded El Ouazzani. El Ouazzani brings over 17 years of industry experience in product sales, security sales management and channel/partner management at VMware, Cisco, and HP. By streamlining workflows, implementing best practices, and leveraging technology to drive productivity across the organization, El Ouazzani aims to further establish SentinelOne as a trusted cybersecurity vendor in the region. October 2023 | 25

ENTERPRISE | BYBIT & DMCC ——

Bybit and DMCC Crypto Centre Announce a Million-Dollar Hackathon The initiative is launched to drive Web3 Innovation in Dubai

lobal crypto exchange Bybit and the Dubai Multi Commodity Centre (DMCC) announced the “Web3 Unleashed: Crypto Innovation Challenge” hackathon, boasting a $100,000 prize pool. The hackathon comes hot on the heels of a partnership that has already seen Bybit contribute AED 500,000 to 15 crypto startups in the DMCC crypto ecosystem. Bybit’s own thought leaders Bryan Aaron and Daniel Basharimov will help adjudicate the competition, 26 | October 2023

which is scheduled for Nov. 22, 2023 and focused on artificial intelligence, gaming, and blockchain security. The hackathon is set to become the largest-of-its-kind in MENA, in terms of prize pools and participation. Bybit and DMCC partnership joined forces in June 2023, creating a strategic bond destined to accelerate the mass adoption of crypto in the heart of Dubai. Bybit is pushing the adoption of crypto worldwide, bringing its 16 million

users on a journey to financial freedom and it has vowed to invest in its growth within the emirate. Their collaboration was symbolized as Bybit became an official Ecosystem Partner for the DMCC Crypto Centre, a place where crypto and Web3 businesses thrive, creating a charged atmosphere for innovation. Going beyond financial support, Bybit is also DMCC’s crypto listing partner, assisting startups to bootstrap growth and offering mentorship. Registration for the hackathon is from Sept. 26, 2023 — Oct. 26, 2023 and the event is scheduled for Nov. 22. All projects are welcome — Blockchain Infrastructure, Artificial Intelligence (AI), DeFi, NFTs, Metaverse, Crypto Gaming, Sustainable Blockchain Solutions, and more. “In Dubai’s ever-evolving crypto landscape, Bybit stands out as the ‘Crypto Ark,’ ready to assist DMCC Crypto Centre members’ companies in bringing their dreams to life,” said Ben Zhou, co-founder and CEO of Bybit. “This hackathon is just one of many projects we are collaborating with DMCC, and is so important as it provides a supportive atmosphere for young talent to emerge and grow.” www.techitupme.com

—— ENTERPRISE | CISCO

Cisco Unveils Latest Innovation Trends ahead of GITEX 2023 Generative AI to Have Most Significant Impact on Businesses in the Next Five Years in the UAE

Reem Asaad Vice President, Cisco Middle East and Africa

isco has revealed the UAE findings of the Cisco State of Global Innovation Report 2023, showing that 95% of CIOs, IT decision makers, and developers surveyed across the UAE consider their organization as innovative. When looking at the top tech trends that are most likely to significantly impact businesses, the study revealed that the UAE-based respondents believe generative AI (43%), next-generation networks, including 6G (38%), and cybersecurity (38%) are the top technologies impacting businesses in the next 5 years in the UAE. While the global average of respondents who find value in their technology investments is 57%, 63% of respondents in the UAE

www.techitupme.com

take a positive view, and even plan to invest on average 14% of annual revenue in innovation projects over the next 12 months – again, beating the global average. Under the theme of “Experience the Power of AI to Shape the Future”, Cisco’s GITEX Global 2023 participation has in showcase its latest technologies, demonstrating the power of innovation in helping businesses accelerate their digital transformation and navigate emerging technological shifts at scale. Reem Asaad, Vice President, Cisco Middle East and Africa said: “According to our study, IT professionals in the UAE rank generative AI as the technology most likely to have a significant impact on their business, with 92% feeling confident they’re prepared for its impact. Cisco recognizes the important role AI will play to revolutionize industries and drive innovation, and it has been an important element across our portfolio for over a decade. We had the foresight to reimagine silicon from the ground up to power AI infrastructures, years of expertise in deploying AI solutions at scale, and an AI-driven portfolio to responsibly power, connect, secure, and observe AI — in all its various forms.” Abdelilah Nejjari, Managing Director for the Gulf region at Cisco, commented: “The UAE has made great strides in its journey, building

Abdelilah Nejjari Managing Director, Gulf Region, Cisco

a robust digital economy, driven by the country’s unwavering dedication to a culture of innovation across industries. For more than 25 years, Cisco has been working together with our customers and partners in the UAE, helping to shape a tech-enabled future and support the nation realizing its vision. GITEX continues to be a significant platform for us to highlight Cisco’s commitment to promoting collaboration and accelerating innovation.” Cisco is set to showcase its latest innovations spanning networking, security, collaboration, and applications; outlining its strategy to securely connect everything to make anything possible and do it in a sustainable way. October 2023 | 27

ENTERPRISE | CASE STUDY ——

OCG Delivers the Philippines’ First Subterranean Railway Network PHILIPPINES’ TRANSPORTATION CROWN JEWEL To ease traffic congestion, reduce environmental pollutants, and provide safe, reliable transportation for Metropolitan Manila, the Philippines Department of Transportation initiated the Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP). Dubbed the “crown jewel” of the government’s infrastructure works, the USD 7 billion transportation network will be the first underground mass transit system in the Philippines. The project aims to provide better connectivity via a north-south backbone for the Greater Capital Region, cutting travel times between Quezon City and the Ninoy Aquino International Airport from one hour and 30 minutes to 45 minutes. It will enable Metro Manila to meet increasing traffic demands in the years to come. Once operational, the underground railway system will be capable of servicing up to 519,000 passengers daily. Committed to excellence, innovation, and sustainability, OCG set out to digitize delivery of the project. “We are using digital solutions to deliver the project cost efficiently and on time with the best quality processes throughout the project lifecycle, from design to construction and operations,” said Jose Lorenzo Afable, BIM director at OCG. 28 | October 2023

“Having Bentley as our partner gave us the confidence to pursue our digital goals. They gave us the proper tools and maximized the potential of what the project can achieve.” – Jose Lorenzo Afable, BIM Director, Oriental Consultants Global.

COMMUNICATION, COLLABORATION, AND COORDINATION CHALLENGES MMSP features 37 kilometers of track, 17 stations, and a train depot covering 28.8 hectares across nine contract packages, including seven civil packages, one rolling stock, and one signaling system, making it the largest and most progressive infrastructure project ever undertaken by the Philippine government. Given the sheer scale and complexity of the project—with multiple participants, contractors,

and numerous stakeholders— communication and coordination became a monumental task to keep track of all the documents, drawings, and models, while also successfully managing the project. “Equally as important was implementing proactive risk management and monitoring the project cost,” said Afable. With a goal to digitize and streamline engineering workflows, OCG determined that their current software applications and document management and storage system were insufficient to meet the dynamic requirements of this complex, multidiscipline project. OCG realized that centralizing project data and information would make it easily accessible to the entire team and stakeholders. They also found that integrated

The Metro Manila Subway is the Philippines’ www.techitupme.com

—— ENTERPRISE | CASE STUDY BIM technology would enable efficient digital modeling and engineering processes and optimize project management. To apply their collaborative BIM strategy, proactively manage risks, and effectively monitor costs, they needed to establish a connected digital data environment.

PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES OF DIGITAL ENGINEERING The development of MMSP was initiated using digital management systems, and OCG wanted to push the boundaries of how they would deliver the project in a digital environment. They evaluated different technology applications to meet their collaborative, BIM-centric digital engineering needs and found that ProjectWise was the best fit. Leveraging ProjectWise with ComplyPro for progressive evaluation of risks, as well as SYNCHRO for performing construction simulation, OCG established a common digital engineering system and single source of truth. “A common digital engineering system using Bentley software supports the delivery of a collaborative platform, providing a single source of truth for realtime sharing and full coordination of project data,” said Afable. Working in a connected data environment, OCG integrated all project workflows and information sources for project planning and programming, requirement and risk management, and cost monitoring. The digital solution provides a unified cloud-based communication workspace and operations dashboards accessible to the entire team and stakeholders. With nine different work packages, it was important for the whole team to communicate information in an automated system that integrates with multiple software applications. The interoperability of Bentley’s applications provided a unified digital environment to manage, share, and store multi-sourced data, documents, and models, facilitating and streamlining collaboration among the different contractors. “With this [flexible] system, it is helping us to manage this significant project by providing an integrated platform to incorporate most of our enterprise solutions. We can easily use different BIM design authoring tools within the network and use clash detection processes to minimize rework, saving time, cost, and energy,” said Afable. The Bentley-based solution provides confidence for the entire team, ensuring that all data is accessible in real-time and properly managed and shared throughout the project lifecycle. www.techitupme.com

PROJECT SUMMARY ORGANIZATION: Oriental Consultants Global (OCG) SOLUTION: Rail and Transit LOCATION: Metro Manila, Philippines

PROJECT OBJECTIVES: •

To alleviate traffic congestion, reduce pollution, and improve connectivity in Metro Manila.

•

To implement collaborative digital solutions for timely and cost-effective railway delivery.

•

Project Playbook: ComplyPro,iTwin, PLAXIS, ProjectWise, SYNCHRO

• •

Fast Facts

•

OCG was hired to manage the complex project and wanted to digitize data and workflows throughout the lifecycle.

•

They established a connected digital engineering system to streamline coordination, manage risk, and monitor cost.

The Metro Manila Subway is the Philippines’ first underground railway network, expected to reduce traffic congestion by 2.7% per hour and vehicle pollution by 21% in the metro area.

ROI

Leveraging ProjectWise, ComplyPro, and SYNCHRO eliminated rework and shortened the project schedule to save an estimated USD 7.5 million in construction costs.

•

OCG established a single source of truth to successfully manage 11,300 documents and 183 BIM models, helping to reduce material wastage and environmental impact.

•

Based on the 3D models, OCG plans to develop a digital twin of the railway for future asset and operations management.

October 2023 | 29

ENTERPRISE | DIFC ——

DIFC Boosts Dubai’s Global Insurance Hub Status

Arif Amiri Chief Executive Officer, DIFC Authority

IFC, continues to steer the city’s position as a global hub for the insurance and reinsurance industry. Having granted several licences to insurance and reinsurance companies in recent months, the sector is on track for 20 per cent annual growth. DIFC recently welcomed Hensley Wynne Furlonge Partners (Middle East) Ltd, MNK Re Ltd, Optio Re MENA Ltd, Swan Insurance Management Agency Ltd, Waica Reinsurance (DIFC) Ltd and YOA Risk Services Ltd. They join preeminent industry names including AIG, Berkshire Hathaway, Zurich, Marsh, Aon and Willis to access the largest untapped market in the world through DIFC. The new joiners cover a broad range of insurance and reinsurance lines that will enable them to grow

30 | October 2023

across the region. These lines include transactional risk insurance within the M&A process, medical, personal accident, travel, property, engineering, liability and marine. Additionally, supporting the Centre’s vision to drive the future of finance, Virtual I Technologies Ltd, an InsurTech company from the DIFC Innovation Hub, has become the first InsurTech to upgrade and obtain a regulatory licence from the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA). Virtual I Technologies Ltd has created the most sophisticated AI-based risk assessment tool in the world and has moved to the next phase of growth to be a capacity distributor based on a digital gateway platform between capacity providers, global agents, local agents, and retail brokers. Over the past five years, DIFC has seen an influx of insurance and reinsurance players with a 43 per cent representation of Managing General Agents (MGAs) from Africa, Asia, Europe and Middle East contributing to the USD 2.1bn market. The continuing increase in company registrations from the sector provides a buoyant outlook for workforce as well as gross written premiums, which has already increased by 18 per cent to USD 1.2bn in the first six months of the year when compared to the same period in 2022, and by 34 per cent since 2021. Arif Amiri, Chief Executive Officer of DIFC Authority, commented: “DIFC has been delighted to welcome an impressive stream of new insurance

and reinsurance companies during the first nine months of 2023, on track for 20 per cent annual growth. Today, we are home to more than 100 registered insurers, reinsurers, captives and insurancerelated entities who are using our platform to achieve their growth ambitions. Our world-class laws and regulations are comparable to other advanced markets across the globe and enable our insurers and reinsurers to confidently operate in the jurisdiction, tap into new growth opportunities in the region, and collectively contribute to the Centre’s vision of driving the future of finance.” Over the last 20 years, DIFC has driven the development of the insurance and reinsurance industry. This includes co-hosting the Dubai World Insurance Congress. It was encouraging that an independent survey conducted during the Congress identified 87 per cent of respondents are confident in the MEASA market and the strategic opportunities it holds. The survey further highlighted that property, health, energy, cyber and liability lines of business hold the most potential for the MEASA region. Reflecting the growing sophistication of insurance markets and increasing demand for insurance/reinsurance, the survey showed that 85 per cent of respondents are confident in 2023 renewals and the possibility of retaining clients. www.techitupme.com

—— ENTERPRISE | ENTRUST

Entrust Leading the Way for Seamless Travel Experience

ith several successful implementations now facilitating seamless travel and border crossing, Entrust is now a global leader in implementing Digital Travel Credentials to transform the travel experience Entrust, announced its pioneering role in the evolution of digital travel experiences. With Entrust solutions helping to power the Eurostar SmartCheck system, UK Home Office digitized immigration application process, the new UK Electronic Travel Authorization, and more, Entrust is leading implementation of Digital Travel Credentials that are transforming the travel experience. “Entrust’s participation in the launch of the Eurostar SmartCheck program marks a significant milestone in the journey to realizing more secure and efficient

www.techitupme.com

international rail journeys,” said Julia Simpson, World Travel & Tourism Council’s (WTTC) President and CEO. “The implementation of a biometric walkthrough experience, with the very latest technology to digitize the passport, brings to life WTTC’s digital borders. It is a model that can be applied to many modes of international travel and I hope it will inspire others to adopt innovative solutions to take the hassle out of travel while making it more secure.” In a rapidly evolving travel industry where travelers demand simpler, faster, and more secure solutions, Entrust has taken the lead in transforming pre-boarding check-in processes and seamless border experiences. Leveraging its innovative Identity Verification platform, Entrust has derived Digital Travel Credentials (DTC), which are a digital representation of a traveler’s identity. With the recent

launch of the Eurostar SmartCheck program, Entrust has solidified its position as a global leader in DTC implementation worldwide. Another notable example of Entrust solutions in use today is the UK Home Office’s expansion of its digitized immigration application process, with the launch of the new UK Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA). Eurostar launched its SmartCheck biometric service, in full production since July 2023, and has undergone rigorous testing, demonstrating its efficacy through several thousand trips. Entrust, in collaboration with SmartCheck lead partner iProov, and using Inverid’s ReadID, has nurtured this program from its pilot stage in 2022 to its full-scale launch initially for Business Premier and Carte Blanche travelers. “We are honored to be advancing the realization of this digital transformation in travel and borders,” said Gordon Wilson, Vice President and Global Lead of Seamless Travel at Entrust. “Entrust’s cutting-edge Identity Verification platform and seamless travel solution approach redefines the travel experience. With consentbased one-to-one facial matching, your face becomes your check-in ticket, boarding pass, and passport for border exit or entry, this is the future of the traveler experience.” The travel industry now can operationalize seamless travel with pilots and plan full production rollouts. October 2023 | 31

ENTERPRISE | DUBAI ISLAMIC BANK ——

Dubai Islamic Bank Modernizes Core Banking with HPE

Obaid Al Shamsi Chief Operating Officer, DIB

ewlett Packard Enterprise (NYSE: HPE) has announced that Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB) has selected the HPE GreenLake edge-to-cloud platform to modernize their core banking system to deliver improved customer experience and launch new services and digital products. In addition, the deployment of a comprehensive set of HPE Aruba Networking wireless solutions will enhance DIB’s connectivity and mobility capabilities as well as overall network security. Established in 1975, DIB is the largest Islamic bank in the UAE and the second largest in the world. Driven by the bank’s customer-centric approach and its commitment to sustainable digital transformation, DIB aims to instill simplicity and convenience 32 | October 2023

in all their offerings by providing a personal and engaging experience. “As we aim to become the most progressive Islamic financial institution in the world and align with the UAE Government’s vision for innovation and modernized services, we constantly refine our services and develop new solutions, taking into account our customers’ needs throughout their journey with DIB. With this in mind, we’re continuously shaping our banking experience to be more intuitive, straightforward, and personalized,” said Obaid Al Shamsi, Chief Operating Officer at DIB. “We have dedicated ourselves to provide banking that is simple to understand. Consequently, we set the same standard for all technology we deploy. In partnership with HPE, we are delivering an easy-to-use solution with cloud-experience in a secure and compliant environment. As a result, we’re not just enhancing our operational efficiency, but also contributing towards the UAE’s economic diversification and industrial transformation.” One key focus for DIB is to stay highly agile, delivering optimal solutions, whenever and wherever needed. To ensure this kind of agility, flexible and easily scalable IT as well as broad visibility across the estate is needed, so the bank can quickly respond to the constantly evolving business requirements. This will enable DIB to optimize internal operations and processes

Ahmad Alkhallafi Managing Director, UAE, Hewlett Packard Enterprise

and predict future resource requirements as they grow. “We are proud to support DIB in their efforts to provide the highest standard of customer experience,” said Ahmad Alkhallafi, managing director for UAE, Hewlett Packard Enterprise. “With HPE GreenLake and the HPE Aruba Networking secure Wi-Fi platform, DIB will boost their ability to offer customers unique services, by providing their employees with the tools, seamless connectivity, and compute they need to strengthen collaboration between the teams. This will drive long-term efficiency and growth for the bank as they create new satisfying experiences.” With the HPE GreenLake for Aruba services, DIB will be able to centrally manage its network with ease and comprehensive oversight. www.techitupme.com

OPINION | NETAPP ——

AI is Only as Good as The Data That Fuels it

rtificial intelligence (AI) has recently been described in many ways—revolutionary, an economic game changer, a “beast” that is either overhyped or underhyped. I like to think about AI as a new frontier in the great tradition of tools that have propelled humankind forward—the next stage of the information revolution, like the industrial revolution or the scientific revolution that came before. And like any of the significant innovations before it, AI has the possibility to become a source for good, or a source for chaos. AI holds great promise for businesses: Predictive AI, powered by machine learning, is already being used to recognize patterns, drastically improve efficiency, and solve business and social problems better and faster than anything we’ve seen. It can be used to improve medical research, like predicting how proteins fold to affect biological functions. It can help detect financial fraud to protect both customers and the company’s bottom line. It can aid natural disaster planning by better predicting crises and their ripple effects. We know because we have been helping customers achieve these AI-driven objectives for many years. And generative AI not only recognizes patterns but also generates new patterns. This capability can enable software developers to be more productive, help content creators deliver much more immersive experiences, and make it far easier for customers, employees, citizens, and students to find the information they need. All of these possibilities are made by one thing: data. This has long been true—better datasets have allowed prior generations of AI tools to deliver better predictions, and by using very large datasets, large language models have powered generative AI to achieve new levels of capability. Current innovations are rapidly improving these foundation models by using customers’ private data to provide better context or to fine-tune an existing model and make better decisions. The eminent computer scientist Peter Norvig summarizes it elegantly: “More data beats clever algorithms, but better data beats more data.” Simply put, AI is built on a foundation of data—data

34 | October 2023

George Kurian CEO, NetApp

storage, safety, and accessibility is critical to the insight and analysis provided by AI. And the AI capabilities of your organization are only as competent as the data that fuels it.

WHAT THIS MOMENT NEEDS: INTEGRATION, PERFORMANCE, AND TRUST Operationalizing AI requires managing multiple versions of models and keeping them up to date with the latest datasets. This means that massive amounts of data must flow freely—whether that is the enterprise’s own data or other relevant datasets that customers use to improve their AI systems. Of course, we know better than anyone that this isn’t the data equivalent of opening a spillway on a dam. Not only is the volume of data massive and unrelenting, but it’s scattered, often unstructured, and needs to be protected. Complex technology and disparate organizational and data silos are major hurdles to getting AI projects into production. To help you capitalize on the best of AI, you need the www.techitupme.com

—— OPINION | NETAPP most complete, powerful, and sustainable solutions, without the bottlenecks of traditional data silos. Having a modern, intelligent, integrated-hybrid cloud data infrastructure is the foundation of AI. Whether you’re a small or large business, here’s how you can optimize your data engine to take advantage of the intelligent technology revolution: • Ensure that your data and AI organization are integrated. Often the biggest gap in organizational readiness for an AI-powered, data-driven future is the fragmented ownership of data, siloed data platforms and infrastructure, and a disparate range of specialists who operate in silos. For example, many organizations have data analysts and engineers who deeply understand the data, data scientists who can apply modern data analytic tools to that data, and business analysts who understand how to apply data and AI recommendations to drive business outcomes. These roles need to work closely together as one team to accelerate AI impact. • Assess and consolidate your unstructured data. For many years, businesses have invested in tools to extract value from structured data such as databases, data warehouses, and business intelligence tools. Generative AI, however, provides a powerful engine to derive value from the majority and fastest-growing part of a company’s data—that is, unstructured data. Text is still the leading format of most organizations’ data; documents, audio files, and large files like imaging and videos constitute the largest percentage of a company’s data. Natural language processing (NLP) and computer vision (CV) are among the most mature AI tools, and certainly the fastest-application in generative AI, make sure you have an up-to-date view of your unstructured data landscape and its relevant applications so that you’re ready to use them with the generative AI applications for your business. • Integrate your workloads and data with intelligent hybrid multicloud infrastructure. Data volumes, types, and speeds are growing inexorably. With massive amounts of data to process, simplicity and integration go a long way. A data pipeline is effectively the architectural system for collecting, transporting, processing, transforming, storing, retrieving, and presenting data. Today’s leading-edge AI teams want to marry the scalability and unrelenting pace of innovation of the public clouds with the security and governance of on-premises environments by building hybrid cloud data www.techitupme.com

pipelines. • Prioritize the security and governance of your data. With great power comes great responsibility. The saying might be trite, but there’s a reason for its ubiquity, and it’s particularly relevant to AI. AI has benefits from a security standpoint—it can identify cyberthreats in real time and create models for error detection—but it also can be dangerous. With AI, your private data is far more valuable, but it can be a source of errors, bias, and other inaccuracies in your model. So it needs to be well secured and well governed. By optimizing your data engine, you can have a solid foundation to unlock the power of AI while doing so responsibly, safely, and affordably.

OUR VALUE: NETAPP HAS BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF CHANGE MANY TIMES BEFORE Data and data infrastructure is what we do best at NetApp. By leveraging our expertise, you can truly hit the ground running, ensuring unhindered focus on your customer demands. For 30 years, through successive technological and business model revolutions, NetApp has not only endured, but also capitalized on each of these changes to deepen our expertise, help our customers navigate a changing world, and drive our own business success. We were here when client-server computing became the norm, when businesses migrated sales to the internet, when cloud became the disruptor, and when hybrid became the solution. As a result, we know what businesses need even as technology changes. AI is no different. We have enabled customers to use AI techniques to advance drug development and disease diagnosis, improve manufacturing and customer service, and reduce fraud, waste, and risk. And we use AI every day to develop and make our products and services much better. Only NetApp enables customers to integrate, access, and manage the full lifecycle of their data, and to do it for any data, for any application — including AI — anywhere. If you’re interested in learning more about the future of AI and data, and NetApp’s position at this critical nexus, register for NetApp INSIGHT® 2023—our global tech conference for data and infrastructure thinkers, leaders, and builders. A group of industry leaders will discuss how we can chart this path responsibly and successfully. I hope you’ll join us. October 2023 | 35

OPINION | BARCO ——

6 Steps Towards the Perfect Hybrid Workplace By Ekta Puthran, Head of Sales APAC & MEA – Collaboration, Barco collaboration and connection. Next up, integrate suitable hybrid meeting equipment in your hybrid workplace. Modern cameras, microphones, speakers, and wireless videoconferencing solutions ensure that hybrid meetings run smoothly, enabling all participants to fully engage, regardless of their location.

Ekta Puthran Head of Sales APAC & MEA – Collaboration, Barco

1. Build a strong foundation with well-thought company policies A strong and well-defined hybrid work policy serves as the bedrock of a successful hybrid workplace. It sets the expectations, guidelines and boundaries for both remote and in-office work. To create an effective policy, consider the unique needs and preferences of your employees. Recognize that flexibility is key, allowing individuals to choose where they work best while ensuring alignment with the organization’s goals. 2. Redesign offices for efficient collaboration Hybrid workspaces should be designed to facilitate collaboration seamlessly, whether employees are in the office or working remotely. Invest in spaces that encourage 36 | October 2023

3. Provide the home office basics for increased productivity Remote workers also require the right hybrid meeting technology to perform at their best. Ensure that employees have access to quality hardware and software. This includes providing laptops, monitors, ergonomic keyboards and mice, webcams, printers, headphones, and a reliable internet connection. By offering the essentials for a functional home office, you empower your remote workforce to be productive and efficient. 4. Ensure easy access to company platforms One of the defining features of a hybrid workplace is the ability for employees to work from various locations. To support this flexibility, your IT infrastructure must be robust and reliable. Employees should have seamless access to company platforms, regardless of where they are working. Invest in secure and user-friendly remote access solutions to enable hassle-free connectivity and collaboration.

5. Amp up your security With employees connecting to company platforms from different locations and devices, security is paramount. Strengthen your cybersecurity measures to safeguard sensitive data, maintain confidentiality and protect privacy. Implement multi-factor authentication, encryption and regular security audits. Training your workforce on cybersecurity best practices is also essential to mitigate risks effectively. 6. Optimize your workplace based on insights Data plays a crucial role in shaping the success of a hybrid workplace. Collect and analyze data on employee meeting behavior, workspace utilization, and device usage. Use these insights to make informed decisions about workspace design, technology investments, and resource allocation. Maximizing device ROI and adoption rates will ensure that your efforts to create an efficient hybrid workplace yield the desired results. Why getting the hybrid workplace right matters can be summed up in one word: ‘impact’. It impacts your organization´s ability to attract and retain top talent, fuels productivity and innovation, enhances your organization’s resilience. By embracing the six essential steps outlined in this article, your organization can navigate this evolving landscape with confidence and grace. www.techitupme.com

—— CONSUMER TECH | NVIDIA

NVIDIA Reflex: Reduce System Latency in ‘Counter Strike 2’ By up to 35%

ounter-Strike: Global Offensive’s popularity has continued to increase since its release in 2012. It is now the most-played game on Steam each week, with over one million concurrent players Valve launched Counter-Strike 2, the largest technical leap forward in Counter-Strike’s history, that upgrades Counter-Strike: Global Offensive to the Source 2 engine, leveraging newer graphics APIs for improved fidelity and responsiveness. NVIDIA has worked with Valve to ensure that system latency, which is critical to winning, is at an absolute minimum with the addition of NVIDIA Reflex.

VICTORY MEASURED IN MILLISECONDS In competitive shooters such as Counter-Strike 2, higher FPS and lower system latency allow users to acquire targets faster, react quicker, and increase aim precision. GeForce RTX 40 series delivers the ultimate CounterStrike 2 experience – the lowest latency with NVIDIA www.techitupme.com

Reflex (sub 15ms PC latency) and the highest FPS. Gamers with compatible GPUs can enable NVIDIA Reflex in Counter-Strike 2 to reduce system latency by up to 35%.

NVIDIA REFLEX NVIDIA Reflex is a must-have in games, reducing system latency so that actions occur quicker, giving you a competitive edge in multiplayer matches, and making single-player titles more responsive and enjoyable. NVIDIA Reflex is now used by over 50 million players each month. It is available in nine of the top ten competitive shooters and is activated by 90% of GeForce gamers in over 80 supported titles.

MEASURING LATENCY If latency is to be tested in Counter-Strike 2, the NVIDIA Frameview tool is recommended for the most accurate results. NVIDIA LDAT is also available for the most ‘professional’ testing experience. October 2023 | 37

CONSUMER TECH | WESTERN DIGITAL ——

Western Digital Releases New Drive for Content & Creative Professionals

n today’s world demand for visual brilliance and digital content creation is skyrocketing, paving the way for more advanced technologies that support the production and consumption of rich content. For consumers, students, and professionals, fast, reliable tools are a must-have to keep their imaginations flowing. Building upon SSD portfolio, Western Digital released the WD Blue™ SN580 NVMe™ solid state drive (SSD). The new, NVMe PCIe® Gen 4.0 internal flash drive is purpose-built for the creative enthusiast community and professionals to use when upgrading current PCs or elevating a custom build.

38 | October 2023

“As creator workflows become more robust and complex with heavy applications and large multimedia assets like 4K video, it’s easy to become frustrated with long load times,” said Eric Spanneut, vice president of client and enterprise SSDs for Western Digital. “The new WD Blue SN580 NVMe SSD boosts productivity, so professionals and entrepreneurial creators can focus on bringing their imaginations to life without having to wait long for files to transfer or programs to load.” The WD Blue SN580 is the first drive within the WD Blue product portfolio to feature nCache™ 4.0 technology and NVMe PCIe® Gen 4.0 to enable professionals, PC builders and content creators to focus more on what they do best rather than worrying about load and file transfer times. Key features of the new WD Blue SN580 NVMe SSD include:  NVMe PCIe Gen 4.0: Boost productivity and multitask effortlessly between projects with large and complex workflows with increased application responsiveness and boot times with up to 4,150 MB/s read and write speeds (1TB- 2TB models).  nCache 4.0 technology: Enables blistering fast copying of large files and media assets with high burst write performance and hybrid SLC cache for an optimized creator workflow.  Sleek design: Up to 2TB of storage on a slim M.2 2280 form factor for reliable storage of applications, data, and media including photos, 4K videos and music.  Reliability: Have peace of mind with Western Digital’s 5-year limited warranty and a rating up to 900TBW (2TB model).  Low Power requirements: Keep creating uninterrupted when you’re in the zone or on the go with DRAM-less, low-power storage to help maximize your laptop’s battery life.

PRICING AND AVAILABILITY The WD Blue SN580 NVMe SSD is now available for purchase from the Western Digital Store and select retailers, e-tailers, resellers and system integrators, and comes with a 5-year limited warranty. Capacities range from 250GB up to 2TB, starting in the UAE at 165 AED. www.techitupme.com