This week, CIOInfluence brings you the latest IT Insights Weekly for July 15 to July 19, 2024. Stay up-to-date with the evolving IT landscape through updates, news, and trends in key areas such as cloud computing, data management, cybersecurity, and emerging technologies.
Explore our curated selection of top articles from our experts and gain exclusive insights from industry leaders. Additionally, discover upcoming global IT events you won’t want to miss.
This Week’s Essential IT Headlines
Cloud Innovations
Nasuni has released its new report, “The Era of Hybrid Cloud Storage,” revealing insights from over 1,000 IT decision-makers in the US, UK, and DACH region on hybrid cloud strategies, digital transformation, and AI integration.
Key Highlights:
- Cloud Strategies Drive Success: 97% of enterprises are advancing cloud-first initiatives, with major investments in data management, analytics, AI, and cybersecurity.
- Hybrid Cloud Adoption: While only 19% of companies currently use hybrid cloud storage, 65% plan to adopt it within the next year, and 70% of current users intend to upgrade in the next 18 months.
- Data Recovery and Security: Data recovery is a top priority for firms facing ransomware attacks, with 59% of organizations finding cloud solutions to enhance data security and disaster recovery.
- AI and Data Intelligence: 60% of organizations are focusing on AI for improved data management. Challenges include data privacy and security concerns (42%) and skills shortages (35%).
Latest Updates in Data Management
DataOps.live has achieved the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Data and Analytics Competency status, recognizing its expertise in helping customers leverage AWS services for data management and analytics. This designation highlights DataOps.live’s capability to deliver advanced data products and AI solutions using Snowflake AI Data Cloud on AWS Cloud. The achievement follows DataOps.live’s recent Independent Software Vendor (ISV) Accelerate status, enhancing its co-selling and go-to-market efficiency with AWS.
“As a long term partner of both AWS and DataOps.live, achieving enhanced sales, marketing and technical alignment in the data and analytics competency will enhance the strategic value to NTT DATA and our mutual customers by empowering joint Snowflake and AWS customers to unlock unprecedented business value and agility,” said Victor Filipescu, Head of Data Architecture and Innovation at NTT DATA UK.
CoreSite, a leading hybrid IT solutions provider and subsidiary of American Tower Corporation (“American Tower”), announced the publication of its 2024 State of the Data Center Report, which examines the latest data center and cloud computing trends, strategies and requirements. Now in its fifth year, the 2024 report finds a growing consensus among forward-looking IT leaders that data and related management and processing requirements are becoming more varied; they also require highly customized IT solutions.
Key Insights from This Year’s Report:
- Companies prioritize direct cloud connections and system interconnections to manage large data transfers. However, only 31% of colocation providers offer varied cloud interconnections. 95% of respondents find direct connections to major cloud providers crucial, with 69% deeming it very important.
- Organizations are moving towards hybrid IT setups over an all-in-cloud approach. This shift, driven by cost, performance, and compliance concerns, is evident in workloads like generative AI, BI/analytics, and IoT management. Public cloud use is declining across these areas.
- Increased AI use is pushing IT, leaders, to reconsider hosting options due to high computing and data demands. The survey shows a trend of moving AI workloads from public clouds to colocation data centers, with significant shifts noted for GenAI applications, chatbots, predictive analytics, and augmented AI.
Current Cybersecurity News
Okta, a leading identity and access management company, announced an inaugural Okta SaaS Startup Competition. The competition invites early stage startups, incorporated in the US, that are building applications using identity, privacy, and security enabled workflows to showcase their innovations.
“Okta’s platform helps startups develop identity-enabled applications. Startups can capitalize on Okta’s robust tools to free up time so they can focus on building new products and applications without the complexities of managing identity infrastructure. At Okta we never stop innovating – this is a core value of the company that allows us to push boundaries every day. This is an incredible opportunity for startups to showcase their creativity while building for the future,” Austin Arensberg, Senior Director, Okta Ventures
BlackBerry has introduced CylanceMDR Pro, an advanced managed detection and response (MDR) service built on an Open XDR platform powered by AI. This solution is designed to address the complexities of modern cybersecurity by easing the operational burden on security teams.
- CylanceMDR Pro integrates with existing security tools through over 300 platform integrations, offering comprehensive visibility across IT infrastructures without requiring a complete overhaul of current systems.
- The platform utilizes Cylance AI, known for its high performance in predictive analysis, to enhance threat detection and prevention. It analyzes data from endpoints, networks, cloud environments, and more, improving detection accuracy and response times.
- With a reported 250% increase in unique attacks per minute over the past year, CylanceMDR Pro aims to provide robust protection and peace of mind through its AI-driven approach and expert security team.
IT Staff Picks: Recommended Reads
#1 Advanced Threat Detection with Managed Security Service Providers
The article on advanced threat detection explores the critical role of Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) in today’s cybersecurity landscape. It highlights the shift from traditional antivirus systems to sophisticated solutions like sandboxing and behavioral analysis to detect and mitigate advanced malware. The growing preference for hybrid IT environments over purely public cloud solutions, driven by cost and performance considerations is addressed. Solutions to overcome the challenges of rising cyber threats, the shortage of skilled professionals, and the complexities of integrating security measures are included.
The article overall underscores the importance of integrating advanced technologies and selecting MSSPs based on customizable services, transparency, and scalability.
#2 Impact of Robotic Process Automation (RPA) on Business Operations
The article “Impact of Robotic Process Automation (RPA) on Business Operations” is about how RPA is transforming business practices across sectors like banking, insurance, and retail. It delves into the technology’s evolution, benefits, and implementation process, highlighting its potential to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and cost savings.
The article includes:
- Efficiency Gains: How RPA automates repetitive tasks to significantly cut operational costs and increase productivity.
- Accuracy and Security: The technology’s role is to reduce errors and enhance data security.
- Implementation Guidance: Steps for assessing, selecting, and managing RPA solutions effectively.
- Real-World Success: Case studies showcasing successful RPA adoption and its benefits.
It is an essential reading for CIOs, IT leaders, and business executives looking to understand how RPA can drive operational efficiency and innovation within their organizations
Voices of the IT Thought Leaders
#1 Ben Oster, VP of Product Management at WatchGuard Technologies
Ben, from WatchGuard Technologies, discusses several pivotal aspects of the company’s cybersecurity strategy:
Ben highlights WatchGuard’s commitment to a unified approach, integrating network, endpoint, MFA, and Wi-Fi security into a cohesive platform. This system simplifies management for managed service providers (MSPs) while delivering comprehensive protection across all threat vectors.- He emphasizes the seamless integration of WatchGuard’s products through the WatchGuard Cloud. This centralized interface provides a unified view for administration, automation, and advanced reporting, enhancing operational efficiency and scalability for MSPs.
- Ben points out the critical industry challenges, including the shortage of skilled professionals and the complexity of modern IT environments. WatchGuard’s solutions, such as ThreatSync XDR and WatchGuard MDR, are designed to address these issues by simplifying security management and providing robust, AI-driven threat detection.
- He underscores WatchGuard’s use of AI to advance their cybersecurity offerings. The launch of ThreatSync+ NDR, with its advanced AI detection capabilities, and WatchGuard MDR’s 24/7 managed services reflect the company’s focus on leveraging AI for superior threat detection and operational efficiency.
- Ben advocates for flexible leadership, emphasizing the importance of adaptability in the rapidly evolving cybersecurity landscape. He believes that leveraging team expertise and staying responsive to changes are key to effective cybersecurity leadership.
Ben highlights WatchGuard’s commitment to a unified approach, integrating network, endpoint, MFA, and Wi-Fi security into a cohesive platform. This system simplifies management for managed service providers (MSPs) while delivering comprehensive protection across all threat vectors.
#2 Jason Hardy, CTO at Hitachi Vantara
In the Q&A with Jason Hardy, CTO at Hitachi Vantara, he outlines essential strategies for tapping into the Generative AI (GenAI) market and modernizing IT infrastructure. It talks about the critical findings from Hitachi Vantara’s 2024 AI Infrastructure study, which underscores the need for upskilling employees, building comprehensive GenAI policies, and optimizing infrastructure for GenAI readiness.
Hardy also highlights the barriers to GenAI adoption, including high costs and a shortage of skilled professionals, and discusses how advancements in GPU performance and hybrid solutions can address these challenges. Additionally, Hardy stresses the importance of robust data infrastructure to ensure security and scalability amidst evolving threats. His insights provide actionable guidance for effectively implementing GenAI, enhancing infrastructure, and securing data in today’s dynamic IT landscape.
Get complete insights from Jason
Latest IT Industry Buzzwords
- Blockchain as a Service (BaaS) – A cloud-based service that enables users to build, host, and use their own blockchain apps, smart contracts, and functions on the blockchain, while the cloud-based service provider manages all the necessary tasks and activities to keep the infrastructure agile and operational.
- DevSecOps – An approach to culture, automation, and platform design that integrates security as a shared responsibility throughout the entire IT lifecycle.
- Synthetic Data – Artificially generated data used to train machine learning models, which can be used as a substitute for real data in situations where actual data is unavailable or difficult to obtain.
- Intent-based Networking (IBN) – A form of networking software that plans, designs, and operates networks that can automatically implement changes based on the business intent of the organization.
CIO Influence Brand Shoutout of the Week
Cynet cybersecurity company specializing in converging essential technologies to help enterprises identify security loopholes, leverage threat intelligence, and manage endpoint security. Founded in 2015 in Tel Aviv, Israel, it is now headquartered in Boston, United States.
CEO – Eyal Gruner
Recent Partnership – Cynet and Prescriptive Data Solutions team up to enhance cybersecurity for small-to-medium enterprises
Latest Announcement – Cynet updated its Cynet 360 cybersecurity platform to help security teams keep pace with current and emerging cyber threats.
Upcoming IT Events: What to Watch For
- Black Hat
Location – USA
Date – August 3 – 8, 2024
Black Hat USA returns to the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas with a 6-day program. The event will open with four days of specialized cybersecurity Training (August 3-6), with courses for all skill levels.
- Cyber Security Summit
Date – August 8
Location – Australia
The Cyber Security Summit is an exclusive, invitation-only event designed for cybersecurity leaders from prominent businesses, institutions, and government entities in Australia.
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