Welcome to CIO Influence Top Cloud, Cybersecurity and IT, News Weekly Highlights. In this roundup, we bring you the latest developments from the tech giants during the week. These updates offer valuable insights into the evolving digital landscape, from cybersecurity measures to technological innovations.
Microsoft Introduces Its First Massive Cloud Data Center in Mexico
Microsoft has unveiled its first data center region in Mexico, the Mexico Central region. This new data center will serve organizations globally. The company’s latest move reflects its commitment to driving more digital transformation and sustainable innovation in Mexico with innovative cloud services for companies such as Binaria ID and DocSolutions.
According to the Microsoft Cloud Dividend Snapshot by IDC Mexico, this move is estimated to generate approximately $70.7 billion in revenue over the next four years and create more than 300,000 jobs across various sectors in Mexico.
The new cloud data center region was built as part of Microsoft’s investment plan announced in February 2020 and is located within the Queretaro Metropolitan area. The center will provide users across Mexico with secure, scalable, and low-latency cloud services, an assurance of data residency, and a faster digital transition for organizations and public entities in Latin America.
The Microsoft Cloud, including Azure, Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365, and Power Platform, will be delivered locally from the Mexico Central data center region.
Also Read: Top 20 AI Cloud Companies to Know in 2024
Persistent iAURA Revolutionizes Enterprise Data ManagementÂ
Persistent Systems has transformed enterprise data management by launching Persistent iAURA, an AI-powered data solutions portfolio to drive business growth. iAURA offers deployment and precision in tackling data challenges for AI implementations. It utilizes AI and ML to uncover hidden patterns, enabling data-driven decision-making, enhanced business intelligence, and automated data quality assurance and reconciliation.
Businesses encounter hurdles in managing vast amounts of data while ensuring quality, governance, and cost control, especially with the emergence of AI. iAURA addresses these challenges by providing tailored solutions to expedite the transition to AI-driven enterprises, offering comprehensive approaches from data ingestion to insights using analytics and accelerators.
The iAURA portfolio comprises:
- iAURA Insights: Empowers teams to derive relevant business insights from data using natural language.
- iAURA Migrate: Automates and accelerates migration and modernization of data technologies.
- iAURA Data Ops: Ensures AI-driven data quality, reconciliation, and freshness.
- iAURA Platforms: Aids clients in managing tool choice, governance, security, and cost through data and AI platform services.
Initial engagements have showcased significant benefits, such as a 90% acceleration in proposal response time for a leading pharmaceutical company with iAURA Insights. Compatible with major hyperscaler platforms and LLM providers, iAURA offers flexibility in deployment, integrating Persistent’s IP for seamless integration and optimal performance.
Top IBM Collaborations of the Week
#1 ServiceNow and IBM Partner to Boost Enterprise Impact of Generative AI
ServiceNow and IBM unveiled a collaboration at Knowledge 2024 to amplify the influence of generative AI (GenAI) in businesses. The integration merges the Now Platform with IBM watsonx, enriching productivity for shared customers and partners. This alliance allows seamless connectivity between ServiceNow workflows and watsonx.ai models, enhancing workflow efficiency. CJ Desai, President and COO at ServiceNow, emphasizes offering dual AI platform access for heightened productivity and innovation. IBM’s Rob Thomas underscores data-driven AI advantages, affirming the collaboration’s potential to unlock maximum AI value. This initiative underscores their commitment to advancing AI solutions across industries.
#2 IBM and SAP Expand Collaboration to Advance Generative AI Solutions
IBM and SAP unveil plans to enhance their collaboration, focusing on generative AI capabilities and industry-specific cloud solutions to drive business value. John Granger, IBM Consulting’s Senior Vice President, highlights their partnership’s aim to empower clients with innovative AI solutions, enabling them to thrive as next-generation enterprises. Scott Russell, Chief Revenue Officer & Executive Board Member of SAP SE, emphasizes the expansion’s significance in accelerating cloud adoption and leveraging generative AI for business transformation. The collaboration aims to pioneer AI-driven business processes, industry innovations, modernized platform architectures, and ecosystem development, underlining the firm’s commitment to client-centric innovation.
Also Read: Hybrid Cloud Demands: Advancing Beyond First-Gen IDaaS Solutions
#3 LTIMindtree and IBM Partnership on Generative AI Center of Excellence
LTIMindtree and IBM announced a collaboration to establish a joint Generative AI Center of Excellence (CoE) in India. The CoE will harness IBM’s watsonx AI and data platform alongside LTIMindtree’s engineering skills to drive innovation in AI technology. Nachiket Deshpande, COO of LTIMindtree, emphasizes the importance of open innovation in advancing AI technologies, aiming to empower businesses for success. Kate Woolley, IBM Ecosystem General Manager, highlights the CoE’s role in funneling AI research into practical solutions for real-world challenges. The collaboration offers clients access to AI governance, data modernization, and full-stack application services, enhancing their AI adoption journey and digital initiatives.
Apple Designs AI Chips for Data Centers
Apple is working on developing its own AI chip, dedicated to running artificial intelligence software in data centers, according to the Wall Street Journal, citing insiders. Though trailing most of its competitors in AI, Apple has been secretive about its plans. CEO Tim Cook had expressed confidence in their AI prospects but remained tight-lipped about specifics.
Internally called Project ACDC, which stands for Apple Chips in Data Center, Apple seeks to utilize its experience in chip design for server infrastructure. Project ACDC has been running for some years, but it’s still unknown when it will be unveiled.
Project ACDC is focused on deploying Apple’s server chip to deploy AI models, known as inference, rather than training models. Apple has worked with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. on the chip design and production, but the outcome is uncertain. Apple did not comment to Reuters.
Red Hat Advances Hybrid Cloud Portfolio with Integration of Red Hat Lightspeed AI
Red Hat, Inc., a global provider of open-source solutions, expanded Red Hat Lightspeed across its platforms to put enterprise-ready AI throughout its hybrid cloud portfolio. Red Hat OpenShift Lightspeed and Red Hat Enterprise Linux Lightspeed will include capabilities for natural language processing, making it easier for beginners and even more efficient for pros.
Red Hat’s expansion helps overcome skill gaps and complexity in enterprise IT that the industry has largely not solved despite record hybrid cloud adoption. Subscribers can tap into contextual applications of Red Hat’s expertise in open-source technology, furthering subscription value with Lightspeed built into key platforms.
OpenShift Lightspeed uses GenAI to make application life cycle management on OpenShift clusters and resource scaling easier, whether the users are novices or experts. Enterprise Linux Lightspeed makes the deployment, management, and upkeep of Linux environments a breeze, enabling users to respond to emerging issues promptly.
Cribl and Deloitte Together to Strengthen Security Data Management
Cribl, one of the leaders in its Data Engine for IT and Security, has announced its strategic partnership with Deloitte. The deal will integrate Cribl’s data processing engine into Deloitte’s SIEM and SOC services. With Deloitte’s leading security consulting services and powerful tools from Cribl, clients can now upgrade their security postures and completely revamp their data strategies.
Zac Kilpatrick, VP of Global GTM Partners at Cribl, said, “Today’s security environment demands control of clients’ data through every step of the process.” With this partnership, Cribl and Deloitte clients will have the data management tools streamlined to navigate future security challenges.
Deloitte’s cyber risk services align with this partnership, providing clients with a full suite of solutions for the most advanced security needs. Integrating the data processing engine from Cribl, joint clients will get support for data management through ingestion and routing.
ServiceNow and Fujitsu Partnership to Roll Out Groundbreaking Cross-Industry Solutions
ServiceNow and Fujitsu have announced a strategic collaboration to roll out innovative cross-industry solutions to increase customer value worldwide. During the Knowledge 2024 event of ServiceNow, the two companies announced plans to roll out the Fujitsu-ServiceNow Innovation Center in digital transformation and customer success. It would be to leverage automation to streamline enterprise systems and processes, with initial solutions in the manufacturing sector: Engineering Chain Management (ECM) and Supply Chain Management (SCM).
The Innovation Center, Fujitsu-ServiceNow, will be based in Kawasaki City, Japan, and aimed at collaborating on new solutions, marketing activities, and mutually developing human resources. ServiceNow would merge its AI-first platform with Fujitsu Uvance to streamline customers’ operations and empower data-driven management.
Introducing More Flexibility with Palo Alto’s Cortex XSIAM, an AI-Powered SOC
Palo Alto Networks rolls out Cortex XSIAM, a security operations platform powered by artificial intelligence, designed with the most seamless integration of third-party EDR data and cloud detection and response capabilities ever. By unifying the most critical security operations, Cortex XSIAM reduces mean time to remediation from days to minutes. The new features include the Bring Your Machine Learning framework, which enables custom ML models, and the Cloud Command Center for more visibility in cloud threats. Over 1,000 integrations give the best optimization to SOC workflows. Such leadership in AI cybersecurity solutions is further confirmed by recognition through the Cyber Defense Magazine Global InfoSec Awards for Cortex XSIAM.
Key features include:
- Integration Flexibility: Cortex XSIAM integrates third-party EDR data and cloud detection and response capabilities, enhancing security effectiveness.
- Empowered Security Operations: Organizations can reduce mean time to remediation (MTTR) from days to minutes, ensuring swift threat response and improved security outcomes.
- Custom Machine Learning: The Bring Your Own Machine Learning (BYOML) framework allows customization of ML models, addressing unique security challenges and enhancing AI analytics.
- Cloud Security Enhancements: Cloud Detection and Response (CDR) capabilities provide comprehensive visibility into cloud assets, incidents, and vulnerabilities, bolstering situational awareness.
- Unified Platform: Cortex XSIAM offers over 1,000 integrations covering commonly used SOC tools, optimizing workflows and enhancing operational efficiency.
Cisco Introduces AI-Powered Observability Solution for Self-Hosting
Cisco has announced a virtual appliance for its AppDynamics On-Premises application observability offering. This will bring AI-powered intelligence to self-hosted observability. Cisco’s announcement helps customers detect anomalies, ensure application security, and monitor SAP performance while retaining full control of their observability deployment.
In addition, Cisco revealed the availability of AppDynamics Flex, which provides customers flexibility between self-hosted and Software as a Service (SaaS) observability options.
Additionally, the new AI-powered capabilities are designed to:
– Improve anomaly detection accuracy and root cause analysis
– Strengthen application security through automated risk scoring
– Deliver full-stack observability for SAP environments.
The virtual appliance can be deployed on-premises or in the cloud—like AWS or Microsoft Azure—ensuring that compliance and control are present for observability.
Cisco’s initiative caters to the diverse needs of organizations across sectors like government, finance, and manufacturing, where self-hosted observability remains vital for regulatory compliance and data protection. With AppDynamics.
Akamai Signs Definitive Agreement to Acquire API Security Firm Noname
Akamai Technologies, Inc. announces that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Noname Security, a leading provider of API security, to boost its API Security solution. The acquisition is based on the increased need for API protection as API adoption continues to expand. Akamai believes that with Noname’s expertise, it will have the capability to create a comprehensive suite of API security for discovering shadow APIs, detecting vulnerabilities, and preventing attacks.
According to Mani Sundaram, EVP and the Akamai Security Technology Group GM, “API-related security risks are on the rise, with API attacks growing 109% year over year.” Integration with Noname is set to provide customers with more deployment options and frictionless technology integrations, safeguarding various environments.
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