Introduction

In the rapidly evolving world of enterprise networking, standing out requires not just keeping pace with technological advancements but setting the benchmark for innovation and reliability. Extreme Networks has achieved this and more, as evidenced by its latest commendation from Gartner, a leading research and advisory company. This prestigious recognition places Extreme Networks at the forefront of cloud networking, highlighting its visionary approach and exceptional execution in the technology sector.

Extreme Networks’ Innovative Edge

At the heart of Extreme Networks’ success is its relentless pursuit of innovation. The company has distinguished itself with several groundbreaking products, including the industry’s first Wi-Fi 7 access point, the ExtremeCloud Universal ZTNA network access solution, cloud-managed 4000 Series Universal Switches, and ExtremeCloud Edge – the industry’s first networking cloud continuum. These advancements demonstrate Extreme Networks’ ability to anticipate and meet the evolving needs of businesses, ensuring superior performance, security, and manageability.

The Gartner Magic Quadrant Recognition

The Gartner Magic Quadrant is renowned for its rigorous evaluation of companies in the technology sector, assessing them on their completeness of vision and ability to execute. Being named a Leader in this report is a testament to Extreme Networks’ innovative advances and comprehensive vision.

“Extreme’s solutions are unmatched in helping customers find new ways to deliver better business outcomes across their organizations,” said Ed Meyercord, President and CEO at Extreme.

“Extreme removes the friction associated with enterprise networking and is proud to be recognized as a Leader by Gartner for the sixth consecutive time.”

Unmatched Customer Satisfaction

Extreme Networks’ commitment to innovation is matched by its dedication to customer satisfaction. The company has been continuously recognized as a Gartner Peer Insights Customers’ Choice for Wired and Wireless LAN Infrastructure since 2019. Customer reviews frequently laud the firm’s unparalleled support and assistance, seamless cloud management via the ExtremeCloud IQ platform, and the cooperative and knowledgeable nature of the sales and pre-sales teams. Such accolades are a clear indicator of the company’s priority to serve and support its clients effectively.

Looking Forward

As Extreme Networks continues to lead and redefine the landscape of enterprise networking, its future looks incredibly promising. The recognition by Gartner not only highlights the company’s past achievements but also sets the stage for its future endeavors in cloud networking. With a foundation built on innovation, customer satisfaction, and a forward-thinking approach, Extreme Networks is poised to continue its trajectory of success, shaping the future of enterprise networking for the better.

In conclusion, Extreme Networks’ latest recognition by Gartner underscores its position as a leader in the enterprise LAN infrastructure market. Through innovation, dedication to customer satisfaction, and a visionary approach, the company continues to set the standard for excellence in cloud networking. As we look forward to witnessing Extreme Networks’ future achievements, we invite our readers to share their thoughts and experiences with Extreme Networks’ solutions. How do you see the evolution of enterprise networking impacting your business? Join the conversation below.

Photo by Jordan Harrison on Unsplash

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Modernization and migration of enterprise workloads to IBM Cloud frequently necessitate parts of their services to run on various other cloud networks. This practice poses a technical challenge for secure and reliable connectivity, especially in regulated sectors such as banking, insurance, and healthcare. This blog aims to iron out common questions, providing essential insight for connecting IBM’s application workloads to multiple clouds.

Understanding the Distribution of Workload across Multiple Clouds

Regulated enterprises manage intricate processes that often demand a blend of specialized services or applications not native to the same cloud. Companies depend on managed service providers operating on a centralized cloud that required dispersed resources to cater to varying regulatory requirements, risk of vendor lock-in, and to prevent outages.

A Look at Typical Workloads Demanding Multicloud Connectivity

The workloads necessitating multicloud interaction mainly fall into categories like application data exchange, batch data transfer, administration access, monitoring and tooling data transfer, and data replication.

Connecting IBM Cloud Regulated Workloads to Other Clouds

Enterprises working with IBM Cloud often follow the VPC-based reference architecture from IBM Cloud for Financial Services. Businesses can facilitate secure connections between their Virtual Private Clouds (VPCs) and other clouds or networks using services such as IBM’s Site-to-Site VPN, Direct Link Connect, and Direct Link Dedicated.

Exploring Various Modes of Multicloud Connectivity

The three primary methods for establishing connectivity between workloads running across different cloud providers are over the public internet, through connectivity partner networks, and direct connectivity at data center facilities. The selection of the correct method aligns with an enterprise’s long-term strategic objectives and technical requirements.

To conclude, regulated business entities have multiple options to secure the connectivity of their multicloud workloads across diverse cloud platforms and on-premises networks. Provided with a variety of offerings matching their specific needs, businesses can pick the best solution for establishing their connections.

Engage in the comments below to share your insights or ask any questions. We value your perspective and look forward to a knowledge-exchange community!

Learn more about how to navigate multicloud connectivity for regulated enterprise workloads on the IBM Cloud for Financial Services platform.

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1. Cisco’s Vision for Ethernet in AI

“Cisco is on a mission to make sure Ethernet is the chief underpinning for artificial intelligence networks now and in the future,” a powerful testament to their commitment. Over the years, Cisco’s contributions to the Ethernet development in IEEE and other industry groups have been monumental. Now, as a core vendor driving the Ultra Ethernet Consortium (UEC), it seeks to enhance Ethernet capabilities to better support burgeoning AI infrastructures.

Thomas Scheibe, vice president of product management with Cisco’s cloud networking, Nexus & ACI product line, highlights the importance, stating, “Organizations are sitting on massive amounts of data that they are trying to make more accessible and gain value from faster, and they are looking at AI technology now.”

2. Advancements in Nexus 9000 Features

Cisco isn’t just stopping at a vision. They’ve actualized a blueprint to guide organizations on how existing data center Ethernet networks can ably support AI workloads. Central to this initiative is the Nexus 9000 data center switch, touted for its unparalleled bandwidth and hardware capabilities.

The company has explicitly stated the Nexus 9000’s prowess in its Data Center Networking Blueprint for AI/ML Applications:

“Coupled with tools such as Cisco Nexus Dashboard Insights for visibility and Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller for automation, Cisco Nexus 9000 switches become ideal platforms to build a high-performance AI/ML network fabric.”

Diving deeper into the technical spectrum, technologies like the NX-OS operating system’s support for ROCEv2 and ECN stand out. They essentially enable high-performance data transfers, minimizing latency and boosting throughput, making them indispensable in a world that’s rapidly embracing AI.

3. Beyond Nexus: Cisco’s Silicon One Processors

Cisco is not just confined to the Nexus. Their vision expands with the introduction of the high-end programmable Silicon One processors, tailor-made for large-scale AI/ML infrastructures. These processors can be customized for specific networking functions, ensuring optimal performance across various tasks.

With these new devices, enhanced Ethernet features like improved flow control and congestion awareness come to the fore. The system also boasts advanced load-balancing capabilities and packet-spraying techniques to streamline traffic, making it an apt choice for demanding AI/ML operations.

4. The Growing Focus on Data-Center Sustainability

Cisco’s vision isn’t purely technology-driven. There’s an evident focus on sustainability. Thomas Scheibe shed light on this aspect, stating, “Organizations are looking for help on getting a baseline on how much power they are using and learning what their current carbon footprint is so they can make informed decisions on how to move forward.”

With tools like the Nexus Dashboard, Cisco offers insights into power consumption, allowing businesses to gauge their environmental impact, and set their networks to adeptly handle increased AI transaction loads.

In Summary

As we stand on the cusp of an AI-driven future, Cisco’s commitment to refining Ethernet networks for AI is both commendable and crucial. Their focus not just on cutting-edge technology, but also on sustainability, resonates with the need of the hour. What are your thoughts on Cisco’s advancements and the future of AI networking? We’d love to hear from you. Drop your insights in the comments below!

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The technological landscape is constantly evolving, and nothing exemplifies this evolution better than Broadcom’s new innovation. Introducing the Broadcom Trident 4-X7 Ethernet Switch, a game-changer poised to redefine the way enterprise data centers operate, propelling them towards an era of unprecedented efficiency and performance.

Broadcom Propels New Era of Connectivity

Broadcom, a leader in the realm of cloud technology, recently announced their latest release: the Broadcom Trident 4-X7 Ethernet Switch. This cutting-edge piece of technology promises to not only enhance data center operations but reshape them completely. It is a fully programmable 4.0 Terabits/second switch specifically designed for enterprise data center ToR (Top of Rack) boxes.

What Does Trident 4-X7 Offer?

The Broadcom Trident 4-X7 Ethernet Switch is more than just an upgrade—it’s a revolution. It offers native support for 400G connectivity to next-generation spine/fabric technologies, promising an unprecedented surge in performance while cutting power per 100G port by more than half compared to current-generation solutions. As Ram Velaga, the senior vice president and general manager of Broadcom’s Core Switching Group, put it, “Broadcom has made huge investments in addressing the needs of our cloud customers… We are also uniquely positioned to bring all of these cloud technologies into enterprise data centers.”

Impacting the Future of Enterprise Data Centers

The enterprise market is entering a new upgrade phase, with their spine networks migrating to 400G. The Broadcom Trident 4-X7 Ethernet Switch is perfectly timed to support this transition, providing unparalleled SerDes and port speeds to support the next generation of servers as AI/ML workloads expand into enterprise data centers. Beyond these benefits, the Trident 4-X7 also supports Enterprise SONiC and SAI to ensure rapid and seamless integration into data center operations networks.

Broadcom’s Trident 4-X7 Ethernet Switch is more than just a product—it represents the direction in which the industry is moving. It encapsulates the power of cloud technology and brings it within the grasp of enterprise data centers, catalyzing an unprecedented evolution in the data center landscape. As the world continues to digitize and data needs expand, this new switch will be at the heart of keeping data centers efficient, effective, and ready for the future. So, what do you think about the role of Broadcom’s Trident 4-X7 Ethernet Switch in powering the future of enterprise data centers? Let’s continue the conversation in the comments below.

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In a notable development, Akamai Technologies, the renowned cloud company, has been recognized as a Leader in the IDC MarketScape NESaaS 2023 Vendor Assessment. This marks a significant accomplishment, emphasizing the company’s exceptional capabilities in network edge security. Analyst firm IDC MarketScape acclaimed Akamai’s consistent delivery of cloud security without compromising on performance through its mature application security portfolio.

The Importance of NESaaS in Enterprise Security

Network Edge Security as a Service (NESaaS) represents an integrated security solution combining diverse network security technologies. Delivered as a cloud service, NESaaS addresses essential customer use cases related to access policy enforcement and threat detection. The IDC MarketScape underscored Akamai’s wide range of https://techinsight.newshub.talkabout.tech/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2019/09/uk-technology-heatmap-3.jpg Trust enterprise security solutions, including Akamai Enterprise Application Access (EAA) and Akamai MFA services for ZTNA.

Akamai https://techinsight.newshub.talkabout.tech/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2019/09/uk-technology-heatmap-3.jpg Trust Security Solutions

Beyond these offerings, the Akamai Secure Internet Access (SIA) service, offering Secure DNS and SWG functionality, was also highlighted.

Senior Vice President and General Manager, Enterprise Security at Akamai, Pavel Gurvich, stated, “Securing the network edge is a necessity in today’s digital landscape. As enterprises migrate to cloud infrastructure, services, and applications, the importance of securing the network edge cannot be overstated.” He further emphasized Akamai’s commitment to helping enterprises transition to a https://techinsight.newshub.talkabout.tech/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2019/09/uk-technology-heatmap-3.jpg Trust security architecture.

What does the recent recognition mean for Akamai?

Akamai’s recognition in the IDC MarketScape NESaaS 2023 Vendor Assessment underscores the company’s forward-thinking approach to network security. It also affirms the key role of NESaaS in ensuring a secure and reliable digital ecosystem.

As digital transformation accelerates, network edge security becomes even more critical. With Akamai leading the charge, businesses can feel more confident in their move towards a secure digital future.

How do you think this leadership position will impact Akamai’s future strategy? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!

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“the caliber of innovation that we’re now launching is unlike anything I’ve seen in my 23 years here at the company.”

From the adoption of AI-driven security platforms to full-stack observability and data-center transformation, Cisco Live 2023 was a hotbed of groundbreaking announcements. The event, held in Las Vegas, primarily underscored the remarkable role of Cisco’s global partner ecosystem in driving innovation.

Cisco Live 2023: A Deeper Look into Cisco’s Innovative Spectrum

This year, Cisco didn’t just focus on product development but presented a holistic innovation strategy. As per Oliver Tuszik, Cisco’s SVP for global partner sales:

“We developed an end-to-end security strategy because that’s what partners and customers are looking for.”

The approach aimed at simplifying operations, increasing efficiency, and most importantly, responding to the needs of customers and partners.

‘https://techinsight.newshub.talkabout.tech/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2019/09/uk-technology-heatmap-3.jpg Trust and https://techinsight.newshub.talkabout.tech/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2019/09/uk-technology-heatmap-3.jpg Friction’: The New Mantra

Cisco’s AI-driven Cisco Security Cloud already stands as a testament to their innovation, but with the launch of Cisco Secure Access, they took a step further. This security service edge (SSE) solution is designed for the emerging hybrid work environment, ensuring seamless security and connectivity. Jeetu Patel, executive vice president, praised the platform, saying, “We make sure that it is done with https://techinsight.newshub.talkabout.tech/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2019/09/uk-technology-heatmap-3.jpg Trust and zero friction.”

Partnerships Paving the Way: Apple and Cisco

Cisco’s emphasis on partnerships shone brightly with the integration of Secure Access into Apple’s operating systems. Later this year, iPhone, iPad, and Mac will have native support for network relays. Susan Prescott, Apple’s VP of enterprise and education marketing, hailed this as an opportunity for enterprises to “do their best work from anywhere, on the best devices for business.”

The Advent of the Full Stack Observability Platform

At Cisco Live 2023, the launch of the new Full Stack Observability Platform, enriched by partner contributions, stood as a highlight. The platform, according to Liz Centoni, executive vice president, is “open, extensible, and API-driven”, designed for scalability, performance, and data streaming.

AT&T and Cisco: Mobility for the Hybrid Work Era

Collaborating with AT&T, Cisco announced breakthrough mobility solutions for the hybrid work era, featuring integrations of Cisco’s Webex Calling and SD-WAN with AT&T’s mobile network. Mike Troiano, AT&T’s senior vice president, stressed the shared vision to empower organizations with secure connectivity and unmatched reliability.

Cisco Live 2023: The Power of Partnerships

Cisco Live 2023 underlined the power of partnerships in driving the tech world forward. As Oliver Tuszik stressed, “Cisco cannot do it alone.” The event unveiled a slew of initiatives that are not only groundbreaking but have been shaped and honed by years of collaborations.

What were your key takeaways from Cisco Live 2023? Which innovation do you think will be a game-changer? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Next up: Knight Rider 2.0: When AI Takes the Wheel with Mercedes-Benz and Azure OpenAI Service

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Embracing a Cloud-Only Future with Accenture and Microsoft

It’s not just the biggest tech firms that need to keep up with changing trends in the fast-moving technology space. Unilever is responsible for the manufacturing and distribution of some of the world’s most well-known brands, from Hellman’s mayonnaise to persil washing-up liquid. Now, its parent company, Unilever Global has made significant strides to transform the digital facets of the business to better serve its customers.

In a significant stride towards digital transformation, one of the world’s largest consumer goods companies has completed a monumental cloud migration. This impressive feat was achieved in collaboration with Accenture and Microsoft, redefining the future of business operations in the consumer goods industry – right now, you can be sure that other consumer goods companies are paying close attention.

Blue-sky thinking

Unilever’s decision to go cloud-only marks a pivotal moment in the company’s digital journey and a beacon for similar organisations. The process involved transferring an enormous volume of data, applications, and business processes to the cloud – a move away from on-premise data storage – a task that required a masterful level of planning, coordination, and technical expertise – that’s where Accenture and Microsoft come in!

These two giants in the cloud technology space played crucial roles at every stage of this migration.

Leveraging Microsoft’s robust Azure cloud platform and Accenture’s unrivalled experience in business transformation, the team successfully transitioned Unilever’s operations to a cloud-based model. But how will this affect the company and its customers?

How moving skywards changes the game

1. Enhanced agility: The migration to a cloud-only model will equip Unilever with the agility required to adapt to rapidly changing market dynamics, guaranteeing that the company remains competitive in the fast-paced consumer goods industry. End-to-end communications will be streamlined across the board.
2. Increased efficiency: The cloud-based model will enable Unilever to streamline its operations, improving efficiency across the board – the cloud is online and universally accessible. Information will be shared, and automation more prevalent across Unilever’s operations.
3. Cost-effective cloud: By transitioning to the cloud, Unilever can significantly reduce the costs associated with maintaining physical data centres – the ecological benefits of this move cannot be understated.
4. Scalability: The cloud provides Unilever with the ability to scale up or down based on demand, ensuring optimal resource utilisation. That means less waste, and a more dynamic market – ultimately, an always-updated product list puts the right products in the hands of consumers at the right time.
5. Sustainability: By reducing the reliance on physical data centres, Unilever’s cloud migration also aligns with the company’s commitment to environmental sustainability – you can read more about the organisation’s commitment to both the planet and society here.

Cloud-only: better across the board

Unilever’s shift to a cloud-only model marks a new era in the consumer goods industry. With the support of Accenture and Microsoft, it has set a new benchmark for digital transformation in the industry. This move not only positions Unilever at the forefront of technology adoption but also inspires other organisations to embrace the myriad benefits of cloud technology. As we look towards our digital future, we can expect to see more companies following in Unilever’s footsteps, leveraging the power of cloud technology to drive growth, efficiency, and sustainability.

For Unilever, thanks to cloud migration, the sky’s the limit.

Want to read more about big business and cloud migration? Let us know in the comments what you want to see!

Source: https://news.microsoft.com/2023/04/02/unilever-goes-cloud-only-accenture-and-microsoft-complete-one-of-the-largest-cloud-migrations-in-consumer-goods-industry/

Want to read more about how Microsoft is changing the game? Read more here: Microsoft Pledges https://techinsight.newshub.talkabout.tech/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2019/09/uk-technology-heatmap-3.jpg-Carbon Data Centre by 2030.

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At the company’s recent annual general meeting, less than three per cent of shareholders supported the move, which sought to restrict sales of real-time facial recognition technology to law enforcement agencies.

In both the US and UK, concerns have been raised by civil liberties campaigners, and by politicians on both sides of the house, at the speed of adoption of real-time facial recognition systems, and their potential use in citizen surveillance and racial profiling.

According to a BBC report, Democrat congressman Jimmy Gomez said, “Shareholders did not not end up passing a ban on Rekognition, and you know what? That just means it’s more important that Congress acts.” Republican congressman Jim Jordan added: “It is virtually unregulated, but I think that frankly that needs to change.”

Last year, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) criticised Amazon over sales to two police forces of the Rekognition system, which can be fitted to officers’ body cameras. The technology enables live citizen surveillance, said the union, and risks discriminating against ethnic minorities because of poor training data, leading to people being misidentified and/or profiled by the police.

ACLU lawyer Matt Cagle said that real-time facial recognition “provides government with unprecedented power to track people going about their daily lives. That’s incompatible with a healthy democracy.”

At this year’s AGM, Amazon said that it knew of such concerns but was not aware of any abuse of the system by police. In its belief, it is up to legislators, not individual companies, to curb the technology’s use.

Nevertheless, a second proposal called on the company to commission an independent study into the privacy risks, and whether Rekognition’s adoption could lead to the disproportionate surveillance of ethnic minorities, immigrants, and political activists. The proposal garnered greater support – 27.5 per cent of shareholders – but was still rejected.

The debate about facial recognition is certainly hotting up in government. In May, San Francisco became the first American city to ban police and security services from using the technology. The move also prohibits the use of data gathered by facial recognition systems in the city.

City supervisor Aaron Peskin said, “We have an outsize responsibility to regulate the excesses of technology precisely because they are headquartered here.”

The feelings are shared on this side of the Atlantic. In the UK last year, Parliament’s Science and Technology Committee quoted findings from privacy group Big Brother Watch that the Metropolitan Police had achieved less than two per cent accuracy rates with its automated facial recognition system. In a trial programme, just two people were correctly identified and 102 were incorrectly ‘matched’. The force made no arrests using the technology.

The Committee recommended that such systems should “not generally be deployed, beyond the current pilots” until questions about their effectiveness and potential for bias could be answered.

Politicians and privacy watchdogs are not alone in warning of the potential abuse of these systems. Last year, Microsoft urged the US government to regulate facial recognition.

In a blog post, company president Brad Smith wrote, “Facial recognition technology raises issues that go to the heart of fundamental human rights protections, like privacy and freedom of expression.” He called for “a government initiative to regulate the proper use of facial recognition technology, informed first by a bipartisan and expert commission”.

• Last year, California introduced data privacy regulations that could form the basis for de facto GDPR-style rules in the US. The California Consumer Privacy Act came into force in 2020 but was opposed by Google, Facebook, and other advertising-driven technology companies.
• According to Bloomberg and CNBC reports, the US government is considering adding Chinese technology company Megvii, maker of the Face++ facial recognition system, to a trade blacklist.

Discover more such insightful content on TechInsight.com, a Brand of Talk About tech.

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