PRODUCTS

Pure Storage FlashBlade//S

Pure Storage has announced the FlashBlade//S family of products with a new modular architecture built on uniquely co-designed hardware and software. The new platform leverages a nearly unlimited scalable metadata architecture, offering more than double the density, performance and power efficiency of previous versions. The platform evolves over time in alignment with customer requirements.

With this announcement, Pure revolutionises the market again with FlashBlade//S by introducing a modular architecture that disaggregates compute from capacity. Storage, compute and networking elements can be upgraded flexibly and non-disruptively, delivering a highly configurable and customisable file and object platform to address the broadest set of modern workloads. It can deliver both the highest levels of performance and capacity optimisation with Pure’s proprietary all-QLC architecture without the need for expensive caching solutions.

Designed for forward-thinking organisations, FlashBlade//S delivers: • Future-Proofing with Evergreen Subscription: By leveraging the full power of Evergreen subscriptionbased services, customers get unmatched flexibility and non-disruptive upgrades with FlashBlade//S. Organisations never have to worry about their storage platform becoming obsolete or disruptive data migrations again. This is further improved with today’s announcement detailing the expanded

Evergreen portfolio. • Peace of Mind for Sustainability Demands: As end users are under more pressure to prioritize sustainability, the new FlashBlade//S family helps them deliver on these needs with better performance on key metrics such as capacity per watt, bandwidth per watt, and capacity per rack-unit, resulting in an overall smaller data center footprint. For these reasons Meta chose Pure to power its AI Research

SuperCluster (RSC). • Performance at Scale, Simplicity, and Efficiency of Unstructured Data: The new FlashBlade//S family, through closely engineered hardware and

Purity//FB 4.0 software, pushes the boundaries of performance, scale and efficiency. FlashBlade//S will also accelerate the pace of innovation and help bring denser and more power efficient technologies to market faster. This enables customers to achieve simplicity, exabyte level scale, and the multidimensional performance required for consolidation of key unstructured data workloads.

Panduit FlexCore Optical Distribution Frame

Panduit has launched its new FlexCore Optical Distribution Frame [ODF], a versatile front-access cabling system that provides necessary protection for critical connections. Utilising innovative cable management and simple, intuitive cable routing, the FlexCore ODF simplifies and reduces time for moves, adds, and changes. With standard doors with locks and optional locks for each enclosure, the FlexCore ODF solution enables multi-tiered security that is important for multiple client access.

The FlexCore ODF system can manage up to 3,168 fibers per frame, making it easy to create multiple configurations using just three modular building blocks. This flexibility allows for design customisation and scalability while optimising both product availability and system density. Compared to typical data centre cabinets, FlexCore ODF can reduce floor space in a data centre by 50%*. In addition, with side panels and doors with locks, the FlexCore ODF solution allows the system to be completely enclosed and secure.

Panduit FlexCore Optical Distribution Frame offers multiple advantages over existing products: • Highly intuitive cable routing paths remove guesswork and prevents ‘rip and replace’ costs • Innovative cable management and lockable vertical cable manager doors eliminate circuit risk and downtime • Up to 3,168 fibers per frame when using standard 24 fiber cassettes • Data center floor space can be reduced by 50%* • Simplifies and reduces the time for moves, adds, and changes • Multiple form factor (width) cassettes optimise rack space across wider applications • Patch cords consolidated to a single length – freeing up capital locked in maintaining inventory • Multi-layer security with lock capability available at both 4RU enclosure and ODF doors

Axis Network Strobe Siren

Axis Communications has announced AXIS D4100-E Network Strobe Siren, which helps deter intruders, ensure on-site safety and improve operational efficiency with the power of light and sound. Integrated through VAPIX, MQTT or SIP, the device comes with various light and sound patterns to ensure the right level of protection for specific environments.

Based on the open Axis platform, this fully networked product can be connected to any Axis device, Axis VMS, or to third-party VMS and issue warnings and notifications with strobe lighting and/or siren alarms. For example, it can be used for perimeter protection together with thermal and/ or radar cameras. Or, for improved parking entrance management with a license plate recognition (LPR) camera.

It’s possible to create different configurations with white and RGBA color lighting and pre-configured sounds. This highly customizable product can also be connected to an Axis audio solution with live or pre-recorded announcements to step up the level of deterrence. Additionally, thanks to a simple, web-based interface, it’s easy to configure one device and copy and deploy the setup to other devices on the system.

Key features include light and sound in one IP-based device, profiles with different priority levels, VAPIX, MQTT and SIP integration, IP66, IK10, NEMA-4X rated casing and 5-year warranty

This cost-efficient network device is easy to install, configure, and maintain. It can be powered with PoE so only one cable is needed for both data and power transfer.

THE CRYPTO CRASH

SUNIL PAUL, MD OF FINESSE, ON THE IMPACT OF PLUNGING CRYPTO VALUE ON THE FUTURE OF DIGITAL CURRENCY AND BLOCKCHAIN.

On June 13, Bitcoin, considered the blue chip of cryptocurrencies, led the downfall of its peers as it fell over 19 percent in a single day from $25,972 to $20,834.

The overall market capitalisation of cryptos went below the $1 trillion mark for the first time since early 2021. Bitcoin makes up almost 44 percent of the total market.

Ethereum, which forms the backbone of leading blockchain technologies, followed in the footsteps of Bitcoin and dropped nearly 21 percent from $1,365 to $1,075 before recovering to $1,142.

This came less than a week after the collapse of TerraUSD (UST). Algorithmic stablecoin Terra was pegged to the US dollar but has now fallen below 1 cent. Its sister cryptocurrency, Luna, slipped from $120 to become practically worthless.

UST has been weighing on cryptocurrencies for some time, but the June 13 horror show came after a steady decline over the past several months after Bitcoin reached its all-time high of $68,990 in November last year. The market cap of cryptocurrencies around that time was slightly above $3 trillion.

From establishing its value for the first time in 2010 (two pizzas worth $25 was purchased for 10,000 Bitcoins on May 22) to reaching $1 in 2011 February, and then racing to 68,990 in November 2021, the short history of Bitcoin, and cryptocurrency, has been characterised by its volatility. Of course, wild fluctuations are not new to this asset class (Bitcoin had previously crashed 80 percent in 2018), but the continuous slide since November has become worrisome.

The big fear for crypto fans is that these decentralised currencies were thought to be impervious to whatever was happening with the stock market and governmental policies. However, these currencies have tracked the rising inflation levels, increasing bank rates by the Fed, and falling stock markets around the world. All these factors have had a clear impact, which has eroded the confidence of most of its investors.

The UST crash has led to several small investors losing their savings, and renewed calls that there needs to be some form of governance – especially for stablecoins (which are pegged to some other assets and meant to have stable price) – to prevent such incidents from happening in the future.

In an interview to CNBC, Bertrand Perez, CEO of the Web3 Foundation and a former director of the Facebookbacked Diem stablecoin project, said, “The basic rules of the regulation would be that you have a clear reserve with a set of assets that are strong, and that you’re subject to regular audits of those reserves.”

The Middle East may not have embraced cryptocurrencies with the alacrity of the US or Europe, but it has garnered enough interest over the past few years. A Knight Frank report last year indicated that almost 25 percent of Middle East millionaires have invested in some form of crypto. A global YouGov survey, titled ‘The Future of Financial Services Report’, showed nearly twothirds of UAE adults are interested in cryptocurrencies – the highest globally.

The recent crash would hurt individual investors, but financial institutions and banks still have a very limited exposure, which should ensure that the impact is minimised. Moreover, with most countries in the region still dependent on oil income, the high price of crude is going to be their shock absorber.

The UAE has trodden carefully into the world of blockchain and cryptocurrencies. Earlier this year, it passed its first crypto law and established a regulatory body – Dubai Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority – to oversee the regulation, governance, and licensing of cryptocurrencies, nonfungible tokens and other virtual assets.

Many leading global crypto exchanges have moved to the country following the announcement and established their operations here. However, the major recruitment plans these companies had in the region are expected to slow down, at least for the next couple of quarters, as trading volumes go down.

Several retail shops and businesses in the country had started accepting cryptocurrencies, with stablecoins like UST becoming very popular. Experts are expecting that process to decline.

From the government’s point of view, their association and adoption of blockchain technology are after careful consideration and for the long term. That’s not going to change.

Until cryptocurrencies become more matured assets, where they are seen with less suspicion and hence have greater acceptance, such volatility is going to be part of its development.