SMART HOTEL by cxoinsightme

ISSUE 40 \ MARCH 2022

SMART HOTEL How Anantara World Islands Dubai Resort is reshaping the guest experience with an advanced wireless network

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Know Your Modern App Development Risks? Find out what you don’t know A common way cybercriminals breach enterprises is by ﬁnding security vulnerabilities in the applications they develop. Yet, most enterprises have not found a way to integrate security into there dev (or development) pipelines and eliminate ﬂaws that might lead to data breaches. BREACH PROOF YOUR SOFTWARE TODAY

CONTENTS

44 PRODUCTS

HOW ANANTARA WORLD ISLANDS DUBAI RESORT IS RESHAPING THE GUEST EXPERIENCE WITH AN ADVANCED WIRELESS NETWORK

SMART HOTEL

RIDING THE INNOVATION WAVE

OUR 28 SHAPING GREEN FUTURE

THE KEY TO INDUSTRIAL SUCCESS

30 SECURITY AT SPEED

THE PROMISE OF 5G

AI AND 34 ML, THE CRYSTAL BALL

DEMYSTIFYING XDR

A RECIPE FOR GROWTH

AGE OF INTELLIGENT SUPERCHARGING DIGITAL 24 THE 40 AUTOMATION TRANSFORMATION

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NEWS

DIFC LAUNCHES AI AND CODING LICENSE IN COOPERATION WITH UAE AI OFFICE TREND MICRO RECOGNISES UAE’S MOI FOR EXCELLENCE IN CYBERSECURITY HUAWEI RELEASES INTELLIGENTRAN WIRELESS ARCHITECTURE

MARCH 2022

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EDITORIAL

UNLOCKING 5G VALUE

G is on a roll. This new mobile broadband technology generation is set to cross the one billion connections mark this year. This would mean 5G penetration is faster than 3G and 4G, and according to GSM Association, there are currently 200 live 5G networks in the world. The Mobile Economy report from GSMA says there would be 60 million 5G connections in MENA by 2025, and $70 billion will be spent in the region on infrastructure rollouts. While the pandemic has slowed down 5G rollouts elsewhere, it’s been a different story in our part of the world. The mobile operators in the Gulf have continued to invest in the technology with the governments ensuring effective management of the spectrum. Is 5G really all it’s cracked out to be? Industry experts say it will spawn new use cases and business opportunities incrementally. So far, almost all 5G commercial deployments have been based on the non-standalone version, and this year we may see more standalone deployments. With a cloud-based core infrastructure, the standalone version offers enhanced connectivity

and opens radically new revenue opportunities for service providers. Now, the key question is how can enterprises harness the power of 5G? Ericsson says 5G offers organisations opportunities to take advantage of technologies such as automation, AI, augmented reality, and IoT, and accelerate their digital transformation initiatives. With the lower latency offered by 5G, this would be an opportunity for IT to replace expensive wired connections, increase network device capacity and supercharge every aspect of the business. However, CIOs need to look under the hood and find out what is really possible with 5G now. It is bringing new network capabilities, but businesses should first ask themselves how to unlock business improvements by using 5G to reduce lead times and response times. No doubt, 5G will pave the way for exciting new technologies but adapting the technology to create use cases that offer true enterprise value may take time. CIOs need to take a measured approach to plan for 5G today and clarify which business imperatives they can address with the adoption.

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Designer Anup Sathyan

While the publisher has made all efforts to ensure the accuracy of information in this magazine, they will not be held responsible for any errors

MARCH 2022

CXO INSIGHT ME

NEWS

DIFC LAUNCHES AI AND CODING LICENSE IN COOPERATION WITH UAE AI OFFICE

ubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), the global financial centre in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region has announced the launch of an Artificial Intelligence (AI) and coding license, in cooperation with the UAE Artificial Intelligence Office. The license, which is a UAE first, will advance the country’s Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2031, which aims to enhance the UAE’s reputation in this field

by attracting AI companies and coders from around the world. Companies holding the license will be able to work within a stimulating environment at the DIFC Innovation Hub, which is the largest cluster of FinTech and innovation companies in the region. The Hub hosts more than 500 firms, ranging from start-ups to global unicorns, representing over 60 per cent of all GCC FinTechs. In addition, the license provides an opportunity to obtain UAE Golden Visas for employees working in those companies. Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, said, “Such initiatives reflect positively on the country’s readiness to become a global destination for pioneering the industries of the future by adopting advanced technology and stimulating innovation in various fields. The UAE Government is keen to support digital

transformation processes that embody of the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. This is being achieved by developing digital activities and providing innovative solutions that contribute to improving the performance of governments and the lives of communities. DIFC has opened new horizons for leading global companies that aspire to enhance their efforts in the field of AI and expand their businesses further.” His Excellency Essa Kazim, Governor of DIFC, said, “Dubai and DIFC are global ambassadors for AI. Financial Services companies in DIFC and a broad spectrum of other industries across the emirate are setting the standard which is also contributing to the UAE’s ambitious goal to have an internationally competitive, knowledge-based economy. DIFC is proud to be collaborating with the UAE AI Office, confirming our commitment to the country’s Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2031 and leveraging the potential of AI to drive the future of finance.”

created by the convergence of virtually enhanced physical and digital reality. It is persistent, providing enhanced immersive experiences, as well as device independent and accessible through any type of device, from tablets to head-mounted displays. Because no single vendor will own the metaverse, Gartner expects it to have a virtual economy enabled by digital currencies and nonfungible tokens (NFTs). The metaverse will impact every business that consumers interact with every day. It will also impact how work gets done. Enterprises will provide better engagement, collaboration and connection to their employees through immersive workspaces in virtual offices.

Businesses will not need to create their own infrastructure to do so because the metaverse will provide the framework. In addition, virtual events that have gained popularity over the last 18 months will offer more collaborative and immersive networking opportunities and workshops. “Enterprises will have the ability to expand and enhance their business models in unprecedented ways by moving from a digital business to a metaverse business,” said Resnick. “By 2026, 30% of the organisations in the world will have products and services ready for metaverse.” The adoption of metaverse technologies is nascent and fragmented, and Gartner cautions organisations about investing heavily in a specific metaverse. “It is still too early to know which investments will be viable in the long term, but product managers should take the time to learn, explore and prepare for a metaverse in order to position themselves competitively,” said Resnick.

GARTNER: 25% OF PEOPLE WILL SPEND AN HOUR PER DAY IN THE METAVERSE By 2026, 25% of people will spend at least one hour a day in the metaverse for work, shopping, education, social and/or entertainment, according to Gartner. “Vendors are already building ways for users to replicate their lives in digital worlds,” said Marty Resnick, Research Vice President at Gartner. “From attending virtual classrooms to buying digital land and constructing virtual homes, these activities are currently being conducted in separate environments. Eventually, they will take place in a single environment – the metaverse – with multiple destinations across technologies and experiences.” Gartner defines a metaverse as a collective virtual shared space, 6

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MARCH 2022

TREND MICRO RECOGNISES UAE’S MOI FOR EXCELLENCE IN CYBERSECURITY

rend Micro Incorporated has recognised the Ministry of Interior (MoI) of the United Arab Emirates, based in Abu Dhabi, for its astute execution of cybersecurity strategies in their pursuit of enhancing the digital capabilities of the country. The Cyber Defense Challenge (CDC) aims to strengthen the nation’s digital infrastructure and raise awareness of cybersecurity. Over 30 participants took part in a single-day hands-on workshop led by IT experts from across the UAE. They were exposed to simulated cyberattacks and challenged to determine the best course of action to demonstrate their capabilities in protecting their digital assets. Contestants collaborated

to develop and execute strategies to effectively detect and block attacks while competing against each other during the event. During the Cyber Defense Challenge (CDC), Trend Micro presented the MoI with a prestigious award acknowledging its leadership in cybersecurity intelligence and practices, protecting the country’s digital agendas. The award was presented by Salah Suleiman, Sales Manager, UAE, Trend Micro, to Colonel Dr. Ibrahim Humaid Al Mayahi, Director of the Digital Security Directorate, Ministry of Interior, who led the delegation from the ministry. Adding to the significance of the event, Trend Micro along with the Ministry of Interior was recognised by Aqdar for its exceptional cybersecurity practices and services fortifying the UAE’s digital infrastructure. The prestigious award was presented by Lieutenant Colonel Sultan Harib Alkatbi, General Coordinator of Khalifa Empowerment Program, Aqdar. “Platforms like the Cyber Defense Challenge (CDC) competition provide an invaluable opportunity to raise

awareness and recognise excellence in cybersecurity,” said Majd Sinan, Country Manager, Trend Micro UAE. “In alignment with the country’s vision, the MoI has been instrumental in demonstrating stability through a higher standard of cybersecurity practices and transforming the nation. A recognition of this stature from Aqdar is a testament to our efforts and motivates us to further continue our movement in supporting organisations from the private and public sector in their pursuit of achieving a stronger security posture with state-of-the-art solutions, expertise, and industry-leading insights.” In addition, the Trend Micro Security Predictions for 2022: Toward a New Momentum, states that threat actors in 2022 will focus on ransomware attacks on datacenter workloads regardless of their location, as well as exposed services, to take advantage of the large number of people continuing to work remotely. Therefore, avenues like the CDC provide the perfect opportunity to strengthen the country’s digital ecosystem to combat modern-day threats.

HUAWEI RELEASES INTELLIGENTRAN WIRELESS ARCHITECTURE Huawei has unveiled IntelligentRAN, its new wireless network architecture, at the Pre-MWC Briefing and Product and Solution Launch event. This architecture is designed to help carriers build autonomous networks using service operation intelligence, experience optimisation, and simplified O&M. Huawei’s Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Wireless Solutions Gan Bin spoke at the launch, explaining how key technologies were incorporated into the architecture to support ADN over wireless networks: “Intelligence improves wireless networks greatly by supporting correlative data analysis and prediction to make decisions more adaptive. This is where IntelligentRAN comes in. It will enable networks to realise zero service waiting, consistent experience, zero network faults, and optimal experience and energy efficiency. Using Mobile Intelligent Engine (MIE), it will better coordinate data, models, and decisions

between base stations and networks, paving the way to wireless intelligence.” 5G has caused a huge increase in the number of personal, industry, and home applications available in the wireless market. As these services increase, network performance requirements are similarly diversifying in terms of coverage, capacity, and latency. Huawei’s new IntelligentRAN allows intelligent air interfaces to use key technologies such as smart grids, scheduling dictionaries, and channel graphs. With these tools, they can intelligently configure air interface resources and achieve optimal user

experience and capacity. Service prediction with IntelligentRAN also guides non-real-time spectrum and channel selection on the network side and realtime symbol scheduling and transmit power configuration on the base station side. This significantly reduces energy consumption across the entire network. In addition, IntelligentRAN enables intelligent SLA site planning, where parameters are dynamically configured, and models can be adjusted flexibly in response to service changes. Networks with IntelligentRAN also benefit from intelligent O&M. They can self-learn the features of faults to improve fault detection accurately and root cause analysis. This replaces passive responses with proactive maintenance, bringing us a step closer to zero-fault wireless networks. Intelligent minimum drive tests (MDTs) can also work with Massive MIMO to build an all-round high-precision map for network performance.

MARCH 2022

CXO INSIGHT ME

NEWS

KYNDRYL, AWS ESTABLISH STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP TO ACCELERATE CLOUD ADOPTION

yndryl has announced a strategic partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS) that brings together their respective expertise, skills, and global resources to help customers transform their businesses through Industry-focused enterprise cloud services and solutions. In addition to collaborating with AWS to provide solutions for Kyndryl’s top enterprise customers around the world, Kyndryl plans to build out their own internal infrastructure in the cloud, leveraging AWS as a preferred cloud provider. As part of this announcement, AWS will become a Kyndryl Premier Global Alliance Partner. Kyndryl and AWS will invest in building a global AWS practice with the skills, services, and expertise to deliver a best-in-class customer experience. As

part of the global partnership, Kyndryl will establish an AWS Cloud Center of Excellence (CCOE) to offer state-of-theart customer solutions and services for supporting mission critical infrastructure, next generation technologies and modernising applications and workflows across industries. The global AWS CCOE will enable Kyndryl services professionals across the globe to optimise their customers’ migration journeys with AWS, tapping into the availability, reliability, and security of the world’s leading cloud. To offer differentiated value to customers, Kyndryl and AWS have announced they are developing an accelerator for VMware Cloud on AWS leveraging their deep partnerships with VMware. Through the accelerator, skilled practitioners from AWS, VMware, and

NEDAA INAUGURATES INNOVATION LAB FOR SPECIALISED COMMUNICATION TECH In support of Dubai’s digital transformation acceleration, Professional Communications Corporation – Nedaa has announced the opening of its state-of-theart technology platform, the Innovation Lab, for the development of specialised, mission-critical communication technologies. The announcement was made as the country celebrates the UAE Innovation Month this February. The Innovation Lab is the latest in Nedaa’s efforts to lead the way in deploying new technologies that will help build a thriving digital society and strengthen connectivity in the emirate. It is seen to complement the initiatives under the ‘Dubai Smart City’ program launched by H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. With the opening of the Innovation Lab, Nedaa aims to foster collaboration among entities and institutions, including technology firms and universities, while promoting capacity building, knowledge dissemination, and investments in 8

CXO INSIGHT ME

MARCH 2022

modern communication networks. H.E. Mansoor Bu Osaiba, Chief Executive Officer, Nedaa, said, “The state-of-theart facility is the realization of our goal to provide an environment where new tools are created. These modern tools can reshape the future of local and global communication while providing sustainable solutions that matter to our society. Innovators and pioneers can utilise the lab to develop their systems, devices and applications and test how these can accelerate the efficiency and support the digital transformation of industries such as government, education, healthcare, public utilities and transportation.” “The lab will also open new horizons and opportunities for UAE nationals to cultivate and present their innovative

Kyndryl will deliver deep expertise and custom solutions to help the world’s largest enterprises combine their existing VMware investments with AWS services. Given Kyndryl’s high concentration of customers running VMware on premises, this provides an expedited path to VMware Cloud on AWS and helps organisations to run their mission-critical workloads in the cloud.

ideas. By taking part in training courses, specialised workshops and knowledge exchange and transfer at our facility, they will be able to maximise their potentials and raise their global competitiveness. This will help transform our country in the next 50 years,” H.E. Mansoor Bu Osaiba added. The Innovation Lab is equipped with modern communication technologies such as TETRA, 4G and other related solutions and will feature 5G network, the Internet of Things, smart sensors, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, cameras, drones and other autonomous devices. Nedaa will also provide an integrated system of tools, scientific materials and methodologies to support the development of key technologies and services that will benefit the community at large. The newest facility will stimulate a culture of innovation and partnership, as well as strengthen cooperation among local, regional and global tech companies, universities, and government and semigovernment bodies. Countries wishing to benefit from the experiences of the UAE in the field of secure, mission-critical and specialised communication may do so via the Nedaa lab.

BARRACUDA OFFERS LOCAL CLOUD DATA PROTECTION VIA UAE DATA CENTRE SERVICES

arracuda Networks has announced that its Cloud-toCloud Backup solution will now be delivered to customers in the United Arab Emirates from Microsoft’s local cloud data centres. This makes a total of 10 regions for the solution, and customers’ Office 365 backup data will be stored locally within the country, a key requirement for customers operating in regulated industries, and in complying with local regulations. In a recent study conducted by Barracuda, organisations disclosed that data protection is both a security and regulatory concern for them. A full 69% of respondents said they are concerned about storage of the data being backed up

outside their geography (geo residency), and more than 7 in 10 respondents are concerned about compliance with data privacy requirements. With the UAE’s landmark personal data legislation that places new regulations around the processing of personal data for individuals in the UAE coming into effect this year, such concerns around georesidency will no doubt be amplified for businesses in the country. “At Barracuda, we continue to invest in our global infrastructure in order to help local organisations get access to protection against emerging threats,” said Chris Ross, SVP International, Barracuda. “As more organisations move to the cloud, they are looking to protect their data, while being able to handle and store data locally. Microsoft advises customers to use a third-party backup and recovery provider, and with these new regions, we will be able to serve our customers while helping them comply with data regulations and policies.” Barracuda’s latest version of Cloudto-Cloud Backup delivers a fast search and restore experience for Office 365 data, including Teams, Exchange Online,

SNOWFLAKE ANNOUNCES LOCAL CLOUD DEPLOYMENT IN THE UAE Snowflake has announced its increasing presence in the UAE with general availability on the Azure region in Dubai. The new deployment meets increasing regional customer demand for Snowflake’s Data Cloud, enabling local enterprises to maintain proximity to their data, while enabling strict compliance with local data regulations. “We launched in the region knowing the importance of local data residency for organisations in UAE and ensuring that data held locally is met with the utmost governance protocols,” said Mohamed Zouari, General Manager, Middle East, Turkey, and Africa, at Snowflake. “Our Dubai office launch, matched with the latest regional Azure cloud deployment, signals our commitment to the region’s data innovators, who can now mobilise their data through Snowflake’s Data Cloud, to drive

both business value and agility.” Customers using Snowflake’s Data Cloud can discover and securely share data, as well as Mohamed Zouari, Snowflake execute diverse analytic workloads. The platform is a cloudnative powerhouse of business intelligence capabilities, including data warehousing, data lakes, data engineering, data science, data applications, and data sharing. Snowflake uses an innovative, per-second pricing model, enabling customers’ access to almost limitless capacity while only paying for the resources they consume. Snowflake UAE is focusing on local and global systems integrators that are building

Chris Ross

SharePoint, and OneDrive. Compared to traditional backup and recovery solutions, it is a cloud-first solution that provides scale and resiliency, fast performance, and wide global coverage to protect Office 365 data born in the cloud. Necip Ozyucel, Cloud and Enterprise Business Group Lead, Microsoft UAE added, “We are excited about Barracuda making Cloud-to-Cloud Backup available on the Azure UAE Regions to provide data residency. Barracuda Cloud-to-Cloud Backup provides a flexible and scalable backup solution with its cloud native features running on our local datacentre regions in the UAE.”

data strategies and platforms that leverage the power of its Data Cloud. Chosen to spearhead the strategy, the local team focuses are public sector, finance, retail, telecom, media, gaming, fintech, insurance, healthcare and oil and gas. The Snowflake Middle East team is supported by local channel partners to bring Snowflake’s Data Cloud capabilities to a wider set of organisations across those key industries. “With Snowflake, every company can finally become a data-driven enterprise,” Zouari said. “Many customers such as banks, telecom providers and governmental organisations are tapping into Snowflake’s Data Cloud to accelerate their digital transformation with data at the very heart of this. Data collaboration across these organisations will help achieve their goals of delivering the best citizen experience in the world.” Snowflake’s rapidly growing customer base of leading regional enterprises includes Emaar, PropertyFinder, Kitopi, Mondia, and ArabyAds.

MARCH 2022

CXO INSIGHT ME

NEWS

VEEAM: 88% OF UAE FIRMS TO INCREASE DATA PROTECTION BUDGETS IN 2022

eeam Data Protection Trends Report 2022 reveals that 67% of businesses are relying on cloud-based solutions to protect their data. It also states that the ability to recover data from ransomware attacks continue to fuel business continuity strategies. 89% of organisations are not protecting data sufficiently while 88% of IT leaders expect data protection budgets to increase at a higher rate than broader IT spending. The Veeam Data Protection Trends Report 2022 surveyed more than 3,000 IT decision makers and global enterprises to understand their data protection strategies for the next 12 months and beyond. The largest of its kind, this study examines how organisations are preparing for the IT challenges they face, including huge growth in use of cloud services and cloud-native infrastructure, as well as the expanding cyber-attack landscape and the steps they are taking to implement a Modern Data Protection strategy that ensures business continuity. The results from the region mirror global sentiments as 88% of UAE organisations and 86% of Saudi organisations plan to increase their data protection budgets during 2022 – spending an average of around 7% more than in 2021. Interestingly, 52% of UAE businesses’ data infrastructure is currently located in the data centre, with 48% now hosted in the cloud. 49% of Saudi firms’ data infrastructure

is currently located in the data centre, with 51% now hosted in the cloud. Claude Schuck, Regional Director, Middle East at Veeam Software, said, “It is clear from the survey that businesses in the Middle East are investing more and taking steps to ensure that their organisations’ data protection strategy is fit for purpose given the continual increase in data criticality and constantly evolving threat landscape. To provide a strong foundation for Digital Transformation, IT leaders must implement robust Modern Data Protection strategies at the lowest possible cost. When it came to ransomware, 86% of UAE organisations and 84% of Saudi organisations suffered ransomware attacks, making cyber-attacks one of the single biggest causes of downtime for the second consecutive year. According to the report, per attack, businesses in the UAE were unable to recover 34% of their lost data on average, while Saudi firms were unable to recover 37% of their lost data on average. And 81% of UAE organisations and 81% of Saudi organisations were unable to recover at least some of the data they had lost. Schuck said, “For businesses in the Middle East to win the ransomware battle, they must possess the capability for education, implementation and remediation. The best remedy for a security breach is prevention. This can be improved through education of employees, ensuring that cyber-attackers

are not being gifted access to the data and systems they need to initiate a ransomware attack.” The report also Claude Schuck, Veeam Software identified protection and availability gap in the Middle East – 80% of UAE organisations and 82% of Saudi organisations have a protection gap between how much data they can afford to lose after an outage and how frequently data is backed up. While 80% of UAE organisations and 76% of Saudi organisations have an availability gap between their expected SLAs and how quickly they can return to productivity. 98% of UAE organisations and 97% of Saudi organisations experienced unexpected outages within the last 12 months. On average, 17% of UAE firms’ and 18% of Saudi companies’ data is left completely unprotected. The timings for the courses are between 8:30 AM and 5:00 PM AST, including breaks. Additionally, those registering for SANS Secure Middle East 2022 are eligible to join an exclusive NetWars Tournament, a suite of hands-on, interactive learning scenarios that give participants the opportunity to practice in-depth cybersecurity techniques, regardless of their skill level, in isolated and monitored environments.

SAP RECOGNISES MAJID AL FUTTAIM FOR OPTIMISING CX IN REAL-TIME Global technology company SAP, has recognised Majid Al Futtaim as one of its most distinguished customers as a part of the Customer Experience (CX) Annual Event, for their ground-breaking and innovative contributions toward enhancing customer experiences with real-time technology across the organisation. Majid Al Futtaim was identified for its valuable partnership with SAP, enabling 10

CXO INSIGHT ME

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an overall impactful customer experience as well as its collaboration for the OneView program. Majid Al Futtaim was also recognised as a finalist in the Business Transformation Cloud category for the SAP MENA Quality Awards 2021 for its successful implementation of digital solutions in accordance with principles of quality and excellence set by SAP.

S ER

COVER STORY

TRANSFORMING HOSPITALITY ANANTARA WORLD ISLANDS DUBAI RESORT REDEFINES THE GUEST EXPERIENCE WITH AN ADVANCED WIRELESS NETWORK.

igitalisation is causing a sweeping transformation across all verticals, including the hospitality industry, which was the first to bear the pandemic’s brunt. In the last two years, the industry has accelerated its digital transformation initiatives to reshape customer experience and reduce operational costs. Traditionally, IT in hospitality was focused on providing solutions to employees. Now, it has become all about enhancing the guest experience to gain a competitive edge and evolve into a digital-first world. A recent study by Aruba reveals that the hospitality sector is in a healthy position in adopting advanced technologies, with over half of hospitality IT leaders already implementing trials in areas such as artificial intelligence, IoT, and machine learning. “The hospitality industry is vast in the MESA region. Digitalisation of the hotel industry has been steadily advancing in the region of late, and recent events, including the Coronavirus crisis and changes in travelers’ expectations, have rapidly accelerated this trend. Technology drives the future of guest experience in hospitality as the industry looks to balance staff and guest safety,” says Jacob Chacko, regional director – Middle East, Saudi & South Africa, HPE Aruba. He adds that hoteliers will need to reimagine the guest experience and reengage, which is where Aruba has played an instrumental role for global hotels to build loyalty. “At the same time, they will

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MARCH 2022

Mohamed Saed, Head of IT at Seven Tides International

need to improve their operational agility and financial resilience to adopt new technology and manage their networks as demands change.” An example of how this sector has quickly adapted to this transformational change to fuel long-recovery from the effects of the pandemic is Anantara World Islands Dubai Resort, which opened its doors to guests in December last year. As the first hotel to open in this archipelago of small artificial islands in the shape of a

world map, Anantara has more than 70 rooms, suites, an aqua sports, outdoor cinema and 3 outlets, and is one of the most technologically advanced hotels in the region. “When it comes to digital transformation, Dubai government is our role model,” says Mohamed Saed, Head of IT at Seven Tides International, the developer of Anantara and NH Palm hotels in the UAE. “We have a multipronged digital strategy. First, we have to think outside the box to reduce costs and

WE ENSURE OUR GUESTS HAVE 24/7 SEAMLESS AND UNINTERRUPTED CONNECTIVITY BOTH INDOORS AND OUTDOORS. OUR WIRELESS NETWORK INFRASTRUCTURE, MANAGED CENTRALLY WITH TWO CONTROLLERS, IS DESIGNED TO SUPPORT A HIGH DENSITY OF DEVICES WITHOUT IMPACTING QUALITY. AS A RESULT, GUESTS AND STAFF CAN ROAM THE HOTEL PROPERTY WITH CONSISTENTLY GREAT PERFORMANCE.

Jacob Chacko, regional director – Middle East, Saudi & South Africa, HPE Aruba

carbon footprint and at the same time, elevate the guest experience with new technologies.” In line with the Dubai government’s strategy, Anantara has gone completely paper-free for registration and check-in at the hotel, and digital room keys are provided to guests for unlocking doors. “Digital innovation has also reached our guest rooms. To meet the expectations of today’s tech-savvy travelers, we have integrated smart technologies into hotel rooms, in addition to customer care chatbots and a mobile app that lets them avail guest services and interact with hotel staff. All these help us to give our guests a greater choice and control over their experience.” Delivering a seamless guest experience Wireless connectivity is one of the critical components of the guest experience in hotels. This is why Anantara has deployed an advanced Wi-Fi 6 network from Aruba, which supports HD

streaming services, IoT applications, and back-office systems such as PMS. “Travelers today have more devices than ever, and we must meet their needs - or even exceed their expectations - when it comes to Wi-Fi. We ensure our guests have 24/7 seamless and uninterrupted connectivity both indoors and outdoors. Our wireless network infrastructure, managed centrally with two controllers, is designed to support a high density of devices without impacting quality. As a result, guests and staff can roam the hotel property with consistently great performance,” says Saed. For Anantara’s IT team, its Wi-Fi network is not just about connectivity alone but a powerful platform that drives consistent and personalised guest experience. “With Aruba’s solutions, we have insights into traffic patterns and network usage, and it helps us understand where there might be

connectivity issues to alleviate any unplanned downtime and optimize the performance of critical applications.” Saed says Anantara chose Aruba’s wireless network because of its proven track record in the hospitality industry. “We faced many challenges while designing our Wi-Fi network because of the hotel’s remote location, weather conditions, and external interferences. We wanted a robust wireless infrastructure that can autoadapt to changing environments and applications and eliminate all dead spots. Aruba fits the bill. Also, we deployed this project during the peak of the pandemic, and Aruba and its partners ensured that supply chain issues never impacted us.” With its phase three development currently underway, Anantara’s IT team is now bracing for coming innovations in the industry such as service automation, robotics, and VR, to name just a few. “We need to evolve constantly with customerfacing technologies and get ahead of guest expectations to enable a truly smart digital hotel,” Saed concludes.

MARCH 2022

CXO INSIGHT ME

INTERVIEW

RIDING THE INNOVATION WAVE LUCAS JIANG, GENERAL MANAGER –MEA, TP-LINK, SHARES IMPORTANT BUSINESS MILESTONES IN THE REGION.

an you tell us how your brand has evolved over time and kept up with what customers demand? TP-Link was founded almost three decades ago in 1996, and we started our venture in Middle East and Africa market in 2011. TP-Link MEA started with strategising and investing in intelligent efforts towards structuring the SOHO and SMB solutions in the Middle East. As a result, we built a passionate and dedicated team, fostering strong relationships with distributors and channel partners, and continually supporting our customers with a comprehensive product porfolio and solutions. We have worked tirelessly throughout the year to build a sustainable ecosystem of strong partnerships with our distributor partners and resellers. As a result, we can keep up and even ahead of our consumers’ demands by ensuring operational stability and unfailing quality. Our main strength is independent research and development, which makes TP-Link master the core technology and react rapidly to market changes. We are among a few wireless networking companies that operate in-house manufacturing facilities to maintain the standard of every component. Our R&D team has decades of experience, and the combination of supporting facilities ensures complete quality control. We thrive in the region as we have a local subsidiary and warehouse for fast delivery and technical support. We offer highquality products with perfect pre-sales and after-sales technical support and a limited lifetime warranty. We also offer advanced technologies for the SMB market, including Omada Cloud SDN, Omada Wi-Fi 6, and 10G / Multi-Gigabit. In addition, TP-Link is

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JANUARY 2022

moving forward and investing in the future, including 25G / 40G / 100G Switch, 100G SFP Module, Firewall, Wi-Fi 7, Surveillance, AI, and Big Data. We make sure that all our partners across the Middle East and Africa, who have invested in our brand are getting the best from that investment, effort and commitment that we value so much. During the pandemic also, we have introduced new technologies and products, and as a result, the brand acceptance for TP-Link in the networking segment in MEA has been phenomenal. Can you share some of the business highlights from this journey? We are consistently ranked by analyst firm IDC as the number one provider of Wi-Fi devices, supplying distribution to more than 170 countries and serving billions of people worldwide. With a proven heritage of stability, performance, and value, TP-Link has created a portfolio of consumer and SMB networking and surveillance products, along with Smart Home and IoT technologies. There have been many occasions of success in the past years, but I can share some interesting ones from across the globe with you. TP-Link has continued to achieve significant growth worldwide and consistently offers a comprehensive

portfolio of enterprise products and solutions to businesses of any scale and various scenarios. Not only in MEA, customers from across the world also choose TP-Link. For example, our customers include Al Mansoura Hotel Qatar, ICAD labour camp Abu Dhabi, COVID facility centre Abu Dhabi, Ramee Hotel Oman, Shangri-La hotel, Telefonica ProFuture Foundation, McDonald’s, and Russian Railways. You might find it interesting that the Russian railway is one of the top three railway companies worldwide, and TP-Link has installed 10000 plus APs and switches in the carriages to provide full Wi-Fi coverage for passengers. Even hotels of various categories on the famous shopping street of Malaysia have chosen the TP-Link Omada solution. We are proud to share that people rate these hotels with a Wi-Fi score of 8 or more, clearly indicating that the Omada solution brings customers an excellent Internet experience and improves the customer’s experience and the evaluation of the hotel. Most of our achievements stem from our working processes that always work per our ‘FARE’ principle (Functional, Advanced, Reliable, Easy). We take great pride in offering complete process services, right from site survey, training and certification, comprehensive product supply, network deployment, and support and warranty. What are some of the top networking technology trends to watch out for in 2022? The biggest networking trend is riding on Wi-Fi 6E that will pick up pace this year as the latest advancements are increasingly opening up resources in areas like AR/VR, 8K streaming, and other future innovations. Nowadays, most houses have a dual-band wireless router, which broadcasts both 2.4GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi signals. However, these routers mostly overlap because the 5Ghz channels are very limited, which leads to tremendous 2.4Ghz and 5GHz wireless interference between neighbors. However, 6GHz has seven 160MHz channels, which means there will be no overlapping as long as you select a different channel from your neighbour. 6GHz wireless is designed to resolve overlapping and interference problems, providing you with the best 4K/8K streaming, gaming, and high-speed downloading experience.

VIEWPOINT

THE KEY TO INDUSTRIAL SUCCESS BY LEVERAGING PURE-PLAY INDUSTRIAL SaaS, COMPANIES ARE PRIMED FOR BUSINESS OPTIMISATION AND SPEED TO MARKET, WRITES TIM SOWELL, PORTFOLIO ARCHITECT AND STRATEGIST, AVEVA

igital transformation isn’t easy, and doesn’t happen overnight, but every day it’s a more vital business necessity. The rapid convergence of IT, OT, and IIoT is creating a new connected landscape, improving work processes, and increasing business agility. But while digital transformation has been on the agenda for many years, in 2020 it went from a five or ten- year initiative to an overnight imperative. To remain competitive in today’s fast-changing markets, companies need to first digitise manual processes with

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electronic data capture, then digitalise more holistically – take that captured data, turn it into useful information, then share it across the enterprise. This digital transformation not only minimises wasted work and increases resiliency, but also, by placing the customer at the heart of the business, enables new value creation and growth opportunities. The problem with digital transformation But there is a reason, of course, that every business hasn’t accomplished

its digital transformation already: it’s easier said than done. IT research firm Gartner reports that digital transformation takes twice as long and costs twice as much as most companies anticipate. Around 70% of digital transformation projects either stall or fall short of their objectives. One reason for this, particularly in the industrial landscape, is that businesses often don’t fully understand the objectives of their transformation. When you don’t have a clear understanding of your short and long-term goals, it is difficult to see how you can use your

existing systems – data historians, DCS, SCADA, and so forth – to reach them. What’s more, many companies struggling to transform don’t take advantage of industrial enrichment services that utilise the latest advances in AI and machine learning. Instead, they opt to add a myriad of services on top of completely independent cloud platforms built from scratch using Platform as a Service (PaaS) solutions. This is a time-consuming process to begin and a headache to maintain and scale. A more successful approach is to build on the past by relying on readyto-go industrial Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions in a single, digital transformation hub. Take BP, for example. The British energy giant enlisted AVEVA to revolutionise its oil and gas downstream business. By leveraging full suite cloud industrial SaaS solutions, BP improved its margins across its entire global business and cut crude purchase decision time from two days to less than two hours. What’s more, the company reduced its IT cost of ownership and increased agility by taking advantage of cloud-enabled workflows. Single, connected industrial landscape The aim of digital transformation is to accelerate technological convergence and create a single, connected landscape – from edge to cloud, enterprisewide. This data-driven connectivity gives workers and systems the clear, contextualised information they need to make more responsive decisions and achieve more predictable outcomes. Not only does a connected industrial landscape enable companies to share contextualised information, but it also provides the ability to share data with trusted vendors, suppliers, and customers to create a connected community. In turn, this connected community can now combine its collective domain expertise to produce a more agile, collaborative ecosystem, lending the flexibility and responsiveness required to pivot quickly and take advantage of opportunities as they arise.

sector-specific SaaS can help industrial firms realise their operational objectives – quickly.

Speed to value Perhaps the biggest challenge standing in the way of digital transformation is speed: speed to implementation, speed to adoption, and speed to value. By leveraging dedicated industrial SaaS solutions, it’s possible to optimise engineering, operations, and performance through seamless collaboration in a single cloud hub. This means that in addition to all the usual PaaS deliverables, such as network, storage, servers, operating systems, and runtime, industrial SaaS is also responsible for industrial data integration and integrity, data capture, data storage, industrial model apps and information access. By engaging industrial SaaS solutions, it’s possible to achieve configure-versus-programming simplicity so that optimum results can be achieved quickly.

Engineering, modelling and simulation Businesses can also empower teams and cut the time, cost, and risk of capital project engineering by integrating process design, simulation, engineering, procurement, construction, and handover processes. Industrial SaaS helps ensure projects are delivered on time, and plants can start up faster and safer. By leveraging new technologies it’s possible to break down the silos between process, mechanical, and other engineering disciplines to enable seamless collaboration of global teams. Access to cloud-based information means speed and certainty. Businesses get fast, predictable ROI with rapid implementation. The configure- not-build approach means there is limited dependency on IT, so organisations can implement solutions quickly—in days rather than weeks or months. In this way, systems will automatically evolve with ongoing, seamless development, making lengthy migrations and updates things of the past. What’s more, the pay-as-youconsume subscription approach delivers predictability by becoming an operational expenditure (OpEx) rather than a capital expenditure (CapEx), reducing upfront costs and providing the freedom to allocate investment according to the needs of the moment.

Making sense of industrial data Dedicated industrial SaaS solutions allow you to merge time-series data with transactional, sequential data from documents and create a richer context and understanding of your asset information. Layering data with industrial artificial intelligence, machine learning, and analytics allows you to turn your data into information. Whether your goal is asset performance, process analysis, or value chain optimisation, dedicated

Digital transformation: The opportunity A successful digital transformation is not just about going to the cloud, it’s about going to the cloud in a hybrid architecture that fits with existing systems – the operational landscape and corporate IT environment. With the support of proven technologies and expertise, organisations can achieve transformational outcomes, seize every opportunity, and ultimately change the way they think and work – today and into the future.

MARCH 2022

CXO INSIGHT ME

FEATURE

THE PROMISE OF 5G WHAT THE FIFTH GENERATION OF MOBILE BROADBAND TECHNOLOGY MEANS FOR ENTERPRISES

G makes new applications and transformative business changes possible with low latency and higher bandwidth. According to the GSMA report, 5G connections will account for one-fifth of global mobile connections this year. Moreover, its penetration is moving faster than previous generations of mobile network technology. A recent GSMA analysis reveals that the strong development of 5G in the GCC has delivered some of the fastest 5G services as the region was one of the first to assign the key mid-band spectrum for 5G. The regional telecom giants – Etisalat, STC and Ooredoo – competed to be the world’s first

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5G operator in 2018, and since then spectrum assignment has fostered growth opportunities. It adds that today mobile operators in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and UAE have access to more than 1 GHz of licensed spectrum to provide mobile broadband services in the low- and mid-bands. While governments and regulators are striving to enable 5G in the most efficient manner possible, some top trends will shape the state of 5G in 2022. “With the increased number of 5G Standalone networks deployments, we expect that utilisation of the network slicing technique will accelerate throughout the year,” says Zoran Lazarevic, Chief Technology Officer,

Zoran Lazarevic

Aji Ed

Ericsson Middle East and Africa. “Network slicing plays a crucial role in enabling service providers to offer innovative services to enter new markets and expand their business. With the support for slicing in the latest smartphone operating systems, we will start seeing slicing per application/ service in smartphones.” He adds that we will see more industries start adopting IoT technology as 5G deployments increase this year. With IoT-enabled devices containing sensors that constantly collect and react to data, IoT will help enterprises around the world unlock new levels of intelligence. Aji Ed, CTO Mobile Networks MEA, Nokia, picks the evolution of 5G beyond NSA (non-standalone architecture) as one of the top trends this year. “In today’s world, almost all the 5G networks are deployed with NSA architecture, and they are focused on providing fixed wireless access (FWA) or high-capacity mobile broadband solutions. However, transition to 5G Stand-alone (SA) is required to achieve the full potential of 5G to enable ultralow latency and extreme high capacity. Stand-alone eliminates the need for an LTE anchor layer and connects directly to the cloud-native core network. This supports advanced network slicing functions,” he says.

Ahmed Ibrahim

Ahmed Ibrahim, Director, Global Business Development – Service Providers, Intel, says one of the biggest game-changers for 5G is the ultralow latency it will provide. Human communication can accommodate a lot of latency—and we can still understand each other. But when machines need to communicate directly, whether robots on a production line of remotecontrolled excavating equipment—ultralow latency is required. “5G mobile networks will be able to deliver ultra-low (wired-like) latency. That opens up a whole new ball game in terms of usages—like controlling machinery remotely hence reducing risk to humans, eSports players will be able to play from anywhere, and even use cases like remote real-time controlled surgery are all being explored,” he says. To harness the power and promise of 5G, it is essential to understand the use cases and new applications that would be possible. “With faster data speeds, increased device density, and ultralow latency, 5G will become a foundation for innovation, transforming many sectors and creating industry verticals not imagined today,” says Faisal Hamady, Managing Director & Partner, BCG. In his opinion, it will enable extended reality applications, greater capacity empowering the explosion of digital

Faisal Hamady

use cases, reduced latency, allowing for real-time interactions – delivered seamlessly across fixed, mobile, satellite, and ad-hoc networks. Kamel Al Tawil, Managing Director Middle East and North Africa, Equinix, shares another perspective: “The success of 5G technology is a function of both the infrastructure that supports it and the ecosystems that enable it. Today, the definitive focus in the 5G space is on enterprise use cases, ranging from dedicated private 5G networks to accessing edge compute infrastructure and public or private clouds from the public 5G network. “As a result, vendor-neutral multitenant data centre providers and their rich interconnection capabilities are pivotal in helping make 5G a reality. This is true both in terms of the physical infrastructure needed to support 5G and the ability to connect enterprises to 5G effectively.” 5G use cases Services that we used to see as futuristic, such as e-health, connected vehicles and traffic systems, and advanced mobile cloud gaming have been turned into reality through 5G. Lazarevic from Ericsson says spanning a variety of use cases across various industries, 5G is enabling the creation of a smarter, safer, and more sustainable future.

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FEATURE

Kamel Al Tawil

He cites the example of the transportation industry, where the high-speed data transfer speeds, ultralow latency, and increased reliability provided by 5G networks enable vehicles to seamlessly communicate with the cellular network, other vehicles, roadside infrastructure, and even pedestrians real-time. It also holds promise to strengthen the capabilities of self-driving vehicles and allow accident-free, stressfree, and emission-free driving. Another example is the manufacturing industry, where 5G allows for higher flexibility, lower cost, and shorter lead times for factory floor production reconfiguration, layout changes, and alterations. It also enables manufacturers to do remote quality inspections as well as identify and monitor items in real-time to guarantee they are delivered when and where they are needed. 5G vs. Wi-Fi 6 These next-gen wireless technologies promise to revolutionise connectivity, but the differences between the two are often misunderstood. “5G and Wi-Fi 6 are two different technologies for different purposes - one is deterministic and the other non-deterministic,” says Ayhem Alzaaim, CEMEA Telco Sales Director, Red Hat. “One’s performance can scale to a large number of users while the other weakens with load for the same radio coverage and one can be 20

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Ayhem Alzaaim

WI-FI 6 IS BASED ON THE IEEE 802.11AX STANDARD, WILL DELIVER 4X HIGHER CAPACITY AND 75 PERCENT LOWER LATENCY, OFFERING NEARLY TRIPLE THE SPEED OF ITS PREDECESSOR, WI-FI 5.2. HOWEVER, THIS WILL BE RUNNING ON UNLICENSED SPECTRUM. deployed in macro RAN, small cell and in building while other is only for metro and buildings. The only thing common between both is that they support high data rates, which is especially true for Wi-Fi 6 for small number of users.” Ram Ramachandran, Senior Vice President for Middle East & Africa at Tech Mahindra, says 5G has more coverage in terms of longer ranges, apt for large enterprises. Wi-Fi 6 suits users of home and office environments. They

Ram Ramachandran

are technologies that provide better speed, lower latency, and increased capacity over their legacy solutions. Ed from Nokia says 5G networks will provide 10x more speed, < 5ms latency, and massive connectivity compared to 4G/LTE. This means 5G will be able to connect more devices and transmit more data than ever before, delivering fast connectivity and significantly enhanced user experiences. 5G will run on a dedicated licensed spectrum and be managed by operators. This ensures certain level of QoS (Quality of Service) while using 5G. With massive MIMO and other beamforming technologies, 5G coverage has significantly improved. Wi-Fi 6 is based on the IEEE 802.11ax standard, will deliver 4x higher capacity and 75 percent lower latency, offering nearly triple the speed of its predecessor, Wi-Fi 5.2. However, this will be running on unlicensed spectrum. Wi-Fi 6 devices require a Wi-Fi 6‒compliant access point to get the full speed, latency, and capacity improvements. Since Wi-Fi uses unlicensed spectrum, Wi-Fi performance can be severely degraded if there are many users using it at the same time. In addition, the coverage of Wi-Fi 6 is very limited inside homes or offices. “But in general, we can say that both 5G and Wi-Fi 6 are complementing each other. Of course, the decision to use 5G or Wi-Fi 6 is dependent on the use case and performance requirements at the end of the day,” Ed sums up.

VIEWPOINT

DEMYSTIFYING XDR YOSSI NAAR, CHIEF VISIONARY OFFICER AND COFOUNDER, CYBEREASON, DEBUNKS XDR MISCONCEPTIONS FLOATING AROUND

xtended Detection and Response (XDR) is everywhere today, and it seems that every company is rolling out a strategy and products to meet the growing demand. According to the industry analyst firm Gartner, XDR is “a SaaS-based, vendorspecific, security threat detection and incident response tool that natively integrates multiple security products into a cohesive security operations system that unifies all licensed components.” Notwithstanding XDR’s tremendous growth in adoption, more than a few misconceptions about XDR remain, so let’s debunk three of those myths here: Myth 1: XDR is all about Endpoint Security No, that’s what Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) does, which is just one aspect of what XDR delivers. EDR 22

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solutions focus solely on the endpoint, and they don’t correlate intelligence from the cloud and other parts of an organisation’s infrastructure. In fact, most EDR platforms are not even capable of ingesting all of the relevant endpoint telemetry and are forced to “filter out” intelligence without even knowing if that information is critical to making a detection because the solutions cannot handle the volumes of data generated. Indeed, there are vendors that simply cannot ingest all available telemetry for EDR, yet they profess to be able to deliver an XDR solution that ingests endpoint data plus an array of telemetry from numerous other sources on the network and in the cloud. Data filtering negatively impacts the ability to proactively thwart attacks because it omits telemetry that could allow for earlier detection of malicious

activity. When broadened to include non-endpoint sources, data filtering can further distort an organisation’s visibility into the threats confronting them. XDR does not suffer from these limitations. It extends continuous threat detection and monitoring as well as automated response to endpoints, applications, cloud workloads, and the network…all without data filtering. This helps to ensure the high fidelity of a threat detection yielded by XDR. Myth 2: XDR Should be Augmented by a SIEM It’s true that XDR delivers some of the same functionality as SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) tools. Chief among their similarities is the ability to aggregate and correlate data from a variety of sources spread across an organisation’s infrastructure, thereby

providing the required visibility for threat detection, investigation and response. But there are several key factors that hold SIEMs back: SIEMs are nothing without the data lake structure and cloud analytics they need to centralise security events. Those resources vary in the types and quality of data to which they have access, a reality which affects the value and effectiveness of a SIEM. There are also the costs, time, and other resources involved with building, tuning, and maintaining a SIEM. Tuning is an especially common pain point with SIEMs. Indeed, these tools frequently generate false positives and an overwhelming volume of alerts. Such noise contributes to “alert fatigue” in the organisation, motivating infosec personnel to overlook the deluge of alerts coming in and miss opportunities to launch investigations at the earliest signs of an incursion. Simultaneously, SIEMs don’t do much to help security teams with executing a response beyond generating a lot of alerts that need to be manually triaged. XDR, by contrast, doesn’t require any data lake structure. It correlates alerts across disparate network assets to deliver actionable intelligence that works to reduce alert fatigue. What’s more, XDR enables security teams to build automated playbooks using the platform itself, thereby streamlining response. Myth 3: All XDR Platforms Are Created Equal No. Consider the fact that there’s hybrid/ open vs. native XDR. The latter only offers integrations to other security tools developed by the same vendor. This can lock customers into an agreement with a vendor that might not offer the security capabilities they need to protect their systems and data. It also means existing investments in solutions from other vendors cannot be fully realised. In contrast, Open (or hybrid) XDR takes a collective approach that leverages multiple security tools, vendors, and telemetry types to meet organisations’ needs from within a single detection and response platform. There’s no vendor lock-in here. Security

teams are free to choose the vendors and tools they want, allowing them to get the most out of their XDR platform, and the DevOps and API integrations enable personnel to bring these tools and telemetry sources together. There’s also an argument to be made about what defines a truly mature XDR offering versus pseudo-XDR solutions that are basically nothing more than an EDR tool with a cloud integration. All XDR platforms integrate with threat intelligence to spot known Indicators of Compromise (IOCs), but only an advanced XDR solution can detect based on Indicators of Behavior (IOBs). IOBs are the more subtle signs of an attack in progress which include otherwise benign activity one would expect to see occurring on a network. When these “legitimate” behaviors are chained in certain sequences, they produce conditions that are either exceedingly rare or represent a distinct advantage for an attacker. This is where the context-rich correlations across endpoints, the cloud, application suites and user identities that a mature XDR solution delivers are critical for detecting malicious activity at the earliest stages of an attack. Take ransomware attacks for example: most security solutions are focused on detecting the exploit and blocking the ransomware payload, or rolling back the encryption after the attack was

successful. But the detonation of the ransomware executable is the tail end of what is actually a much longer attack sequence, with weeks or even months of detectable activity from initial ingress, to lateral movement, to credential abuse and privilege escalation, to name a few. An AI-driven XDR solution can make the necessary correlations to detect that activity long before the ransomware payload is delivered, reducing a potentially devastating attack to the level of an intrusion attempt or similar. Additionally, the ability to leverage AI/ ML to correlate telemetry from across an organisation’s infrastructure is a key aspect of a mature XDR solution. The application of AI/ML allows Defenders to move from a detect and respond mode to a more proactive “predictive response” posture where the next steps an attack can and would take are instantly anticipated and blocked, eliminating the opportunity to progress the attack to the next stage. This predictive capability is the key to the future of security, enabling organisations to “defend forward” by understanding attacks from an operation-centric approach, where analysts are freed from chasing alerts that point to individual elements of an attack in favor of a holistic view of the entire attack story from root cause to every affected device, system and user. And only an AI-driven XDR solution can deliver this “predictive response” capability that will shorten detection and remediation periods from days or weeks down to minutes. The AI-Driven XDR Advantage An AI-driven XDR solution enables organisations to embrace an operationcentric approach to security that delivers the visibility organisations require to be confident in their security posture across all network assets, and the automated responses to halt attack progressions at the earliest stages. This approach also provides Defenders with the ability to predict, detect and respond to cyberattacks across the entire enterprise, including endpoints, networks, identities, cloud, application workspaces and more.

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CXO INSIGHT ME

FEATURE

THE AGE OF INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION WHY DOES INTELLIGENT PROCESS AUTOMATION MATTER IN THIS DIGITAL-FIRST WORLD?

ntelligent process automation is defined as automation powered by AI and encompasses new technologies such as machine learning and computer vision. While RPA is all about automating repetitive manual tasks, IPA leverages AI to accomplish high-value activities that require judgment and analysis. Historically, for many businesses, the entry gate to automation has been RPA. For them, the automation journey typically began with software robots automating isolated processes in one particular department where processes were digital – the socalled low-hanging fruit. Then, they 24

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progressed towards intelligent automation by integrating AI capabilities. “However, we now know that enterprises that incorporate automation and AI into the very fabric of their business from the very beginning stand to benefit most from the fast advance of intelligent automation,” says Ashraf El Zarka, VP Middle East& Africa at UiPath. He says the next stage of the automation evolution will see businesses move towards semantic automation. Semantically enabled software robots are not only able to see and read what’s on the screen;

they also understand the relationships between and contexts around documents, processes, data, and applications. “Simply put, they are able to observe an activity and emulate it. By seeing, thinking, doing, but most importantly, understanding, semantic automation will start to move away from rulesbased approaches, widening the scope and impact of automation and reducing necessary development time. In addition, semantic automation will reduce the gap between how software robots currently operate and the capacity to understand processes the way employees would,” he adds.

SEMANTICALLY ENABLED SOFTWARE ROBOTS ARE NOT ONLY ABLE TO SEE AND READ WHAT’S ON THE SCREEN; THEY ALSO UNDERSTAND THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN AND CONTEXTS AROUND DOCUMENTS, PROCESSES, DATA, AND APPLICATIONS. What is the current state of intelligent automation in the region? Intelligent Automation solutions are on the rise, says Rahul Bhageeradhan, Global Director - Digital Architecture at Kissflow. Businesses extract large volumes of data on customer behaviour to business trends in the digital-first age. They want to make use of this information in a way that would help them to stay competitive and provide superior customer experience. However, intelligent automation hasn’t yet become mainstream in the same way that Workflow Automation or RPA has in recent years. Many organisations are experimenting with the technology, and it will take at least a couple of more years for enterprise adoption. He says that even the largest enterprises are still going through cloud transformation and are catching up. “Intelligent Automation is at the top of organisations’ strategic agendas aiming to improve operational efficiency and effectiveness for a digital future,” says Kamel Al Tawil,

Managing Director Middle East and North Africa, Equinix. “Automation in network and cloud security will make it easier for companies to ensure that more complex network and hybrid multi-cloud environments are secure and aligned with other agile virtual network automation policies.” Yarob Sakhnini, Vice President, Emerging Markets, EMEA, Juniper Networks, says the value of intelligent automation in the world today is undeniable. “Intelligent automation reduces costs by augmenting the workforce and improves productivity, boosts accuracy through consistent processes and approaches which enhances the quality of work, improves customer experience and addresses compliance and regulations with confidence.” Why is it important for enterprises to make intelligent automation a strategic priority? “Intelligent automation is now a strategic priority for the C-suite thanks to its ability to impact and create value

for the enterprise by providing support for strategic business objectives. As a result, CIOs are facing the pressure of designing a frictionless digital transformation journey that transforms their organisations to a digital-first and data-centric business,” says El Zarka from UiPath. According to UiPath, intelligent automation is a net accelerator of IT strategies designed to support business goals thanks to its role in transforming operational processes, enhancing the customer experience, and enabling rapid change in business models. Zooming in on just one of them, customer experience is a differentiator among businesses to support customer retention and loyalty. Here, intelligent automation will help with retaining current customers by improving the speed and quality of response, empowering them by introducing chatbots capable of responding 24/7 to their requests, and enabling an omnichannel experience. Bhageeradhan from Kissflow says with intelligent process automation, companies can become more customer-focused and responsive. As their operating model becomes digitised and intelligent, it also becomes possible to take more risks with product innovation. “After all, we live in a digital age where the culture of rapid experimentation is crucial for all businesses. Automation that cuts across organisations, people, and processes help enable that approach. For instance, if a new product has been rapidly launched by the company and metrics reveal that it is widely successful with customers, then the product can be quickly scaled to increase the overall revenue of the company. Similarly, if the same product is unsuccessful in gaining customer adoption, then it can be killed quickly without causing too many losses,” he adds. Al Tawil from Equinix says building intelligent infrastructure experiences is at the heart of digital transformation. This

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FEATURE

Ashraf El Zarka

includes everything from provisioning to asset lifecycle management; employee onboarding and entitlements; incidents, events, and services requests; and technology vulnerability management. Digital infrastructure makes it possible to automate many of these processes and learn from real-time, contextual intelligent insights that help us continually improve experiences. Will AI-driven automation replace rulesbased systems? Sakhnini from Juniper says many organisations are exploring ways to leverage existing network and security elements to better protect investments while ensuring business continuity. Enterprises recognise that consolidating computing workloads— including operational technology (OT), communications technology (CT), and information technology (IT)—can offer many benefits, particularly when cloudnative services are integrated into their infrastructure. El Zarka shares a different perspective: “Where AI has potential to change rules-based systems is in allowing software robots to understand the relationships and context between documents, processes, data and applications. Here, automation can move to a state where software robots can observe an activity and emulate it. And we believe this will irreversibly shape the future of automation.” 26

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Rahul Bhageeradhan

THE CHALLENGES WITH FULLY AI-DRIVEN AUTOMATION LIE IN THE DATA THAT IS PROVIDED. IF THERE IS A DISCREPANCY IN THE INFORMATION OR LACK OF DATA, THIS COULD POSE A THREAT. AT THE SAME TIME, RULEBASED SYSTEMS ARE TOO RIGID. To illustrate the concept, he cites the medical referral process as an example. As it stands, with automation, you could teach a robot the 13 specific steps required to process a referral document and schedule the necessary appointments. The robot wouldn’t understand what the referral document was; therefore, the patient’s name, appointment data, referring provider name, and diagnosis code would need to be clearly signposted by the developer in order for the robot to extract the information.

Yarob Sakhnini

The robot also wouldn’t understand what an electronic medical record was. Therefore, a developer would need to show it how to log into the system, find the scheduler, and select the necessary options needed to book an appointment. However, if a robot could understand the relationship between the entities and documents there would be no need to provide such detailed instructions. In this case, the robot would know it was looking at a patient information screen, and a developer would only need to encode five steps asking the robot to complete certain tasks. Cutting this process down from 13 detailed directives to five requests would drastically reduce the necessary development time while empowering the robot to better respond to any change or discrepancies in the process. “The challenges with fully AI-driven automation lie in the data that is provided. If there is a discrepancy in the information or lack of data, this could pose a threat. At the same time, rule-based systems are too rigid. By leveraging AI to expand automation and enhance the range of actions typically correlated with rules-based automation, you can provide benefits that cut costs and increase customer satisfaction. Combining automation and artificial intelligence (AI) is the next logical step. This can help businesses augment decision making, perform work processes, and solve problems,” Bhageeradhan sums up.

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VIEWPOINT

SHAPING OUR GREEN FUTURE NATALIA MAKAROCHKINA, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, SECURE POWER DIVISION, INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS AT SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC, ON BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE WORLD WITH NEXT-GENERATION TECHNOLOGY

riven by an increase in social and economic damage all over the world due to the pandemic and abnormal climate phenomena. As businesses everywhere look for recovery and structural reshaping to welcome new opportunities, sustainability is at the heart of those efforts. Before the pandemic, a survey from Harvard Business Review found that of 1,000 Top CEOs across the Globe, 99% agreed that sustainability was important for the future success of their organisations. This was further highlighted by MIT Sloane Management reporting that three quarters (75%) of investment executives agree that a company’s sustainability performance is important when making investment decisions. In 2021, Schneider Electric was named the top sustainable enterprise in the world by Corporate Knights, an organisation founded to promote and encourage responsible and sustainable capitalism globally. The award was the result of the company’s long and deep commitment to energy sustainability— and to the many individuals on the “frontline” who make it happen. We believe that electrification and digitisation is the recipe of sustainable and resilient world. We call this “Electricity 4.0”. Electricity is the best vector for decarbonisation because it is the greenest source of energy by a factor of 3-5. We expect 6 times more electricity coming from renewables by 2040. Accelerating the journey to net-zero Digital makes energy smart. It makes the invisible visible and drives efficiency by cutting waste. Digital has a critical role to play in halving our emissions over the 28

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next decade while ramping up renewable energy capacity globally. In simple words, electricity makes the energy green and digital builds a smart future. Then net-zero becomes a natural by-product for both. In the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region, capacity must be built out quickly and efficiently to meet the demand generated during the pandemic. This capacity must be efficient, adaptive and resilient, all the while with sustainability as key growth driver. From the design stages of equipment and systems, sustainability can be built in to enable circularity practices. While pre-approved, modular designs improve efficiency and ease of deployment, hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) further simplifies infrastructure deployment, increasing performance and resilience, as well as facilitating right-sizing. Technology also exists in shifting to renewables. The move towards renewable energy sources across the region can be embraced and expanded by the current capacity build out trend. The MEA region is enjoying a huge focus for investment and development of its digital infrastructure

that will be boost to economies and populations across many countries, bringing together ambitions for digital economies and smart cities. The use of intelligent uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) combined with microgrid architectures can facilitate increasing RES capacity in national grids. This is becoming increasingly important in the Middle East and Africa. In fact, the Middle East Energy Transition report states that RES project contracts worth $2.8 billion, were awarded in the region in the first half of 2021. Various sources suggest that 2022 will see major investment in IT infrastructure across the region, from the Saudi Arabian investment plan for digital infrastructure worth $18 billion over five years to build large scale data centres, to general market forecast for 10% CAGR over that period, there is massive scope to boost build out capacity. This level of investment and activity will drive services, infrastructure, as well as energy sectors, creating opportunities across the board. Broader availability of high-quality data centre services will strengthen economies, while providing the infrastructure necessary to develop digital public services, support digital transformation generally and underpin the next generation of energy supply as part of the worldwide net zero target. In short, the technology already exists to power Electricity 4.0 to decarbonise, decentralise and to deliver a world that is more electric, more digital, and more sustainable. Everything we install, everything we build today is likely to be here for the next 20 years. It is also truly exciting time as emerging technologies have meant that these kinds of major infrastructural investments can be done more efficiently and sustainably than ever before, combining capabilities for new architectures with availability from all operators. This is an opportunity to not just thrive but to do so responsibly and sustainably, meeting obligations and targets for a greener future and sustainable world development. Finally, the demand for digital services growth can be met with intelligent, sustainable development that can serve as a foundation for the economies of the future.

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INTERVIEW

SECURITY AT SPEED THE MERGER BETWEEN MCAFEE AND FIREEYE HAS YIELDED TRELLIX. RAJ SAMANI, CHIEF SCIENTIST AT TRELLIX, TELLS US WHAT THIS NEW CYBERSECURITY GIANT IS BRINGING TO THE TABLE.

our tagline says ‘Living Security’. What does it mean? If we think about how threats have evolved, it’s a lot more dynamic than it’s ever been. Historically, security used to be quite static. We were able to put in static approaches to address a static threatscape. But now we are seeing an evolution from threat actors. A really good example that we see today is ransomware. Most recently, with this variant called BlackCat, there are so many different samples. And if you are a person operating this ransomware, you’ve got so many options to configure it. The static approach to security will not combat an attack like this. So if you think about the construct of ‘Living Security’, it is the ability to be able to dynamically keep pace with how threats are evolving and changing all the time. Is Trellix basically an XDR platform? No, I think that oversimplifies it. Historically, in the past, you could turn around and say, “We’ve got a point product with a point solution”. But taking the ransomware example, threat actors today have highly skilled affiliates. They’ve got a business model that encourages or allows other people the opportunity to find a way in. And these affiliates aren’t people who are just sending emails. They are using weaknesses in the configuration or architecture of systems; they are looking for unpatched systems; they are also directly phishing people and

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using open source intelligence. Today, we’ve got threat actors actively going after people on LinkedIn. So if you think there is a single product you can install that can protect against everything, that’s a misconception. When we think about XDR, it is a wider construct where the X that stands for Extended would mean our ability to take inputs from various systems and develop a detection and response strategy accordingly. And, of course, there is a

MCAFEE ENTERPRISE IS, AND WAS, ONE OF THE LARGEST DEDICATED ENTERPRISE SECURITY COMPANIES, AND FIREEYE EQUALLY THE SAME. THE BENEFIT IS THAT WE HAVE A WIDE CUSTOMER BASE ON BOTH SIDES, AND BEING ABLE TO LEVERAGE THAT IS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY.

strong partner ecosystem. So it’s not that we say we have all of the answers, but we have partners that help develop that solution. With this merger, is there any overlap in the portfolio given that both companies are into endpoint security? From an outsider’s point of view, you could say there could be. But fundamentally what the opportunity it brings is a customer base and sensor network that complement one another. I don’t think you are going to see conflicts. You are going to see opportunities to collaborate, opportunities to be able to get a better purview of things. McAfee Enterprise is, and was, one of the largest dedicated enterprise security companies, and FireEye equally the same. The benefit is that we have a wide customer base on both sides, and being able to leverage that is a unique opportunity. Are you leveraging AI/ML and analytics in your XDR platform? The easy answer would be yes. You’ll hear many people talking about ML & AI as the ‘silver bullet’, but we have to recognise and appreciate that these Machine Learning models constantly have to adapt and evolve. And so absolutely! AI and ML will be a central part of everything that we do. But equally, making sure that we incorporate the best intelligence to make those models as effective as possible will be the heart of what we do. The focus of what we do is understanding the

they know that they’ve compromised you, and they know your P&L, and how much money you make, chances are you are certainly going to get a higher demand.

threatscape instead of the specific technology that we use. We, of course, will be using machine learning. But that machine learning will be built upon a strong intelligence function that understands what those models need to do and regular testing to determine the efficacy of those models. What role would your threat intelligence labs play in the new company? So ATR (Advanced Threat Research) is my team. We’ve been very successful in not only understanding what bad actors are doing but also, more importantly, making sure we incorporate that intelligence into every single thing that we do. So as long as there are criminals out there, we will always need to understand what they are doing. We talk about innovation. But we fail to acknowledge that criminals themselves are innovating at a rate and pace that is just remarkable.

Four of five years ago, ransomware was a consumer issue that was charging $300. Now we are talking about triple extortion attacks targeting companies and demanding upwards of tens of millions of dollars. A lot of that is because they have improved. Do you have any idea about the average ransom being paid today? The term ‘average’ is a little misleading. Because there are so many different variants, let’s say about $130,000 to $140,000 is the average ransom demand. That incorporates no-end ransomware as well as human operated ransomware. The mean average is US$ 136,000. The mode average is completely different. If we turn to a company and say, ‘You need to be worried about ransomware because it might cost you US$ 130,000, some companies might go, ‘We’ll pay it’. But the reality is that if you get hit by a specific variant, and

The first step to mitigate ransomware is to backup data. But cybercriminals are now going after backup data as well. What can users do in this scenario? Here is the challenge. Even if they compromise your backups, even if you have offline backups and even if you can restore the data in your environment, the truth of the matter is that the bad guys are doing triple extortions. They’ll leak the data. So even if you have a backup, it doesn’t really matter because they will expose all of your information. Or what they might do is conduct a DDoS attack. Or they might have their own PR department. Fundamentally this is not ransomware anymore. We are talking about data breach, data exposure, DDoS, negative PR, and the encryption is just one component. So organisations need to acknowledge that building bigger walls is no longer the case; it’s about having individual defenders inside those walls to detect nefarious activity.

MARCH 2022

CXO INSIGHT ME

VIEWPOINT

CREATING VALUE WALEED RASSULI, HEAD OF TEZOS GULF, ON WHY TOKENS WILL TRANSFORM THE WAY WE INVEST IN REAL ESTATE

early two decades have passed since the Dubai government issued a decree that allowed expatriates and foreigners to own freehold property in the Emirates. But ask anyone what the market was like back in 2002, and they will tell you stories about investors waiting for hours, cheque books in hand, to buy their dream home in a city of abundant potential. The visionary regulation created a multi-billion dollar sector that saw local developers jumping at the chance to cash in on new investment and fill the skyline with more cranes than anywhere in the world —all to build projects that put our tiny desert state on the world map. Today, another new regulation is set to dramatically disrupt Dubai’s real estate industry and perhaps forever change how we invest in the real estate market. Democratising real estate investment In October, the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) launched a comprehensive and innovative framework to regulate security tokens. The approach was designed to capture a range of activities relating to digital assets. The Investment Tokens regulatory framework applies to persons or entities interested to market, issue, trade or hold investment tokens in or from the Dubai International Financial Centre. This also includes authorised firms wishing to undertake financial services relating to investment tokens, such as dealing in, advising on, or arranging transactions relating to investment tokens, or managing discretionary portfolios or collective funds investing in tokens. Of course, the benefits of tokenisation in real estate are massive. Traditionally fixed, illiquid assets

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such as real estate can be divided into multiple tokens, fractionalising the asset to offer investment opportunities to demographics who cannot afford to buy large assets on their own – a move that could truly democratise access to property ownership while improving market liquidity. Partial investment in real estate is not a new concept. However, digital investment tokens have drawn scrutiny and mistrust due to regulatory ambiguity. Currently, anyone can issue tokens without clear and enforceable accountability because token creators are not regulated financial institutions. The concern remains that a token might not even have a legal document linking it to a real asset, which is why advances in legislation propel an environment of comfort in the market. Trillions to tokens In a 2021 report, London-based advisory firm Moore Global predicted that $1.4 trillion of international property assets will be converted to digital tokens by 2026, representing only 0.5% of the current $280 trillion global property market.

In Dubai, there are many reasons to be bullish on this trend because real estate is among the most popular areas for foreign direct investment and undoubtedly one of the most significant asset classes. The sector achieved 2.4% growth in the first quarter of this year, contributing nearly 9% of the real GDP. It has been a key factor in helping Dubai’s economy overcome the effects of the global Covid-19 pandemic. The wider UAE and neighboring Gulf nations are also key players in the real estate sector with multiple opportunities for tokenisation across landmark residential, commercial, and industrial developments. Numerous startups in the region and around the world are already getting ahead of the trend. New pools of capital In addition to expanding financial inclusion by lowering minimum investment thresholds, the added convenience of exchanging tokens on a blockchain provides greater transparency, speed, and efficiency in transactions – which, in turn, will reduce transaction costs associated with real estate investment. Yet, while tokens lower the barriers to property investment, it’s important to recognise that the rise of investment platforms is also driven by surging interest among millennials who are independently comfortable with financial technology and often prefer alternative investing paths due to their mistrust in the status quo of traditional financial systems. Emerging markets are home to 86% of the world’s millennials. Even more so, in Gulf countries, Arab millennials, who make up the majority of the region’s population, enjoy huge shares of family wealth accumulated over multiple generations. Tokenisation of real estate could become increasingly popular among millenials— opening up new pools of capital as this digitally native generation enters their peak spending years. Change is coming, one token at a time.

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VIEWPOINT

ML, AI AND THE CRYSTAL BALL SASCHA GIESE, HEAD GEEK, SOLARWINDS, EXPLORES HOW USERS ARE AFFECTED BY VENDORS WHO USE A PREDEFINED AI FRAMEWORK COMPARED TO VENDORS WHO CREATE THEIR OWN.

hat’s in store for machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) in 2022? Is it finally the year for the rise of the machines? Until not too long ago, AI was just an overused marketing term. Many software vendors who sold solutions based on algorithms and fancy regular expressions branded 34

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their stuff as artificial intelligence, even though it wasn’t. Times have changed, and the market is—in a helicopter view—divided into two camps: vendors who use a predefined AI framework and vendors who create their own. I’m not looking into the pros and cons of each, but what does this mean for the users?

AI Adoption Is Slowed Down by Two Obstacles First, there’s a financial obstacle. Solutions using real AI can still be called “advanced,” and they come with a certain price tag. But it’s the same old story for businesses when it comes to implementing new tech: it’s all about reducing cost or increasing efficiency.

We saw the same with the invention of looms, the production belt, and the increased use of automation in IT. Now it’s just the next chapter, but the calculation remains the same: can we reduce the operating cost of human labour with the new technology? Where’s the break-even point? IT security is a simple example. How many hours does it take to investigate suspicious behaviour? How many analysts are digging through log files, and how much does it cost overall? It’s a task you can easily outsource to a machine, which will show results within minutes—if not seconds—while humans would need hours. This doesn’t mean the analysts aren’t needed anymore—they can be assigned to tasks requiring creativity, something AI struggles with. But as mentioned already, times have changed, and AI adoption has slowly increased. One of the side effects of this is lower pricing and more affordable solutions. It’s no longer just the global players who can afford the latest tech. In the next 12 months, we’ll see an increased adoption rate, even in the small and medium-sized business (SMB) area. It’s no longer “we don’t need this stuff”—instead, it’s “this could be interesting. Let’s try it.” Controlling the Beast This brings us to the second obstacle to AI adoption: complexity. An AI-based solution, whether it’s off the shelf or bespoke, requires customisation to be successful. This isn’t an easy task, and it usually requires development resources. It doesn’t matter if they’re provided by the vendor as a package deal or taken from in-house talent. Actually, it does matter, as the latter would increase the cost again—see above. But even here, we see an advanced use of technology, or a mix of different ones, to be precise. Some of these solutions come with what’s called low/ no-code interfaces, and everyone who can create meaningful charts can deal with such a system.

The bottom line is the more this learning process happens in-house, the higher the trust level. But it doesn’t end here. Once implemented, an AI-based solution should do the hard work and improve efficiency while using it.

IT SECURITY IS A SIMPLE EXAMPLE. HOW MANY HOURS DOES IT TAKE TO INVESTIGATE SUSPICIOUS BEHAVIOUR? HOW MANY ANALYSTS ARE DIGGING THROUGH LOG FILES, AND HOW MUCH DOES IT COST OVERALL? IT’S A TASK YOU CAN EASILY OUTSOURCE TO A MACHINE, WHICH WILL SHOW RESULTS WITHIN MINUTES—IF NOT SECONDS—WHILE HUMANS WOULD NEED HOURS. What’s left are trust issues. An artificial intelligence solution will make its own decisions. Like humans, this is a process based on experience, knowledge, and training. But who provides this training? There’s a reason the EU proposed a regulation of the use of AI in recruitment in 2021.

Hello, Computer! Most of us deal with some kind of business software during our day-today lives. It could be customer relation management, resource management, warehousing, or maybe lead handling in sales. All of these come with reports out of the box, and though they may have varying levels of quality, they usually do the job. But occasionally, we require something particular, and this is where the problems start. Some of these business solutions are dinosaurs and don’t make it easy to create custom reports. It’s not unheard of for a DBA to get dragged out of their usual tasks just to create a custom query and retrieve some data points the CEO requires for a meeting. Wouldn’t it be much easier if there was a box for free text? We could just write “give me the sales numbers for the Middle East during the last quarter, divided by country,” and it would result in a nice chart within 20 seconds. This isn’t science fiction—in fact, many of us have used a chatbot already, and that’s what it is. We just need to improve the quality of the responses instead of “Sorry, I didn’t understand the command.” We’ll get there eventually. AI- and ML-based solutions will get more affordable and easier to use, which will increase the adoption rate. And 2022 might be a good year for it— no crystal ball needed, actually. We’re still somewhere in a pandemicinduced time loop, and we need to reduce human interaction. Robots, you’re our only hope.

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CXO INSIGHT ME

VIEWPOINT

A RECIPE FOR GROWTH OMAR AKAR, REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT, MIDDLE EAST & EMERGING AFRICA, PURE STORAGE, ON HOW C-LEVEL EXECS CAN RESOLVE THEIR DIFFERENCES ON TECHNOLOGY’S ‘INVEST TO GROW’ DEBATE

here is no question that regional businesses accelerated their digital transformations overnight to accommodate the changing working arrangements brought on by the pandemic. COVID-19 called for swift action, and that is what we saw. According to research from AppDynamics, 78% of surveyed UAE technologists pointed to digital transformation projects having been implemented within weeks rather than the months or years it would have taken before the pandemic. IT budgets were redirected towards cloud migrations and quick wins that would support business continuity. Boards and C-level managers were united in the pursuit of two things — employee safety and short-term changes that would shield the business from market upheavals. While this was undoubtedly necessary at the time, senior executives can find themselves stuck in a play-itsafe mindset that continues to postpone longer-term, strategic investments. Many of the region’s organisations have found a way to return to a semblance of normality. While nothing will be the same as it was before the pandemic, the quick wins and firefighting phases are behind us. Hybrid work is largely established and accepted, with arguments now being made for a refocus on strategic investment. This has led, in many organisations, to a triangular power struggle between the CEO, the CFO and the CIO. Chief executives want to focus on revenue growth, but financial leaders are wary of large capital outlays, preferring to remain budget conscious. Meanwhile, the CIO wages their timehonored battle to win over the CEO and CFO and convince them that a long-term technology strategy, which is necessary in

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the digital age, requires investment. In the tumultuous early stages of the pandemic, the CFO’s case was more easily made, and frequently won out. In 2022, the region is in recovery mode and that means greater competition. In order to compete, organisations need to pinpoint where to invest in order to drive growth. Business agility is a priority In a post-COVID technology environment, flexibility is key as it allows senior executives to build agile businesses. Legacy infrastructure does not provide this flexibility or agility and is insufficient to enable quick pivots to new opportunities. Therefore, investing in this area is vital. A Pure Storage survey revealed 83% of decision makers considered an agile strategy essential in being able to innovate effectively and grow. In this climate, not only is the CEO’s forward-looking, growth-oriented perspective gaining the upper hand, but the CIO’s contribution to future growth is more readily accepted. The pandemic demonstrated the value IT teams could add to an enterprise. After technology proved pivotal to survival for the region’s enterprises, other business areas are now

open to hearing from CIOs about what role technology can play in the next chapter of the corporate story. According to a recent global study from ESG, the top three factors being used to justify IT investments are the need to tighten cyber security, the need to deliver timely business intelligence, and the need to enhance the customer experience. Long-term strategy can be seen at work in these priorities. They demonstrate an awareness of the risks to the business of, say: a ransomware attack, a missed opportunity, or being unresponsive to customer needs. Indeed, the survey drew a direct correlation between technology investment, customer experience, and business growth. Business-focused technology investment Thankfully, regional leaders, on both the technology and business side are aware of the value technology adds and the problems it can solve. The best platforms and tools should empower a business to take action and make it competitive. This will ensure an enterprise can remain relevant to customers, partners, and investors, adding value for all stakeholders. The rise of flexible consumption models as a standard and cloud-like operating models provide good news for the CFO. This means that cost of ownership is easier to calculate and project, and that the days of large capital expenditure are over. Asa-Service models also allow the growthminded CEO and the strategy-minded CIO to try new tools and platforms, and if they don’t work, remove them from outgoings as there’s no long-term commitment. The CEO will embrace investments that bring agility and the ability to adapt to customers in real time. Technology which can be consumed in a cloud-like manner, scaled up and down when needed, will appeal to the CIO. The CFO will be comforted by growth-driven investment that is predictable and controllable. As 2022 progresses, more and more regional businesses will accept that a growth strategy no longer needs to be relegated to the “future plans” pile. It can occur right now, in a way that will please CFO, CEO and CIO alike.

REPORT

THE NEED FOR SPEED NEW CISCO STUDY FINDS THAT WORKERS ACROSS THE UAE CONSIDER HIGHPERFORMANCE BROADBAND ESSENTIAL TO ECONOMIC GROWTH AND HYBRID WORK from home or run their own business. This is especially critical for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), that do not have the same resources and IT infrastructure of larger enterprises. A new digital business environment has emerged where ambitious entrepreneurs and start-ups can prosper, fostering innovation across industries. Broadband will therefore play a key role in the growth and evolution of this core segment.

isco’s latest Broadband Index report reveals that over 70 percent of respondents in UAE state that the reliability and quality of their broadband connection are crucial to economic and societal growth. According to the global survey of almost 60,000 workers across 30 countries about their home broadband access, quality, and usage, economic and societal growth will not happen without universal access to fast and reliable internet. Hybrid Work Depends on Quality Internet The success of hybrid work hinges on the quality and availability of the internet. 3 in 4 respondents in the UAE state the reliability and quality of their broadband connection are important to them. Dependence on highperformance Internet access is further underlined by the fact that 63 percent of respondents actively use their domestic broadband service for seven hours or more each day. Meanwhile three or more people use the internet at the same time in 77 percent of households.

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60 percent of respondents state they use a form of mobile technology to connect to the Internet at home; this includes using their mobile phones, or a 4G or 5G hub. Fibre-optic broadband is used by 16 percent. “Networks and digital technologies are at the heart of the big economic and social transformations happening in our region. Demand for broadband connectivity has increased exponentially since the beginning of the pandemic,” said Reem Asaad, Vice President in the Middle East and Africa, Cisco. “With the rise in remote and hybrid working, businesses are required to enable the collaboration and effectiveness of all employees, regardless of location. We created the Broadband Index to understand how the pandemic has impacted the use of broadband and customers’ expectations around the globe, including the Middle East and Africa.” Critical for Small and Medium Enterprises More than half of the UAE workforce now relies on their home internet to work

Security Is Vital In order to work-from-anywhere, employees need to connect to their company’s networks and applications from outside the office, accessing private data across multiple locations, through multiple devices, via public and private networks. Workers are becoming increasingly aware that safety and security, as well as speed and reliability, will be vital to the success of hybrid working. Security is a key consideration for many workers as 64 percent responded they would pay more to ensure a safer broadband connection. A Look to the Future Access to fast and reliable internet is critical to future economic growth, according to 75 percent of respondents. 74 percent think everyone should be able to securely connect to fast and reliable internet, regardless of location. A further 73 percent claim access to fast and reliable Internet services is vital for maintaining a well-educated population. This is a cornerstone of the UAE Government’s ambitious AI vision 2031 program, as well as Abu Dhabi Vision 2031. When asked about which critical service they would prioritise when using their broadband connection in the future, 24 percent highlighted education.

VIEWPOINT

THE HUMAN FACTOR IN INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION STEPHEN GILL, ACADEMIC HEAD, SCHOOL OF MATHEMATICAL AND COMPUTER SCIENCES AT HERIOT-WATT UNIVERSITY DUBAI CAMPUS, ANALYSES THE KEY SUCCESS FACTORS OF INTELLIGENT AUTOMATION.

ithin the past two years, Intelligent Automation (IA) has climbed to the top priorities for enterprises to achieve technological resilience. Not only that, but IA has been linked to agility and responsiveness for its role in facilitating lean and costefficient operations at an optimum pace in comparison to traditional approaches. There are clear signs that companies and enterprises have 40

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started embracing the disruption. In fact, the latest trends indicate that the intelligent process automation market is expected to reach $13.75 billion in the next two years, as quoted in Forbes. This is double the value comparing to three years ago. However, recent reports have uncovered that most organisations are struggling to secure value from their IA activities. Upon a quick overview of the challenges, it becomes clear that the challenges are more related to skills,

leadership and data than they are to tools and technologies. A survey by KMPG in 2019 of nearly 600 business leaders across 13 countries pinpoints the main barriers and challenges along the road to IA implementation. The most notable include organisations being hindered by a lack of integration and prioritisation. Several organisations are failing to see that intelligent automation is a business issue, rather than a purely technological

endeavour. This accounts for the lack of communication surrounding the integration of IA. Additionally, companies are also dealing with skill shortages and securing the talents they need, particularly in machine learning and AI capabilities, which is increasingly inhibiting IA growth. Finally, despite enterprises recognising the way AI will change the way people work, companies are concerned about the impacts of IA on their workforce and development. On the plus side, there has been a keen determination by executives to supercharge their IA investments and activities. These are some potential solutions enterprises can undertake to support the strategic integration of IA within their systems: User-centric design Most employers have not been able to reap the full benefits of IA and the way it can significantly increase efficiency - the very purpose behind its implementation - due to a lack of usercentric design. Intelligent automation solutions need to be created through the user’s eye to assess its impact and ease of accessibility. The lack of a user-centric design and a comprehensive design system that outlines touchpoints, user interactions and data flaws inhibit the growth of IA system resiliency. Uncertainties that arise from partial information availability and algorithmic errors can be resolved by adopting an integrated design approach that clearly addresses the entire technological process of an end-to-end IA ecosystem. Getting more people on board and involving as many relevant people with diverse views as possible in each stage of the process to visualise what IA solutions means for them is necessary. It is also important to keep in perspective that these technologies are developed to facilitate the work process of employees. Therefore, integrating their perspectives within it is a must to ensure quick adaptability.

CONSIDERING THE QUICK PACE BY WHICH IA TECHNOLOGY HAS DEVELOPED IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, IT IS NO SURPRISE THAT ORGANISATIONS ARE STRUGGLING WITH ITS INTEGRATION AND SECURING TALENTS. FORTUNATELY, ENTERPRISES ARE EMBRACING THE DISRUPTION AND ARE AWARE OF THEIR NEED TO SCALE UP THE USEFULNESS OF IA.

Shortage of talents As is the case with fast-developing technologies, securing the right talents is not an easy task. There is certainly a shortage of talents that can process, design and develop complex IA solutions. This can cause uncertainty over solutions for knowledge-based task automation.

Several companies have already started adopting AI to automate the process of deriving cognitive knowledge especially in customer support departments. For example, AI is used in decoding cognitive knowledge from phone calls, transactions and online chats. Additionally, many firms are leveraging IA initiatives to build integrated planning systems that can reduce organisational silos as much as possible. As such, IA and AI are being used to address higher-order tasks that require cognitive abilities, thus reducing the need for securing talents in certain processes. However, this certainly does not underscore the need to redesign job roles, reskill employees and incentivise working with technology. Have a clear automation strategy Many companies lose sight of integrating corporate strategy and organisational structure with the automation strategy. This lack of integration accounts for the challenges enterprises are facing in prioritising IA and effectively streamlining it across work operations. Alignment with the company strategy and culture is critical to support the delivery of automation capabilities. In addition, viewing IA from an enterprise level can scale up its usefulness and broaden its scope as the lack of proper integration can risk redundant efforts due to lack of communication. As such, a coordinated enterprise approach will lead to consistent technologies, resources, governance and investment pools — and will elevate the best practices. Considering the quick pace by which IA technology has developed in the last two years, it is no surprise that organisations are struggling with its integration and securing talents. Fortunately, enterprises are embracing the disruption and are aware of their need to scale up the usefulness of IA. However, in its pilot stage, it is essential to consider the human factor and always keep in perspective that technology must be led, not the other way around.

MARCH 2022

CXO INSIGHT ME

VIEWPOINT

FUTURE-READY LANS ARAFAT YOUSEF, MANAGING DIRECTOR – MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA, NEXANS DATA NETWORK SOLUTIONS, ON THE EVOLUTION OF THE LOCAL AREA NETWORKS Internet Protocol, allows previously separate systems to merge. Cabling provides Power over Ethernet (PoE) as well as a physical communication layer.

he role of the LAN is changing and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Failing to keep up will affect productivity, competitive position and reputation. So how do you keep up with the demands of new technologies, platforms, and users? Or ensure you have enough useful redundant spare capacity? Let’s take a look at the key drivers for change. Convergence Just a few years ago, in-building resources were devoted to single functions, such as telephony, internet, or security. The technology and business drivers for bringing these services together on a single converged platform are here to stay. However, trends such as hot-desking and smart-desking are now being adopted more widely following COVID-19 measures. More and more network managers are discovering the cost and efficiency benefits of having only one network to manage. An ‘Everything over IP’ or ‘All-IP’ approach, linking building management and devices to the building network over Ethernet/

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MARCH 2022

Power over Ethernet The fast global uptake of connected LED lighting, sensor technology, and IPequipped devices are making Power over Ethernet a necessity. Providing current over Ethernet cabling allows devices to be installed and moved around without having to worry whether there’s an electrical outlet close by. Power delivered through new generations of PoE is more than six times the level of the initial PoE standard. What’s more, some applications, for example in the areas of signage, lighting and security require continuous power. This means a significantly increase heat build-up inside cable bundles, which may disrupt network IP traffic. This requires a new look approach to planning, installing and operating the network. Wi-Fi 6 Evolution in wireless technology is inevitable, with 24 billion webconnected devices. Over half of these are connected wirelessly and are capable of transmitting HD content. WiFi 6 is ideal for the Internet of Things and designed to connect the largest possible number of devices. As more devices share wireless bandwidth it can become increasingly diluted, even to the point of becoming unusable. As Wi-Fi6 makes more advanced applications possible, the LAN needs to provide ubiquitous capacity, with plenty of bandwidth reserves, to the Wireless Access Point (WAP). To benefit from the higher speeds and lower latency Wi-Fi 6 brings, it is important that there are no weak – outdated – links in your

connectivity chain. Wi-Fi 6 WAPs will often require compliance with the PoE+ standard (802.3at). Flexibility We’ve touched on the importance of adapting to changing functionalities of the LAN, taking this into account from the outset. The LAN may need to adapt as a result of new technologies and protocols, or changes to the building in which it is being used. However, the LAN may also need to scale up or down with regard to the number of connections or physical footprint. You may need to accommodate a large number of new devices to support IoT or edge computing applications. Or you might need to introduce a large number of new employees. Production plants may need to increase the number of connected devices or accommodate machine-tomachine communications. You won’t want to mix different devices, standards, or protocols as incompatibility may introduce issues related to management, operation and security. A Fibre To The Office (FTTO) solution can help. It provides Gigabit Ethernet to end user devices by combining passive fibre cabling and active switches. High bandwidth reserves and availability of a single fibre bundle with up to 144 connections ensures readiness for future growth. Short link lengths (3-5m) between switch and end devices, and the absence of cable bundles, reduce power and heating losses. FTTO grows with user needs and may easily be adjusted to new technologies and applications. And now? As systems merge, user needs develop, building usage changes, and numerous new devices and technologies are introduced, demands on the LAN are changing fast. Nexans LANactive FTTO and digital ceiling solution can help introduce the flexibility and redundancy required to make sure your network remains up to the task. As each network is different, we do this on the basis of your specific requirements and business goals. Feel free to get in touch and discuss your needs!

08 March 2022 CONRAD HOTEL, DUBAI

A tribute to the visionaries and pioneers of IT in the Middle East

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OPPO band Make the most of the cooler temperatures and exercise outdoors with the OPPO Band, featuring a 1.1-inch AMOLED Screen, continuous SpO2 monitoring, real-time heart rate monitoring, 12 workout modes as well as 50-Meter water resistance and notification sync. With a health monitoring function, specialized to detect sleep problems the OPPO band supports accurate sleep monitoring, heart rate monitoring, and continuous SpO2 monitoring—providing all-around records and analysis of its user’s sleep health. With its continuous SpO2 monitor and professional sleep monitor, the OPPO Band can help users develop healthier sleep habits.

The OPPO Band comes with a heart rate monitor with builtin optical heart rate sensor to monitor the user’s heart rate around the clock. If the heart rate becomes too high, the smart band will vibrate to warn the user of irregular heartbeat. With the OPPO Band measuring heart rate during exercise, users can avoid over-training and learn what pace they need to keep ensuring that they are progressing towards their goals. The OPPO Band also has 12 built-in workout modes, including running, walking, cycling, swimming, badminton, cricket, Yoga, etc. Capable of recording the exercising data, users can check their progress in the HeyTap Health app, which is key to boosting motivation for an active life.

Huawei BladeAAU Operators must take the full advantages of incumbent 2G, 3G, and 4G sites to 5G rollout. But this comes with challenges such as finding antenna space, dealing with wind resistance, and ensuring that towers can bear the weight of equipment. In addition, at singlepole sites, 5G construction requires considerable reconstruction for original commercial network antennas. It brings more challenges if the pole is shared by two operators. By integrating both active and passive antenna units into a single box, BladeAAU Pro simplifies deployments for operators by supporting various bands in reduced antenna space. BladeAAU Pro increases the height of 5G RF units to improve 5G coverage in du’s commercial 44

CXO INSIGHT ME

MARCH 2022

networks compared with other solutions and improves user experience. Test results indicating average user experience of Approx. 600Mbps. The integrated design simplifies site deployment by eliminating the need for extra adjustment, significantly shortening 5G construction time. BladeAAU Pro also reduces the space required for antenna installation, saving OPEX. Moreover, the multi-band support provides additional flexibility for du to sustain smooth spectrum evolution over the coming years.

AGON Porsche Design gaming monitor FGaming display specialist AOC is officially launching the AGON Porsche Design gaming monitor in Egypt. The PD27 bring top-of-the-line performance that brings professional display technologies that is a must-have for any hardcore gamer.

Porsche Design is already known for exclusive lifestyle products that take form and function on a whole new level. When combined AOC’s unique winner gaming displays under the AGON line, you’re getting the best possible gaming monitor that brings a lattice structure design inspired by a Porsche car roll cage. The PD27 is a 27-inch 1000r curvature display that comes with a QHD (2560 x 1440) resolution plus a 240Hz refresh rate. There is also Adaptive Sync plus HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort 1.4, along with Display HDR 400 supports plus 90 percent DCI-P3 coverage. The new AGON Porsche Design gaming monitor include an ambient light behind the screen that allows for a more immersive experience along with dual 5W speakers enhanced with DTS Sound. A Wireless Gaming Keypad allows you to configure and access different monitor settings including FPS, RGB, etc. at a press of a button. The monitor is also the first to have a boot-up sound that mimics the Porsche engine. The Porsche Design gaming monitor also includes a user configurable Projection Logo that projects an image of the AGON or Porsche Design logo right below the display. A new OSD is also included on the PD27, which continues the unique design language of the Porsche Design brand.

INTEL VPRO PLATFORM Intel announced the latest Intel vPro platform, powered by 12th Gen Intel Core. Built for business, the Intel vPro platform with 12th Gen Intel Core processors provides leading productivity and the highest performance and most comprehensive platform security for all businesses. With over 15 years of innovation, Intel vPro delivers a complete platform portfolio to meet the technology demands and computing options to empower businesses of all sizes. • Intel vPro Enterprise for Windows is the full-featured commercial platform focused on large enterprises and managed businesses. It features a comprehensive set of technologies to help businesses stay ahead of security threats. • Intel vPro Essentials extends security and device management capabilities previously targeting large enterprise to the small and medium-size business segment. Intel vPro Essentials also incorporates Intel Hardware Shield to help protect platforms based on the Windows operating system. • Intel vPro Enterprise for Chrome creates a new class of Chromebooks for business environments with the performance, stability and security technologies that businesses require. This new platform further enables decision-makers to match the right device to the right user.

MARCH 2022

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WHY GENDER DIVERSITY MATTERS SUNIL PAUL, MD OF FINESSE, EXPLAINS HOW THE TECH INDUSTRY CAN EMBRACE DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

t’s the 21st century, and here we are still discoursing the importance of women in the workforce. Every year on women’s day, all of us spend a moment thinking about the lack of diversity. But that’s just the problem – it cannot be a once-a-year conversation. Organisations must invest in initiatives that encourage women to take on more technical and leadership roles. The strengths and unique characteristics that women bring are well known, so I won’t delve into that. While we do have many female executives across roles in the Middle East, there is still a lot of work that needs to be done when it comes to gender diversity in the regional technology sector. Diversity and true inclusion are merely a box to tick for many businesses. But to make a real difference, decision-makers have to critically examine internal processes, hiring practices, staff progression, and the composition of leadership teams. They must acknowledge the current state at their workplaces and then evaluate long-term strategies that can help promote diversity. A genuine commitment to structural change and empowerment of women rather than short-term feel-good actions for better PR and compliance’s sake is the need of the hour. What do I mean by structural change? The tech industry is notorious for not attracting more women to its workforce. Often this is because of a lack of opportunities and unfavorable work environments.

CXO INSIGHT ME

MARCH 2022

The desire to empower and include women must emerge right from the grass-root levels. This means eliminating gender bias in job advertisements, conscious methods to drive retention of women such as flexible work policies, urging the male workforce to embrace an inclusive culture, mapping growth trajectory for women to reach leadership positions, and so on. According to recent research by Gartner, while women make up almost half of the global workforce, they represent only 26% of IT employees. The report states that CIOs want to increase the number of women in IT, but many struggles with recruiting. The younger generation of women needs to have role models in STEM occupations and be aware that they too have opportunities in fields such as engineering, coding, DevOps, and so on. A recent report from The American Association of University Women (AAUW) reveals that women constitute only 28% of the workforce in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), and men vastly outnumber women majoring in most STEM fields in college. According to AAUW, women represent only 21% of engineering majors and just 19% of computer and information science majors. The need for better awareness and eliminating gender stereotypes must begin right from childhood. The regional tech industry’s responsibility today is to unlock equal opportunities that support women to pursue and thrive in

technical and leadership roles. It is not enough to celebrate one day in the year – support, resources, conscious decision-making, empowerment initiatives and so on are needed all 365 days. The UAE has made significant strides in ensuring gender balance and opening opportunities for women. For example, way back in 2004, the country announced its first female cabinet minister Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi, who took command of the Ministry of Economy. Since then, we have seen more women role models joining the UAE ministry. Another example includes Sarah bint Yousef Al Amiri who leads the UAE’s Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT). Diversity of all kinds is important for every organisation. It drives creativity, innovation, better decision-making, and increased turnover among many other benefits. At Finesse, we ensure equal growth opportunities for our female employees and offer attractive growth paths that enable them to assume leadership positions. I hope the regional tech industry can embrace diversity and inclusion in its truest spirit and practice long-term strategies on this woman’s day.

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