GITEX 2020: WHO, WHAT, WHY

HERE IS A SNEAK PEEK OF WHAT SOME OF THE BIGGEST NAMES IN THE INDUSTRY WILL BE SHOWCASING AT THE REGION’S BIGGEST TECH TRADE SHOW.

PURE STORAGE

At GITEX 2020, Pure Storage will showcase how it delivers a modern data experience so customers can rapidly digitally transform by accessing, managing, analysing and securing their data, no matter where they store it.

“We will be showcasing the latest updates to our portfolio, including the second generation of FlashArray//C — one of the fastest-growing products in our portfolio and the first and only enterprise-grade all-QLC flash array. We’ll also show FlashBlade, our Unified Fast File and Object (UFFO) storage platform that is helping customers meet the challenges of today, including the demand for real-time insight, the need to consolidate and re-use data for analytics/AI, and the necessity to provide protection against increasingly prevalent ransomware attacks,” says Assaad El Saadi, regional director – Middle East, Pure Storage.

He adds in many ways, GITEX 2020 will be a unique experience for both the Pure Storage team and our customers and partners. “Given COVID-19 concerns, we have taken the decision not to have any Pure Storage experts or products on-site. Instead, our booth will feature several state-of-the-art interactive, touchscreens that customers can navigate to learn more about our solutions. Furthermore, for those attendees that wish to speak to one of our experts, a Zoom conference link will be available between our GITEX booth and the office.”

VEEAM

Veeam will not be launching any new products at GITEX. However, the company will be showcasing its flagship solution – Veeam Availability Suite, a single platform for modernising backup, accelerating hybrid cloud and securing enterprise data.

“We are keen to demonstrate Veeam Backup and Replication, as well - the one solution for simple, reliable and flexible protection of ALL enterprise cloud, virtual and physical workloads. Veeam Availability (VAS) v10 which saw general release back in February has more than 150 new features and enhancements, including modern NAS support, Multi-VM Instant Recovery and heightened ransomware protection. VAS v10 includes data protection capabilities that increase availability, portability, and extensibility for Cloud Data Management,” says Claude Schuck, regional manager, Middle East at Veeam Software.

Veeam will also be demonstrating its fastest growing product - Veeam Backup for Microsoft Office 365. “Veeam’s solution eliminates the risk of losing access and control over your Office 365 data including Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, OneDrive for Business and Microsoft Teams – so that data is always protected and accessible,” says Schuck.

MANAGEENGINE

At GITEX, ManageEngine will focus on the wide range of IT security solutions that it offers for organisations to strengthen their security posture and enhance operational efficiency. Karthik Anandarao, ManageEngine’s Chief Technical Evangelist for the Middle East will be presenting on ‘Cybersecurity threats to Business Digital Transformation’ on Day 3 of the event at X Labs, Hall 1 from 2:20 - 2:40 PM. “Information security continues to be a top challenge for CIOs and the sudden prevalence of remote work has only made it more difficult, especially for companies who cannot let go of their legacy methods,” said Rajesh Ganesan, vice president at ManageEngine. “The additional challenge brings with it the opportunity for technology leaders to enforce new operating models like the principle of least privilege and Zero Trust remote access, which can deliver both increased productivity and a strong overall security posture for the business. At ManageEngine, we are excited to bring new capabilities across our security product line that will help our customers take on the new age, remote work challenges with assurance.” ManageEngine will use GITEX 2020 to showcase its unified endpoint management tool, Desktop Central; new-gen SIEM solution, Log360, which has UEBA capabilities for proactive threat analytics using AI and ML; and PAM360, which enables enterprises

to establish strict privileged access governance and monitor privileged operations. The company will also highlight Device Control Plus and Application Control Plus, which enforce the principle of least privileges for employees using various devices and applications.

JUNIPER NETWORKS

For Juniper Networks, the focus at this year’s Gitex will be on the Juniper AI-Driven Enterprise, which enables organisations of any size to reap the game-changing business and operational benefits of secure multi-cloud-enabled automation and data-driven insight for their WAN, LAN, campus and branch networks.

Juniper believes that Artificial Intelligence (AI) will continue to grow in significance in FY21 across the Middle East region. “Visibility and analytics give IT teams the data needed to optimise the enterprise network. This data-driven approach allows IT teams to proactively identify and rapidly fix network performance issues, consistently ensuring the best end-user experience. In fact, a recent independent survey conducted on Juniper’s behalf of a thousand CIOs and CISOs across nine countries (including KSA and UAE) shows that many mission-critical applications are reliant on network performance, even when employees are working remotely,” says Yarob Sakhnini, Vice President, Sales, Emerging Markets, EMEA, Juniper Networks.

He says this trend will work handin-hand with others – notably cloud architectures and automation – to continue transformation of the network of the next decade. “Network agility will be more important to the customer experience than ever before, and the only way to achieve it is to build your network in a modern cloud environment that can match the innovation speed of a business’ digital transformation team.”

EQUINIX

This year at GITEX Technology Week, Equinix will introduce its Equinix Cloud Exchange Fabric (ECX Fabric) platform to help digital businesses simplify hybrid multi-cloud deployments and expand their global interconnection opportunities on Platform Equinix ECX Fabric is an advanced interconnection solution that enables seamless, on-demand and direct access to multiple clouds and networks across the globe. By bringing together cloud service providers with enterprises consuming cloud, and enabling them to establish private, high-performance connections, ECX Fabric gives enterprises direct access to the services they need to build sophisticated hybrid cloud solutions.

“Despite the challenges of this year, it is a positive sign to see the industry come together from around the world. Technology has played an instrumental role in driving economic continuity in 2020 and at GITEX we look forward to discovering innovative best practices and showcasing areas in which we continue to make major advances,” says Kamel AlTawil, Managing Director, Middle East and North Africa, Equinix.

NETAPP

To ensure the health and safety of its employees, partners, customers and visitors, NetApp will be participating virtually at Gitex this year. “Through our virtual presence, and under the theme ‘Unlock the Best of Cloud’, we will be focusing on the new capabilities of our portfolio and will showcase our solutions in cloud, business continuity, data services, hybrid cloud, artificial intelligence and security. We will also emphasise our data fabric vision as businesses rapidly adopt cloud,” says Fadi Kanafani, Managing Director – Middle East at NetApp.

He says among the big trends this year is AI and cloud and edge computing, and it is undeniable that cloud and AI are two technologies revolutionising how businesses store, access, analyze and use their data to gain competitive advantage. “As a cloud-led, data-centric software company with AI-driven solutions, NetApp is strategically placed to address the businesses challenges that businesses have been facing over the

past few months – businesses continuity being at the center. In addition, we are showcasing our solutions portfolio that perform across diverse environments and helps organisations build their own data fabric and securely deliver the right data, services and applications to the right people—anytime, anywhere.”

RED HAT

Red Hat will be introducing new products and services at this year’s GITEX, namely 5G, edge computing, and hybrid cloud technologies.

“We aim to engage with as many people and enterprises as possible at the event, discuss the benefits that these innovations promise to provide, and explain the specifics behind how scaling computing resources, minimising costs, and generating revenue will become simultaneous realities. Global hyperscale cloud providers now have a strong presence across the regional landscape. Therefore, GITEX 2020 provides yet another opportunity for us at Red Hat to demonstrate the impact we can have across the broader technology community. The event is a gateway for us to continue being a catalyst in communities of customers, contributors, and partners, creating technology the open source way,” says Adrian Pickering, regional general manager, EMEA, Red Hat.

He says trade shows such as GITEX are invaluable due to the benefits it provides. “For instance, GITEX is the region’s largest consumer computer and electronics trade show, exhibition, and conference. As such, the event provides us with a unique platform to interact with new and existing clients, share ideas and perspectives with leading industry personnel, and engage with representatives from public and private sector enterprises. Moreover, it enables us to showcase the transformative power of our products and solutions, as well as reach out to a vast audience and demonstrate the possibilities and potential that accompany open source.”

KASPERSKY

At GITEX this year, Kaspersky will be showcasing its full suite of products and services that encompass what it calls the ‘Expert Framework’.

“Built to tailor to the technical expertise of every company, it starts with the Security Foundations, where our offering will block the maximum possible number of threats automatically. From there we move to Advanced Defence, focusing on advanced detection and a fast response to those complex threats missed by preventive protection. And finally, our Integrated Cybersecurity Approach, for clients that are ready for APT-level attacks, those with a high level of expertise, advanced threat intelligence capabilities and continuous threat hunting. And of course, our full suite of consumer protection product,” says Amir Kanaan, General Manager in the Middle East, Kaspersky

He says GITEX gives the company a platform to showcase it wide range of products as well as raise awareness about cybersecurity. “During this year at GITEX, we aim to shed some light on advanced targeted attacks that target businesses. We will use our time at the show to demonstrate to organisations how to regularly conduct security assessments of their IT infrastructure and implement patch management procedures.”

ENTRUST

At GITEX, Entrust will be revealing the results of its 2020 Middle East Encryption Trends Study that shows how leading organisations are applying their encryption strategies, with detailed insights into the use cases that are growing the fastest. The company will also demonstrate its recently launched Sigma DS4 printer, which enables banks and retailers to easily and instantly issue the most secure financial cards in the world.

“GITEX presents a prominent international platform that brings together leading global figures from the tech sector and beyond to discuss and exchange ideas. For us, it is an ideal opportunity for governments, companies, and individuals to get a closer look at international trends and explore best practices and success stories in the

sector,” says Kieran Harnon, Regional Vice President EMEA, Entrust.

At a time when digital transformation is squarely in the spotlight as means of enabling a more flexible workforce, an event like GITEX enables providers to showcase innovations and advancements that can help deliver the ‘new normal’ we are living through, he adds.

SOFTWARE AG

At the show, Software AG will focus on strategies and technologies to escalate digital transformation and outline enterprise-wide transformations.

For the first time, the company will showcase a hybrid opportunity to connect with stakeholders. Unique demonstrations and activities for visitors such as gaming zones will integrate the imperatives for an effective transformation journey. Additionally, deep-dive sessions through the launch of digital interaction stations and a digital clinic led by global experts at Software AG, will be held for in-depth discussions, demonstrations and technical learnings on industry solutions and Software AG platforms.

“As the world continues to reel from the impact of the pandemic, Dubai has once again exhibited resilience and continues to create tremendous opportunities for businesses to drive growth”, says Rami Kichli, Vice-President, Gulf and Levant at Software AG. “As the first in-person tech event of the year, our presence as a tech vendor is paramount to meet with business leaders, visionaries, government officials and the larger ecosystem with an influx of latest solutions success stories that bolster digitally empowered economies.”

LENOVO DCG

Lenovo DCG’s presence at GITEX 2020 will showcase a variety of innovations that will help organisations embark on and accelerate their digital transformation journeys.

“We will be displaying our ‘HPC/ AI-embedded platform’ solution that has an array of benefits for companies, such as enhancing social distancing

by automatically calculating distance between individuals and reporting on violations; ‘vision sentry’ that analyzes video streams transmitted by drones, ultimately identifying and counting people and vehicles; and finally, the ‘safe workplace’ that automatically checks whether protective equipment is worn. Moreover, we will showcase a drone that transmits the data stream to the ground via a digital radio channel,” says Dr. Chris Cooper, Director and General Manager, Lenovo Data Centre Group MEA.

He continues: “We will also reveal the breadth of purpose-built edge computing solutions that bring compute performance, security, and manageability right where the customers need it for real-time analytics and AI.”

ESET

ESET will showcase a series of recently launched products, which would include ESET Cloud Office Security, ESET Remote workforce offer, and ESET Targeted Attack Protection. Expressing his excitement, Demes Strouthos, General Manager, ESET Middle East said: “We’re looking forward to the show as it will be first live in-person event of that scale in the UAE. ESET has been part of Gitex for past several years and it has always provided us to be the perfect platform to showcase our solutions to the enterprises in the region that can benefit from the adoption of our products and solutions.” Strouthos further adds, “Innovation and ingenuity have been the hallmarks of our solutions and this year at Gitex we will be launching new products that offers unmatched performance and highest level of security to the users.” Apart from displaying solutions at the Gitex, ESET will also be running series of webinars and online engagements on other virtual platforms during the show to highlight new features and advantage of its new products and solutions. “We will also share our product roadmap for the year 2021 with our partners and customers, so that we can align with their business and cybersecurity strategies for the next year,” says Strouthos.