The Integrator by INTEGRATOR MEDIA

EDITORIAL

DIGITAL CULTURAL TRANSFORMATION T

he global digital transformation market is expected to grow at the rate of 17.42 percent

and reach a value of USD 2744.68 billion by 2026, researchers say. Even though there was substantial growth in the last few years, the pandemic fast-tracked digital transformation in the enterprise sector. However, there are shortfalls in achieving actual goals. Why does it happen? The answer is that it was

COVER FEATURE

not observed as a cultural transformation! The Integrator comes up with an issue on

digital transformation and it discusses several aspects of the topic. Not only engaging but also

Digital Cultural Transformation The cover story analyses several viewpoints on digital transformation and helps readers understand how it contributes to the growth of an organization.

thought-provoking descriptions encompass the edition – as a cover story, features, columns, and a handful of expert interviews join the narrative. Celebrating the winning streak, The Integrator is planning to host “Virtual Roundtable Sessions

NEWS IN DETAIL

2022” on the topic “SECURITY THREAT FOR BFSI SECTOR IN DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION ERA.”

The sessions will participate information security professionals (i.e., CIOs, CISOs, CSOs) of reputed banks in the Middle East and senior executives/ spokespersons from tech enterprises, and

Trend Micro Detected and Blocked Over 104 Million Threats: Cybersecurity Report

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS

security solution service providers to discuss all such matters of security concern in BFSIs.

We are thrilled to get you to participate in the sessions and listen to your views on the subject. Simply write to us, showing your interest, if you

Check Point Extends Architectural Assistance to Organizations Ram Narayanan, Country Manager - ME at Check Point Software explains the cloud transformation security consultancy that the company offers to organizations.

are bearing any of these roles or capacities. Thank you! Read and recommend - as always!

Murali Margassery Assistant Editor

MAY 2022

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Vivek Sharma Murali Margassery Faiz Ahmed Suneeta Dadwani

CEO Assistant Editor Graphic Designer Business Coordinator & Executive Assistant

Content 17

With Consultive Approach and Robust Solutions, Dynatrace Influences the MEA Market

INTERVIEW

22 17

Metaverse Will Create New Types of Interactions and Business Models

Meltwater Supports Digital Transformation Initiatives With Strategic Priorities

FEATURE

The Power of Digital Transformation in Enhancing Seamless Distribution Strategy

Managed SASE Services: Does One Size Fit All?

NEWS BYTES

MEC Transforms the Mobile Ecosystem for Service Providers

UAE Retail Business Grew in Revenue by 20%: Adyen Retail Report

Savoye Increases Global Footfall With 26% Growth; Breaks Record Turnover

EYE TECH

Key Components to Raising the Bar on Digital Acceleration

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Kodak Alaris Scanners Help Customers Maximize Their Digital Transformation

Published by: JNS Media International (OMA Group Company) OMA House, P.O. Box: 3314, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Tel: +971 6 573 0000 | website: www.VARonline.com Disclaimer: While the publishers have made every attempt possible to get accurate information on published content in this Magazine they cannot be held liable for any errors herein.

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MAY 2022

TECHNOLOGY

NEWS BYTES

MINDWARE AND R&M SIGN REGIONAL DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT

indware, has announced that it has been appointed as a ValueAdded Distributor (VAD) by Reichle & De-Massari (R&M) for the Gulf and Levant regions. As part of the agreement, Mindware will promote and distribute the vendor’s cabling systems for high-end data and communication networks. R&M is a top tier solution provider in the structured cabling industry and in data centre, LAN and telecom verticals. The company’s portfolio is based on wellestablished Swiss quality standards. Commenting on the partnership, Mr. Nicholas Argyrides, General Manager - Gulf at Mindware said, “R&M is a leading global cabling and connectivity solution provider and the company’s diversified and high-quality solutions perfectly complement Mindware’s portfolio. We are confident that Mindware’s

Nicholas Argyrides, GM - Gulf at Mindware and Nabil Khalil, Executive VP - META at R&M wide market coverage through our reseller network, well-established supply chain system, and longstanding experience in distribution strategies are key to supporting the growth strategy of R&M in the region.” “Serving the channel for more than three decades, Mindware today enjoys a top position in the

enterprise software and hardware distribution in the Middle East. We hope that this is the beginning of a long term, mutually beneficial partnership that will fuel the growth of R&M and Mindware in the region,” concluded Mr. Nabil Khalil, Executive Vice President, Middle East, Turkey and Africa at R&M.

PURE STORAGE AND SNOWFLAKE DELIVER INCREASED DATA ACCESSIBILITY

Rob Lee Chief Technology Officer, Pure Storage

MAY 2022

ure Storage and Snowflake announce partnership to develop a solution that increases data accessibility for global customers with on-premises data. Once available, Pure and Snowflake customers will be able to analyze multiple data sources stored on Pure Storage FlashBlade with the Snowflake Data Cloud, while keeping their data local. This will enable enterprises to work with data directly stored on FlashBlade object storage using Snowflake in the cloud — eliminating the need to create separate copies of data shared with other tools or workflows. “Our collaboration with Snowflake to increase data accessibility allows us to truly meet www.VARonline.com

customers where they are in their journey to the cloud, driving every organization to become a datadriven business to reach faster outcomes,” said Rob Lee, chief technology officer, Pure Storage. “Snowflake and Pure Storage’s partnership will allow organizations to gain more value from their on-premises data while leveraging Snowflake’s analytical and governance capabilities,” said Christian Kleinerman, Snowflake senior vice president of product. “Our joint solution will help organizations mobilize the world’s data by eliminating silos, further bringing data together to unlock more value and deeper insights for customers.”

TECHNOLOGY

NEWS BYTES

CLOUDFLARE TEAMS UP WITH OPEN SOURCE COMMUNITY TO CREATE NEW API STANDARDS

loudflare, a security company, has announced that it is collaborating with Deno and individual core contributors of the Node.js open source project, bringing together three of the largest JavaScript environments, to give developers flexibility and choice while creating the standards of the future of edge computing. The effort will aim to ensure code developed in one environment will work in another. Any developer will be able to write and run code conforming to the set of standards–and easily transfer it–between Cloudflare Workers, Deno, and Node.js seamlessly and without the need to rewrite an application. “Cloudflare Workers has helped to define the standard for edge computing. Since 2017, more than 450,000 developers have built on

Matthew Prince Co-Founder and CEO, Cloudflare

Cloudflare’s developer platform and more than three million applications have been launched,” said Matthew Prince, co-founder and CEO of Cloudflare. “But we know we're not going to be the only one. We think that standards are important to driving the industry forward. That's why we're proud to be working with these other organizations in the serverless computing space to help define the standard for edge—what we believe will be the standard by which the applications of the future are developed.” The Web-interoperable Runtimes Community Group is working with leading organizations including NearForm and Vercel to ensure that developers’ voices were heard in the creation of a new community group working within existing standards bodies.

NETAPP TEAMS WITH NVIDIA TO ACCELERATE HPC AND AI

etApp has announced that NetApp EF600 all-flash NVMe storage combined with the BeeGFS parallel file system is now certified for NVIDIA DGX SuperPOD. The new certification appears to simplify artificial intelligence (AI) and highperformance computing (HPC) infrastructure to enable faster implementation of these use cases. “The NetApp and NVIDIA alliance has delivered industryleading innovation for years, and this new qualification for NVIDIA DGX SuperPOD builds on that momentum,” said Walid Issa, Senior Manager, PreSales and Solutions Engineering - Middle East Region at NetApp. Charlie Boyle, Vice President of DGX systems at NVIDIA said, “our

collaboration with NetApp enables customers building their own AI Centers of Excellence to now choose NetApp storage for their NVIDIA DGX SuperPOD, as well as use the same leading platform available as hosted infrastructure through NVIDIA DGX Foundry.” NetApp’s portfolio of NVIDIAaccelerated solutions includes ONTAP AI to eliminate guesswork for faster adoption by using a fieldproven reference architecture as well as a preconfigured, integrated solution that is easy to procure and deploy in a turnkey manner. Jointly, these companies offer customized solutions for a variety of industries, including financial services, medicine, manufacturing, retail, higher education, and government. www.VARonline.com

Walid Issa Senior Manager, PreSales and Solutions Engineering – ME, Region, NetApp MAY 2022

TECHNOLOGY

NEWS BYTES

MILESTONE SYSTEMS ANNOUNCES RECORD REVENUE

Thomas Jensen CEO of Milestone Systems

ilestone Systems, a provider of data-driven video technology in and beyond security, says it has achieved recorded revenues of 1.1 billion DKK (570.1 million AED), an increase of 12 percent compared to the previous year. “2021 was a successful year for Milestone Systems. Our industryleading video management platform is in high demand, and our team delivered a world-class effort. This generated substantial revenue growth despite the continued Covid-restrictions and supply-chain shortages in several markets. Sales were also fueled by the continued expansion of our customer base, strong progress in the hospitality market as well as new industry developments in smart cities.

We look forward to continuing to develop our offerings in collaboration with our clients and partners,” says Thomas Jensen, CEO of Milestone Systems. Milestone Systems expects a continued positive outlook in 2022, but the current global developments may challenge precise predictions. In 2021, Milestone Systems expanded its executive leadership team with two key new hires to amplify marketing and human resources. In addition, the company signed on more than 100 new employees, surpassing 1,000 in total strength. In addition to the new hires, Milestone has invested in research and development and launched new, strategic initiatives.

BRAVADO ANNOUNCES ITS ENTRY INTO THE MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA GAMING INDUSTRY

ulti-gaming organization and lifestyle brand Bravado Gaming has announced its entry into the MEA gaming industry as part of its global expansion strategy aimed at consolidating its regional fanbase and exposing local gamers to its revamped gaming experience. The company said, it will set up bases in South Africa, Egypt, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia and will boast a variety of competitive gamers and divisions from across the region while simultaneously working on the lifestyle eco-systems of the Bravado brand. “With the support of Alienware, Intel, and Dell Gaming we will be taking this call-to-action beyond the borders of just South Africa, by

MAY 2022

officially expanding Bravado into selected countries within this region,” said Andreas Hadjipaschali, CEO and co-founder, Bravado Gaming. As part of its global expansion www.VARonline.com

exercise, Bravado Gaming has also revamped its overall gaming experience by acquiring technology and amenities for its regional operations and activities.

NEWS IN DETAIL

TREND MICRO

TREND MICRO DETECTED AND BLOCKED OVER 104 MILLION THREATS: CYBERSECURITY REPORT

Majd Sinan Country Manager, UAE, Trend Micro

rend Micro Inc, a provider of cybersecurity solutions, released its 2021 annual cybersecurity report: Navigating New Frontiers. The report highlights the growing rate of cyber-attacks by malicious actors on digital infrastructures and individuals in the modern-day hybrid work environment. The report states that globally Trend Micro solutions stopped over 94.2 billion threats in 2021,

MAY 2022

a 42% increase in the number of detections recorded in 2020. Attacks had surged over 53 billion in the second half of 2021, blocking 41 billion threats in H1 2021. An official release articulated that ransomware attackers are shifting their focus to critical businesses and industries more likely to pay, and double extortion tactics ensure that they can profit. Ransomware-as-a-service offerings have opened the market to cybercriminals with limited technical knowledge, as well as given rise to more specialization, such as initial access brokers who are now an essential part of the cybercrime supply chain. Threat actors are getting better at exploiting human error to compromise cloud infrastructure and remote workers. Homeworkers

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are often prone to take more risks than those in the office, which makes phishing a greater risk. In the UAE, Trend Micro solutions detected and blocked over 31.6 million (31,643,722) email threats, more than 5.4 million (5,495,564) malware attacks, and nearly 36 million (35,843,132) URL victims’ attacks. Furthermore, shielding remote learning and working, Smart Home Network (SHN) solutions protected devices and networks from over 15.7 million (15,792,681) SHN inbound and outbound attacks, and prevented over 5.4 million (5,456,869) SHN events. “While the UAE's enterprises appear to be on the recovery after successfully weathering recent crises such as the pandemic and other global events, cybercriminals have shown no signs of slowing down their sophisticated attacks,” said Majd Sinan, Country Manager, UAE for Trend Micro. “Moreover, the challenges of hybrid work, remote locations, and company-issued remote devices have led enterprises to reapproach their security strategies to protect newer vulnerabilities. The Trend Micro annual cybersecurity report provides both insights on the current threat landscape and serves as a guide for organizations to protect their digital ambitions with multilayered security solutions for a better tomorrow,” he added.

INTERVIEW

CHECK POINT

CHECK POINT EXTENDS ARCHITECTURAL ASSISTANCE TO ORGANIZATIONS Check Point is a multinational provider of software products for IT security, including network security, and cloud security. Ram Narayanan, Country Manager at Check Point Software Technologies - ME explains the cloud transformation security consultancy that the company offers to organizations. Speak about the partnership that Check Point Software can offer to enterprises in their digital transformation journey At Check Point Software we aim to extend architectural assistance to organizations to support their development of a proper strategy for this journey. Check Point Software understands that cloud transformation is a complex undertaking, and knows the value our customers place in our architectural workshops. Because of this, Check Point Software offers a Cloud Transformation Security Consultancy service designed specifically around cloud transformation. This service provides an efficient and thorough platform for transitioning corporate security programs to a digital future. Our advisors help customers understand the security design patterns of multiple cloud use cases (Public/Private IaaS, security of cloud, and through cloud, and many more). Discuss the role of cloud and its services in digital transformation Cloud adoption has grown rapidly in recent years. While many organizations were already moving to the cloud, the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated this transition. With the normalization of remote work, companies needed to be able to support and provide critical services to their off-site workforce. As a result, over 98% of organizations use some form of cloud-based infrastructure, and over threequarters (76%) have multi-cloud deployments composed of services from two or more cloud providers.

MAY 2022

These cloud environments host critical business applications and store sensitive company and customer data. • Some of the key benefits from moving to the cloud include: • Shifting business models from Capex to Opex, so that companies pay only for what they use, be it IaaS, PaaS or SaaS. • Scalability, where computing, network, and storage capacities can be increased • Agility, where developers can make continuous improvements • High availability, disaster recovery, and redundancy are improved by cloud vendors Elaborate on the opportunities of SMEs and large enterprises while choosing to transform digital applications and devices Digital transformation empowers organizations to expand business opportunities, increase profitability and efficiency, while reducing operational costs. However, digital transformation can also expose enterprises to a variety of vulnerabilities and challenges that if not properly addressed could result in financial loss, identity theft, and leakage of private and sensitive information. Tell us about the anti-phishing and ransomware strategies enforced by Check Point Software in favor of its customers Phishing is one of the most talked about cyber-attack, and for a good reason. It can come in many shapes and forms, as it is constantly www.VARonline.com

Ram Narayanan Country Manager at Check Point Software Technologies - ME

evolving and introducing new ways of tricking users using their biggest weakness – their human nature. Check Point Software’s anti-phishing solutions includes different products to address different attack vectors from which phishing attacks come: • Harmony Email & Office - It deploys between the inbox and its native security • Harmony Endpoint - ZeroPhishing identifies and blocks the use of phishing sites in real time • Harmony Mobile - Check Point Software’s Zero-Phishing technology for mobile devices. It allows organizations to combat zero-day phishing attacks by inspecting the web page itself and making an informed determination as to whether it is a phishing site or not Check Point Software’s AntiRansomware, a ransomware protection solution, protects organizations from the most sophisticated ransomware attacks, and safely recovers encrypted data, ensuring business continuity and productivity.

WITH CONSULTIVE APPROACH AND ROBUST SOLUTIONS, DYNATRACE INFLUENCES THE MEA MARKET Speak about Dynatrace and its unique qualities in the competitive market Security and observability can be considered to be the unique qualities of the Dynatrace platform and the solution brings together complete automation. With zero operation staff, we consistently serve over 3,500 customers, who subscribed to our platform. The heart of the platform is single to one agent no matter where you are installing – Windows or Linux platforms. The agent automatically installs zero-configuration then auto instruments everything from the operating system to the processes to the log files to the virtual Java virtualmachinesor.net virtual machines, then instruments the business services that users are interacting with. What is your approach in serving enterprises that step into the arena of digital transformation? Our approach is consultative, which helps us understand what an enterprise aims from digital transformation and opting for cloud-native solutions. Besides, we optimize our services based on their current stand and business requirements. With regards to the cloud, we realize the organizations (both SMEs and large enterprise customers) do not want to get stuck with one vendor, who offers cloud services. Rather than private cloud, SMEs and SMBs opt for hybrid cloud solutions. However, legacy customers tend to work closely with hyperscalers (AWS, Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure, etc.). For us, both cases work and we can serve customers based on their needs. Give some insights into the key factors which are influencing

Strong user experience matters above all as it directly connects to ROI, loss of business, and loss of reputation.

Dynatrace provides a software intelligence platform to automate cloud operations. With its headquarters located in Waltham, MA, US, it has its R&D labs based in various locations across the US, Europe, and Asia. The company has expanded its operations in the UAE, recently, and Stephen Pace, Chief Revenue Officer at Dynatrace speaks to The Integrator about their unique qualities and regional strategies.

enterprises to adopt cloud-native solutions or cloud services Customer experience is key to everything and that helps the companies get a competitive advantage. The cloud helps us to build applications faster. We were able to stand up a proof of concept because the Dynatrace product is excellent and the customer can see its value in their environment. Case: Just a few years ago, one of the largest airline customers faced issues with their frequent flyer app’s integration. We were able to find the root cause, fix it, and they never had a problem since then. Now they can leverage that frequent flyer web app into their cockpit-manage, maintenance applications, baggage applications, etc. www.VARonline.com

Speak about your prospects in the Middle East business with the presence of influential local and global players? We are doing well in the Middle East and Dynatrace works with partners in the region. Not only in the UAE but Saudi Arabia is also a huge market for technology solutions. We are affiliated to all hyperscalers and competent to give customers across all industries the best service in a cost-effective format. What do you suggest enterprises to choose, from public, private, and hybrid clouds? Whatever works for them is what they should go! Some customers with their private cloud want the resilience and the scalability of a public cloud. Others simply choose multicloud considering the purpose. However, there is no money advantage when they choose to go to the public cloud. How efficiently Dynatrace platform can guard customers’ data from cyber intrusions and threats? It is a natural extension for us to go into security with the amount of data we would collect from our product. If you look at the traditional way of securing applications, it has to build a wall around them - a firewall and an intrusion detection system. We have perfected the art of getting agents pervasively across large-scale hyperdynamic customer environments for monitoring. The technology to spot vulnerabilities, but the challenge is how do they get that technology into the apps and the infrastructure and dynamically do that, which is what we have perfected. MAY 2022

INTERVIEW

DYNATRACE

TECHNOLOGY

COVER STORY

DIGITAL CULTURAL

TRANSFORMATION The cover story analyses several viewpoints on digital transformation delegating the idea of sustainable transformation. With expert comments, the story helps readers understand how the process can contribute to the collective growth of an organization.

he goal of digital transformation is to achieve seamless business and simplify the workflow of enterprises. However, there are confirmed reports of organizations’ failure in digital transmission. Boston Consulting Group conducted a story and found that 70 percent of digital transformation projects fall short of their goals - even after the leadership of respective companies is aligned to the process. How does that happen? In simple words, the organizations are neither prepared to transform themselves nor their resources are united to the task!

NOT ONLY DIGITALLY BUT ALSO CULTURALLY YOU CAN TRANSFORM Perhaps, digital transformation is inevitable as the competitive nature of the market would push every organization to partly or entirely digitize its business operations. Plus, business growth in the digital economy can depend on the successful adaptation of the latest technologies, i.e., cloud, automation, AI, hybrid work, e-payments, online customer engagements, etc. While observing, a myriad of information technology (IT) solution providers is recently flocked into the industry – a pandemic phenomenon – to take virtue out of the digital transformation ambitions of businesses. Some are advocating the essentialness of transforming businesses, digitally, to mitigate any crisis in the occurrence of a pandemiclike situation. Getting digitally transformed is a sustainable choice that enterprises, of all sizes, should subscribe to if they wish to chase the newest growth standards. However, it should be done only after defining digitalization goals clearly. If the goals are not perceivable to any of the department - that handles resources, data, implementation, employees, end-user experience, and, most importantly, coordination - the results could not just be unsatisfactory but also irretrievably disastrous. Thus, digital transformation should be introduced and enforced as a new culture in the organization.

UNCERTAINTIES TO OPPORTUNITIES Despite acquiring momentum – at least a decade ago, the idea of a full-fledged digital transformation had not achieved major space in tech discourses. But today, it is a hot topic that invites huge participation of tech experts, researchers, academics, and students – even critics. It is not a surprise, most often we hear the word resilience tags along with digital transformation and it has a rationale. When the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic struck the world order, the affected parties, including individuals, corporates, and governments, had to look for feasible options to overcome the crisis. Finally, decision-makers of private and state entities concluded that the intensification and reorientation of technology in all possible sectors could help resolve most of the issues. Crawford Del Prete, global president at International Data Corporation (IDC), appears to have objectively analyzed the pandemic situation and commented, "the COVID-19

MAY 2022

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TECHNOLOGY

COVER STORY pandemic has thrust us into a digital-first world, where new digital habits are reshaping consumer behavior." Further continued, “at the same time, enduser organizations are taking a digital-first approach to products, services, customer and employee experiences, and operations.”

RELENTLESS AND CAUTIOUS JOURNEY FOR FUTURE GROWTH AND BENEFIT Ram Narayanan, Country Manager at Check Point Software Technologies – ME, observes, “digital transformation empowers organizations to expand business opportunities, and increase profitability and efficiency while reducing operational costs.” Most new-era enterprises are excited about the business opportunities and revenue generation prospects encompass upon adopting the latest technologies or classy solutions available in the market. At the same time, not all of them can identify the deficits of these technologies – until they detect severe vulnerabilities in their system. The frenzy of digital transformation is somehow perceived as an urgency by many organizations - especially small and medium enterprises (SMEs/ SMBs). When economies started to open up, the business-continuity narrators barged into the doors of enterprises with unusual cacophony and advised them to opt for next-level, pandemic-ready systems. Even though there is a sustainable need for pandemic-ready IT systems, the confusion that has created compelled businesses to choose anything bordering the philosophy of digital transformation. Consequently, even before businesses fully understand the significance of threat intelligence and (or) the legal mandate of data sovereignty and privacy, compliances, and cyber laws, the jeopardy would have taken place in the systems. Ram Narayanan precisely articulates it, “digital transformation can also expose enterprises to a variety of vulnerabilities and challenges that if not properly addressed could result in financial loss, identity theft, and leakage of private and sensitive information.” Read the entire interview on PAGE 12.

CLOUD SHOWS THE WAY If institutions choose to embrace the idea of digital transformation, they could ideally begin with moving data to the cloud, investing in cloud-based infrastructure, and installing cloud-native solutions. Uday Shankar Kizhepat, VP and GM – MEA, WSO2 rightly points out, “the cloud has rapidly become an enabler in today’s digital transformation initiatives and plays a crucial role in an organization’s ability to build and implement scalable solutions faster than ever before.” Read the full interview on PAGE 16 Besides getting low-cost infrastructure and zero maintenance burden compared with on-premises data centers- the cloud is limitless as it allows the enterprises to: • react to the fluctuations in demand • scale up or down depending on their needs. • save cost significantly

MIDDLE EAST’S BILLION DOLLAR VISION IDC forecasts that the digital transformation spending in the Middle East will accelerate at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.6% over the five years, topping $58 billion in 2025. The Middle East regions are known for their futuristic approach toward infrastructure and reliance on technology. Evaluating the standards while recovering from the pandemic hit, the region appears to be reshaping the technological paradigm. 5G networks, AI, IoT, future classrooms, and smart cities are clear examples of the growing phenomenon. www.VARonline.com

MAY 2022

FEATURE

WSO2

WITH EXCEPTIONAL SAAS EXPERIENCE, WSO2 HELPS ENTERPRISES SECURELY MOVE TO THE CLOUD WSO2 is an open-source technology solution provider for organizations that are looking to build digital experiences for their customers, employees, and partners. Uday Shankar Kizhepat, VP and GM – MEA, WSO2 speaks about the company’s portfolio of integration, API management, and customer identity and access management (CIAM) solutions. Speak about the solution that WSO2 offer to customers in their digital transformation journey? Organizations that partner with WSO2 know that they are getting more than just our industryleading products in the areas of integration, API management, and CIAM. They choose us for our deep domain expertise, our ability to understand their business’ pain points, and our innovative solutions and best-in-class support. We have also developed a framework for addressing the people, processes, and technology that need to be aligned for digital transformation, which has added significant value to our customers’ business. Discuss the role of the cloud and its services in digital transformation The cloud has rapidly become an enabler in today’s digital transformation initiatives and plays a crucial role in an organization’s ability to build and implement scalable solutions faster than ever before. Unlike running your own data center, when you leverage the cloud, you get access to all the required infrastructure without the cost and maintenance burden that comes with on, premises data centers—you only pay for what you use. Better still, the cloud is limitless; as your business grows, or with fluctuations in demand, you can scale up or down depending on your needs. So, not only can businesses see significant cost savings, but they also can more quickly react and adapt to changing requirements. How do you distinguish between WSO2 and its competitors in

MAY 2022

public cloud, in a private cloud, or a hybrid setup.

Uday Shankar Kizhepat VP and GM – MEA, WSO2

offering advanced solutions? There are many ways to distinguish WSO2 from our competitors, but I will highlight the two key differentiators:  WSO2 is the only technology company that provides a comprehensive platform solution offering API management, integration, and identity and access management capabilities  The second differentiator is at the heart of what WSO2 is all about: open source. WSO2’s open source portfolio offers the solution to these requirements, giving information technology teams the ability to utilize our open-source products and deploy them on-premises, in a www.VARonline.com

Elaborate on the opportunities of SMEs and large enterprises while choosing to transform digital applications and devices SMEs and large enterprises that want to keep pace with changing consumer trends need to embrace the digital evolution that was accelerated by the pandemic. From the web to mobile apps, the Internet of Things, and the newly emerging metaverse, acknowledging how intertwined our lives have become with the digital world and adapting your business model and operations to those requirements is the first step. Now there’s a new generation of SaaS offerings for application development that hide the complexity of cloud infrastructure and automate many previously manual functions. These SaaS offerings are leveling the playing field for enterprises of all sizes. Tell us about the cloud strategies enforced by WSO2 in favor of its customers WSO2 works closely with our customers to help rapidly and securely move on-premises APIs, integrations, and identities to the cloud and provide a SaaS experience. Depending on the organization's requirements, we can also provide a hybrid of onpremises, private cloud, or full SaaS deployment options. Doing so offers enhanced agility, reduces the total cost of ownership, provides automated updates, and facilitates rapid innovation.

INTERVIEW

GARTNER

METAVERSE WILL CREATE NEW TYPES OF INTERACTIONS AND BUSINESS MODELS Gartner is a technological research and consulting firm based in Stamford, US. Anushree Verma, Director Analyst, Gartner articulates how Metaverse can directly impact multiple industries including retail, manufacturing, education, and banking.

What sorts of impacts Metaverse technologies could create in the business world? The metaverse will evolve across three overlapping phases: emerging, advanced, and mature. Each of these phases will be defined by distinctive influences across technology, market, and product or service characteristics. Gartner defines the metaverse as “a collective virtual shared space, created by the convergence of virtually enhanced physical and digital reality. The metaverse is persistent; providing enhanced immersive experiences.” Metaverse will displace many device-dependent interactions while creating new types of interactions and business models across multiple applications. Metaverse will also have a direct impact on multiple industries such as communications and media, retail, electronics, semiconductors, manufacturing, engineering, education, and banking. It will also have a direct impact on product and service marketing, branding, and sales roles in the organization, as the metaverse is the next frontier for online interaction. Mature metaverse solutions will enable new markets and

economic models. The initial business models we expect to see as the metaverse evolves will be analogous to current ideas (e.g., “do what you know”). Examples include building businesses around artificial scarcity with virtual possessions, nonfungible tokens (NFTs), and virtual real estate. Despite this, the new features and functionalities enabled by the metaverse will require and inspire new ways to not only compete and monetize virtual products and services but also acquire physical (real-world) goods. Adding elements such as persistence, collaboration and interoperability will enable new efficiencies to share digitally anchored information across organizations and individuals and open a degree of procedural transparency. For example, using AR for the frontline workforce. What merits the business leaders can foresee towards the adoption of Metaverse? Business leaders need to augment their digital transformation strategy by exploring virtual world product development, brand placement, customer engagement, and financial flows. Business leaders understand that this is the tip of a www.VARonline.com

Anushree Verma Director Analyst, Gartner

very big monetization iceberg. As programmable digital technology drives fundamental shifts in the way economic activity is conducted and the type of monies used, the involvement of machines to facilitate, augment and transform consumption will grow. Gartner predicts the phased evolution of Metaverse until 2030. How do you think enterprises or businesses, that aspire to adopt Metaverse, leaders deal with these stages? The way to deal with each stage is going to differ. For example, in the emerging stage, they would focus on high-value use cases such as gaming, wayfinding, AR VR experiences etc. For the next stage, we do have consortia to work with standards and form protocol groups since no single organization will build the Metaverse. Enabling persistent, collaborative, decentralized, and interoperable content is also expected to transform current business models. Mature solutions will be an iterative process and create innovative solutions based on a diverse set of trends and technologies (such as spatial computing, AR and VR experiences, AI, blockchain, and IoT). MAY 2022

INTERVIEW

OUTSYSTEMS

OUTSYSTEMS’ LOW-CODE PLATFORM ENSURES SCALABILITY AND RELIABILITY OutSystems is a low-code platform which provides tools for companies to develop, deploy, and manage omnichannel enterprise applications. Rodrigo Castelo, VP – MEA at OutSystems talks about the low-code platfom the company offers to enterprieses. Speak about the partnership that OutSystems offers to enterprises in their digital transformation journey OutSystems’ mission is to give every organization the power to innovate through software. We offer our customers and enterprises a high-performance low-code platform that helps them develop the software they need and will have complete control over. Whether our customers need to build operational systems for departments, core digital systems for enterprises, or digital and mobile experiences that serve millions of users, we have the solution. Our offer will ensure that the enterprise applications are scalable, reliable, available, and perform as expected with a platform designed to utilize native cloud architecture. Our focus lies in helping clients achieve their transformation goals; for example, we helped Al Salam Bank in Bahrain quickly develop a mobile app where they could offer their customers a financial lifeline during COVID-19.

Rodrigo Castelo VP – MEA at OutSystems

Discuss the role of the cloud and its services in digital transformation Businesses are undergoing digital transformation to deliver better, richer, and faster customer experiences to accelerate growth and reduce costs. Cloud and cloudnative applications address the dual goals of speed of innovation and reliability. They can be quickly developed with OutSystems, deployed and rapidly evolved and scaled across cloud environments.

OutSystems and its competitors as an enterprise software solution provider? OutSystems provides clients with a platform to develop customized software made to fit their specific needs and wishes, be it internal workflows, core systems or client experiences. Meanwhile, many of our competitors only offer readymade, off-the-shelf software, or a subset of the capabilities and use cases. Using low-code rapid development and change customized solutions allows the enterprise to create tailored software fast, that will fit the organization and its customer’s needs more than an off-the-shelf solution could ever do or faster than with high code.

How do you distinguish between

Elaborate on the opportunities of

MAY 2022

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SMEs and large enterprises while choosing to transform digital applications and devices With digitalization speeding up faster than ever before, applications are expected to be built in the shortest time possible. Especially for larger enterprises, the pressure to provide state of the art digital solutions for their customer is high and increasing ever so. However, where the larger enterprises go, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) must follow in order to be competitive. Much of the market is struggling with the speed of digital transformation. And for many SMEs, the cost of investing in digital, sustainable solutions are often very high. Therefore, low-code is a good solution since it simplifies the process while keeping the costs down. What are the anti-cyberattack strategies enforced by OutSystems in favour of its customers All our web and mobile applications are protected by default by OWASP. When using the OutSystems Cloud to build and run your applications, you can rely on state-of-the-art security encompassing, including compliances with SOC 2 Type 2, PCI and HIPAA, to name a few. To ensure that our solutions and products keep up with the security, we have implemented a few steps, such as each platform automatically updates and upgrades. Also, pre-built components simplify securityrelated tasks such as encrypting data at REST or integrating with Identity Management systems.

INTERVIEW

JEDOX

JEDOX SUPPORTS ORGANIZATIONS WITH ITS EPM PLATFORM Jedox is an enterprise performance management (EPM) software to accelerate planning, forecasting, and reporting through automation and predictive analytics. Andreas Simon, Regional Director MEA at Jedox speaks to The Integrator on its significance in digital transformation. Speak about the partnership that Jedox can offer to enterprises in their digital transformation journey. Jedox supports the digital transformation journey of organizations with our enterprise performance management (EPM) platform that drives increased efficiency and productivity by enabling the automation of manual, repetitive business processes. It also strengthens collaboration by first unifying and then extending planning across the organisation. With Jedox, you can easily shift to Extended Planning & Analysis (xP&A) wherein every department can create continuous, company-wide plans that are more comprehensive, more agile, and more accurate. This means organisations can successfully transform their business and achieve a culture of decisiveness and confidence in planning so that you outperform expectations. Discuss the role of cloud and its services in digital transformation The cloud has radically evolved the digital landscape in the region and accelerated the digital transformation journey for many organisations. At Jedox, we recognise the value that the cloud offers and believe in providing our customers with unmatched data integration and adaptability – no matter what their preferred deployment model is. Our annual customer satisfaction survey found that Jedox as a managed solution provides the very best customer experience. With our managed services, our customers benefit from the comprehensive

security patches to ensure business continuity. Moreover, as Jedox Cloud is hosted in the data centres of our cloud partner, Microsoft Azure, our customers are assured the use of industry-leading security technologies and standards that protect their data and give them full control.

Andreas Simon Regional Director MEA, Jedox

expertise of the experienced Jedox Cloud Operations team which takes the burden off their IT departments. This is available for Jedox as a managed solution running either in the Jedox Cloud, or in a customerowned infrastructure. How do you differentiate Jedox from its competitors in offering cyber protection within its solution range? With Jedox X, we provide our customers access to our latest product innovations as well as simpler version upgrades, and superior performance and scalability. As a result of uniquely enabling our customers to leverage Jedox as a managed service, we provide world-class security in the Jedox Cloud as our experts take care of continuous monitoring, fail-over protection, and automated www.VARonline.com

Elaborate on the opportunities of SMEs and large enterprises while choosing to transform digital applications and devices. Ongoing globalisation and the resulting increase in competition heightens the need for business strategies to be frequently adapted. Today, even the very largest organisations risk their market share being eroded by more agile players that are capable of rapidly evolving with fast-changing markets. Leveraging automation supports greater agility. So, where planning and forecasting were previously characterised by laborious, errorprone manual processes; recent advancements in automation and AI and ML are driving what we refer to as the digital enterprise. The key to impacting value creation in the company is being able to simplify business complexities so that you get better insights and drive better decisions. Extended Planning & Analysis (xP&A), AI, continuous real-time planning, granular operational models & solutions, driver-based simulations, scenario planning, Predictive Forecasting & Machine Learning are key innovation areas that offer businesses the opportunity to gain this valuable insight. MAY 2022

NEWS BYTES

ADYEN

UAE RETAIL BUSINESS GREW IN REVENUE BY 20%: ADYEN REPORT

ccording to a retail research report released by Adyen, a fintech platform, UAE retailers expect to grow by 20% or more in 2022 and with so many planning to invest further, that number could be even higher. 73% of UAE businesses grew in revenue by 20% or more, last year, across the retail, food and beverage, and hospitality sectors, which is more than the 67% growth witnessed at a global scale, the report claimed. Adyen commissioned Opinium LLP to poll 1000 consumers and Censuswide to poll 200 businesses in the UAE, and economic modelling by the Centre for Economic Business Research (Cebr). Sander Maertens, Head of Middle East for Adyen, said, “despite challenges as a result of the global pandemic, our research shows that UAE retailers have performed remarkably well compared to their global counterparts. Digital transformation and streamlined operations via improvements in online, in-app and in-store payments channels, along with supply chain and inventory management improvements, resulted in enhanced business performance, which drove up sales by 54%.” Adyen’s research shows that technology will play a significant role in helping merchants reach and exceed their growth expectations. When businesses incorporate technology across their functions, linking operations with payments and customer experience, the proportion of UAE businesses expecting to grow by 20% or more increases to 84%.

MAY 2022

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FLAT6LABS CONDUCTS BOOTCAMP TO SELECT, INVEST, AND ACCELERATE START-UPS

lat6Labs, a venture capital firm, commenced its 4-day Bootcamp for 20 of the most innovative entrants. Over the course of the week, these start-ups will receive training, based on the ‘Lean Start-up’ approach. Following which, they will vie for just 10 spots in the third cycle of the Flat6Labs flagship seed programme in Abu Dhabi. Flat6Labs claims to have successfully nurtured 18 start-ups, that have cumulatively received over AED18 million in funding, in the previous two cycles of Flat6Labs Ignite — a specialised AED120 million seed program run in partnership with DisruptAD, ADQ's venture capital platform, to support up to 60 start-ups in

NEWS BYTES

SAVOYE

SAVOYE INCREASES GLOBAL FOOTFALL WITH 26% GROWTH

Abu Dhabi over three years. “Flat6Labs in partnership with ADQ is here to support this thriving start-up ecosystem and the resounding success we have had over the first two cycles — which have seen companies like RemotePass and Dharma rapidly grow to become dominant players in their respective industries — is testament to the effectiveness of our program,” said Ryaan Sharif, General Manager at Flat6Labs UAE. The mentorship offered to the start-ups over the course of the Bootcamp includes insight on creation of the minimum viable product/service, customer discovery, marketing, go-to-market strategy development, and financial modelling. In conclusion of this training, each start-up will have the opportunity to present its pitch to a Selection Committee comprised of Flat6Labs Management, ADQ’s representatives, veteran venture capitalists and top executives from the region’s leading enterprises.

Alain Kaddoum MD, Savoye ME

avoye, a warehouse automation integrator and software publisher, has recorded a turnover of 796 million AED in 2021, with 833 million AED orders and a 26 percent growth compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, in line with its commitment to foster the supply and logistics sector in the region, Savoye is participating in the Seamless Middle East event on the 31st of May and the 1st of June – the company showcases its e-commerce and retail solutions. Alain Kaddoum, Managing Director, Savoye ME said, “our achievements despite market uncertainty have proven that we were able to support our customers in the Middle East and throughout the world with efficiency and high-quality performance.” The logistics solution provider will display its new HAIPICK Robotic Solution and ODATiO WMS software, a solution for retail and e-commerce sectors, at Seamless. Savoye is an expert in the design and integration of automated and robotic intralogistics systems. The company specializes in manual, semi-mechanized, automated, and robotized solutions and software for the supply chain and logistics industry. www.VARonline.com

MAY 2022

INTERVIEW

MELTWATER

MELTWATER SUPPORTS DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION INITIATIVES WITH STRATEGIC PRIORITIES Meltwater is a software as a service solution (SaaS) and an online media monitoring company. Laila Mousa, Strategy and Business Development Director for the Middle East and India at Meltwater speaks about the company’s enterprise-specific digital transformation initiatives based on strategic priorities. transformation initiatives centered around the strategic priorities: optimizing customer experience, automating reporting, consolidating systems and reducing silos, unifying data, optimizing internal communications, and, finally, improving decision-making. What tools do you offer to organizations to evaluate and reorient their active marketing campaigns? We offer “Meltwater Explore,” the monitoring, listening, and reporting platform, which is used by 30,000 marketing professionals worldwide. Meltwater Explore is an AI-powered tool that can let you easily monitor, analyze, and report on campaign performance.

Laila Mousa Strategy and Business Development Director for the ME & India, Meltwater

Describe how Meltwater can become a trusted partner of an enterprise for strategic online marketing? According to a McKinsey report, companies that sustain a comprehensive focus on the customer can generate economic gains ranging from 20 to 50 percent of the cost base.” Enterprises that focus on digitizing and personalizing consumer experiences, by modernizing customer touchpoints and customer-facing strategies, benefit from increased brand relevance and positive customer sentiment. While there is no one-size-fits-all approach to the needs of enterprises, Meltwater can support

MAY 2022

Elaborate on how AI-powered insights can effectively contribute to a business? Meltwater acquired “Linkfluence,” a consumer insights platform, to structure data intelligently. It pays close attention to the context and specific nuances of our customers’ markets, which means we can go beyond basic social listening and help them find high-value consumer insights. Give some insights into your localized approaches and targeted industry verticals Meltwater is a global listed company; however, we highly believe in the glocalization strategy. Currently, we are spread across 55 offices and growing by hiring local talent with a strong understanding of the local market needs and how to support our clients using our state-ofthe-art AI-powered technology. Importantly, we have leveraged the power of data to create a more customer-centric strategy with targetedindustry focus. This helped in positioning Meltwater not only as a SaaS solution provider in the region but also as a strong partner in the digital transformation journey of all our clients from SMEs to multinational conglomerates.

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FEATURE

ARUBA

MANAGED SASE SERVICES: DOES ONE SIZE FIT ALL? Written By: Jacob Chacko, Regional Director at Aruba, an HP Enterprise

hen we go shopping for new clothes, we often select different brands of shoes, shirts, or trousers. We rarely select a single brand for every clothing item simply because we want the best brand quality for each of those three categories. Similarly, when it comes to technology, why would we not want the best choice for networking and security technology platforms when it comes to SASE? Does one size fit all? SASE is the term Gartner coined to describe the Secure Access Service Edge framework that has emerged to define the convergence of WAN and network security functions into a single, cloud-delivered model that will support enterprise digital transformation initiatives.

THE PROMISE OF SASE For most enterprises, software-defined wide-area networks (SD-WAN) have emerged as the technology of choice to evolve existing legacy WANs to a network connectivity architecture that is focused on supporting a cloud-first environment – where the majority of business applications are hosted in the cloud rather than the data center. Advanced SD-WAN solutions can reduce networking complexity, improve application performance, and enable more efficient connectivity between users and applications residing in the cloud. Depending on the solution, they can also be deployed by organizations either as DIY (do it yourself) or as part of a managed SD-WAN service from a managed service provider. The promise of SASE for service providers is to make it easier to deliver a converged or bundled managed networking and security service. But service providers will likely need to revamp their existing siloed (separate security and separate networking) organizational structures to be able to deliver integrated managed networking and security services to enterprise customers, which is really what SASE is all about. By adopting a SASE architecture on top of their existing transport services, service providers strive to create a managed networking and security practice that can support their customers’ requirements. This enables service providers to accelerate time-to-market with new differentiated services. By owning the transport and providing the connectivity to the SASE framework,

Jacob Chacko Regional Director at Aruba, an HP Enterprise

service providers add value to the end-to-end service. Ultimately, the goal of SASE is to deliver a better enduser quality of experience and security for cloud-hosted applications.

A SPLIT APPROACH TO DEPLOYMENTS Because SASE deployments are in the early stage of the adoption lifecycle, the market will likely see a clear split in approaches. For example, small and medium-sized enterprises are more likely to be attracted to the all-inone managed SASE offerings, where simplicity and “onestop shopping” take priority over advanced capabilities. On the other hand, large regional or global enterprises will remain unwilling to compromise on security, reliability, or the quality of user experience. They will adopt a dual-vendor approach, pairing a best of breed SD-WAN technology supporting multi-cloud onramp access and advanced WAN-facing capabilities.

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MAY 2022

FEATURE

HFTP

IMPORTANCE OF TECHNOLOGY WITHIN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY Written by: Frank Wolfe, CEO, HFTP - Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals

hile technology has played an important role in the hospitality and tourism industry over the last decade, the world witnessed its accelerated growth over the past two years brought on by the effects of COVID-19 making it the primary disruptive force, globally. The pandemic exposed weaknesses in the architecture of many business operations; and the hospitality industry is not an exception. The new era has enforced the need to digitize and virtualize, which is critical for the progress of every business. As technology advances at a rapid pace, it is critical for organisations to keep track of the latest developments, especially in the dynamic and highly competitive hospitality industry.

Frank Wolfe CEO, HFTP

TECHNOLOGY IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY Success in hospitality is inevitably linked to cost-profit optimization and with technology now playing a key role, it acts as a one-time investment as opposed to a regular outflow of cash. Additionally, handling various processes manually not only results in an unseen number of hours wasted, that could be handled productively, but is also prone to human error. Automation can ensure a streamlined working process from managing reservations and housekeeping to updating inventory, as well as maintaining multiple POS outlets and handling accounting or billing process, saving significant number of man-hours.

technology has most certainly become a game changer in the industry. It is the next-generation, short-range, high frequency wireless communication technology that is based on identification by RFID (radio-frequency identification) that gives users the ability to exchange data between devices. Robots in Hotels: In the hospitality industry, we have already witnessed a few outlets introducing robotics to carry out tasks traditionally performed by humans, including welcoming guests, taking order, cleaning and providing them with important customer information.

KEY TECHNOLOGIES

GAIN A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE IN THE HOTEL INDUSTRY

AI Chatbots: Artificial intelligence (AI) has made a significant mark across all industries and verticals in the recent years with Gartner having predicted that by 2022, organizations will have an average of 35 AI projects in place — a major increase from an average of just four as of 2019. AI-powered Chatbots allow businesses to simulate the behavior of humans within a conversational environment and help guests with making reservations, getting recommendations, addressing grievances, and much more, which in turn establishes customer loyalty. NFC technology: Near field communication (NFC)

While some hoteliers fear that the quality of customer service and guest experience may be impacted by the frequency with which new hospitality technology hits the market, it can surely be said that customers have grown accustomed to utilizing said technology and only have higher expectations now on how one should conduct their business. In conclusion, technology is here to stay and as such, hotel managers need to be updated on all the latest technologies in order to give them an edge and outpace the competition.

MAY 2022

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FEATURE

HYKE

THE POWER OF DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION IN ENHANCING SEAMLESS DISTRIBUTION Written by Bassem Mohsen Ali, Country Trade Marketing Manager, Hyke

usinesses are now looking for ways to leverage this shift to digital processes and enhancement of their operations. One area that has seen a significant change is distribution. Digital transformation has revolutionized the distribution landscape by making it possible for end-to-end distribution management platforms to standardize the ways of working for suppliers and distributors. Digital distribution platforms provide a seamless framework powered by technology, infrastructure, and market reach that helps companies track the performance of their business with unprecedented distribution intelligence and actionable insights. This not only helps improve productivity and optimize workflows but also allows for more accurate decision-making that leads to better overall results. In today's competitive landscape, those who can harness the power of this innovative transformation will have a significant advantage in achieving success. Digital technologies are enabling businesses to establish new distribution channels online that are faster, more profitable, and more responsive to customer needs. Digital distribution platforms provide companies with copious advantages. They allow businesses to manage their inventory significantly better, reducing the chances of stock-outs and ensuring that products are delivered on time. Digital distribution platforms give

Bassem Mohsen Ali Country Trade Marketing Manager, Hyke

businesses visibility into their inventory levels, so they can make informed decisions about when to order new products and how much stock to keep on hand. This visibility also allows businesses to track their product sales in real-time, so they can adjust their inventory levels accordingly. Moreover, companies can make intelligent use of digital distribution tools to forecast demand and optimize production accordingly. In addition, these distribution channels can be used to connect businesses directly with their suppliers, making the supply chain more efficient. As a result, digital transformation makes it easier for companies to get their products and services to market quickly. www.VARonline.com

Companies now can use digital platforms like Hyke to sell directly to customers, bypassing traditional brick-and-mortar retail outlets entirely. Another advantage of digital distribution platforms is that they enable businesses to automate their ordering processes. This means that companies can place orders for new products and services automatically without manually inputting the information into the system. This can save significant time and resources, which can be used elsewhere in the business. Another key benefit of digital distribution platforms is their ability to help businesses set priorities and align teams properly. For example, with Hyke, businesses can assign specific retailers to their field force to drive sales, engagement, and overall customer success. This assignment can be easily tracked thanks to the single-view of retailers’ orders that can be grouped by brand, category, and products. In addition, businesses can monitor the performance of individual members of their field force to ensure they are meeting expectations. Digital distribution platforms provide businesses with a direct channel to reach their customers so that they can promote their products and services more effectively. Moreover, they provide a real-time view of credit availability, utilization, and overdue payments, which can help optimize cash flow and manage credit considerably better. MAY 2022

INTERVIEW

FRESHWORKS

FRESHWORKS’ DEMOCRATIC DESIGN PRINCIPLES HELP ENTERPRISES YIELD STABLE RESULTS Freshworks, an Indian software company, creates cloud-based solutions for businesses. Manish Mishra, Head - MEA, Freshworks, interacts with The Integrator on the company’s mission to create easy digitalization opportunity for enterprises.

What role does Freshworks play in their digital transformation journey of enterprises While in the aftermath of the pandemic, organizations have understood the need for an accelerated pace of digital transformation to optimize their digital-first engagement with employees and customers, many have been left wondering where to start. IT and business leaders cannot simply execute on a couple key initiatives and then rest on their laurels. A successful digital transformation journey is one of continuous evaluation of the company. Digital technologies are only useful when they have been wholeheartedly embraced by the intended user base. This is where Freshworks’ democratic design principles yield results. Our software is designed from the bottom up to be easy to pick up and learn by the front-line user in sales, support, marketing, or IT. At Freshworks, we strive to put more power into the hands of end-users through intuitive interfaces, easy integrations, and straightforward workflows.

to make sure it works seamlessly for everyone. Unlike traditional enterprise software companies that design for the Fortune 500 executive suite, we design for the millions of organizations that need business software to work out-of-the-box, empowering end-users to be productive in no time with beautiful software they will love.

Discuss the role of cloud and its services in digital transformation Cloud is key to digital transformation. It provides the platform for enterprises to digitalize operations with far less risk, predictable operational costs, and a dramatically flattened technical curve. For this reason, Freshworks has ensured that our software is purpose built for the cloud and also for our end users, making it easy to set up and run. And we work very hard

How do you distinguish between Freshworks and its competitors in offering cyber protection within its solution range? We believe our out-of-box security features, alignment to global industry standards, and security best practices, are competitive differentiators. We have a robust product and software security process, incorporating security in every stage of the product life cycle to optimize our ability to thwart

MAY 2022

the ongoing digital threats. The continuous testing and monitoring approach also accelerates our timeto-market and improves the quality of the solution we offer, which has enabled us to earn and maintain the trust of more than 58,000 customers across the globe.

Manish Mishra Head - MEA, Freshworks

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Elaborate on the opportunities of SMEs and large enterprises while choosing to transform digital applications and devices With the democratization of digitization, today, both SMEs and large enterprises have the ability to leverage the latest technologies to advance their IT transformation agendas as they look to drive business outcomes. We are already starting to see businesses deploy AI and IoT infrastructure without owning a single server or proprietary piece of cognitive code. Modern nocode interfaces will become more popular as a lack of programming knowledge will cease to become a barrier to offering world-class customer and employee experiences through cloud technology. We also believe organizations stand to benefit tremendously from deploying chatbots. Regional businesses are having to re-evaluate the employee experience because now that talent has become a global market – thanks to the success of remote work – employees can be a lot more discerning when selecting an employer. And of course, all this is underpinned by the steady march towards cloud as with greater adoption of SaaS and PaaS, more organizations have the ability to adopt such cuttingedge innovations.

FEATURE

A10 NETWORK

MEC TRANSFORMS THE MOBILE ECOSYSTEM FOR SERVICE PROVIDERS Written By: Amr Alashaal, Regional Vice President - Middle East at A10 Networks

ulti-access edge computing (MEC) is transforming the mobile ecosystem. By moving mobile network traffic processing functions from a centralized location to multiple distribution points at the network edge. An MEC architecture allows much lower latency by greatly expanding the types of applications and services that can be delivered. With 5G, MEC extends digital reach while creating new revenue opportunities for both enterprises and service providers— and it helps businesses stay competitive in the new “digital-first” economy. For mobile operators, MEC offers a way to address key priorities in the deployment of 5G networks and the transformation of existing 4G/3G networks, including meeting the heightened expectations of subscribers for a seamless experience with new devices and new applications. Also providing added value to enterprises by providing new applications and services and participating in a new ecosystem and competing or partnering with large cloud providers such as AWS and Microsoft Azure for the same enterprise revenue. But multi-access edge computing requires pulling apart and redistributing critical functions to operate in a centralized core network. This poses practical deployment challenges around space and power constraints, security, and operational complexity.

CHALLENGE #1 - SPACE & POWER CONSTRAINTS In the 5G era, the number of sites, including MEC locations, is expected to be up to 100x that of the 4G era. With site maintenance

MAY 2022

different vendors. If an operator has 1,000 MEC nodes, this would mean deploying 10,000 or more Gi-LAN devices across all the nodes, an unmanageable scenario even if each node had adequate space. As operators move to 5G and MEC, they are planning to virtualize as much as possible.

CHALLENGE #2 - SECURITY – DDOS LANDSCAPE

Amr Alashaal Regional Vice President ME, A10 Networks

costs amounting to 2 to 5 percent of total mobile operator revenue, conservation of space and energy is clearly a top priority for 5G profitability. A key opportunity to minimize space and power requirements while improving performance and reducing latency is optimizing and consolidating functions that in 4G networks exist in the Gi-LAN. Gi-LAN functions that could be moved to the edge include firewalls such as GiFW, GTP/roaming firewall, Diameter firewall, SCTP firewall, and DNS application firewall; DDoS mitigation and detection functions; and other functions such as CGNAT, DPI, traffic steering, and load balancing. However, in 4G networks, most operators have 10 – 12 different devices in the Gi-LAN, often from www.VARonline.com

With potentially thousands of additional nodes, MEC significantly increases the attack surface operators must defend. With one central data center or EPC, operators could simply overprovision capacity or DDoS protection to safely absorb a DDoS attack. Overprovisioning may not be possible in space- and power-constrained MEC nodes, and it certainly won’t be cost-effective across a large number of nodes. Each node needs its own protection against DDoS attacks and other threats.

CHALLENGE #3 OPERATIONAL COMPLEXITY & AUTOMATION With MEC, operators will have dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of node sites to configure, deploy, turn up, secure, monitor, and maintain. This presents numerous challenges. To begin with, one of the objectives in 5G is to allow operators to more closely align network investment with revenue opportunity and provide capacity on demand. With MEC, though, operators must size and scale not just a single central data center or EPC, but a large number of nodes, each with its own requirements to fit the unique traffic characteristics of the service cluster it serves.

FEATURE

FORTINET

KEY COMPONENTS TO RAISING THE BAR ON DIGITAL ACCELERATION Written By: Jonathan Nguyen-Duy, VP, Global Field CISO, Fortinet.

nyone paying attention to the speed at which networks have been evolving must also understand the impact these changes have had on cybersecurity. Gone are the days when you could just place a firewall at the edge of your network and call it good. Today, security needs to be everywhere, at every edge, following every user, and tracking and securing every application and workflow end-to-end—especially as they move across and between different network environments.

NETWORK AND SECURITY CONVERGENCE Converging security and the network is more than just a marketing catchphrase. A Security-driven Networking strategy places security front and center in every network decision, ensuring that nothing in the network ever changes, not even optimizing a connection, without appropriate protections in place. But that's just the start. True convergence also means that security and the network teams work together to address critical issues they couldn't solve independently. Automatically segmenting and monitoring IoT devices, maintaining zero trust policies for accessing the network or applications, or consistently enforcing policies for applications and workflows that flow across and between multiple clouds

and physical network environments require the network and security to work together as a unified solution. Such an approach is the heart and soul of any scalable work-fromanywhere strategy that is serious about extending enterprise-grade protection to home offices and mobile users and devices.

SECURITY CONSOLIDATION Consolidating security solutions using a platform-based strategy expands visibility and enables true automation that can span the network. It allows AI-powered technologies and services to span the network rather than be limited to a tiny subset of solutions. A platform built around a common OS helps eliminate conflicts and user error when configuring and orchestrating diverse solutions—especially those deployed at different edges of the network. But not any platform-based solution can do this. An effective platform not only needs to be deployed natively in any environment but also seamlessly translate policies between those ecosystems. This is the only way to ensure consistent enforcement and monitor and secure applications, transactions, and workflows that cross between different environments.

EXCEPTIONAL PERFORMANCE An effective security platform needs www.VARonline.com

to do its job without bottlenecking traffic or bogging things down. However, that is precisely what many security solutions do when it comes to table-stakes functions like inspecting encrypted traffic. According to Google, over 95% of internet traffic is encrypted. Yet most firewall performance drops precipitously when tasked with inspecting that traffic. It's because they were built with off-the-shelf CPUs that were never designed to support such processor-intensive tasks. Like the graphics processors that allow users to stream video conferencing in real-time, security tools need specialized hardware that can offload critical security functions, so organizations never have to choose between security and performance.

DIGITAL ACCELERATION MUST BE SECURE TO AVOID DECELERATION It's a new world, and businesses that learn how to securely operate in this new environment have no limits on what's possible. However, that can only happen if they take the same digital acceleration principles they are using for their network and apply them to security. So, consider starting with security solutions designed to support the way you operate the rest of your business. MAY 2022

TECHNOLOGY

FINTECH

SPENDING ON NFTS CONTINUES TO INCREASE

hainalysis, the blockchain data platform, indicates that while activity is stabilizing, spending through 2022 is on track to reach all-time highs. The report found collectors have sent over US$37 billion to NFT

marketplaces in 2022 as of May 1, putting them on pace to beat the total of US$40 billion sent in 2021. “NFTs have been one of the most dynamic and prominent parts of Web3 over the last two years,” said Ethan McMahon, Economist at Chainalysis. “To a large extent, the current excitement around NFTs stems from their utilization in buying and trading digital art. But the potential of this technology is far greater as it can be used to not only give the holder ownership over the digital data, or media associated with the token, but also real-world assets.” As the popularity of NFTs continues to grow, so too has the number of active NFT buyers and sellers. In Q1 2022, 950,000 unique

addresses bought or sold an NFT, up from 627,000 in Q4 2021. Overall, the number of active NFT buyers and sellers has increased every quarter since Q2 2020. In Q2 2022 as of May 1, 491,000 addresses have transacted with NFTs, putting the NFT market on pace to continue its quarterly growth trend in several participants. The report went on to analyze the monthly share of internet traffic to NFT marketplaces by geography. In the Middle East, web traffic to NFT marketplaces spiked in mid-2021 and has since stabilized, accounting for around 5% of total global traffic.

FTFT CAPITAL #CRYPTOCREDIBITLITY CAMPAIGN EDUCATES AND EMPLOYS STUDENTS N

asdaq listed FTFT Capital launched a #CryptoCredibility campaign designed to help students be more well-versed with blockchain and cryptocurrencies. The campaign focuses on engaging students to help them gain a stronger understanding of the technology and lift their confidence. An official release claimed that Ola Lind, Director - FTFT Capital and Global Blockchain Business Council UAE Ambassador, whose vision is to short bridge the gap between mass adoption and the current dynamics of the crypto ecosystem by providing a platform for blockchain innovation and

MAY 2022

education. Three students have managed to secure an internship with guest speaker Ed H., founder of TakeCapital and an active GBBC member; and as a result of the first session that was held at Murdoch University Dubai led by the speaker Dr. Neda Keshavarzi,

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Research Development Specialist at FTFT Capital Investments. The hour-long interactive session introduced the young adults to the world of cryptocurrency, talking about the different kinds of cryptocurrencies, their uses, and a brief introduction on how to get started.

APPOINTMENTS

AMANA/NUTANIX

AMANA ANNOUNCES NEW LEADERSHIP APPOINTMENTS

Justin Biebel Product Implementatioin Director, Amana

mana Capital, one of the trading specialists in the MENA region, has announced two new appointments to its product leadership team aiming bring better user experience to customers in line with the company’s digital

transformation. The firm has named Matt Carstens as the new Director of Product Experience and Justin Biebel as Director of Product Implementation. Matt Carstens will lead the Amana app’s product functions and design, making sure the app is easy to use and includes innovative tools compelling to customers. He brings to Amana over two decades of crossindustry expertise, grounded in an entrepreneurial and commercial track record. Matt Carstens has acted in advisory and consultancy roles for Gain Capital, ThinkForex, UrbanStat, Ninja Trader, and Finalto. Justin Biebel will oversee backend and infrastructure development for Amana’s digital offerings as Director of Product Implementation. Justin holds a background in risk management, market-making, and product development with a unique

Matt Carstens Product Experience Director, Amana

expertise in multi-asset derivatives. He began his trading career as an independent market maker at CBOE in 1999 and has since held roles as an FX options trader, quantitative product developer, portfolio manager.

RUKMINI SIVARAMAN IS NUTANIX'S NEW CFO N

utanix, a cloud service provider, has announced the appointment of Rukmini Sivaraman as Chief Financial Officer. Sivaraman joined Nutanix in 2017 and currently serves as Senior Vice President of Financial Planning & Analysis and has been responsible for financial and strategic planning, budgeting, capital allocation and business analytics and insights, in the role. An official release stated that Sivaraman has held several roles instrumental to the Company’s growth and transformation, including Chief People Officer, and before that Senior Vice President of People and Business Operations, focusing on revenue growth, capital allocation, and all aspects of human resources. Rajiv Ramaswami, President and

Rukmini Sivaraman CFO, Nutanix

www.VARonline.com

CEO of Nutanix said, “as SVP of FP&A, Rukmini has been instrumental in evaluating and pursuing valueenhancing growth opportunities and overseeing our financial planning. Rukmini’s compelling financial, strategic, operational, human capital and engineering expertise will be a valuable asset as we continue to deliver on our long-term growth and profitability commitments.” “I am honored and excited to take on the CFO role during this important time at Nutanix,” said Sivaraman. “I look forward to continuing to work closely with Rajiv and the leadership team as we execute on our financial objectives, enhance shareholder value and position the Company for long-term success.” MAY 2022

TECHNOLOGY

EYE TECH

KODAK ALARIS SCANNERS HELP CUSTOMERS MAXIMIZE THEIR DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

odak Alaris has expanded its award-winning S3000 Scanner Series with the launch of two new models, the Kodak S3120 Max and S3140 Max. Both scanners are claimed to be designed to help organizations make the most of their information - faster. According to the manufacturer, the S3000 Max Series combine high-volume capacity with the simplicity and compact size of a desktop unit. Both scanners are ideal for document-heavy processes and make it easy to quickly and accurately convert paper-based information into business-critical data. The S3000 Max Series delivers exceptional image quality, superior paper protection, versatile media handling capabilities, and faster capture speeds, plus three months of onsite, nextday service and support and extended service options to ensure maximum productivity. An official release claimed, “these new models build on the award-winning S3000 Series Scanners that have brought so much success to the healthcare, logistics, banking, education, and government markets. They can capture up to 140 pages per minute (ppm), while onboard image processing enables independent operation and reduces PC resources. RESTful Web API support delivers efficient document capture via the browser, with no software or drivers required. This makes it easy to integrate them into line-of-business applications, webbased scanning applications, and mobile devices.”

THE SCANNERS’ COMBINED FEATURES INCLUDE: • •

•

Improved paper handling drives higher efficiencies: S3000 Max Series can handle a wide array of paper sizes, shapes and weights, including mixed batches Exceptional image quality and accuracy: The new MAX Series Scanners also have built-in barcode reading for fast and accurate read results every time, and Perfect Page technology, which delivers superior image quality while scanning at rated speeds Security, simplified: The S3000 Max Series offers enterprise-class security features

COMMSCOPE’S MOSAIC SPEEDS 5G DEPLOYMENTS

ommScope introduces Mosaic, a new active-passive antenna platform that assists operators with simplifying and accelerating 5G-related tower deployments. The company claims that Mosaic’s radio-agnostic modular hardware design helps mobile network operators roll out 5G coverage while supporting legacy 4G deployments that still have profitable years of use ahead of them. Adding 5G capabilities often means adding new tower-top equipment, including Active Antenna Systems (AAS) that support massive MIMO capabilities. The CommScope Mosaic platform allows operators to combine active and passive antenna capabilities in a way that simplifies tower top complexity, reduces occupied tower top space and wind loading, while preserving the performance of all technologies.

MAY 2022

www.VARonline.com

KEY FEATURES: •

Active Antenna Systems (AAS) supports massive MIMO capabilities

•

Simplified tower top complexity

•

Reduced tower top space and wind loading

•

Easy to upgrade to 5G mMIMO

TECHNOLOGY

EYE TECH

SAMSUNG SHOWCASES MICRO LED TECHNOLOGY AT ISE 2022

amsung Electronics has showcased the future of Micro LED technology at Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) 2022 in Barcelona, Spain, with the new models of its display technology, The Wall. 2022 The Wall (Slimmest Ever Pixel Pitch): Modular Micro LED display, which delivers immersive viewing experiences in a high-resolution, large screen format. The IWB will be available in 0.63 and 0.94pixel pitches, with 0.63 being the slimmest ever pixel pitch in The Wall lineup. The new display is now available to preorder globally. Its features include: • Dynamic range expansion with the screen’s 120Hz frame rate, HDR10/10+ and LED HDR • Variety of screen sizes - accommodating 4K movies for 110-inch and up to incredible 8K quality for 220-inch to meet any consumer or

business needs • Micro AI (Artificial Intelligence) Processor • Black Seal Technology The Wall All-in-One: The most innovative feature of The Wall All-in-One is the convenient installation that features a pre-adjusted seam and a ‘Pre-Assembled Frame Kit.

POLY’S PRO-GRADE DEVICES DELIVER TOTAL EQUITY WHEREVER YOU WORK

oly introduces its latest prograde solutions for the evolving needs of today’s distributed workforce. Additions to Poly’s portfolio of intelligent devices, include the Poly Studio R30, Poly Sync 10, and enhancements to the Poly Lens platform are expected to deliver exceptional experiences for users. Beau Wilder, Senior Vice President, and General Manager of Video Collaboration, Poly said, “although organizations have started to announce return-to-office plans, relying on solutions that were successful pre-pandemic will no longer cut it."

POLY STUDIO R30 VIDEO BAR FEATURES INCLUDE: • • • • •

4K camera with a 120-degree field of view so every meeting participant is seen clearly, even those sitting closest to the camera Poly DirectorAI smart camera technology that can perfectly frame everyone in the room, an individual speaker, or even track a presenter in real-time. Advanced audio with NoiseBlock AI and Acoustic Fence to block-out unwanted background noise Wi-Fi device capabilities for remote IT management, eliminating the need for additional software in the room End-users have the option to personalize settings for their workspace

POLY SYNC 10 SPEAKERPHONE FEATURES INCLUDE: • • • • •

Reliable, enterprise-grade hi-fi audio and power amplifier for calls and music Easy-to-spot call status, with clear, bright status lightbar USB-A cable, with a USB-C adapter included Dust-and water-resistant IP64 Supported by Poly Lens www.VARonline.com

MAY 2022

TECHNOLOGY

RESEARCH TECH

MOST IT DECISION-MAKERS AGREE ENTERPRISE DATA STRATEGY IS KEY TO EFFECTIVE HYBRID WORKFORCE

loudera, the hybrid data cloud company, has released the findings of a global research report that exposes how a majority of UAE-based businesses are increasingly adopting data-driven strategies for an effective hybrid workforce. The research revealed that organizations with mature enterprise data strategies in place for at least 12 months are more likely to report higher profit growth at an average of 5.97%, according to the report. Created in association with technology market research firm, Vanson Bourne, the new report examines the correlation between the maturity of an organization’s enterprise data strategy and its business performance. It also explores the impact of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and its uncertainties on businesses. “This report is an eye-opener and a clear indicator of what organizations need to focus on in a bid to enhance their competitiveness in their respective industries. It is encouraging to see that more SDMs in the region are now looking at data differently and strategically. Organizations in the UAE demonstrate uptake of mature enterprise data strategies, optimized for hybrid and multi-cloud environments. These strategies have, in turn, helped them to significantly generate better business outcomes,” said Karim Azar, Regional Director, Middle East & Turkey, Cloudera.

HYBRID IS THE FUTURE FOR UAE At the market level, 88% of UAE-based IT decisionmakers (ITDMs) agree that their current strategy is key to their business resiliency. The report also found that 87% of ITDMs in the UAE also agree that having an enterprise data strategy in place can help their organization adopt a hybrid workforce more effectively. Globally, 96% of SDMs whose organizations’ enterprise data strategies have been in place for more than a year reported that the way data is handled and

MAY 2022

Karim Azar Regional Director, MET, Cloudera

managed has positively impacted their organizations' performance, and close to two-thirds (64%) reported stronger levels of resiliency from the presence of a mature data strategy. Both SDMs and ITDMs share similar views, recognizing data as a strategic business resource, but these groups have differing opinions on operational processes and implementation.

DRIVING WORKFORCE DIVERSITY In terms of enhancing workforce diversity and its overall impact on organizations, an overwhelming 97% of ITDMs in the UAE believe that data and analytics are important to ensure successful and effective Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Eighty-five percent of UAE-based organizations agree that DEI initiatives contribute to an organization’s success. This, according to the report, demonstrates that utilizing data and analytics can yield phenomenal benefits rather than simply increasing profit margins or gaining a competitive advantage in any industry.

COVID-19 IMPACT On average, 58% percent of the UAE workers worked remotely during the Covid-19 peak period compared to 35% before the pandemic. The trend is, however, expected to stabilize with 46% expected to work remotely by Q1 2023. Forty-three percent of ITDMs reported that spending had remained the same since the start of the pandemic in terms of supporting changing work environments (e.g., hybrid working) and supporting the workforce, with only 14% reporting a decrease in spending. “Cloudera Enterprise Data Maturity Research Report,” the market research survey polled 2,100 ITDMs (1oo in the UAE) and 1,050 SDMs (50 in the UAE) in businesses including with more than 1,000 employees across a variety of industries.

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