GEC NEWS WIREWe are 5 months down 2018, what kind of challenges and opportunities have you seen in the market as NetApp?
We have seen numerous opportunities on the back of intensive digital transformation and evolution. But we have also witnessed major challenges, chief of which is the value added tax (VAT) implementation in the UAE. It impacts a firm’s technology, operations, financial management, and account practices. Many organizations, for one, are uncertain on their data storage capacity, as the law requires one to maintain their VAT records for at least five years. It is the first time that the regional industry is dealing with taxation so it is highly likely that some businesses are not VAT-ready. This is one aspect that the industry must address. At NetApp, we have undertaken measures to build an environment that nurtures talent, creativity, and innovation as well as level up the skills of our people.
Data is the king of any organization and NetApp has been weaving some visible use-cases around the same. What would you like to tell your readers about your advancements in the same?
Data-driven organizations have an upper hand in the ongoing digital transformation that is taking place across verticals. Many businesses are now going this path. It is for this reason that NetApp has teamed up with Ducati MotoGP this year to improve performance and security through modernized data management solutions powered by Flash technology on and off the track. Our partnership is highly strategic given that data are increasingly influencing the world of racing. Secure Data Archive and fast access for analysis are vital to make better decisions.
Moreover, we have also collaborated with Saudi Telecom Company and Kuwait’s Equate Petrochemical Company. Through our partnerships, both STC and Equate are able to rely on NetApp’s reliable, high-performing, scalable, and secure platforms.
How is your 2018 roadmap aligned to the voice of your customers? What enhancements or additions are you planning to add to your portfolio?
In our consistent strive to meet the needs of our customers, we are always improving our solutions and building new strategic partnerships. In fact, we recently unveiled the NetApp Cloud Volumes to provide customers with a fully-managed, cloud-native file storage service that’s integrated with Google Cloud Platform (GCP). This partnership combines the reach of NetApp’s world-class data services, backed by hundreds of thousands of customers, with Google Cloud’s leadership in application development, analytics and machine learning.
Moreover, we joined forces with Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure to further expand our portfolio and enhance customer experience. The NetApp FabricPool feature automatically tiers cold data from primary storage to AWS and Azure, reducing capacity costs, increasing efficiency, and leveraging the cloud.
Simultaneously, we also launched a high performance, cloud-connected flash system to power artificial intelligence (AI) and compute-intensive applications, as well as innovative new software to guarantee superior cloud-architected infrastructure for data retention compliance.
Tell us about your CIO 200 experience. What kind of active customer interaction did you have?
CIO 200 served as an excellent event and a great platform for us to meet and network with the most successful CIOs of top companies in the region, end users, and like-minded peers. As we showcased our portfolio, we were able to address key challenges facing the industry, our customers, and partners in this age of digital transformation. As a platinum partner of the event, we look forward to capitalizing on similar great opportunities and we would also like to send the winners our warm congratulations.
