Zededa Drives Edge Application Management at Scale

Allyson Klein highlights Zededa’s role in advancing edge application management through its cloud-native approach, enabling businesses to deploy and operate applications at scale securely and efficiently. Zededa’s framework supports a diverse ecosystem, facilitating seamless integration across a variety of hardware and cloud environments. This capability is particularly crucial for organizations looking to optimize operational technology and IoT strategies. Read more in this article, which followed Zededa’s presentation at Edge Field Day 3.

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Zededa Drives Edge Application Management at Scale

AI and Cloud Demand a New Approach to Cyber Resilience featuring Commvault

As companies are exposed to more and more attackers, they’re realizing that cyber resilience is increasingly important. On this episode of the Tech Field Day Podcast, presented by Commvault, Senior Director of Product and Ecosystem Strategy Michael Stempf joins Justin Warren, Karen Lopez, and Stephen Foskett to discuss the growing challenges companies face in today’s cybersecurity landscape. As more organizations transition to a cloud-first operation, they’re recognizing the heightened exposure of their data protection strategies to global compliance mandates like DORA and SCI. Adding to this complexity is the emerging threat of AI, raising important questions about how businesses can adapt and maintain resilience in the face of these evolving risks.

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AI and Cloud Demand a New Approach to Cyber Resilience featuring Commvault

Nokia thinks there’s a better way to do data center automation

Exploring innovative strides in data center automation, Nokia proposes a new strategy that aims to enhance efficiency and scalability within IT infrastructures. Their approach focuses on integrating advanced technologies that promise to streamline operations and reduce overhead costs. This initiative not only highlights Nokia’s leadership in technological advancement but also sets a new benchmark for future developments in the industry. Read more in this article published by Scott Robohn prior to the special Networking Field Day Exclusive event with Nokia this week.

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Nokia thinks there's a better way to do data center automation

Early Tests on OpenAI’s SearchGPT Prototype Show Promise and Problems

Sulagna Saha recently explored the performance of OpenAI’s new SearchGPT prototype, identifying both promising features and existing issues. The preliminary testing indicates that while the search tool showcases impressive capabilities in generating knowledgeable and contextually accurate responses, it also faces challenges with response relevance and accuracy under certain conditions. As this technology continues to develop, these insights could be instrumental in refining the capabilities and applications of AI-driven search tools in complex information environments. Read more in this article from Techstrong’s AI site, inspired by the recent Google Cloud presentation at AI Field Day 5.

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Early Tests on OpenAI’s SearchGPT Prototype Show Promise and Problems

Avassa: The Swedes Have Invaded the Edge

Allyson Klein’s recent article explores Avassa, a Swedish startup revolutionizing edge computing with its unique platform-centric approach. Avassa focuses on deploying and operationalizing containerized applications at the edge, promising improved manageability and operational consistency. Highlighting the significance of edge computing in modern IT infrastructure, Klein discusses Avassa’s potential to enhance distributed environments through their innovative strategies and solutions. Read more in this article, inspired by Avassa’s presentation at Edge Field Day 3.

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Avassa: The Swedes Have Invaded the Edge

Can You Make Edge Computing at Scale Effortless?

This LinkedIn Pulse article by Jack Poller explores the potential of scaling edge computing effortlessly. He delves into the challenges associated with deployment, management, and security at the edge, considering the implications for large-scale operations. Poller also examines how advancements in automation and integrated technologies could simplify the process, making scalable edge computing more attainable for businesses. This article was written following ZEDEDA’s presentation at Edge Field Day 3.

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Can You Make Edge Computing at Scale Effortless?

Techstrong Gang – September 17, 2024

Stephen Foskett was a guest on the Techstrong Gang on September 17, where he discussed his observations from AI Field Day 5. Stephen provided an overview of AI Field Day, emphasizing its focus on practical applications of AI, such as productizing large language models (LLMs) and the development of AI agents that can automate processes, moving past the limited scope of chatbots. He also discussed advances in networking from Cisco and Arista, the radical new Ethernet fabric solution from Enfabrica, and the agentic AI platform created by Integrail.

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Techstrong Gang - September 17, 2024

Cisco Aims to Operationalize GenAI in Enterprises With AI-Ready FlexPod with NVIDIA NIM CVD

Cisco, in collaboration with NVIDIA, is paving the way for the integration of generative AI in enterprise environments with the introduction of the AI-Ready FlexPod. This technology leverages NVIDIA’s NIM CVD to enhance computational capabilities, aiming to streamline the deployment and management of AI applications. This initiative represents a significant step in operationalizing AI technologies, offering scalability and efficiency improvements for enterprise IT systems. Read more in this Techstrong AI article by Sulagna Saha following Cisco’s presentation at AI Field Day 5.

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Cisco Aims to Operationalize GenAI in Enterprises With AI-Ready FlexPod with NVIDIA NIM CVD

Rethinking the Data Center with Nokia

Tom Hollingsworth introduces our special Tech Field Day event with Nokia. Nokia’s advanced networking solutions are redefining connectivity and efficiency in data center environments, enabling better scalability, manageability, and sustainability. Watch Networking Field Day Exclusive with Nokia live on September 24!

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Rethinking the Data Center with Nokia

Time to Upgrade to WiFi 7? NEW Juniper Mist AP47

Mark Houtz recently shared insights on the potential upgrade to WiFi 7, focusing on the new Juniper Mist AP47. He discusses the enhanced capabilities and performance improvements that WiFi 7 offers over previous generations, highlighting its applicability to current network demands. His post is particularly relevant for IT professionals considering next-generation wireless solutions to ensure robust and efficient network environments. Mark first learned about this development at Mobility Field Day 11.

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Time to Upgrade to WiFi 7? NEW Juniper Mist AP47

Demand for AI Pushes Up the Global AI PC Adoption Curve

Sulagna Saha highlights the accelerating global adoption of AI-capable PCs, driven by a surge in demand for artificial intelligence applications across various sectors based on Stephen Foskett’s Ignite talk at AppDev Field Day. She notes that this trend is not only reshaping consumer behavior but also influencing major PC manufacturers to integrate more AI-specific capabilities into their products. The shift towards AI-enhanced devices indicates a significant market evolution, where AI functionality is becoming a crucial factor in consumer choice and hardware development.

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Demand for AI Pushes Up the Global AI PC Adoption Curve

Can You Gain Advantage With Software-defined Edge?

In this LinkedIn Pulse article, Jack Poller explores the strategic benefits of adopting software-defined edge computing as presented by VMware at Edge Field Day 3. He emphasizes how this approach enhances performance by reducing latency and allowing for more efficient data processing closer to the source of data generation. Poller also discusses the potential for software-defined edge to provide businesses with a competitive edge by improving responsiveness and enabling more sophisticated data-driven decision-making.

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Can You Gain Advantage With Software-defined Edge?

Hyperscale AI networks with Arista at AI Field Day

Arista Networks highlighted the need for enhanced network infrastructures at AI Field Day, focusing on the challenges of supporting complex AI models with higher bandwidth and lower power consumption. They introduced innovative solutions like Distributed Etherlink Switches to manage congestion and low-power optics to boost bandwidth, aimed at large-scale AI networks prevalent in heavy GPU environments. Additionally, Arista showcased their Cloud Vision management system, which leverages AI to simplify network operations, proving their dedication to evolving network technologies in accordance with the growing demands of AI workloads. Read more in this LinkedIn Pulse article by Alastair Cooke, who attended the Arista presentation at AI Field Day 5.

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Hyperscale AI networks with Arista at AI Field Day

Arista Highlights the Power of AI

At AI Field Day 5, Arista Networks underscored the significant hurdles in deploying GPU clusters for AI training, highlighting issues like the immense power consumption driven by high data transfer demands ranging from 800Gb/s to 1.6 terabits for GPU communications. Arista suggested a shift towards energy-efficient linear pluggable optics to mitigate power consumption issues and discussed management of heat generation, noting the partial benefits of liquid cooling solutions but emphasizing that these do not fully address the broader environmental impacts. The company pointed out the urgent need for efficiency improvements in the computing industry to navigate upcoming operational and environmental challenges. Read more in this LinkedIn Pulse article by Justin Warren, who attended the Arista presentation at AI Field Day 5.

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Arista Highlights the Power of AI

Enfabrica SuperNIC for massive clusters at AI Field Day

At AI Field Day, Enfabrica introduced its Accelerated Compute Fabric SuperNIC (ACF-S), aimed at enhancing connectivity in large compute clusters. The ACF-S features innovative integration with hardware accelerators like GPUs, supporting high bandwidths with a multi-layer crossbar switch capable of handling 5Tbps for PCIe and 3.2Tbps for Ethernet. This technology is set to boost load balancing, fault tolerance, and scalability, crucial for training complex language models, and is expected to transition into a more adaptable PCIe card format. Read more in this LinkedIn Pulse article by Alastair Cooke, who attended the Enfabrica presentation at AI Field Day 5.

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Enfabrica SuperNIC for massive clusters at AI Field Day

Integrail Just Launched: No-code AI Agents – Your Sales and Marketing Assistant

Integrail has launched an innovative no-code platform for creating AI agents, designed to boost sales and marketing efficiency, as announced at AI Field Day 5. This user-friendly platform supports integration with leading large language models like those from OpenAI, Meta, and Google, and hooks into key business tools such as MS365 and Salesforce. Additionally, it leverages Retrieval-Augmented Generation for enhanced accuracy and offers the capability to assess and select from up to 25 different models to best meet individual business requirements, though it has also raised concerns regarding copyright and data storage issues in light of the EU AI Act. Read more in this LinkedIn Pulse article by Liselotte Foverskov, who attended the Integrail presentation at AI Field Day 5.

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Integrail Just Launched: No-code AI Agents – Your Sales and Marketing Assistant

COBOL to AI: Conquering Mainframe Modernization Fears

At Tech Field Day Extra at SHARE, BMC Software addressed the challenges of mainframe modernization, focusing on the cumulative complexity rather than COBOL itself, and introduced their Automated Mainframe Intelligence (AMI) suite to enhance modernization with AI-driven tools for automated DevOps, security, and identifying inefficiencies. They emphasized an ethical approach to AI integration, stressing transparency, data privacy, and responsible workforce management. BMC advocated for starting with small-scale pilot projects and highlighted the importance of both technological and cultural changes for successful digital transformation. Read more in this LinkedIn Pulse article by Marian Newsome following Tech Field Day Extra at SHARE Kansas City 2024.

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COBOL to AI: Conquering Mainframe Modernization Fears

Opengear: Zero Touch Out-Of-Band

At Tech Field Day Extra at Cisco Live 2024, Opengear introduced significant enhancements in out-of-band management, transitioning to a zero-touch deployment model, enhancing their previous “light touch” system. The integration of the Lighthouse Service Portal and Smart Management Fabric plays a crucial role in enabling effortless connectivity across wide geographic areas, including via cellular connections. Although the update was well-received for its practicality for network engineers, concerns about latency and compliance with governmental security standards were noted, alongside an acknowledgment of Opengear’s dedication to evolving and responsive technological advances in network management. Read more in this LinkedIn Pulse article by Eric Stewart.

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Opengear: Zero Touch Out-Of-Band

Enfabrica MegaNIC, a solution to GPU backend networking

Enfabrica has introduced the MegaNIC, a cutting-edge network interface card tailored for backend GPU applications, designed to address network congestion effectively. The device utilizes their new ACF-S ASIC, supporting advanced features like PCIe lane switching, Ethernet connectivity, and top-of-rack routing, all enhanced by software-defined networking to improve GPU interconnectivity. With its “Millennium” chip offering an 8 Tbps bandwidth and capable of connecting up to four GPUs via high-speed Ethernet links, the MegaNIC aims to boost performance and reduce power use in large-scale GPU superclusters. Read more in this article by Ray Lucchesi following Enfabrica’s presentation at AI Field Day 5.

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Enfabrica MegaNIC, a solution to GPU backend networking

Hardware Still Matters at the Edge

Hardware innovation at the edge is driven by diverse and challenging environments found outside traditional data centers. This episode of the Tech Field Day podcast features Jack Poller, Stephen Foskett, and Alastair Cooke considering the special requirements of hardware in edge computing prior to Edge Field Day this week. Edge locations, including energy, military, retail, and more, demand robust, tamper-resistant hardware that can endure harsh conditions like extreme temperatures and vibrations. This shift is fostering new hardware designs, drawing inspiration from industries like mobile technology, to support real-time data processing and AI applications. As edge computing grows, the interplay between durable hardware and adaptive software, including containerized platforms, will be crucial for maximizing efficiency and unlocking new capabilities in these dynamic environments.

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Hardware Still Matters at the Edge