Public Cloud computing is a large part of enterprise IT alongside on-premises computing. Many organizations that had a cloud-first approach and are now gaining value from on-premises private clouds and seeing their changing business needs leading to changing cloud use. This episode of the Tech Field Day podcast delves into the complexity of multiple cloud providers and features Maciej Lelusz, Jack Poller, Justin Warren, and host Alastair Cooke, all attendees at Cloud Field Day. The awareness of changing business needs is causing some re-thinking of how businesses use cloud platforms, possibly moving away from using cloud vendor specific services to bare VMs. VMs are far simpler to move from one cloud to another, or between public cloud and private cloud platforms. Over time, the market will speak and if there are too many cloud providers, we will see mergers, acquisitions or failures of smaller specialized cloud providers. In the meantime, choosing where to put which application for the best outcome can be a challenge for businesses.
More than web server certificates, digital identity
Alastair Cooke discusses the broader implications and applications of digital identity beyond merely securing web server communications with certificates. He highlights how digital identity serves as a foundational element in enhancing security across various networking domains, from user authentication to device validation. Cooke’s discussion underscores the vital role that comprehensive digital identity strategies play in safeguarding modern digital environments. Read more in this LinkedIn Pulse article inspired by the DigiCert presentation at Security Field Day 12.
Refocusing on Hybrid-Cloud at Cloud Field Day 21
At Cloud Field Day 21, there’s a noticeable shift in focus towards hybrid-cloud solutions, reflecting the industry’s recognition of their critical role in a diverse IT environment. Experts and vendors alike will discuss innovative tools and strategies that enhance the efficiency and security of hybrid-cloud architectures. This pivot underscores the continued evolution and prioritization of adaptable, scalable IT infrastructures that can support varied organizational needs. Watch this video as Alastair Cooke introduces Cloud Field Day 21 and the presenters, Qumulo, Platform9, and Cisco.
Refocusing on Hybrid-Cloud at Cloud Field Day 21
Cloud Field Day will be live on October 23rd and 24th, focusing on the evolving approach to cloud, recognizing that not all applications belong on a public cloud and embracing hybrid and multi-cloud solutions. The event will emphasize the shift in understanding cloud as an operating model rather than just a location, with cloud-native technologies integrating into both public clouds and on-premises data centers. Companies like Platform9, Qumulo, HYCU, and VMware by Broadcom will showcase solutions for cloud management, cross-cloud storage, data protection, and private cloud adoption, while discussions will address key challenges in hybrid and multi-cloud environments. Attendees can watch live and engage with experts as they explore the future of cloud technologies.
Edgy Hardware Matters – Orange boxes from OnLogic
Alastair Cooke discusses the significance of OnLogic’s new rugged hardware, highlighting its capability to perform consistently in challenging environments. He emphasizes the critical role such robust systems play in industries requiring reliable operation despite physical stresses. By blending modern design with industrial strength, OnLogic’s solutions ensure uninterrupted productivity and efficiency. This article was inspired by the OnLogic presentation at Edge Field Day 3.
You Don’t Need Post-Quantum Crypto Yet
With the advent of quantum computers, the likelihood that modern encryption is going to be invalidated is a possibility. New standards from NIST have arrived that have ushered in the post-quantum era. You don’t need to implement them yet but you need to be familiar with them. Tom Hollingsworth is joined by JJ MInella, Drew-Conry Murray, and Alastair Cooke in this episode to discuss why post-quantum algorithms are needed, why you should be readying your enterprise to use them, and how best to plan your implementation strategy.
The Brave New World of Security Field Day 12
Security Field Day is coming your way October 16-17, 2024 in San Francisco! Read on to learn more about the presentation lineup and topics of interest from DigiCert, Dell, SonicWall, and Citrix.
Massively scalable, highly available, applications at the edge with Avassa
Alastair Cooke considers the significance of deploying applications at the edge, emphasizing the necessity for massive scalability and high availability provided by Avassa’s platform. He highlights how Avassa facilitates the management of applications directly at the edge, enhancing performance and resilience. Cooke’s analysis showcases the potential benefits in operational efficiency and user experience improvements in distributed computing environments. Read more in this LinkedIn Pulse article inspired by Avassa’s Edge Field Day 3 presentation.
GitOps at the VMware Software Defined Edge
Alastair Cooke highlights the integration of GitOps practices at VMware’s Software Defined Edge, focusing on enhancing operational efficiency and deployability. By leveraging GitOps, VMware aims to streamline the management of edge computing resources, ensuring more consistent, secure, and automated deployments. The approach underscores the company’s commitment to adopting modern development practices to optimize and secure edge computing environments. Read more in this LinkedIn Pulse article by Alastair Cooke following VMware’s presentation at AI Field Day 5.
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.
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.
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.
Cisco Ethernet and validated designs at AI Field Day
At AI Field Day, Cisco demonstrated its latest advancements in Ethernet technology and validated designs, underscoring the importance of sturdy network infrastructure for AI applications. Their presentation focused on the improved performance, scalability, and security of their Ethernet solutions, designed to help organizations efficiently utilize AI. This initiative exhibited Cisco’s dedication to innovation in networking and artificial intelligence, ensuring enterprises have the reliable network performance needed to optimize their AI investments. Read more in this LinkedIn Pulse article by Alastair Cooke.
Taking Technology to the Edge at Edge Field Day 3
Join us for Edge Field Day on September 18th and 19th, streaming live on LinkedIn and TechStrong.TV! Hear from leading companies like VMware, Avassa, TSecond, ZEDEDA, and OnLogic, and catch special presentations from our delegates and analysts. Tune in live on LinkedIn and Techstrong TV or watch the recordings on YouTube and the Tech Field Day website.
VMware Private AI at AI Field Day
At AI Field Day, VMware focused on private AI solutions, delivering a secure, controlled deployment environments for AI models. VMware’s infrastructure and cloud technologies are leveraged to ensure compliance and security while enabling businesses to capitalize on AI advancements. The presentation underlined the tailored benefits and potential industry-specific solutions offered by VMware’s private AI initiatives. Read more in this LinkedIn Pulse article by Alastair Cooke.
Elastic brings Vectors to Semantic Search at AI Field Day 5
At AI Field Day 5, Elastic introduced an enhancement to its semantic search capabilities by integrating vector search. This new feature not only supports the creation and storage of vector data but also facilitates the use of multiple embedding models, improving memory efficiency through techniques like quantization. These advancements significantly enhance the precision and relevance of search results, positioning Elastic as a crucial player in the development and testing of Large Language Model applications and related technologies. Read more in this LinkedIn Pulse article by Alastair Cooke.
Keysight at AI Field Day
At AI Field Day, Keysight highlighted its AI infrastructure testing solutions which leverage the capabilities from its Ixia acquisition. The company’s innovative test platform helps in optimizing network performance by emulating AI workloads, addressing common issues like data starvation and network congestion which contribute to 20% of AI job failures. This platform, which has evolved to include AresOnce hardware for traffic generation, also offers in-depth customizable settings and analytics through Jupyter Notebooks, enabling precise network tuning and enhanced performance. Read more in this LinkedIn Pulse article by AI Field Day delegate Alastair Cooke of The Futurum Group.
Integrail at AI Field Day 5
At AI Field Day 5, Integrail presented its innovative no-code platform, Integrail Studio, which simplifies the creation of specialized AI agents capable of collaborating to tackle complex challenges. The platform incorporates a user-friendly drag-and-drop interface, allowing the integration of large language models with business data, enhanced by Retrieval Augmented Generation for increased precision. Furthermore, Integrail facilitates advanced agent capabilities, including customizable workflows, output chaining, and the secure management of proprietary data, supported by benchmarking tools to maintain efficient large language model performance. Read more in this LinkedIn Pulse article by AI Field Day delegate Alastair Cooke of The Futurum Group.
AI Solves All Our Problems
Although AI can be quite useful, it seems that the promise of generative AI has lead to irrational exuberance on the topic. This episode of the Tech Field Day podcast, recorded ahead of AI Field Day, features Justin Warren, Alastair Cooke, Frederic van Haren, and Stephen Foskett considering the promises made about AI. Generative AI was so impressive that it escaped from the lab, being pushed into production before it was ready for use. We are still living with the repercussions of this decision on a daily basis, with AI assistants appearing everywhere. Many customers are already frustrated by these systems, leading to a rapid push-back against the universal use of LLM chatbots. One problem the widespread mis-use of AI has solved already is the search for a driver of computer hardware and software sales, though this already seems to be wearing off. But once we take stock of the huge variety of tools being created, it is likely that we will have many useful new technologies to apply.
The Shifting Focus of AI at AI Field Day 5
Join us for AI Field Day, a three-day event from September 11-13, showcasing cutting-edge AI applications and solutions in enterprise environments. Featuring live presentations from industry leaders like Keysight, Integral, Cisco, VMware, Elastic, and Arista, AI Field Day explores topics like AI-ready infrastructure, agentic AI, and advanced vector databases. Tune in live on LinkedIn and Techstrong.TV, or catch the recordings on YouTube. Stay connected through social media with #AIFD5, and follow our LinkedIn page and YouTube channel for updates, tech talks, and behind-the-scenes content.