Although AI is certain to transform society, not to mention computing, what we know if it is unlikely to last much longer. This episode of the Tech Field Day podcast brings together Glenn Dekhayser, Alastair Cooke, Allyson Klein, and Stephen Foskett to discuss the real and changing world of AI. Looking at AI infrastructure today, we see massive clusters of GPUs being deployed in the cloud and on-premises to train ever-larger language models, but how much business value do these clusters have long-term? It seems that the true transformation promised by LLM and GenAI will be realized once models are applied across industries with RAG or tuning rather than developing new models. Ultimately AI is a feature of a larger business process or application rather than being a product in itself. We can certainly see that AI-based applications will be transformative, but the vast investment required to build out AI infrastructure to date might never be recouped. Ultimately there is a future for AI, but not the way we have been doing it to date.
Mainframes Take the Main Stage at SHARE Kansas City 2024
At the SHARE Kansas City 2024 conference on August 6th, Tech Field Day will highlight mainframe technologies with a robust lineup of sessions and discussions. Beginning with a focus on on-demand development by PopUp Mainframe and a roundtable led by Steven Dickens on cutting-edge innovations, the event will also feature new advancements in DevOps and AIOps from BMC and observability solutions from Broadcom’s Watchtower platform. Alongside live participation, attendees will have access to session recordings on the Tech Field Day YouTube channel and other digital platforms, with an exclusive podcast available pre-conference to enrich participant understanding of the central themes.
Qlik – Opening a Broader Access to AI-Driven Data Analytics
Sulagna Saha takes a look at the Tech Field Day delegate roundtable from Qlik Connect in this Gestalt IT article. She highlights Qlik’s intensified focus on providing AI-driven data analytics responsibly, emphasizing the commitment to high-quality, democratized data to mitigate bias and ensure reliability across user levels. Qlik is demonstrating its dedication to addressing global challenges, such as pandemics and climate change, by collaborating with NGOs and enhancing its analytics offerings beyond traditional dashboards. This strategic expansion signals Qlik’s evolution into a comprehensive analytics provider that supports both low-code environments and promotes the ethical use of AI data.
The Mainframe is Still Going Strong
Despite the hype about modern applications, the mainframe remains central to enterprise IT and is rapidly adopting new technologies. This episode of the Tech Field Day podcast features Steven Dickens, Geoffrey Decker, and Jon Hildebrand talking to Stephen Foskett about the modern mainframe prior to the SHARE conference. The modern datacenter is rapidly adopting technologies like containerization, orchestration, and artificial intelligence, and these are coming to the mainframe world as well. And the continued importance of mainframe applications, especially in finance and transportation, makes the mainframe more important than ever. There is a tremendous career opportunity in mainframes as well, with recent grads commanding high salaries and working with exciting modern technologies. Modern mainframes run Linux natively, support OpenShift and containers, and support all of the latest languages and programming models in addition to PL1, Cobol, DB2, and of course zOS. We’re looking forward to bringing the latest in the mainframe space from SHARE to our audience.
Open Source Helps Small Businesses Modernize Applications
Open-source platforms and managed services are a huge help when it comes to modernizing applications, especially for smaller businesses. This episode of the Tech Field Day podcast, recorded at AppDev Field Day, includes Stephen Foskett and Paul Nashawaty discussing the challenges and solutions for small businesses in modernizing applications.
Everything is the Cloud and The Cloud is Everything
The cloud operating model is everywhere these days, and just about everything is now called cloud. This episode of the Tech Field Day podcast, recorded live at Cloud Field Day 20, includes Stephen Foskett, Jeffrey Powers, Alastair Cooke, and Steve Puluka discussing the true meaning of the term cloud computing.
GenAI is Revolutionizing the Enterprise
Generative AI will revolutionize enterprise IT, but not in the way people expect. This episode of the Tech Field Day podcast includes Stephen Foskett discussing the impact of GenAI with Jack Poller, Calvin Hendryx-Parker, and Josh Atwell at AppDev Field Day. The discussion centered around the potential impact of generative AI on enterprises, debating whether it will significantly transform business operations or merely offer incremental improvements. Generative AI is still in its infancy and may not yet provide revolutionary benefits, but there is great potential for AI in automating tasks and enhancing efficiencies despite challenges in implementation and validation. We must be realistic when it comes to the application of AI in enterprises, and it is important to understand the real capabilities and limitations, and the role of existing vendors in integrating AI functionalities into their products.
Google Shares the Scope of Enterprise Cloud at Cloud Field Day
Last week on the Gestalt IT Rundown, Stephen Foskett discussed the Google Cloud presentation at Cloud Field Day, where the company gave an excellent overview of their enterprise cloud offerings. The presentation showcased Google Cloud’s dedication to providing scalable, secure, and smart solutions to meet the complex needs of modern businesses. Watch the entire Google Cloud presentation on YouTube for a deep dive into the many ways enterprise workloads can be run there!
Techstrong Gang June 11, 2024
On the June 11 Techstrong TV episode, Stephen Foskett joined Tracy Bannon and the whole Techstrong Gang for a discussion of Agile development, the role of the CIO, and the impact of RAG on AI. During the discussion, Stephen brought up Qlik’s recent Answers product, as seen at Qlik Connect, and brought insights from the Qlik AI Council, who he met last week.
Announcements From Qlik Connect | Gestalt IT Rundown: June 5, 2024
This episode of the Gestalt IT Rundown includes a closer look at the announcements from Qlik Connect, offering a snapshot of Qlik’s evolving position in the data analytics and BI space. The summary highlights how Qlik’s new initiatives and product updates are set to empower organizations with enhanced data integration, active intelligence, and insights. This discussion features Stephen Foskett and Gina Rosenthal and was recorded on-site at the event.
Cloud Native is Just a Marketing Term
Software developers used to use the term cloud native to describe applications that are designed for the cloud, but today it seems to be more of a term for containerized applications. This episode of the Tech Field Day podcast, recorded ahead of Cloud Field Day 20, includes Guy Currier, Jack Poller, Ziv Levy, and Stephen Foskett discussing the true meaning of cloud native today.
Looking at the Rapidly Evolving Modern Cloud at Cloud Field Day 20
Stephen Foskett announces Cloud Field Day 20, showcasing the rapid evolution of the modern cloud landscape. The event brings together thought leaders and innovators to dissect emerging trends, technological advancements, and the future trajectory of cloud computing. Featuring presentations by Google Cloud, Juniper Networks, Morpheus Data, and Oxide Computer Company, Cloud Field Day explores how cloud strategies and solutions are constantly adapting to meet the ever-growing demands of businesses and consumers.
Qlik Cloud Integration With Talend
Stephen Foskett analyzes the strategic integration of Qlik Cloud with Talend, marking a significant advancement in data integration and analytics. This collaboration streamlines the process of transforming raw data into actionable insights, leveraging the strengths of Talend’s robust data processing with Qlik’s advanced analytics capabilities. Foskett’s article underscores the potential of this integration to empower businesses with better decision-making tools and a more comprehensive grasp of their data landscape. Read more in this LinkedIn Pulse article written during the QlikConnect keynote!
Moving Beyond Platform Engineering and IT Operations at AppDev Field Day
AppDev Field Day offers a look beyond traditional platform engineering and IT operations. In this Gestalt IT article, Stephen Foskett gives an overview of the event and the schedule. This event brings together innovative developers and industry experts to discuss the evolution of application development and the integration of emerging technologies. Attendees can expect to engage in thought-provoking dialogues on how to navigate the expanding landscape of app development in increasingly complex IT environments.
Platform Engineering Is the Revenge of IT Operations
The rise of platform engineering demonstrates how difficult it has been to balance DevOps between developers and operations. This episode of the Tech Field Day podcast features a discussion of platform engineering with Mitch Ashley and Mike Vizard of Techstrong Group and Stephen Foskett and Tom Hollingsworth of Gestalt IT.
The Critical Role of Advanced Storage in AI Data Infrastructure
AI data infrastructures are increasingly reliant on advanced storage solutions to manage the sheer volume and velocity of data processing demands, as highlighted in Stephen Foskett’s article on Gestalt IT. Solidigm’s contributions to the field, with their state-of-the-art storage technologies, underscore the necessity for innovation and scalability in supporting AI workloads. As AI applications continue to evolve, the selection of sophisticated, capable storage systems becomes a linchpin for the success and efficiency of AI-driven enterprises. This article brings together this entire series, sponsored by Solidigm.
Data Quality is More Important Than Ever in an AI World with Qlik
In our AI-dominated world, data quality is the key to building useful tools. This episode of the Tech Field Day podcast features Drew Clarke from Qlik discussing best practiced for integrating data sources with AI models with Joey D’Antoni, Gina Rosenthal, and Stephen Foskett before Qlik Connect in Orlando.
Containerization is Required to Modernize Applications at the Edge
Modern applications are widely deployed in the cloud, but they’re coming at the edge as well. This episode of the Tech Field Day podcast features Alastair Cooke and Paul Nashawaty from The Futurum Group, Erik Nordmark from ZEDEDA, and host Stephen Foskett discussing the intersection of application modernization and edge computing.
Credible Content From the Community is More Important than Ever
There is a hazardous amount of AI-generated and SEO-oriented content being generated, and the solution is real stories from real communities. In the first episode of Tech Field Podcast, recorded on-site at AI Field Day, Stephen Foskett chats with Frederic Van Haren, Gina Rosenthal and Colleen Coll about confronting inauthentic content.
Reintroducing the Tech Field Day Podcast
The Tech Field Day Podcast returns! The name may change but the content and format are still the same. Read on to learn more about the history of the podcast and focus going forward with our new episodes.
