The modern enterprise network automation strategy is failing. This is due in part to a collection of tools masquerading as an automation solution. In this episode, Tom Hollingsworth is joined by Scott Robohn, Bruno Wollmann, and special guest Mike Bushong of Nokia to discuss the current state of automation in the data center. They discuss how tools are often improperly incorporated as well as why organizations shouldn’t rely on just a single person or team to affect change. They also explore ideas around Nokia Event-Driven Automation (EDA), a new operations platform dedicated to solving these issues.
Nature Fresh Farms Leverages Intel and AI to Maximize Yield
At Nature Fresh Farms, leveraging Intel technology and advanced AI capabilities has significantly enhanced agricultural operations and maximized crop yields. Through the strategic use of data analytics and machine learning, the company is able to predict crop growth patterns, optimize greenhouse conditions, and reduce waste while increasing production efficiency. This innovative integration exemplifies how cutting-edge technology is transforming the farming industry, leading to more sustainable practices and improved outcomes. Read more in this Gestalt IT article by Girard Kavelines, sponsored by Intel and focused on their AI Field Day 4 presentations.
Running Enterprise Industry Specific Private AI with Intel, and VMware by Broadcom
Discover the impact of merging AI with industry-specific solutions in a recent exploration by Broadcom, where they teamed up with Intel and VMware to enhance enterprise operations. This initiative focuses on utilizing private AI infrastructure to drive efficiency and innovation, addressing unique industry challenges while maintaining data privacy and security. Learn more in this Gestalt IT article by Liselotte Foverskov, sponsored by Intel and focused on their presentation at AI Field Day 4.
Google Cloud Re-Architects Infrastructure for AI Era
Allyson Klein provides insights into how Google Cloud is reshaping its infrastructure to support the surge in AI applications, catering to the needs of the next generation of computing. The article focuses on Google’s collaboration with Intel to optimize hardware and software stacks, ensuring they meet the performance and scalability requirements that AI-driven workloads demand. This re-architecting effort signifies a strategic pivot towards AI-readiness, reflecting Google Cloud’s commitment to empowering developers and enterprises with cutting-edge AI capabilities. Read more about Intel’s AI capabilities in this series of sponsored posts on Gestalt IT following AI Field Day 4.
Unveiling the Role of CPUs in AI Inference and a Growing Trend of Accelerator Alternatives With Intel
In this Gestalt IT article, Colleen Coll considers Intel’s approach to AI inference, examining the evolving role of CPUs and the rising inclination towards specialized accelerator alternatives. Her write-up unveils how Intel is navigating this shift, focusing on optimizing CPUs for AI tasks while also embracing the potential of dedicated accelerators for more demanding workloads. The article highlights Intel’s strategic efforts to meet diverse AI computational needs, ensuring they remain at the forefront of high-performance AI innovation. This sponsored article follows Intel’s presentation at AI Field Day 4 earlier this year.
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.
Solidigm and Supermicro Put “Green” in Greenfield
Supermicro and Solidigm are actively tackling the intensifying demands of AI workloads with their efficient, rack-sized storage solutions, designed to streamline AI data pipelines, as discussed at a recent AI Field Day event. They are engineering a three-tiered platform specifically to accommodate the diverse needs of AI processes—from data ingestion and transformation to training and inference—enhancing performance with high-speed, high-density SSDs from Solidigm. As AI data centers seek to become more environmentally sustainable, the partnership underscores their commitment to delivering solutions that not only meet the technical demands of AI but also pave the way for greener computing practices. Read more in this article by Andy Banta, sponsored by Solidigm.
Solidigm – a Bigger, Faster, and More Efficient Storage for AI
Solidigm’s AI Field Day presentation highlighted the critical role of large-scale, high-efficiency storage solutions like NAND flash memory in meeting the evolving demands of AI, as covered by tech analyst Ben Young. The company, born from the union of Intel’s NAND SSD business and SK Hynix, demonstrates expertise in delivering high-density QLC SSDs, such as the D5-P5336 model, which significantly outperforms traditional HDDs in capacity and speed while reducing energy consumption. Solidigm’s storage innovations, offering up to 61.44TB per slim drive, not only future-proof AI infrastructure but also promise to drive advancements across various industries by improving training times and real-time decision-making capabilities.
Intel Xeon CPUs – How Efficiency Makes It a Top Contender for AI Inference
In the AI arms race, Intel’s latest 5th generation Xeon processors have emerged as a powerful and efficient alternative to GPUs for certain AI workloads, according to Ben Young’s AI Field Day article. With a 36% performance boost in specialized AI tasks enabled by Advanced Matrix Extensions (AMX), these CPUs accelerate deep learning particularly for AI inference, offering a cost-effective option for applications with lighter and less frequent processing needs. Intel’s dedication is clear as they bolster their CPUs’ AI capabilities and facilitate developers with tools like the OpenVINO toolkit, positioning Xeon CPUs as a feasible choice for an array of AI workloads, balancing the scale with GPUs based on the specific requirements of the task. Read more in this Gestalt IT article by Ben Young, sponsored by Intel.
Solidigm and Why Storage Is Critical to the Success of AI
At AI Field Day, experts from Solidigm and Supermicro illuminated the critical role of high-performance storage in ensuring the success of Generative AI, which demands instant, uninterrupted access to massive datasets. Efficient storage solutions are paramount to prevent downtime, which can lead to significant loss in both productivity and financial terms. Their discussion underlined the importance of structuring and cataloging data for future use, emphasizing that optimized storage systems with high IOPS (Input/Output Operations Per Second) are essential for Generative AI’s accelerating growth and the reliable generation of actionable insights. Read more in this article by Jeff Powers for Gestalt IT, sponsored by Solidigm.
Improving Network Operations With a Doppelganger From Forward Networks
Forward Networks introduced innovative ways to improve network operations using a digital twin of any network at Networking Field Day, simplifying complex environments for diverse operational teams. Their solution, Forward Enterprise, captures detailed configuration and state data, enabling queries through a SQL-like language without requiring deep knowledge of specific vendor syntax. Additionally, their AI-powered features, AI Assist and Summary Assist, transform natural language into precise queries and summaries, respectively, facilitating even quicker access to critical network information, thus enhancing efficiency across the board. Read more in this Gestalt IT article by Bruno Wollmann, sponsored by Forward Networks.
Using AI to Enhance Forward Networks NQE
In this article, Tom Hollingsworth highlights Forward Networks’ new AI Assist feature for their Network Query Engine (NQE), emphasizing a user-friendly approach to complex network queries. This feature allows professionals to input plain language requests which are then translated into precise NQE syntax by AI, ensuring transparency and fostering a deeper understanding of the underlying system. Forward Networks’ approach to integrating AI not only streamlines the process of extracting network insights but also acts as a learning tool, bridging the gap between user intent and technical query execution. Read more in this Networking Field Day article sponsored by Forward Networks.
AI Assistance Without Leveraging Infrastructure Data, With Forward Networks
AI has become a critical yet contentious component in networking, as vendors seek balance between leveraging its benefits and protecting the sensitive data it runs on. Forward Networks has innovatively addressed this challenge with its AI Assist and Summary Assist features, enabling network engineers to streamline their use of the Network Query Engine (NQE) without exposing critical infrastructure data. These tools epitomize strategic AI implementation, delivering powerful assistance within a data-secure framework to optimize network management while safeguarding company-specific information. Learn more in this article by Aaron Conaway, sponsored by Forward Networks.
Quantum Myriad – a Transactionally-Consistent Scale-Out All-Flash File Storage
Quantum has taken a bold step towards solving the scalability dilemma faced by enterprise storage solutions with the introduction of Myriad, a cloud-native all-flash storage platform uniquely designed for transactionally consistent operations. Myriad’s open architecture, built with industry-standard components, promises unprecedented flexibility and scalability across environments, both on-premises and in the cloud, catering to the demanding requirements of modern workloads. Setting a new standard in high-performance storage solutions, Quantum Myriad is poised to address the needs of businesses grappling with exponential data growth, ensuring predictability and innovation at the core of its scale-out storage offering. Read more in this Gestalt IT article by David Klee, sponsored by Quantum.
Quantum Myriad: A Future-Proof Storage for High-Performance Workloads
Quantum advances its storage portfolio with Myriad, the latest software-defined solution that streamlines unified file and object storage capabilities tailored to today’s intensive workloads like AI and HPC. Myriad’s innovative architecture, built on a cloud-native foundation, promises high throughput and low latency, driven by NVMe technology to meet the rigorous demands of data-rich environments. This strategic move not only bridges the gap between Quantum’s StorNext and ActiveScale products but also redefines the company’s trajectory by catering to the burgeoning needs of capacity, performance, and scalability inherent to modern data workflows. Read more in this Gestalt IT article by Max Mortillaro, sponsored by Quantum.
Empowering the API Fortress Using FortiWeb Cloud WAF as a Service With Fortinet
At Cloud Field Day, Fortinet showcased their FortiWeb Cloud WAF as a Service, positioning it as a trailblazer for bolstering web application and API security in the face of an ever-present digital threat landscape. This sponsored article by Chris Hildebrandt discusses this customer-focused solution, which stands out for its machine learning engine that intelligently learns and documents API structures, enabling it to draft specific security policies and swiftly identify high-priority threats. FortiWeb™ Cloud WAF-as-a-Service epitomizes a proactive approach to cybersecurity, offering a unified view across environments and actionable insights to optimize security postures for SOCs.
The Importance of a Web Application Firewall With Fortinet
At Cloud Field Day, Fortinet underscored the critical role of Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) in safeguarding enterprise applications, as demonstrated in a live hack simulation on a drone control app. In this sponsored article, Jeffrey Powers discusses FortiWeb Cloud WAF, a defender against sophisticated threats, highlighting its ability to identify and thwart attacks such as SQL injection and cross-site scripting to protect daily web operations. With the growing deployment of web applications across various sectors, including drone technology, Fortinet’s solutions like FortiSOAR and FortiAnalyzer are vital in offering proactive, machine learning-driven response strategies to maintain security and operational integrity.
Elevating Cloud SOC by Leveraging Fortinet’s Automation and Intelligence
Fortinet’s presentation at Cloud Field Day highlighted its commitment to evolving Security Operations Centers (SOCs) through automation and intelligence, exemplified by their flagship FortiSOAR solution. Designed to predict and prevent attacks proactively, FortiSOAR simplifies playbook creation with a no-code, drag-and-drop interface and integrates seamlessly with over 500 tools. The solution’s capacity to scale security operations by automating decision-making and incident response positions FortiSOAR as a transformative force for SOCs to become more agile and efficient in the face of complex cyber threats.
Unlocking Developer Efficiency With Self-Service Dev Portals and RackN
In this article for Gestalt IT, Adam Fisher concludes his series focused on RackN, IT Ops, and infrastructure provisioning and management. With RackN’s Digital Rebar platform, IT Ops can bring infrastructure operations back under their control, freeing developers from infrastructure concerns and enabling them to focus on applications. Integrating Digital Rebar with self-service developer portals allows for consistent and compliant infrastructure provisioning, enhancing developer efficiency and loyalty, while ensuring security, cost control, and alignment with organizational standards. The collaboration between IT Ops and developers facilitated by RackN ultimately drives innovation and improves business competitiveness.
Infrastructure Pipelines Become Reality With RackN Digital Rebar
In this Cloud Field Day Tech Note for RackN, Adam Fisher explores how Digital Rebar empowers IT Ops with consistency, efficiency, and flexibility in managing modern data centers. Infrastructure pipelines, enabled by RackN’s Digital Rebar, streamline infrastructure provisioning and management, allowing for faster time to value and improved collaboration between teams. With multi-site management and IaC catalogs, IT Ops can achieve operational control and standardization across their organization’s infrastructure deployments. Learn more about RackN’s solutions and watch their presentations from Cloud Field Day!