Dubai:- NetApp, a global, cloud-led, data-centric software company, today announced an extension of its partnership with Google Cloud to deliver new levels of storage performance combined with the simplicity and the flexibility of the cloud. With the introduction of Google Cloud NetApp Volumes - now available as a fully-managed, first-party service on Google Cloud -   customers can seamlessly bring business-critical workloads across both Windows and Linux environments to Google Cloud, even for the most demanding use cases like VMware and SAP migrations—all without refactoring code or redesigning processes."NetApp's innovative offering with Google Cloud sets the standard for enterprise-class features in public cloud file storage, establishing a benchmark for the industry,” said Dave McCarthy, Research Vice President, Cloud and Edge Infrastructure Services at IDC. “The recognition of NetApp's name alongside the cloud provider in this first party service underscores its commitment to driving cutting-edge cloud storage solutions that address customer and market challenges."Google Cloud NetApp Volumes is based on NetApp ONTAP™ data management software and cloud services. Available today, the partnership enables customers to seamlessly extend their workloads into Google Cloud through an automated storage service that’s fully integrated into its service ecosystem, providing enterprise-grade storage, data protection, and business continuity across workloads. “By extending our collaboration with Google Cloud, NetApp is putting ONTAP storage and data management capabilities into the hands of Google Cloud customers as a first-party service, making it simple to use enterprise-grade storage in their critical workloads, optimize file storage and support   Windows, Linux, SAP and VMware workloads,” said Ronen Schwartz, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Cloud Storage at NetApp. “We see our mission as creating cloud storage and data services that are as forward-thinking and easy to use as possible, and this partnership allows us to continue making this vision a reality.” “Today’s announcement extends our ability to deliver first-party storage and enterprise data management services so organizations can rapidly deploy, run, protect, and scale enterprise workloads with the familiar tools and interface of Google Cloud,” said Sameet Agarwal, Vice President and General Manager, Google Cloud Storage. “We’re thrilled to enhance our File Solutions  portfolio by continuing our partnership with NetApp, bringing the flexibility of the cloud to our customers alongside data protection and efficiency.”   Key capabilities of Google Cloud NetApp Volumes include:Enterprise-grade, multiprotocol file shares with rich SMB and NFS protocol support for the most demanding Windows or Linux workloads, including Google Cloud’s only storage service to support protocols such as SMB and NFSv4.1(and v3)Support for instant capacity additions or changes between performance tiers – without downtime – resulting in the ability to balance investment/performance in real-time.Built-in data protection that creates efficient, block-level incremental backups that don’t impact uptime or performance while meeting RTO/RPO parameters to ensure optimum application availability.“As an existing NetApp customer leveraging Cloud Volumes ONTAP and Cloud Volumes Service on Google Cloud, we are thrilled to embrace the new Google Cloud NetApp Volumes,” said Anthony Lloyd, Vice President, Technology Services at OpenText. “This fully managed file storage service will provide seamless migration of enterprise applications, like Kubernetes, to Google Cloud without refactoring code or redesigning processes. Ultimately, it will simplify operations across all our IT environments.”

 International Data Corporation (IDC) today launched the 16th edition of its annual IDC Middle East CIO Summit at Dubai's Atlantis, The Palm. With more than 500 of the region's most influential ICT decision makers in attendance, the two-day event — which this year runs under the theme 'Enabling the Digital Economy's Leaders' — was opened by IDC's global president, Crawford Del Prete, as he presented the summit's keynote, 'Strategies for the CIO and Enterprise Innovation'."As storms of disruption continue to gather, it is crucial that CIOs are clear on what they need to do now — and in the future — to create an environment for long-term sustainable innovation," said Del Prete. "Central to this is the need to build a culture of trust across the entire organization and its broader ecosystem of partners and customers. We are increasingly seeing a move toward greater industry ecosystem-led innovation, and it is important that CIOs fully understand the implications of this ongoing decentralization. At the same time, enterprise leaders must view increased line-of-business investment as a springboard to greater innovation and not an end state in itself."The IDC Middle East CIO Summit has been a staple of the region's ICT calendar for 16 years, serving as the ICT community's premier source of learning about the industry's latest developments. As well as informative presentations, in-depth discussions, and expert-led panel sessions, this year's edition incorporates five different 'Transformation Zones' demonstrating pioneering use cases and technological advances in the areas of the metaverse, DevOps, customer experience, sustainability, and Industry 4.0.The rise of the digital economy was central to discussions on Day 1 of the summit, with IDC's group vice president and regional managing director for the Middle East, Türkiye, and Africa, Jyoti Lalchandani, explaining that it is one of the hottest tech trends shaping investment in 2023. "We are seeing a growing focus across the region on developing the infrastructure, innovation platforms, and skills required to support the expansion of digital businesses," said Lalchandani. "To set themselves apart in an increasingly competitive market, organizations need to leverage infrastructure, data, and skills alongside critical technology enablers such as 5G, the cloud, and AI. Only then will they be able to successfully re-invent their business models, create new customer experiences, and drive innovation with their partners."The Day 1 agenda also included a series of fascinating 'For the CIO by the CIO' panel discussions, with expert insights from some of the region's most respected end-user tech leaders on topics such as:Talent Development and the Demand for New Skills: How to Optimally Structure Your TeamSustainable Strategies and Technologies: Operationalization, Impact Measurability, and Business Value CreationVendor Selection and Management: Best Practices and What to Look Out ForDay 2 of the IDC Middle East CIO Summit 2023 commences at 9:00 am tomorrow and will include an exclusive keynote from His Excellency Dr. Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, head of cybersecurity for the UAE government. There will also be a show-stopping performance from contemporary artist Neil Harbisson, the world's first officially recognized human cyborg, while IDC's senior vice president and regional managing director for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, Steven Frantzen, will take to the stage to examine the unprecedented rate of disruption that is being caused by the emergence of a thriving digital economy."Digital-native firms, equipped with new business models and armed with substantial venture capital funding, have disrupted supply chains in numerous industries, fueling growth in areas such as ecommerce, direct-to-consumer services, digital payments, and cloud kitchens," says Frantzen. "With the metaverse and Web3 paradigms on the horizon, further disruption is expected to individual, enterprise, and industrial digital experiences."The agenda for Day 2 of the IDC Middle East CIO Summit 2023 will also incorporate a series of expert-led technology track sessions focusing on the following key themes:Cyber Protection for Today and Tomorrow: Dynamic Security Strategies to Minimize RiskConnecting the Distributed Cloud: From the Edge to the Core     Enabling the Data-Driven Enterprise      AI and Analytics: How to Win in the Intelligent Economy The event will conclude with the IDC Excellence Awards 2023, which will recognize the efforts of the Middle East's leading technology executives across three categories: CIO of the Year; CISO of the Year; and Women in Technology & Business.To learn more about the IDC Middle East CIO Summit 2023, please click here or contact Sheila Manek at smanek@idc.com / +971 4 446 3154.The IDC Middle East CIO Summit 2023 is supported by the UAE's Ministry of Industry & Advanced Technology, the UAE's Cyber Security Council, Kuwait's Central Agency for Information Technology, and Dubai Municipality. IDC is also honored to have a wide range of partners on board for the event, including:Host Partner: Gulf Business Machines (GBM); Strategic Partner: Microsoft; Smart ICT Partner: Red Hat; Digital Solutions Partner: MDS System Integration; Trailblazer Partners: VMware, Huco; Sustainability Partner: Cisco; DX Partner: Tech Mahindra; Innovation Partner: HCL Tech; Summit Partners: Google Cloud / Mandiant, Zero&One, Riverbed, AWS, UiPath; Platinum Partners: eMudhra, Fortinet, SentinelOne, Denodo, f5, Snowflake, ServiceNow, Micro Focus, Boomi, HUMAN Security, Tenable, Recorded Future; Technology Focus Group Partners: Crayon, Equinix, Veeam, OpenText, Hyland, SquareOne, Kaspersky, Manage Engine, RiCSOC / Sahara Watira, Kyndryl, Swimlane, Advanced Technology Consultancy / Huawei, Pure Storage, Mendix, NetApp / Ingram Micro; Sustainability Transformation Zone Partner: Microsoft; Industry 4.0 Transformation Zone Partner: Infor; Exhibit Partners: SER Group, Rimini Street, Freshworks, Truspeq, Infinidat, SymphonyAI Summit, New Smart Office Automation, BMC; Associate Partners: Emirates Digital Association for Women, UAE Banks Federation, Women in AI, Women in Cyber Security Middle East; Media Partners: Tech Magazine, IE Industry Events, AI Time Journal, DX Talks, GCC Business News, Security Middle East Magazine, Global Business Magazine, CoinPedia, Coinspeaker, U.Today, International Business Magazine, TechX, Media 7, DigitalsetGo.

 International Data Corporation (IDC) believes that one of the most notable outcomes of the pandemic for the technology industry has been the realization of improved results as a direct consequence of partnerships and collaboration, with the events of the last three years opening up even more opportunities for businesses to form multiple partnerships that fill skills gaps, drive innovation, and disrupt entire industries.Against this backdrop, the Middle East's ICT partner ecosystem will be gathering at the UAE's InterContinental Fujairah Resort on November 9-10 for the region's inaugural installment of IDC Alliance. Showcasing the very latest in channel and alliance trends, this unique event will provide an unrivaled platform for ICT vendors and partners to enhance their relationships, explore emerging opportunities, and develop new leads."At a time when end-user organizations across all industries are shifting towards "digital-first" strategies to help build resilience and navigate a changed world, technology vendors, distributors, service providers, and other players are increasingly collaborating and co-creating through connected ecosystems to deliver digital value to customers," says Ranjit Rajan, IDC's vice president of research for the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa. "I'm delighted to be opening the region's first ever IDC Alliance event, where I will be examining the impact of tech ecosystems, partnership models, and partner transformation priorities, and discuss forces that will shape IT channels and alliances for the next 12 months and beyond."The event will feature a dynamic agenda of informative presentations, networking opportunities, and fun activities hosted by senior IDC analysts and executives for a handpicked audience that will include some of the region's biggest names in technology and business.Eng. Raed I. Al-Fayez, deputy governor for information technology and emerging technologies at Saudi Arabia's Communications, Space, and Technology Commission (CST) will present the event's keynote address, 'Developing a Vibrant Digital Ecosystem in Saudi Arabia', while Tejas Patel, managing director of Accenture Strategy and Consulting, will be on hand to outline the key strategic forces that all businesses must harness as the rapid rate of technology innovation continues to gather pace.The agenda will include three dedicated technology tracks headed by senior executives from du, GBM, and Wipro that will serve up first-hand insights on how to successfully build and leverage effective partner ecosystems in the areas of cloud, security, and IoT. And a series of interactive panel discussions will provide strategic guidance on the following topics:Ecosystems of the FutureEmerging Trends: The Future Tech and the MetaverseCelebrating Women Leaders: A Diversity Journey to SuccessAre You Aligned?Sustainable Strategies and Technologies: Operationalization, Impact Measurability, and Business Value CreationThese not-to-be-missed sessions will feature exclusive insights from the IDC Alliance Advisory Council for the Middle East, whose members include:Eng. Raed I. Al-Fayez, Deputy Governor for Information Technology and Emerging Technologies, Saudi Arabia's Communications, Space, and Technology CommissionAmr Refaat, Chief Executive Officer, Gulf Business Machines (GBM)Essam AlShiha, Chief Executive Officer, Saudi Business Machines (SBM)Viswanath Pallasena, Chief Executive Officer, RedingtonHatem Elkady, Chief Partnerships and Synergies Officer, solutions by stcGaby Matar, Executive Vice President, Solutions and Services, MDS System Integration GroupSumanta Roy, Vice President and Regional Head, Middle East, Africa, and Mediterranean, Tata Consultancy ServicesTejas Patel, Managing Director, Accenture Strategy and ConsultingFrancisco Salcedo, General Manager, Enterprise, Middle East and Africa, MicrosoftMaya Zakhour, Channel Sales Director, Eastern Europe, META, Iberia, and Latin America, NetAppTo learn more about the Middle East's inaugural edition of IDC Alliance, please click here. Alternatively, you can contact Sheila Manek at smanek@idc.com   or on +971 4 446 3154. You can also join the conversation on social media using the hashtag #IDCALLIANCE.The Middle East edition of IDC Alliance is supported by Kuwait's Central Agency for Information Technology (CAIT) and a host of other partners, including NetApp / Ingram Micro, VMware / Ingram Micro, Dell / Intel, and Lenovo / Intel as Trailblazer Partners; Riverbed, SentinelOne, SBM, Cloudera, and Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company as Game Changer Partners; and GCC Business News, International Business Magazine, Security Middle East Magazine, Tech Magazine, AI Time Journal, IE Industry Events, Smart Money Match, and CoinPedia as Media Partners.