In our annual survey of senior leaders, security continues to be the top priority for IT investment, with cyberattacks, passwords and network security crucial concerns. Phishing, malware and ransomware remain high-level concerns for senior leaders.For CCS Insight's latest podcast episode, I was joined by Andy Wen, Senior Director of Product Management at Google, and Aspi Havewala, Vice President of Infrastructure at Verizon to delve into Google Workspace's approach to security.Our discussion unpacked the security threats faced by organizations today, investigating the tools available to empower borderless collaboration in the modern workplace environment.The episode explores:Google Workspace's security credentials.How to ensure successful implementation of digital transformation.Employee experience as a fundamental aspect of integrating new technologies.The impact of generative AI on security threats and solutions.

Since OpenAI's ChatGPT became publicly available in November 2022, the world has been captivated by the possibilities of generative artificial intelligence (AI). But AI isn't new: companies have been developing AI and machine learning technologies for many years. One organization with a rich history in this area is IBM. As the hype about AI continues to build, it's crucial that firms implement the technology effectively for their business. IBM has decades of experience applying AI in real-world solutions to deliver tangible outcomes in industries such as HR and healthcare.In our latest podcast episode, Bola Rotibi, CCS Insight's Chief of Enterprise Research, was joined by IBM's Andi Britt, Senior Partner and Talent Transformation Leader, and Jon Lester, Vice President for HR Technology, Data and AI, to delve into IBM's AI vision and the technology's impact on the enterprise market.The discussion unpacked the practical applications and complexities of generative AI, offering a glimpse into the future to shape effective AI strategies.The episode explores:Current applications of generative AI in the real worldChallenges faced by early adopters of new technologiesEthical implications and considerations for businessesPredictions for the future of AI.CCS Insight has produced a free report detailing the key points of the podcast discussion, available here.

Artificial intelligence (AI) and edge computing are taking the Internet of things (IoT) to the next level, with new and exciting applications expected over the next year and beyond. But as the rapid pace of advancements and investments unfolds, it raises the question: are we accelerating too fast?We recently talked to Christina Cardoza, Editorial Director at insight.tech, about our top IoT and edge AI predictions for 2024. We also navigate the responsible development of solutions and explore the impact AI is set to make in the coming years.The podcast touches on topics including:The impact of edge AI on the IoT marketCloud computing versus edge computingThe future of AI development and generative AI realitiesBusiness considerations for AI investments, including regulationDeveloping AI with privacy in mindThe role of 5G.For more insight on this market and our other predictions, read CCS Insight Predictions for 2024 and Beyond.This podcast was originally published on insight.tech.

Edge computing is quickly becoming known for its ability to improve business operations by reducing latency, delivering high performance and providing real-time insights. But despite its promise, many businesses — especially in the industrial space — struggle to successfully adopt edge computing.One challenge is that industrial edge computing can be complex to scale. Although it's relatively easy to get started with a few edge devices, managing a large-scale edge computing infrastructure can be daunting. Additionally, the lack of a single edge computing standard can make it difficult to integrate edge devices and applications from different suppliers.To overcome these challenges, businesses need to take a strategic approach to edge computing adoption. This includes carefully planning their edge computing architecture, selecting the right edge devices and applications and implementing a robust management and orchestration framework.I recently talked to Christina Cardoza at insight.tech, alongside Dan Rodriguez, Vice President and General Manager of the Network and Edge Solutions Group at Intel, about the edge computing landscape. We discussed the state of edge computing across different environments, how businesses can successfully approach edge computing, key challenges and how to solve them, and what the future holds for edge computing in this space.This episode touches on topics including:Different edge opportunities for businessesWhy adoption is more challenging for manufacturersHow to successfully approach edge computingLessons learned from industry examplesThe edge computing ecosystem and partnershipsFuture-proofing investments and efforts.To learn more about adopting edge computing, read IoT Edge Computing: The Road to Success.This podcast was originally published on insight.tech.

In recent months, various industries and organizations worldwide have been hit by numerous high-profile security breaches. These breaches have included unauthorized access, data leaks, ransomware attacks and other forms of cyberthreats targeting applications and their underlying infrastructure.Respondents in our Senior Leadership IT Investment Survey, 2022 cited IT security as the top priority for the fourth consecutive year, outlining both the importance of security and the complexities facing many businesses. When looking at new product launches and updates, security is at the front and centre of the messaging as a core capability on offer from many software providers.For this episode of the CCS Insight podcast, I was joined by VMware's Darran Rice, Tanzu Executive Advisor, and Michael Coté, Senior Member of Technical Staff. Clive Howard, Chief Technology Officer at Huozhi, a provider of a humanitarian fintech platform, and associate analyst at CCS Insight, also joined the discussion.Our conversation explored the difficulties facing organizations looking to secure their IT workloads and how they can navigate the technical debt and older technologies. As businesses update these systems, new security vulnerabilities arise and require a further review of the profile.The podcast episode unpacks:The main security complexities faced by businesses across industriesThe best strategies that are working for securing application deliveryThe importance of people in an organization as a core, understated security risk.CCS Insight has also produced a free report detailing the key points of the podcast discussion, available here.

Today's IT solutions are more complex than ever, with enterprises navigating how to introduce new capabilities like cloud, mobile and Internet of things to a foundation of traditional technology. Maintaining an open and clear line of communication with an IT partner can make all the difference in this process, assuring the best chance of success for both parties. Also, a good partner should help its client organization bring specific skill sets in-house, becoming more self-sufficient and capable of developing at pace.For this episode of the CCS Insight podcast, I was joined by IBM's Natalie Denyer, Director of Client Engineering, and Chris Oldacre, Customer Success Director. We also spoke to Clive Howard, chief technology officer at Huozhi, a provider of a humanitarian fintech platform. Clive is also an associate analyst at CCS Insight.You can also find the episode on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify.Our discussion unpacked the cooperative relationship between IBM's Client Engineering and Client Success teams, and how the company's approach has adapted over the decades to keep up with the demands of the ever-changing IT industry.The podcast episode explores:What a fit-for-purpose customer success operation or programme looks like in today's complex IT environment.How best to measure success in a partnership engagement, embracing open and clear communication inside a customer organization, but also between partner and client.What are the core tenets of IBM's approach to customer success and the standout features that can address ever-evolving customer demands.

Under the spotlight of regulatory scrutiny, Broadcom CEO and president Hock Tan has been working to bring clarity to how VMware will thrive in the Broadcom family. What will undoubtedly be a relief to prospective customers, partners and the wider market is that it won't come at the expense of stifling competition and choice. However, faced with apprehension from various trade, competition and antitrust bodies, Mr Tan and his team have had some convincing to do.Shortly after Broadcom announced its intentions to acquire VMware on 26 May 2022, CCS Insight commented on the announcement. We viewed the decision as a smart move to shepherd a more diversified hardware and software company with a rounded infrastructure and cloud management story. And, although VMware is certainly a prized asset to acquire, we expected challenges in bringing together silicon, software and services.In this episode of the CCS Insight podcast, Bola Rotibi, chief of enterprise research, provides a deep dive into the foundations for the acquisition of VMware, with Mr Tan setting out his vision for the deal.Broadcom's investment goals promise to extend the range of VMware partners, offering more choice and expanding VMware's operations and market foothold. Its aim of rebranding and repositioning the Broadcom Software group under the VMware brand is recognition of the latter's strength in the technology and supply chain ecosystem. Customers and partners will be reassured by these aims — and Broadcom will be hoping that regulatory bodies feel the same.The companion report outlining the key points of the discussion is now available here.Note: Hock Tan's comments on investments and plans for VMware are to be understood as referring to future circumstances in which Broadcom has closed its proposed acquisition of VMware.

Containers can be a vital tool in the development of operations teams, allowing developers to build up skills in a technology that isn't specific to a particular type or workload, and to become more responsible for the life cycle of their applications. These portable containers can help organizations as they transition to the cloud by making workloads accessible across different technologies. However, the solution is still evolving, and some question if portable containers are destroying standards.For this episode of the CCS Insight podcast, our chief of enterprise research, Bola Rotibi, was joined by IBM's Emily Jiang, Liberty Cloud Native Architect and Advocate, and Graham Charters, WebSphere and Liberty product manager. We also spoke to Clive Howard, chief technology officer at Huozhi, a provider of a humanitarian fintech platform. Clive is also an associate analyst at CCS Insight.Our discussion unpacked the importance of containers in modern app development and how challenges are being addressed to help organizations make the move into the cloud. We also highlighted the role of APIs, and how they can serve to bring in other solutions and use other environments when containers aren't an applicable solution.The podcast offers guidance on the needs of modern application development, discussing:- How the industry is addressing API standards to increase developers' efficiency and allow them to reuse their skills.- What value these standards present to businesses, and how technical leads can present this to their business counterparts thinking about investing in containers and APIs.- How developers can use open standards to apply existing skills to different implementations, achieving standardization, consistency and portability across the board.CCS Insight has produced a free report offering insight into how containers are affecting the standards landscape. 

Since the 1990s, Java has become one of the most popular programming languages and an established technology for enterprise development. However, despite this history and the role it played in the beginning of the Internet, Java is not always seen as an instrumental technology in the cloud. For our latest podcast episode, Bola Rotibi, Chief of Enterprise Research at CCS Insight, talks to Ian Robinson, Distinguished Engineer and Chief Technology Officer of the IBM Application Platform. Ian has more than 25 years of experience working in distributed enterprise computing and is responsible for the technical strategy of IBM Application Platform technologies including WebSphere, Liberty and Java. Clive Howard, Chief Technology Officer at Huozhi, a provider of a humanitarian fintech platform, and associate analyst with CCS Insight, also joined the podcast discussion. Our discussion touched on the importance of Java in the early days of the Internet and how this may translate to its place in the cloud, looking at some of the initiatives that IBM has put together to make the coding language relevant for cloud operations.  The podcast also offers listeners strategic guidance on the topic, such as: How to harness existing software development teams with specific skills and experience using Java in the transition to the cloud. Finding opportunities to innovate and overcome the challenges facing Java's future in the cloud, such as taking advantage of the cloud to optimize existing workloads in Java. The importance of these initiatives to leading technical roles from a business perspective, for example, reusing existing skills, teams and technologies to make the cloud more efficient and cheaper. 

CCS Insight's James Sanders explores how to transform multicloud complexity into multicloud coherency with VMware's Amanda Blevins and Richard Munro, joined by Clive Howard, associate analyst with CCS Insight.