This year. NEXT 2021, “Cloud on your Terms” was an all-virtual event with a great keynote lineup and loads of session content consumable on-demand found by registering at the .NEXT conference page. Looking at some of the key takeaways from the “Cloud on your Terms” main keynote and the security keynote, t the latest IT trends, and the main keynote cloud vision of how Nutanix solutions are being simplified and wrapping things up with some thoughts on the security keynote. Let’s dive in!
The Latest Trends Overview
The main keynote at .NEXT recapped how our lives have changed in the past 18+ months and also how we do business. We adopted technology rapidly and in a way that allows us to meet remotely daily. We have also embraced technology that enables work from anywhere with ease (ex. remote desktops). Technology adoption has indeed accelerated, cloud adoption has elevated, and remote work on some level is here to stay. In the early part of the keynote, Rajiv Ramaswami, CEO of Nutanix, also highlighted that organizations will focus on modernizing their digital infrastructure, moving forward with cloud strategies, and continue enabling distributed workforces.
Main Keynote and Cloud Vision
Rajiv also indicated that “Public cloud will be a key part [of the future of computing], but the CIO mindset has evolved for the cloud journey, and there is now more caution being placed around Data Governance, Security, Edge Use Cases, and cloud cost before moving to the cloud.” Anticipating that this will lead to a more thoughtful approach to cloud adoption to the enterprise going forward.
He also noted that the cost of cloud could double your infrastructure bill. Cloud consumption will be different for every company, and the cost and economics behind the cloud will still need to be understood. As time evolves, organizations will figure out what works for them, but in the end, hybrid cloud is turning out to be the preferred multicloud deployment.
How is Nutanix Simplifying its Solutions?
During the main keynote, Nutanix showed solutions a simple way that enterprises can consume “One Platform for Hybrid Multicloud.” The Nutanix Cloud Platform is depicted in diagram 1 below and be sure to check out the keynote for deeper insights.
Diagram 1
Beyond this, there were significant announcements around deeper partnerships with Redhat, Citrix, and Microsoft. These partnerships provide a product stack with an even richer product capability than ever.
Security and Consumer Behavior Keynote
The primary keynote speaker for this was Theresa Payton, First Female Whitehouse, CIO, and Leading Cybersecurity Expert. If your organization has a security mindset, then this keynote is worth the watch time. The key messaging around this keynote is that our technology is fragile and staying ahead of breaches/hacks can be an ongoing challenge. The only way to be successful with security is that enterprises must have the ability to adapt, learn and reprocess as new attacks are formed. She recommends that the gaps you want to fill first revolve around anything that can be categorized as human error. Fill those gaps first. From there, think of a way to outthink the cybercriminals and implement your technology differently to create what I would call protective layers that make it harder for an outsider to breach. I will not spill everything that she shared, but I will say that this session will leave you looking for ways to “think differently” when planning and updating your security strategy going forward.
Wrapping things up!
The keynotes from Nutanix. NEXT demonstrate both their strategy and vision around cloud for Nutanix customers. Highlighting that the way enterprises consume cloud should be on your terms for long-term business success.
Next up, check out my post around some of the session highlights!
This article is sponsored by Nutanix.