Ahead of LEAP 2023 technology conference in Riyadh, Cisco has shared its perspective on the technological trends that will aid businesses in the region to fully embrace digital transformation.
Cisco identified security, hybrid work, multi-cloud frameworks, and sustainability as the main focus areas in 2023, all driven by connectivity and advanced networks.
At Cisco’s booth at LEAP, visitors will have the opportunity to explore these trends and cutting-edge technologies aimed at boosting the digital and eco-friendly initiatives of both public and private customers. The theme of Cisco’s booth is “Powering A Connected & Sustainable Universe.”
According to the company, the following trends will shape the tech industry in 2023 and beyond:
Hybrid Future of Work: The future of work will be a mix of remote and in-person, leading to more equitable and productive experiences. In 2023, natural language processing and AI/ML will be utilised in new ways in collaboration tools, fueling hybrid work.
Cybersecurity and Resilience: Digitisation presents endless possibilities but also increases cyber threats for organisations of all sizes. Cybercriminals are becoming more advanced, with sophisticated tools at their disposal. In 2023, the next phase in security will involve using AI and machine learning for anomaly detection and behavior analysis.
Infrastructure Simplification and Automation: Networks will prioritise improved user experience, achieved through access to predictive technologies through integrated SaaS, paving way towards a future of self-healing networks powered by predictive analytics.
Boosting Cloud Experience: In the coming year, companies will shift towards multi-cloud architectures, with 89% adopting this strategy for various reasons. This brings added complexity in connecting, securing, and monitoring multi-cloud environments, leading to new multi-cloud frameworks and increased private and edge cloud offerings.
Internet of the Future: To connect the next billion users to the Internet, changing its economics is crucial. Today, to make 5G, IoT, and the Internet accessible to everyone, transforming network building is vital to optimise agility and future-proof infrastructure.
Sustainability and Net Zero Goals: To meet sustainability objectives, Net Zero will establish common standards, with advancements in Power Over Ethernet design and hardware to improve data center sustainability. Data center platform management will advance with networking and APIs for monitoring, tracking, and changing energy usage. IT vendors and hardware partners will focus on hardware reuse (circularity).
Reem Asaad, Vice President, Cisco Middle East and Africa, said, “With its rapidly developing and diversifying economy, Saudi Arabia looks to digitisation to play a key role. For more than 25 years, Cisco has been working with the Kingdom on its innovation journey, through initiatives such as our Country Digital Acceleration (CDA) program and Cisco Networking Academy. As we continue to help the nation realize its Vision 2030, LEAP serves as a significant platform for Cisco to showcase the possibilities of a digital and green future.”
LEAP visitors will learn about Cisco’s contributions to support the Kingdom’s transition to a digital economy via the Cisco Country Digital Acceleration (CDA) programme.
At LEAP, Cisco will showcase its latest innovations alongside its channel partners, including Main Sponsor BTC Networks as well as Gold Sponsors Crystal Networks and GEER ICT. In addition, Cisco distributors and ecosystem partners will present end-to-end use case solutions which integrate seamlessly with Cisco technologies.
Salman Faqeeh, Managing Director, Cisco Saudi Arabia, said, “This year at LEAP, we aren’t only unveiling our ground-breaking digital technologies, we’re also highlighting our commitment to spurring innovation and growing the technology ecosystem in the Kingdom. We will also celebrate the 25th global anniversary of the Cisco Networking Academy, while showcasing its local impact in Saudi Arabia. Till date, the academy has trained more than 274,500 learners in the Kingdom with in-demand IT skills, preparing them for the jobs of the future.”
The Cisco booth at LEAP is located at Stand C50, Hall 02
