Intelligent Data Centres Issue 04 | Page 35

FEATURE The volume of data produced and received by organisations is only set to increase, which raises the question – where’s it all going to be stored? Industry experts from Pure Storage and Nexsan explore some of the key talking points when it comes to data storage. Powerful data is shared data – conquering the silo sprawl James Petter, VP EMEA, Pure Storage, discusses the benefits of creating a data hub to conquer the silo sprawl. According to IDC, spending on data-intensive AI systems in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region will grow at a CAGR of 32% between 2016 and 2021, reaching US$114.22 million in 2021. Projects range from automated customer service agents, shopping and product recommendations to health and safety use cases such as automated cyberthreat detection and AI-powered medical research, diagnosis and treatment. Some have referred to this opportunity as the ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution’. www.intelligentdatacentres.com That’s a massive understatement. The last industrial revolution was driven by the assembly line – a feat of strategic engineering that helped build a car faster. Today we’re talking about feats of engineering that allow cars to drive themselves. It’s less apples to oranges and more apples to atoms. A new generation of tools, fuelled by an ability to ingest, store and deliver unprecedented amounts of data, are driving a tidal wave of innovation, previously relegated to the realms of science fiction. Data’s role in the future of business cannot be overstated. According to a survey conducted by MIT Technology Review, commissioned by Pure Storage, an overwhelming 87% of leaders across MEA say data is the foundation for making business decisions and 80% believe that it is key to delivering results for customers. Issue 04 35