A sneak peak of the Think 2019 Infrastructure campus

15 October, 2018
Meg Murphy
IBM

“It can be hard to keep up with all of the technology shifts and changes these days. IBM Think helps me because it addresses all of them including AI, cloud, analytics, infrastructure, security, and even nascent trends like quantum computing!”

– Craig S. Mullins, President & Principal Consultant, Mullins Consulting Inc.

Think 2019 is fast approaching, and this next gathering of industry leaders and technology visionaries is shaping up to be an exceptional event. Scheduled 12 – 15 February 2019 in San Francisco, Think offers a mix of inspiration, education, networking and entertainment.

At the Infrastructure campus, our goal is to demonstrate how you can use modern IT infrastructure to transform your enterprise. To that end, the Infrastructure campus hosts more than 175 expert sessions, panel discussions and hands-on labs on a broad array of topics. Here’s a glimpse of what we’ll be highlighting at Think.

Deploying storage for multicloud environments

We live in a multicloud world. Organizations are deploying a combination of public, private and hybrid clouds to meet a variety of business needs. In fact, IDC predicts that by 2020 over 90 percent of enterprises will use multiple cloud services and platforms.[1] While cloud environments can offer businesses more agility, they also can present challenges for storing, managing and securing data.

We’re bringing together cloud and storage themes on the same Think campus to shine a light on the storage issues that cloud environments can create—and how best to tackle them. We’ll devote several sessions to multicloud, highlighting strategies and solutions that help manage the complexity of multicloud environments. For example, sessions on IBM Cloud Object Storage explain how this solution enables you to accommodate large-scale data volumes reliably and securely.

Think also provides opportunities to take a deeper dive into new storage technologies, such as NVMe and how the NVMe-based IBM FlashSystem®  9100 can benefit your business.

Accelerating the adoption of artificial intelligence in enterprises

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer science fiction. IDC estimates that by 2021, 50 percent of enterprise infrastructure will employ AI to improve enterprise productivity, manage risks and drive cost reduction.1  Many organizations have taken the first steps on their AI journey—and they are grappling with the demands that AI can place on their existing compute and storage infrastructure.

At Think, we’re focused on helping organizations remove the obstacles blocking their adoption of AI. For example, we will demonstrate the IBM Power SystemsTM AC922, a GPU-accelerated server purpose-built for the rigorous compute demands of machine learning. We’ll also demonstrate IBM PowerAI Enterprise software, a distribution of popular open source, deep learning frameworks designed to take advantage of the AC922’s capabilities.

Join us to hear from clients that are using AI solutions from IBM to power a new wave of cancer treatments, maintain compliance with health and safety regulations, and predict the impact of solar radiation on Earth-orbiting satellites.

Maintaining data security and regulatory compliance

Securing data and maintaining regulatory compliance remain top priorities for organizations—and for good reason: according to Forrester, 58 percent of enterprises have experienced at least one security breach in the last 12 months.[2]

At Think, you’ll learn how to bolster data security at multiple levels. One solution is pervasive encryption, offered on the IBM Z® and IBM LinuxONETM server platforms. We will also showcase software tools for ensuring data availability, how POWER9 TM-based servers help protect data throughout their stack, and how IBM supports the use of secure containers.

Supporting the success of DevOps

For many organizations, accelerating their digital transformation depends on implementing a DevOps culture across IT. To support that culture within your organization, you need the right business processes and open, extensible platforms.

At Think, you’ll get tips on how to implement a DevOps approach that capitalizes on cloud-based containers, microservices, APIs, automated pipelines and other technologies that can speed your transformation.

Join IBM experts for hands-on labs to gain some new development chops. For example, you can practice setting up end-to-end automation across IBM z/OS and non-z/OS systems using Docker, and deploying a LAMP stack using Terraform®.

Driving innovation in quantum and supercomputing

Several new technologies are driving not only business transformation but also breakthroughs that can have a positive impact on humanity. The new Summit supercomputer at the US Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory, for instance, stands ready to power discoveries in astrophysics, medicine, materials science and more. The same technologies that make Summit the fastest supercomputer in the world are available to enterprises today in IBM Power Systems servers.

And if you’re eager to peer into the future of computing, join us for special sessions on quantum computing. Learn how your company can prepare for this powerful new class of computing and get a sneak peek into IBM’s quantum roadmap.

Register today

Looking for more reasons to attend Think 2019? Don’t forget that this year’s event is being held in San Francisco. Come explore the City by the Bay—one of the world’s top destinations, with rich history, vibrant culture, and beautiful natural surroundings.

Register now and start making your plans to join us. Save $300 if you register before November 16th. We look forward to seeing you there!

[1]IDC FutureScape: Worldwide IT Industry 2018 Predictions”, Doc # US43171317, October 2017.[2] Forrester Research, Top Cybersecurity Threats in 2018, November 2017.

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