Last month we hosted CloudBound22, our third annual virtual conference, and the turnout, expert participation, and content quality exceeded our expectations. This year we focused on building, maintaining, and extracting more value out of your file data cloud. Cloud insiders, industry analysts, noted journalists, and IT leaders and executives from some of our most innovative customers covered everything from cyber resilience and data intelligence to anywhere access and cloud portability.
The sessions are easy to view on-demand, and packed with actionable insights, but we thought we’d share a few of the high-level takeaways from the event here as well.
1. You can do more with your file data and pay less.
In one of our keynotes, David Totten, CTO, Global Partner Solutions for Microsoft, talked about how the shift to cloud isn’t merely an opportunity to transform your infrastructure. As an IT leader, you’re going to be asked to do more with that data, and mine those files for insights and competitive advantages using cloud tools and services.
The hyperscalers were well represented at CloudBound22, as we were also excited to have Paul Meighan, Direct of Product Management for Object Storage at AWS. Paul highlighted several Nasuni and AWS customer success stories, and offered an in-depth take on how organizations can use cloud-backed file data services to do more with their data – including leveraging AWS AI/ML services – at half the cost of traditional on-prem file infrastructures.
2. Ransomware protection demands a multi-pronged strategy.
Obviously ransomware is a critical topic these days, so we dedicated a few sessions to the subject. An all-star analyst panel talked about how the cloud is playing a key role in mitigating the ransomware threat, and industry expert Scott D. Lowe, CEO of ActualTech Media, talked about how your ransomware strategy can’t simply focus on recovery. You need to put together a multi-pronged approach that accounts for detection, prevention, and recovery. We’d add response as well — or the ability to act quickly when ransomware does sneak in through your defenses — but Scott’s presentation offers a great overview of how to boost resiliency.
3. You might want to change your cybersecurity budget pitch.
Although cybersecurity is a priority for most large organizations, and ransomware is top of mind, business leaders often push back when it comes to budgets and costs. In his presentation, Tony Lock of Freeform Dynamics offered insights on how to reframe these conversations to focus more on the business advantages of increased cybersecurity investment, and how they could benefit multiple groups and stakeholders across the organization.
4. Multi-cloud is a must.
In his introduction to CloudBound22, our CEO, Paul Flanagan, talked about how portability was one of the core features of Nasuni from its inception. We wanted organizations to have the freedom to move their data from one cloud to another. As Jerome Wendt, President & founder of DCIG, made clear in his talk — multi-cloud is now a necessity.
5. A file data cloud is ideal for a global collaborative business.
We had a number of great customer speakers, including Joe Marando, CIO of JERDE, a global leader in the AEC space. Joe explained how his firm moved away from traditional methods of storing, sharing, and protecting file data, leveraging Nasuni to unlock global collaboration, speed workflows, and accelerate ransomware recovery.
6. The technology to support a hybrid workforce is evolving rapidly.
The access, security, and collaboration needs of today’s workers are changing given the hybrid and remote nature of many organizations. But the technology to support this evolving workforce is evolving just as rapidly. In their chat, Collaboration Challenges and Opportunities in a Hybrid World, Rohana Meade of Synergy Technical and Nasuni’s Anne Blanchard talk through the key trends in play, with a focus on Microsoft Teams and O365.
7. Cloud infrastructure is uniquely composable.
We talk a lot at Nasuni about the importance of listening to our customers, but we also learn from them. Case in point: Matt Wardle of investment management firm Man Group. A longtime Nasuni customer, Matt talked with our Field CTO John Capello about how he has worked closely with Nasuni over the years to optimize our file data platform to suit his organizations needs — and how what he learned can be applied to a wide range of businesses.
8. Efficient remote, anywhere file access is finally possible.
Noted IT journalist Chris Mellor, Editor at Block & Files, joined our own Andres Rodriguez and Jim Liddle for a detailed discussion about the challenges of managing file data growth, leveraging low-cost cold data storage, and providing efficient remote access to files. In short, it’s not easy, but it’s possible with the right solution and technical approach, centered around a cloud-based file services layer.
There are many other interesting presentations from CloudBound22, including technical talks, fireside chats, a great conversation with longstanding Nasuni customer and advertising giant TBWA, and more content related to hybrid and remote workers, ransomware, and other issues. CloudBound22 content is free to watch on-demand. Scroll through the offerings when you have a few minutes and you’re sure to find something that will benefit you and your organization, wherever you are along your file data services journey.
