Cisco and NVIDIA Introduce AI‑Native 6G Wireless Stack, Redefining Cloud and Enterprise Infrastructure

Cisco and NVIDIA have announced a broad set of AI infrastructure innovations designed to accelerate adoption of artificial intelligence across cloud, enterprise, and telecom sectors. The collaboration brings together Cisco’s networking and security expertise with NVIDIA’s AI computing leadership, marking what executives described as the beginning of the “largest data center build‑out in history.”

Spectrum‑X Powered Switches

At the center of the announcement is the Cisco N9100 Series data center switch, the first NVIDIA partner‑developed switch built on NVIDIA Spectrum‑X Ethernet technology. The switch is designed to deliver high‑performance, low‑latency networking for AI workloads and will be available with both NX‑OS and SONiC operating models. Cisco said the platform will serve as a Cloud Partner‑compliant reference architecture, enabling neocloud and sovereign cloud providers to deploy AI infrastructure at scale.

Enterprise AI Security and Observability

Cisco also expanded its Secure AI Factory with NVIDIA, a framework that integrates compute, networking, security, and observability into enterprise AI deployments. The initiative aims to give organizations end‑to‑end visibility and protection as they scale AI workloads, particularly in regulated industries. New ecosystem partnerships were announced to strengthen monitoring and compliance capabilities.

Telecom and 6G Readiness

In a move aimed at telecom operators, Cisco and NVIDIA unveiled the industry’s first AI‑native wireless stack for 6G networks. The stack is designed to handle ultra‑low latency and massive device connectivity, preparing carriers for the surge in AI‑driven traffic expected over the next decade. Analysts said the development could redefine mobile networks by enabling real‑time AI services at the edge.

Strategic Context

Executives from both companies emphasized that the innovations are not standalone products but part of a joint reference architecture for next‑generation AI deployments. “We are entering a new era where AI workloads will reshape every industry,” said a Cisco spokesperson. “Our partnership with NVIDIA ensures customers have the flexibility, interoperability, and scalability to build AI infrastructure securely and globally.”

Why It Matters

• For Cloud Providers: A unified, NVIDIA‑compliant architecture accelerates AI adoption in sovereign and neocloud environments.
• For Enterprises: Enhanced security and observability ensure safer AI deployments.
• For Telecoms: The AI‑native 6G stack positions operators to deliver next‑generation services.

With these announcements, Cisco and NVIDIA are positioning themselves at the heart of the global AI infrastructure race, targeting the needs of hyperscalers, enterprises, and telecom operators alike.

IBM's HashiCorp Debuts Real-Time Infrastructure Graph and Lifecycle Enhancements for Hybrid Cloud Automation

At HashiConf 2025, HashiCorp marked its 10th global conference—and its first as an IBM company—with a bold vision for the future of infrastructure automation. The company introduced a suite of Infrastructure and Security Lifecycle Management (ILM and SLM) capabilities and previewed Project infragraph, a strategic investment designed to enable agentic infrastructure across hybrid environments.

Project infragraph: A Real-Time Infrastructure Graph for AI-Ready Operations

• Relational visibility across provisioning workflows and production environments
• Tailored insights for platform and infrastructure teams to accelerate decision-making
• Unified context for automation and policy enforcement
• Agentic workflow readiness, enabling AI to reason about infrastructure state and propose remediation or optimization actions

Infrastructure and Security Lifecycle Enhancements

Infrastructure Lifecycle Management (ILM)

• HCP Terraform Stacks (GA): Simplifies multi-component deployments
• Terraform Search & Actions (Beta): Accelerates onboarding and automates Day 2 operations
• MCP Server (Beta): Enables natural language interaction with Terraform registries
• SBOM Storage & Image Provenance: Enhances supply chain security

Security Lifecycle Management (SLM)

• HCP Boundary RDP Credential Injection (Beta): Secures remote access without exposing secrets
• Vault Radar Jira Scanning & IDE Plugin (GA/Beta): Detects secrets earlier in the development cycle
• Vault Dedicated Enhancements: Includes AWS PrivateLink, Azure DNS, and secrets inventory reporting
• Vault MCP Server (Beta): Natural language interface for managing secrets

A Platform for Intelligent Infrastructure

“HashiCorp’s latest product updates and the introduction of Project infragraph signal more than product momentum—they represent the evolution of a platform that can unify infrastructure and security data, and accelerate intelligent decision-making,” said Armon Dadgar, CTO and co-founder of HashiCorp.

IBM’s Dinesh Nirmal added, “Project infragraph is a major step toward infrastructure that can observe, reason, and act. By combining automation with real-time infrastructure intelligence, we are creating the control layer that unlocks the next era of AI-powered operations.”

Tech Mahindra Taps AMD to Power AI-Driven Infrastructure Across Hybrid and Multi-Cloud Ecosystems

Tech Mahindra (NSE: TECHM), a leading global provider of technology consulting and digital solutions to enterprises across industries, announced an agreement with AMD, the leader in high-performance and adaptive computing, to accelerate enterprise transformation through next-generation infrastructure, hybrid cloud, and AI adoption. The collaboration aims to empower enterprises across key sectors, including manufacturing, finance, telecommunications, and healthcare, to harness the full potential of AI-driven infrastructure.

Through this collaboration, Tech Mahindra will integrate AMD’s compute engines and infrastructure with its Cloud BlazeTech solution to drive AI adoption across enterprise workloads. It plans to develop new solutions to enable enterprises to optimize workloads across end-user devices, servers, and cloud infrastructure, including public, private, and hybrid environments. 

Mohit Joshi, CEO and Managing Director, Tech Mahindra, said, “Enterprises worldwide are scrambling to maximize ROI while navigating the complexity of hybrid and cloud-native ecosystems. Our strategic agreement with AMD is a step towards delivering next-generation hyper scalable solutions that seamlessly bridge on-site infrastructure with cloud-native capabilities. Through these solutions, we aim to enable customers to optimize performance across distributed environments without compromising speed, security, or control.”

Dr. Lisa Su, Chair and CEO, AMD said, “Together, AMD and Tech Mahindra will help enterprises accelerate their cloud transformation and AI adoption with the performance and efficiency they need to scale. By combining our EPYC processors and AMD Instinct accelerators with Tech Mahindra, we can create solutions that enable customers to deploy AI on compute infrastructure across hybrid and multi-cloud environments.”

Tech Mahindra and AMD are embarking on a multi-year collaboration with a comprehensive roadmap focused on infrastructure optimization and AI enablement. Leveraging leadership in compute and software capabilities from AMD, and Tech Mahindra's deep industry experience, this collaboration will empower customers to harness AI-driven innovation, delivering critical business value and operational outcomes.

About AMD

For more than 55 years AMD has driven innovation in high-performance computing, graphics and visualization technologies. Billions of people, leading Fortune 500 businesses and cutting edge scientific research institutions around the world rely on AMD technology daily to improve how they live, work and play. AMD employees are focused on building leadership high- 3 performance and adaptive products that push the boundaries of what is possible. For more information about how AMD is enabling today and inspiring tomorrow, visit the AMD (NASDAQ: AMD) website, blog, LinkedIn, Facebook and X pages. 

About Tech Mahindra 

Tech Mahindra (NSE: TECHM) offers technology consulting and digital solutions to global enterprises across industries, enabling transformative scale at unparalleled speed. With 148,000+ professionals across 90+ countries helping 1100+ clients, Tech Mahindra provides a full spectrum of services including consulting, information technology, enterprise applications, business process services, engineering services, network services, customer experience & design, AI & analytics, and cloud & infrastructure services. It is the first Indian company in the world to have been awarded the Sustainable Markets Initiative’s Terra Carta Seal, which recognizes global companies that are actively leading the charge to create a climate and nature-positive future. Tech Mahindra is part of the Mahindra Group, founded in 1945, one of the largest and most admired multinational federation of companies.

Wipro and CrowdStrike Expand Alliance to Launch AI-Powered CyberShield MDR

Organizations today face an overwhelming volume of alerts from siloed security tools that fail to stop adversaries. Fragmented security operations across endpoints, cloud workloads, identity, and data drive complexity, increase costs, and create operational blind spots. Wipro CyberShield MDR, powered by CrowdStrike Falcon® Next-Gen SIEM, addresses these challenges by enhancing threat visibility, simplifying operations, and strengthening resilience against evolving threats.

Falcon Next-Gen SIEM combines native Falcon platform and third-party data with real-time threat intelligence and AI-powered automation to supercharge threat detection and response across the enterprise. Leveraging Falcon Next-Gen SIEM and Wipro's global ecosystem – along with Wipro Ventures’ portfolio companies Simbian and Tuskira – CyberShield MDR delivers intelligent defense, proactive breach protection, continuous detection, and rapid response to keep organizations resilient and future-ready against AI-driven threats. Wipro’s cybersecurity experts will manage and host the services from eight Cyber Defense Centers (CDCs) strategically located around the globe.

“Wipro’s CyberShield platform, powered by CrowdStrike’s AI-native product suites and strengthened by our security ecosystem will help enterprises contain threats swiftly and ensure continuity of digital operations,” said Tony Buffomante, Senior Vice President & Global Head – Cybersecurity & Risk Services, Wipro Limited. “This integrated platform approach enables AI automated workflows, prevents lateral threat movement, and eliminates potential security gaps that fragmented solutions often miss.”

“The Falcon platform supercharges Wipro’s CyberShield Managed Security Services to deliver real-time attack detection, faster response and outcomes that stop breaches,” said Daniel Bernard, Chief Business Officer, CrowdStrike. “Together, we’re simplifying operations across Wipro’s ecosystem of partners — reducing costs, accelerating time-to-value and giving customers the confidence to stay ahead of today’s adversaries.”

Wipro CyberShieldSM MDR unified MSS will be launched at CrowdStrike Fal.Con 2025.

Wipro Limited (NYSE: WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO) is a leading AI-powered technology services and consulting company focused on building innovative solutions that address clients’ most complex digital transformation needs. Leveraging our holistic portfolio of capabilities in consulting, design, engineering, and operations, we help clients realize their boldest ambitions and build future-ready, sustainable businesses. Wipro Innovation Network, which brings together our clients, partners, academia, and tech communities, reflects our commitment to client-centric co-innovation. As a part of this, the Innovation Labs and Partner Labs, located across the globe, allow us to collaborate with clients to solve real-world challenges and showcase cutting-edge industry solutions that explore the future of technology. With over 230,000 employees and business partners across 65 countries, we deliver on the promise of helping our customers, colleagues, and communities thrive in an ever-changing world. For additional information, visit us at www.wipro.com.

TCS and C-DAC Join Forces to Build India’s Own Cloud

In a major stride toward digital sovereignty, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) to co-develop technologies that will form the backbone of India’s sovereign cloud infrastructure.

The collaboration aims to create a secure, scalable, and AI-enabled cloud ecosystem tailored to the needs of India’s public sector, including critical applications in healthcare, emergency response, and governance.

A Cloud Built for India, by India

The sovereign cloud initiative is designed to ensure that sensitive government data and citizen services remain within national borders, aligning with India’s growing emphasis on data localization and digital autonomy. The platform will be built on OpenStack architecture, enhanced by indigenous innovations from C-DAC and enterprise-grade deployment capabilities from TCS.

“This partnership marks a pivotal moment in India’s journey toward technological self-reliance,” said a senior official from C-DAC. “Together, we’re building a cloud that reflects India’s values, priorities, and security needs.”

Real-World Impact

The sovereign cloud will host mission-critical applications such as:

• e-Sanjeevani: India’s national telemedicine service
• Dial 112: Emergency response systems
• Smart city platforms and defence-grade workloads
• Banking and financial services requiring high compliance and data protection

By leveraging TCS’s global cloud expertise and C-DAC’s research capabilities, the partnership is expected to accelerate deployment timelines and ensure robust performance across sectors.

Strategic Significance

The move comes amid growing global concerns over data privacy and dependency on foreign hyperscalers. India’s sovereign cloud is seen as a cornerstone of the Digital India mission, reinforcing national cybersecurity and enabling interoperable, cost-effective cloud services for government agencies.

Industry analysts view this as a model for other nations seeking to balance innovation with sovereignty. With this MoU, India signals its intent to lead in ethical, secure, and inclusive cloud infrastructure development.

Tata Communications, AWS Unveil One of India’s Largest AI-Optimized Network Deployments

Tata Communications, a leading global communications technology player, in collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS), an Amazon.com, Inc. company, announced that the companies will enable an advanced AI-ready network in India. The strategic collaboration will establish a high-capacity, resilient long-distance network connecting three major AWS infrastructure locations to bolster generative AI adoption and cloud innovation in India.

The collaboration marks one of the India’s largest ever network deployments by Tata Communications in terms of size, scale and bandwidth. AWS has two data centre Regions in India located in Mumbai and Hyderabad, and AWS Direct Connect and AWS Edge Network infrastructure in Chennai. The network will connect AWS infrastructure in Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Chennai through a comprehensive, national long-haul network, creating a powerful infrastructure backbone for AI and machine learning (ML) workloads across India.

Key highlights of the partnership:

• Next-Generation Network Connectivity: Leverage Tata Communications’ state-of-the-art network to provide high-bandwidth, low-latency connections essential for AI workloads.​ AWS will continue to deploy its custom network technologies on this network, enabling industry-leading security, availability, and performance between AWS locations
• Enablement of AI-Powered Applications: Further enable businesses across India to build, train, and deploy scalable AI applications, fostering innovation in sectors like healthcare, finance, and education​
• Commitment to Security and Compliance: Ensure robust security measures and adhere to regulatory standards to protect data integrity and privacy

The new network will help provide leading network performance and scalability that are critical for next-generation AI applications. By leveraging Tata Communications state-of-the-art network, AWS will further empower Indian businesses to develop Gen AI applications and train AI models, with unprecedented speed and efficiency. The network will feature express routes with ultra-low latency, helping ensure seamless data transfer and processing capabilities essential for compute-intensive AI and ML workloads.

“This association marks our largest ever National Long-Distance program and showcases Tata Communications’ unparalleled capability to support large-capacity, complex projects requiring scaled network solutions,” said Genius Wong, Executive Vice President, Core and Next-Gen Connectivity Services and Chief Technology Officer, Tata Communications. “AI is transforming industries globally, and our collaboration with AWS positions us at the forefront of this revolution in India. Together, we’re enabling a network that not only meets the current demands but anticipates the needs of tomorrow. By building a tailored network solution we’re ushering in an AI era in India, reinforcing our position as the long-term partner of choice for global technology leaders.”

“We are excited to work with Tata Communications to establish an advanced in-country network in India,” said Jesse Dougherty, Vice President for Network Edge Services at Amazon Web Services. ” The infrastructure is designed to support the most data intensive workloads, like 5G, generative AI, and high-performance computing. This collaboration with Tata Communications will further enable our customers in India to innovate at scale with cloud and generative AI, and drive growth in India’s rapidly expanding digital economy.”

Finvolve and IA Backs Aquila Clouds to Reshape Enterprise Cloud Management

Finvolve, the multi-stage VC fund of IA (India Accelerator), has recently invested in Aquila Clouds, a leading cloud & AI management platform. The investment aims at strengthening the company’s product and engineering infrastructure and scaling business and marketing activities.

Founded in 2020, Aquila Clouds addresses the pain points of large enterprises and small medium businesses (SMBs) related to cloud and AI management. Aquila Clouds addresses these challenges with its AI enabled platform. The platform provides real-time observability, chargeback, budget control (anomaly detection) and AI/ML driven optimization using Agentic AI workflows.

Commenting on the investment decision, Ashish Bhatia, Founder & CEO of IA & Co-Founder, Finvolve said, "At IA, we’re focused on backing deep-tech companies that are solving real-world enterprise challenges. Aquila Clouds is at the forefront of redefining how businesses manage cloud, Application and on-premises infrastructure using AI / ML , and we’re excited to support their global scale-up journey with our capital, network, and strategic guidance."

Delighted with the investment, Suchit Kaura, Co-Founder and CEO of Aquila Clouds said, "This investment comes at a pivotal juncture in our journey. As enterprises double down on AI, managing cloud costs and AI application performance has never been more critical. With the backing of two ecosystem-driven partners, we look forward to tapping into emerging markets, scale enterprise partnerships and strengthen our positioning as a critical platform for the AI era.”

Aquila Clouds will strategically deploy the funds to accelerate its growth across key fronts. The company plans to expand its global sales operations and scale its customer success function, while also strengthening its product and engineering teams. In parallel, it will refine its go-to-market strategy to drive deeper market penetration and enhance brand visibility across priority regions, including the US, Canada, EMEA, and Asia Pacific.

IA & Finvolve are known for their strong track record in nurturing high-potential startups, bringing deep domain expertise in emerging sectors such as deep tech, singularity, and artificial intelligence.. As part of the ambitious strategy, the entities aim to help Aquila Clouds capture a significant share of its almost $20 Bn addressable market.

About IA & Finvolve

IA is India’s premier startup factory with multiple sub-brands that enable the start-up ecosystem in India - India Accelerator supports the early stage startups with funding, mentorship and other benefits; Finvolve is a multi-thesis growth and late stage fund that empowers startups across their growth journey—from pre-seed to pre-IPO—through capital, strategic support, and ecosystem access. IA Spaces enables start-ups across 16 cities in India with access to co-working hubs and Third Place, which acts as India’s premium Business Cafe. IA is the recipient of the "Best Accelerator of the Country" award from Start-up India in 2022. Our commitment to fostering innovation and supporting upcoming founders has consistently positioned us at the forefront of the Indian start-up ecosystem.

Apple Explored Developer-Focused Cloud Platform

For years, Apple quietly watched as Amazon, Microsoft, and Google carved up the cloud computing market. While its own strength lay in tightly integrated consumer devices, something began brewing behind the scenes in Cupertino—an idea that Apple, too, could build a developer-focused cloud platform, one built not on commodity hardware, but on the very silicon that powered iPhones and Macs.

At the heart of this vision was Apple Silicon. The M-series chips had already redefined what portable computing could be. But Apple wondered: what if these same chips fueled the backend of app development? Imagine developers renting servers built around the M1 or M2 to run simulations, train machine learning models, or handle compute-heavy tasks far beyond the capabilities of their personal machines. It wouldn’t just be efficient—it would be uniquely Apple.

The concept didn’t stop there. Apple’s cloud wouldn’t be a fragmented ecosystem of services; it would be a seamless extension of the developer experience. From coding in Xcode to deploying via iCloud integrations, the dream was to create a vertical pipeline where everything—from code to performance metrics—felt native. Even AI processing, which Apple traditionally kept on-device for privacy reasons, could shift to this developer cloud under Apple’s strict security ethos.

Michael Abbott, a seasoned cloud executive, was reportedly steering this ambition until his departure in 2023. Even after he left, whispers continued into 2024, hinting that the project hadn't been entirely shelved—just waiting, perhaps, for the right moment to resurface.

For developers loyal to the Apple ecosystem, the idea was tantalizing. It could have reshaped workflows, lowered barriers to entry, and made building powerful apps more accessible. But like many Apple innovations, it remains under wraps—half-realized, unannounced, and still cloaked in the mystery that defines so much of the company’s most daring ideas.

L&T-Cloudfiniti Forms Strategic Partnerships with 3 Leading AI Startups

To drive innovation in healthcare, life sciences, and vertical AI solutions in India and across the globe

L&T-Cloudfiniti, a leading technology solutions provider, is proud to announce new strategic partnerships with three leading AI startups, including one based in Europe.

The collaborations will focus on groundbreaking developments in healthcare, life sciences, vertical AI, and conversational technologies in India and across the globe by harnessing cutting-edge AI models to transform key industries and drive digital innovation in multiple sectors.

The three partnerships that L&T-Cloudfiniti has got into are:

• Hanooman AI (Healthcare & Life Sciences): L&T-Cloudfiniti has partnered with Hanooman AI, a pioneering AI startup in the healthcare and life sciences space. This partnership will leverage Hanooman’s advanced AI-powered tools to accelerate healthcare transformation in India. By integrating AI-driven insights into healthcare practices, Hanooman is poised to improve patient outcomes, optimise treatment pathways, and advance medical research in life sciences.
• CoRover (Conversational & Attentive AI): L&T-Cloudfiniti has also teamed up with CoRover, an AI-driven startup focussed on creating conversational AI and foundational models (like BharatGPT). CoRover’s innovative solutions offer the ability to enhance user experiences with more natural, human-like conversations across various sectors, including customer service, education, and more. With this collaboration, L&T-Cloudfiniti aims to bring real- time, personalised communication and AI-enabled attentiveness to the forefront of businesses in India.
• Pidima AI (Agentic AI for Regulated Industries): The third partnership is with Pidima, a UK- based startup revolutionising mission-critical industries with its Agentic AI platform. By automating test specification and compliance documentation, Pidima delivers 10x faster outcomes, reduces costs by millions, and elevates efficiency to extraordinary heights. Pidima’s solutions are designed for regulated sectors such as healthcare, Medtech, automotive, and aerospace, where precision and compliance are non-negotiable.The collaboration will significantly enhance L&T-Cloudfiniti’s AI offerings in these critical domains, paving the way for smarter, more efficient, and highly compliant operations.

Commenting on the development, Ms Seema Ambastha, Chief Executive, L&T-Cloudfiniti, said: “These collaborations reflect our commitment to driving AI adoption across industries, from healthcare to aerospace, by partnering with the brightest minds and the most innovative companies in the AI landscape.The collective expertise and disruptive technologies from these startups will play a crucial role in shaping the future of AI and will enable L&T-Cloudfiniti to provide cutting-edge solutions that deliver tangible business outcomes for clients globally.”

Vishnuvardhan Pogunulu Srinivasulu, CEO & Founder, Hanooman AI, commented: “Partnering with L&T-Cloudfiniti, Hanooman Al pioneers generative healthcare solutions - scalable, secure, and globally compliant. With Cipher Al, we're reimagining care for Bharat, making it accessible while advancing precision medicine for the world, sparking a revolution in global health outcomes. From reversing diabetes to discovering new drugs to deciphering genomics the future of healthcare is intelligent, inclusive, and is here.”

Ankush Sabharwal, Founder & CEO, CoRover AI, added: “Our collaboration with L&T- Cloudfiniti allows us to rapidly scale our conversational AI solutions on secure, high- performance GPU infrastructure, reaching global enterprises effectively. Together, we aim to redefine customer interactions, drive operational excellence, and deliver exceptional business value.”

John Marcus, Founder & CEO of Pidima AI, shared: “We are thrilled to partner with L&T- Cloudfiniti, a company that shares our vision of transforming enterprise efficiency through AI. This collaboration not only strengthens our presence in India but also accelerates our mission to empower mission-critical enterprises with smarter, faster, and more precise solutions."

Accenture Joins AWS to Expand the AWS Cloud Institute, a Virtual Cloud Skills Training Program

Accenture has partnered with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to expand the AWS Cloud Institute, a virtual cloud skills training program. This initiative aims to address the global demand for skilled cloud professionals, offering comprehensive training and certifications.

The AWS Cloud Institute is a comprehensive virtual training program designed to equip individuals with the skills needed for cloud careers. It offers a nine-course curriculum that includes on-demand digital learning, live instructor-led sessions, over 150 interactive labs, and two capstone projects. These elements provide hands-on experience and practical knowledge.

This initiative combines Accenture's LearnVantage platform with AWS's expertise to offer a comprehensive nine-course program. It includes on-demand digital learning, live instructor-led sessions, interactive labs, and capstone projects. Participants can also prepare for and earn AWS certifications, equipping them with the skills needed for cloud careers.

Initially launched in the U.S. in 2023, the program is now expanding to regions like Saudi Arabia and the UAE to address the global demand for skilled cloud professionals.

Accenture's LearnVantage platform uses AI to curate personalized learning journeys, ensuring that participants receive tailored content and mentorship.

The program aims to bridge the skills gap in cloud technology, creating pathways for learners to fast-track their careers in this competitive field.

Kishore Durg, global lead of LearnVantage, Accenture, said – “We’re thrilled to collaborate with AWS to launch AWS Cloud Institute powered by Accenture LearnVantage. This program will equip professionals with the essential skills and knowledge they need to forge new career pathways in a highly competitive field, and also help address the critical skills gap that organizations face. Our global delivery capabilities and deep expertise will ensure that learners receive a structured, high-quality education that puts them in high demand.”

Uwem Ukpong, vice president of Global Services, AWS said – “Today’s announcement marks a significant step in our commitment to fostering the next generation of cloud professionals, allowing us to expand our reach and bring our capabilities to new regions. This follows AWS’s launch of its second Middle East cloud region in the UAE in 2022, with a planned US$5 billion investment in the local economy through 2036. It also builds upon AWS’s US$5.3 billion investment to establish data centers in KSA. By partnering with Accenture, we are able to leverage our combined expertise to deliver a world-class training program that will empower people in KSA and UAE to build their careers as cloud professionals.”

AWS to Invest $8.2 Bn in Maharashtra

AWS has announced a significant investment of $8.2 billion in Maharashtra over the next few years. This investment aims to enhance AWS's infrastructure in India by deploying advanced graphical processing units (GPUs) and establishing state-of-the-art compute facilities and cloud management services. The move is expected to create substantial employment opportunities and contribute to India's growing digital economy.

This investment is part of AWS's larger plan to invest $12.7 billion across India by 2030 to meet the increasing demand for cloud services and artificial intelligence. The commitment to Maharashtra is likely to bolster the state's position as a tech hub and drive economic growth.

AWS's $8.2 billion investment in Maharashtra will focus on several key projects:

• State-of-the-Art Compute Facilities: AWS plans to establish advanced computing facilities equipped with the latest technologies, including graphical processing units (GPUs) to enhance their cloud infrastructure.
• Cloud Management Services: The investment will also include the development of sophisticated cloud management services to support the growing demand for cloud solutions in India.
• Employment Growth: This investment is expected to create significant employment opportunities in the region, contributing to the local economy.
• Innovation City: AWS's investment aligns with Maharashtra's broader vision of becoming a global capital for data centers, as part of the state's AI-powered 'Innovation City' initiative.

These projects aim to bolster Maharashtra's position as a tech hub and drive economic growth in the region.

Red Hat Enhances Security and Virtualization Experience with Latest Version of Red Hat OpenShift

Red Hat, Inc., the world's leading provider of open source solutions, today announced the general availability of Red Hat OpenShift 4.18, the latest version of the industry’s leading hybrid cloud application platform powered by Kubernetes. Red Hat OpenShift 4.18 introduces new features and capabilities designed to streamline operations and security across IT environments and deliver greater consistency to all applications, from cloud-native and AI-enabled to virtualized and traditional.

According to the Gartner® press release Top Trends Impacting Infrastructure and Operations for 2025, revirtualization/devirtualization is one of the top trends facing organizations for 2025. As shifts in the virtualization market require organizations to reevaluate their virtualized infrastructure and strategies, for many it is an opportunity to implement technologies that will both deliver on their current IT requirements as well as help them meet the needs of tomorrow. The latest enhancements to Red Hat OpenShift are designed to simplify the management of virtual machines and containers while providing organizations with a common infrastructure to bring their generative AI (gen AI) plans to life.

Enhanced virtualization experience

Red Hat OpenShift 4.18 introduces new virtualization enhancements that improve networking, simplify storage migration, and streamline VM management. These updates reduce operational complexity, enhance flexibility and improve resource efficiency -- making it easier to manage and adapt virtualized environments as needs evolve.

VM-friendly networking provides support for common VM networking use cases with the general availability of user-defined networks, making it easier for users to get their virtualization platform up and running. Also available with OpenShift on AWS and Red Hat OpenShift Service on AWS, this allows users to have similar networking capabilities for secondary networks on AWS as they do on-premises, allowing for more hybrid cloud flexibility.

VM storage migration, available as a technology preview, now includes additional enhancements that allow for non-disruptive movement of data between storage devices and storage classes while a VM is running, enabling users to be more agile as storage needs change.

Tree-view navigation, available as a technology preview, enables users to logically group VMs into folders which allows for a more granular grouping. Additionally, with logical grouping, also available as a technology preview, users have a quicker and easier way to navigate between VMs using a single click.

Red Hat OpenShift 4.18 also enhances user-defined networks with Border Gateway Protocol (BGP), which improves segmentation and supports advanced use cases like VM static IP assignment, live migration and stronger multi-tenancy.

Extending choice for greater hybrid cloud innovation

Red Hat OpenShift 4.18 expands support to additional public cloud providers, providing users with increased flexibility for how and where they choose to run their workloads. Red Hat OpenShift now supports bare-metal deployments on Google Cloud and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure. Additionally, for users looking for virtualization in the public cloud, Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization is now available on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure as a technology preview.

Simplified operations for security

Red Hat OpenShift 4.18 introduces new security features designed to help drive more resilient operations while decreasing potential risks. Secret store container storage interface (CSI) driver is now generally available and provides users with a vendor-agnostic solution for managing credentials and sensitive information for applications. Workloads on Red Hat OpenShift can access external secrets managers without storing secrets on the cluster, enhancing overall security hygiene and simplifying credential management. This allows for clusters to remain unaware of secrets, thereby further reducing risk. Additionally, Secret Store CSI Driver enhances complementary solutions, such as OpenShift GitOps and OpenShift Pipelines, by enabling them to consume secrets from an external secrets manager in a more secure way.

Availability

Red Hat OpenShift 4.18 is now generally available. More information, including how to upgrade to the latest version, is available here.

Mike Barrett, vice president and general manager, Hybrid Cloud Platforms, Red Hat

Many organizations have reached an inflection point with their virtualized infrastructure, needing to make decisions quickly on their future direction. Red Hat OpenShift meets today’s virtualization needs and offers a simplified pathway to migration, but also enables organizations to keep an eye on the future via application modernization. With Red Hat OpenShift, organizations are able to protect their traditional investments while adopting a platform that enables them to seamlessly transition to an AI future.

Additional Resources

Learn more about Red Hat OpenShift 4.18

Read the blog about Red Hat OpenShift 4.18 What’s new for developers in Red Hat OpenShift 4.18

About Red Hat, Inc.

Red Hat is the world’s leading provider of enterprise open source software solutions, using a community-powered approach to deliver reliable and high-performing Linux, hybrid cloud, container, and Kubernetes technologies. Red Hat helps customers integrate new and existing IT applications, develop cloud-native applications, standardize on our industry-leading operating system, and automate, secure, and manage complex environments. Award-winning support, training, and consulting services make Red Hat a trusted adviser to the Fortune 500. As a strategic partner to cloud providers, system integrators, application vendors, customers, and open source communities, Red Hat can help organizations prepare for the digital future.

Tata Technologies Launches Recruitment Drive for 100+ Cloud and Data Engineers to Revolutionize Software-Defined Vehicles

Tata Technologies, a global leader in engineering and R&D services, is launching a recruitment drive to onboard over 100 skilled Cloud and Data Engineers. These professionals will play a pivotal role in driving innovation for the next generation of Software-Defined Vehicles (SDVs), transforming the automotive landscape with cutting-edge software solutions.

As a leading global engineering and R&D services provider, Tata Technologies is committed to advancing automotive technology. The company invites talented professionals to join its mission of transforming the automotive landscape. They will play a key role in designing and developing advanced software capabilities that will enhance future driving experiences.

The company is looking for candidates with at least 5 years of experience in domains such as Teamcenter, Python, Microservices, and Pyspark. Open positions include roles for Cloud Engineers, Data Engineers, and Solution Architects. Position is available in Chennai.

The organization offers a vibrant work environment and the opportunity to contribute to the revolutionary shift towards software-defined vehicles. This is an excellent opportunity to be part of a pioneering team dedicated to engineering a better future.

Apply now to be a part of the revolution: https://lnkd.in/d_msvCXJ

NTT DATA to Acquire Udupi, Karnataka-based Niveus Solutions

NTT DATA Announced its Intent to Acquire Niveus Solutions to Bolster Its Google Cloud Capabilities

Japanese multinational IT giant, NTT DATA, has announced its intent to acquire Karnataka, India based Niveus Solutions, a cloud engineering company specializing in Google Cloud Platform (GCP) services. The acquisition deal is expected to close within the next 30-60 days.

Based in Brahmagiri, Udupi, Karnataka, Niveus Solutions specializes in application modernization, data management, cloud consulting, security, and managed services. The company help enterprises harness the power of cloud services to build resilient infrastructures that scale.

This acquisition will bolster NTT DATA's capabilities in Google Cloud and add 1,000 GCP engineering professionals to their team.

Niveus Solutions has a strong track record of delivering transformative, game-changing solutions using Google Cloud Platform (GCP).

This acquisition move will solidify NTT DATA's position as a global system integrator for Google Cloud and help them capitalize on the growing demand for cloud solutions.

Niveus Solutions was founded in 2013 by Suyog Shetty, Rashmi George, Roshan Bava, and Mohsin Khan. The company has since grown significantly and is now a leading provider of cloud engineering services, specializing in Google Cloud Platform (GCP) solutions.

Suyog Shetty, CEO and Co-founder of Niveus Solutions, said, "Niveus Solutions is excited to join forces with NTT DATA. Our team’s dedication to advancing digital transformation on Google Cloud, combined with NTT DATA’s extensive reach and capabilities, strongly positions us to bring modern cloud solutions to new markets to expand the boundaries of cloud innovation."

Charlie Li, Head of Cloud and Security Services, NTT DATA Inc., said, "The acquisition of Niveus Solutions will firmly position us as a leading Google Cloud powerhouse, propelling NTT DATA as one of the world’s largest system integrator partners for Google Cloud. With Niveus Solutions, we are set to redefine possibilities in the AI-driven cloud era, enabling clients to accelerate digital transformations and achieve meaningful business outcomes across industries and geographies."

John Lombard, CEO, NTT DATA, APAC, said, "The Niveus Solutions acquisition significantly advances our Google Cloud partnership and expands our ability to meet the growing demand for AI-powered solutions that drive business growth."

This acquisition comes within a month of NTT DATA's previous acquisition. NTT DATA acquired Aoop, a leading ServiceNow implementation company in Brazil. This acquisition strengthens NTT DATA's position in the Latin American ServiceNow solutions market and complements a recent acquisition in the UK focused on ServiceNow solutions in Europe and the United States. 

RBI to Offer Cloud Storage Services to Financial Institutions

India's central bank, Reserve Bank of India (RBI), is planning to launch a cloud storage pilot program in 2025 aimed at providing affordable data storage solutions to financial institutions.

A key objective of this initiative is to promote local data sovereignty by reducing dependency on foreign cloud service providers. Thus, the initiative is designed to counter the dominance of global cloud service providers like Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, and IBM Cloud.

The platform will be developed in collaboration with local IT firms, promoting local data sovereignty and reducing dependency on foreign cloud services.

The primary goal is to offer cost-effective solutions, especially for smaller financial institutions that find existing cloud services unaffordable. The platform aims to provide affordable cloud storage solutions, especially for smaller financial institutions that find existing services unaffordable.

The project is being spearheaded by the RBI's research department, known as the Indian Financial Technology and Allied Services (IFTAS). The initial development will be done in collaboration with local IT firms.

In later stages, the RBI plans to invite financial firms to hold equity in the cloud service, ensuring broader participation and investment.

The pilot program will be expanded in phases over the next few years to cater to the needs of various financial institutions.

Consultancy firm Ernst & Young has been appointed as an advisor for the project.

Only Indian-registered companies with prior experience in cloud technology are invited to bid for the project. These companies must establish data centers in Mumbai and Hyderabad.

There has been a significant amount of interest from IT companies and Indian cloud service providers eager to partner on this project.

This move by the RBI is seen as a strategic step to enhance local data storage capabilities and support the financial services sector with reliable and affordable cloud solutions.

The cloud services market in India is expected to grow significantly, from $8.3 billion in 2023 to $24.2 billion by 2028. This initiative is expected to contribute to this growth by fostering local IT development.

Cognizant and IBM Launch Global FinOps CoE To Help Enterprises with Modernization Challenges

Cognizant and IBM have teamed up to launch a Global FinOps Center of Excellence (CoE). This center is designed to help enterprises manage the complexities of modernizing legacy applications and adopting enterprise-scale Al solutions.

The CoE aims to help global clients address challenges such as escalating costs, Al readiness, cloud governance, and architecture modernization . By leveraging the strengths of both Cognizant and IBM, the CoE helps clients operate more efficiently and innovate quickly and responsibly.

The CoE aims to modernize mainframe applications to increase agility and innovation through code modernization. This involves leveraging IBM's watsonx Code Assistant for Z to support the adoption of a hybrid cloud strategy and maximize the value of mainframe investments.

The initiative aims to provide visibility and accountability over cloud costs, optimize usage, and implement real-time production adjustments to eliminate waste in multi-cloud environments. This helps organizations manage cloud expenses more effectively and ensures efficient resource utilization.

The initiative also includes implementing AI governance to ensure AI systems are fair, transparent, and compliant with quality standards.

This collaboration leverages IBM's FinOps software and Cognizant's cloud and developer platforms to help clients transition to modern architectures and streamline cloud management operations.

Alongside the CoE, Cognizant launched extensions of its Cognizant Skygrade™ and Flowsource™ platforms. These extensions are designed to integrate with IBM's Apptio, Turbonomic, watsonx.governance, and watsonx Code Assistant for Z. This integration brings together Cognizant's deep engineering capabilities with IBM's powerful tools to help clients transition to modern architectures and streamline cloud management operations.

For an uninitiated, FinOps (short for Financial Operations) is an operational framework and cultural practice that aims to maximize the business value of cloud computing while enabling financial accountability and data-driven decision-making. FinOps is sometimes referred to as Cloud Financial Management, Cloud Cost Management, or Cloud Optimization. The goal is to get the most value out of cloud investments, driving efficient growth and innovation.

Infosys To Rake In $100 Mn from Coca-Cola's $1.1 Bn Cloud Migration Deal with Microsoft

Infosys is set to rake in over $100 million as a key supporting partner in Coca-Cola's $1.1 billion cloud migration deal with Microsoft. This partnership, announced in April, involves Coca-Cola migrating its operations to Microsoft's Azure cloud platform, with Infosys playing a significant role in the process.

Coca-Cola’s $1.1 billion cloud migration deal with Microsoft is a five-year strategic partnership aims to accelerate Coca-Cola’s adoption of cloud and generative AI technologies. The collaboration will leverage Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform and its generative AI capabilities.

This deal highlights the growing importance of cloud and AI technologies for global enterprises and underscores the strategic role Indian IT service providers like Infosys play in these major technology transformations.

Coca-Cola plans to migrate its applications and workloads to Microsoft Azure. This includes exploring innovative AI use cases across various business functions, such as marketing, manufacturing, and supply chain management. The partnership will focus on developing and testing new AI-powered solutions, including the Azure OpenAI Service and Copilot for Microsoft 365. These technologies are expected to enhance workplace productivity, streamline operations, and foster innovation.

Coca-Cola's European subsidiary, Coca-Cola Euro Pacific Partners PLC, disclosed in a recent filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that it has committed €25 million (approximately $27 million) to Infosys for cloud migration services in the Euro Pacific region.

Given Infosys' involvement in this and potentially other geographies, industry experts partner e the company could surpass the $100 million mark from the broader Coca-Cola–Microsoft deal.

Coca-Cola’s migration to the Azure cloud will involve its core operations and major independent bottling partners worldwide. This move is part of a broader effort to align Coca-Cola’s technology strategy with cutting-edge innovations.

Infosys is a key supporting partner in this deal, earning over $100 million for its role in the migration process. Infosys will assist with cloud strategy, migration execution, application modernization, security, and ongoing support.

Post-migration, Infosys will provide ongoing support and optimization services to ensure that Coca-Cola’s cloud environment remains efficient, secure, and cost-effective.

Xerox Signs Deal with TCS to Transform its IT Technology Using Cloud and GenAI

The deal will showcase the enterprise-wide potential of cloud and generative AI to improve business and IT service delivery

Xerox and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) have entered into a strategic partnership to revolutionize Xerox's IT technology. TCS will consolidate Xerox’s technology services to improve business outcomes, migrate complex legacy data centers to the Azure public cloud, deploy a cloud-based Digital ERP platform to transform business processes and incorporate generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) into operations to help drive sustainable growth. 

TCS will streamline Xerox's technology services to enhance business outcomes. Complex legacy data centers will be migrated to the Azure public cloud, improving scalability and efficiency.

TCS will develop a new agile, cloud-first operating model for Xerox. Leveraging the deep capabilities of its service practices such as AI.Cloud, Enterprise Solutions (including TCS CrystallusTM) and Cognitive Business Operations (including TCS CognixTM), TCS will also build an AI-first enterprise platform for Xerox. These TCS capabilities will be combined with the expertise of industry partners such as leading hyperscalers and AI solution providers.

TCS will incorporate generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) into operations, fostering sustainable growth. TCS aims to develop a new operating model for Xerox, leveraging AI capabilities and industry partnerships.

This collaboration underscores TCS' commitment to driving digital transformation and long-term growth.

Headquartered in the US, Xerox is a global leader in digital print technology and related solutions with a presence in nearly 145 countries. Its client base includes small and medium-sized businesses, graphic communications companies, governmental entities, educational institutions, and most Fortune 500 companies. Xerox’s shift to a cloud-first, digital services-led organization is a key milestone in its multi-year Reinvention unveiled in 2023 to transform its revenue mix and deliver sustainable profits.

TCS To Merge Its AI And Cloud Businesses To Form New Entity

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has taken a significant step by merging its artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud businesses into a new entity called AI.Cloud. This strategic move is aimed at focusing on innovation and client-centricity in the digital transformation space, reported the Mint. 

Siva Ganesan, a TCS veteran, will lead the new unit. He oversaw the Microsoft business unit of TCS

It was in July of last year when TCS had set up TCS AI.Cloud, a separate business unit focussed on AI and was touted as the first major IT player to set up a separate AI-focused business unit. In a latest now and within less than a year of the announcement of AI.Cloud, the company is merging its Cloud business with AI.Cloud.

In addition, TCS has signed a strategic agreement with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to accelerate cloud transformations and offer access to GenAI solutions to customers. This partnership is expected to facilitate full-stack digital transformation for TCS customers by leveraging data and generative AI solutions on AWS. 

Moreover, TCS has been recognized by AWS with the new ‘Generative AI Competency’ Partner Status, which is a testament to their extensive knowledge and technical expertise in using AWS technologies and best practices to adopt generative AI. This competency highlights TCS's role in helping customers and the AWS Partner Network (APN) in the progression of services, tools, and infrastructure pivotal for the implementation of GenAI technologies.

The AI + Cloud merger aims to improve efficiency and streamline operations, offering clients a seamless integration of AI and cloud solutions under one banner, instead of maintaining smaller teams, catering to individual clients.

The creation of Ai.Cloud is a reflection of TCS's commitment to building one of the world’s largest AI-ready workforces, with over 350,000 employees trained on AI/ML, inclusive of GenAI. It's a clear indication that TCS is positioning itself at the forefront of AI and cloud technology integration, aiming to enhance customer experience and operational performance for superior business outcomes.

Indian IT services companies have established dedicated business units for Al and cloud services to stay at the forefront of technological innovation and meet the evolving needs of their clients. Infosys operates two distinct service lines for its cloud and AI solutions — Infosys Cobalt and Infosys Topaz, respectively. While, Wipro manages its AI and cloud offerings through — Wipro AI360 and Wipro FullStride Cloud, respectively.

Specific services offered by AI.Cloud

AI.Cloud, the new entity formed by Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) by merging its artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud businesses, offers a range of services to help clients harness the power of AI and accelerate their growth and transformation. Here are some specific services provided by Ai.Cloud:

1. Generative AI Solutions on Google Cloud:

• Ai.Cloud leverages Google Cloud’s generative AI services, including Vertex AI, Generative AI Application Builder, and Model Garden.
• TCS combines its own solutions with Google Cloud's tools to design and deploy custom-tailored business solutions.
• These solutions are ideated jointly with clients, rapidly prototyped, and built to enhance time-to-value.
• TCS Pace Ports™, co-innovation hubs in various locations, facilitate collaborative exercises with clients and academic researchers. 

2. Data and AI Services on Google Cloud:

Ai.Cloud collaborates with Google Cloud to help enterprises achieve superior business outcomes.

Services include:

• Database migration and modernization: Helping companies migrate and modernize their databases.
• Smart analytics: Leveraging AI and ML to gain actionable insights.
• Cloud-based AI: Utilizing cloud resources for AI-powered solutions.
• Generative AI: Harnessing generative AI capabilities for innovation and transformation.

Consulting and Advisory Services:

Ai.Cloud provides consulting and advisory services to guide clients through their cloud and AI adoption journey.

Solution design, prototyping, and large language model training are part of their offerings.

These services demonstrate TCS's commitment to innovation, client-centricity, and the integration of AI and cloud technologies for business growth and operational excellence.

IBM Acquiring HashiCorp for $6.4 Bn in An All-Cash Deal

IBM has announced its intention to acquire HashiCorp Inc., a leading multi-cloud infrastructure automation company. The acquisition is valued at $6.4 billion and will be an all-cash deal. Under the terms of the agreement, IBM will acquire HashiCorp for $35 per share in cash, representing the enterprise value.

HashiCorp's suite of products provides extensive Infrastructure Lifecycle Management and Security Lifecycle Management capabilities, enabling organizations to automate their hybrid and multi-cloud environments. This move aligns with IBM's focus on hybrid cloud and AI, which are considered the most transformational technologies for clients today. The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2024.

HashiCorp boasts a roster of more than 4,400 clients, including Bloomberg, Comcast, Deutsche Bank, GitHub, J.P Morgan Chase, Starbucks and Vodafone. HashiCorp's offerings have widescale adoption in the developer community and are used by 85% of the Fortune 500.

HashiCorp's suite of products provides enterprises with extensive Infrastructure Lifecycle Management and Security Lifecycle Management capabilities. These tools enable organizations to automate their hybrid and multi-cloud environments.

HashiCorp's Terraform is the industry standard for infrastructure provisioning in these environments.

The acquisition of HashiCorp by IBM creates a comprehensive end-to-end hybrid cloud platform built for AI-driven complexity. The combination of each company's portfolio and talent will deliver clients extensive application, infrastructure and security lifecycle management capabilities.

Post acquisition, HashiCorp is expected to drive significant synergies for IBM, including across multiple strategic growth areas like Red Hat, watsonx, data security, IT automation and Consulting. For example, the powerful combination of Red Hat's Ansible Automation Platform's configuration management and Terraform's automation will simplify provisioning and configuration of applications across hybrid cloud environments.

The two companies also anticipate an acceleration of HashiCorp's growth initiatives by leveraging IBM's world-class go-to-market strategy, scale, and reach, operating in more than 175 countries across the globe.

The acquisition will create the opportunity to deliver more comprehensive hybrid and multi-cloud offerings to enterprise clients. HashiCorp's offerings, combined with IBM and Red Hat, will give clients a platform to automate the deployment and orchestration of workloads across evolving infrastructure including hyperscale cloud service providers, private clouds and on-prem environments. This will enhance IBM's ability to address the total cloud opportunity, which according to IDC had a TAM of $1.1 trillion in 2023, with a compound annual growth rate in the high teens through 2027.