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  • Innovative Data Governance and Masking: Transforming Security in Cloud Environments

    data security and governance

    In a rapidly evolving digital landscape, data security and governance have become paramount concerns for organizations migrating to cloud platforms. Data governance and masking innovations are reshaping how enterprises safeguard their sensitive information while maintaining accessibility and compliance. This article explores the advancements in data security, particularly in cloud-native platforms, as detailed in the work of Jaya Krishna Vemuri, a data security and governance specialist.

    Revolutionizing Data Governance Frameworks
    Data governance is evolving from static policies to dynamic, real-time security controls. Modern frameworks use adaptive strategies to counter emerging threats while maintaining efficiency. With automated tracking, structured policies enhance access control, audit logging, and compliance, improving data quality, reducing risks, and strengthening proactive threat mitigation.

    The Power of Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)
    The integration of Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) enhances data governance by restricting access based on user roles, reducing unauthorized exposure. When combined with Single Sign-On (SSO) and Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), RBAC improves security efficiency, minimizes access-related incidents, and streamlines authentication across enterprise applications.

    Enhancing Security with Dynamic Data Masking (DDM)
    Dynamic Data Masking (DDM) revolutionizes data security by dynamically masking sensitive information based on user privileges. This ensures confidential data remains protected in shared databases while maintaining accessibility. Unlike static masking, which permanently modifies data, DDM enforces real-time security policies, preventing breaches without compromising query performance. Organizations benefit from enhanced security, efficient data access, and seamless regulatory compliance.

    Automated Compliance Monitoring and Audit Logging
    With regulatory requirements becoming increasingly complex, automated compliance monitoring has become a necessity. Modern governance frameworks integrate real-time monitoring systems that detect anomalies, enforce policies, and generate compliance reports with minimal manual intervention.

    Audit logging has also undergone significant advancements, ensuring that all data access and modifications are recorded. This feature supports compliance and enhances security by providing a clear trail of user activity. Organizations leveraging automated audit systems have seen a dramatic reduction in compliance reporting time and increased accuracy in security investigations.

    Object Tagging and Metadata Management for Improved Data Classification
    Data governance frameworks are increasingly incorporating object tagging and metadata management to improve data classification. These features enable enterprises to categorize data effectively, ensuring that access policies align with data sensitivity levels.

    By using automated tagging and classification systems, organizations experience improved consistency and accuracy in data handling. Machine learning-enhanced classification further streamlines governance efforts, reducing the burden on IT teams while improving policy enforcement accuracy.

    Addressing Performance Challenges in Data Governance
    Advanced data governance raises concerns about performance impact, but optimizations like caching and query enhancements mitigate these issues. Enterprises using optimized strategies report minimal slowdowns, even with large masked datasets. Distributed security protocols evaluate policies in milliseconds, ensuring robust security without compromising productivity in high-throughput environments.

    The Future of Data Governance: AI and Automation
    The next wave of data governance innovations is driven by artificial intelligence and automation. AI-powered governance frameworks are being designed to predict security risks, automate policy enforcement, and enhance anomaly detection with minimal human intervention.

    Future governance models will rely heavily on machine learning algorithms that adapt security policies in real time based on usage patterns. Automated compliance verification and predictive security analytics will further strengthen data protection while reducing administrative overhead.

    In conclusion, Jaya Krishna Vemuri‘s analysis highlights how innovations in data governance and masking are revolutionizing security strategies for cloud-based environments. Organizations that implement these advanced frameworks benefit from enhanced compliance, improved security, and optimized performance. As regulatory requirements and cyber threats continue to evolve, businesses must stay ahead by adopting intelligent, automated governance solutions. The future of data security lies in proactive governance frameworks that seamlessly integrate automation, AI, and real-time data protection strategies.

  • From siloed to seamless: How digital banking transformations unite every corner of the bank

    Banks face a critical challenge: their front, middle, and back offices often operate in a siloed fashion, undermining their ability to implement a banking transformation that allows them to serve customers effectively. Meanwhile, customer demand for personalized banking has never been higher. Research from the Harris Poll found that 74% of banking customers across generations want more personal banking experiences. Banking leaders cite creating a personalized, seamless branch experience as their second highest priority, after regulatory compliance and risk management.

    Banks must implement workflow solutions that unify and modernize their systems to deliver on these mission-critical customer expectations.

    The impact of fragmented banking systems

    Maintaining disparate systems isn’t just a technology headache for the IT team. Siloed bank infrastructure creates operational difficulties that lead to opportunity costs. Front office employees don’t always have ready access to the customer data they need to provide personalized service. The middle office struggles to ensure compliance and properly manage risk when information is fragmented across teams. Back office staff may have trouble accurately recording and documenting transactions without a unified view of the data.

    According to the Capgemini Retail World Banking Report 2024, bank employees spend 70% of their time on operational activities, leaving only 30% for customer interactions. Only 9% of client onboarding team time is allocated to customer interaction. Legacy systems and fragmented databases exacerbate inefficiencies, hampering customer service. Without sufficient access to data, employees struggle to respond quickly, leading to prolonged transactions and dissatisfied customers.

    Effective approaches to digitalization in banking

    Banks must prioritize digital transformation that connects every area of their organization if they are to compete and thrive in today’s retail banking industry. As the Capgemini report found, 70% of bank CXOs plan on increasing digital transformation investment by up to 10%. The advisory firm notes that banks are enhancing their data management capabilities and modernizing legacy systems first and foremost, migrating core functions to the cloud where necessary to establish an agile, cost-effective foundation for future digitalization in banking.

    This modernization strategy enables banks to eliminate operational silos and allow employees across all offices by secure digital methods to access the same data — what’s known as a single source of truth. This way, banking professionals can make faster, better-informed decisions. Unified insights allow front office staff to provide a higher standard of customer care, for example, by implementing analytics tools to unearth valuable customer insights. Banks can also tap workflow solutions like robotic process automation (RPA), artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to enhance middle-office risk management and back-office processing.

    Mobile-first tools such as secure mobile messaging solutions build on these benefits by allowing teams from the front, middle and back offices to collaborate in real time securely. Through secure mobile access, bank employees can safely access these integrated systems and data from anywhere, whether greeting a customer who has just entered the branch or arriving at a client site for an important presentation.

    Secure mobile access also facilitates further customer data collection that can enable even more refined and impactful personalization, enhancing future opportunities to earn customer satisfaction. A front office employee might accomplish this by inviting customers to share information about their tastes and preferences on a tablet while completing an account setup for them at a local branch, making it possible to provide them with more tailored services later on.

    Banking transformation enables a unified experience

    When banks digitally transform, uniting data and teams alike, they can meet customer expectations for a great experience. For example, a front office employee can receive an alert on their wearable or mobile device when a customer has arrived, allowing them to greet them at the entrance by name and confirm the reason for their visit. Then, the employee can provide them with personalized recommendations on a tablet.

    Middle office teams flag potential compliance issues right away, using secure mobile communication tools to alert their colleagues for timely follow-up. As back-office process automation lifts the burden of manual data management processes, banking professionals can focus on higher-value initiatives. Ultimately, by boosting employee productivity, banking transformation makes it possible to deliver continuous customer experience improvements.

    In uniting their operations through digital transformation, banks can create an environment where employees can be more productive and effective, providing personalized experiences that earn customer satisfaction and secure a competitive advantage.

    Interested in learning more about Samsung’s Branch Transformation solution? Contact your account manager or request to speak to a financial services expert. And sign up for our newsletter, INSIGHTS: Banking & Insurance, a monthly update from Samsung on banking trends and technology’s role in the financial services industry.

  • Bandhan Bank collaborates with Salesforce to drive digital transformation – CRN

    Bandhan Bank collaborates with Salesforce to drive digital transformation – CRN

    Salesforce announced its partnership with Bandhan Bank, a pan-India universal bank, to revolutionise its loan origination systems (LOS) and deliver a seamless, digital-first experience for customers. With over 6,300 outlets across 35 states and union territories, Bandhan Bank has been at the forefront of financial inclusion and banking innovation. This strategic collaboration marks a significant milestone in the bank’s technology-driven transformation journey, aiming to provide accessible, efficient, and technology-driven financial solutions to customers across India.

    Bandhan Bank has consolidated multiple loan origination systems (LOS) into best-in-class AI-driven platforms powered by Salesforce, creating an efficient and intelligent lending experience. Following its Core Banking System transition in October 2023, the bank has accelerated its digital transformation journey, enhancing product innovation and operational excellence to deliver faster, more efficient, and customer-centric financial services. With Salesforce’s Lightning Platform which is used for Housing Finance LOS and Sales Cloud for commercial loans, Bandhan Bank has streamlined the entire loan lifecycle- from customer onboarding and credit evaluation to approval, disbursal, and servicing.

    With AI at the core of this transformation, the bank has enhanced loan quality, trade finance, payment processing, fraud detection, and risk management, ensuring greater accuracy and security. By leveraging automation and data-driven decision-making, it is also driving efficiency, agility, and governance excellence, building a more robust and future-ready financial ecosystem.

    Arundhati Bhattacharya, President & CEO, Salesforce, South Asia, said, “Banking is undergoing a seismic shift—becoming more intelligent, automated, and deeply customer-centric. Bandhan Bank’s technology-driven transformation is a testament to the power of AI-driven technology in redefining speed, agility, and trust in financial services. This collaboration brings together Bandhan Bank’s bold vision to create a smarter, more connected, and data-driven lending ecosystem—one that enhances operational excellence while setting new benchmarks for customer experience in the industry.”

    While commenting further on the rapid technology adoption in the banking sector, Arundhati added, “As AI reshapes the industry, banks must innovate responsibly—ensuring trust, security, and inclusion remain foundational. With Agentforce, we are entering a new era of digital banking, where AI agents collaborate with humans to drive intelligent automation, optimise decision-making, and deliver hyper-personalised financial experiences at scale. At Salesforce, we are committed to equipping financial institutions with next-generation digital infrastructure that accelerates growth, strengthens resilience, and fosters financial empowerment across India.”

    Ratan Kumar Kesh, Executive Director & Chief Operating Officer, Bandhan Bank, said, “At Bandhan Bank, we are committed to leveraging technology to create a streamlined and efficient banking experience. Through our partnership with Salesforce, we are building a scalable, AI-powered digital platform that enhances speed, agility, and operational excellence. By consolidating multiple LOS into best-in-class systems, we are optimisng decision-making, accelerating loan approvals, and ensuring a seamless experience for our customers and employees.”

    Salesforce Agentforce, a new layer on the Salesforce Platform, enables companies to build and deploy AI agents that can autonomously take action across any business function. As the financial services industry embraces AI-driven transformation, Agentforce represents the next evolution of digital banking—where AI agents work alongside humans to improve operational resilience, accelerate lending workflows, and deliver hyper-personalised financial experiences.

  • Transforming Manufacturing: The Power of AI and Generative AI in Smart Factories

    AI and Generative AI

    In this modern era, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Generative AI (Gen AI) are revolutionizing manufacturing, driving efficiency, precision, and innovation. Amandeep Singh Saini, an expert in AI-driven industrial transformation, explores how these technologies are shaping the next generation of smart factories. By leveraging AI’s predictive capabilities and Gen AI’s design optimization, manufacturers achieve higher productivity, reduced downtime, improved customization, enhanced scalability, and cost-effectiveness.

    The Evolution of Smart Manufacturing
    The integration of AI in manufacturing has redefined production processes. Smart factories now utilize real-time data analytics, machine learning, and advanced sensor networks to enhance efficiency. AI-enabled systems process vast amounts of production data, allowing manufacturers to monitor equipment performance, predict failures, and optimize workflows. This transition from conventional to intelligent manufacturing has increased equipment effectiveness and resource efficiency.

    Predictive Maintenance: Reducing Downtime with AI
    AI-powered predictive maintenance leverages real-time sensor data and machine learning models to anticipate equipment failures. By forecasting potential issues with high accuracy, manufacturers reduce unplanned downtime by up to 72% and extend machinery lifespan. Traditional maintenance approaches often rely on scheduled inspections, leading to unnecessary downtime or unexpected failures.
    Quality Control and Defect Detection with AI
    AI-driven quality control systems have revolutionized defect detection and product assessment. Machine vision, combined with deep learning algorithms, analyzes production outputs with exceptional speed and accuracy. High-resolution imaging and AI-based anomaly detection ensure that defects are identified in real time, reducing waste and improving product quality. These systems significantly surpass traditional inspection methods.

    Gen AI: Revolutionizing Design and Production Optimization
    Generative AI is redefining how manufacturers approach product design and production. With the ability to generate thousands of design variations in minutes, Gen AI enhances rapid prototyping and simulation. Manufacturers analyze multiple production scenarios, optimize material usage, and improve design accuracy, leading to reduced material waste, shorter production cycles, and enhanced customization.

    AI-Driven Process Automation and Efficiency Gains
    AI-powered automation is streamlining factory operations by handling repetitive tasks, optimizing workflows, and dynamically adjusting production parameters. Reinforcement learning models continuously analyze real-time data to optimize energy consumption, raw material usage, and production speeds. This has reduced operational costs while maintaining high production standards.

    Scalability and Adaptability of AI in Manufacturing
    Modern manufacturing facilities adapt to dynamic market demands. AI enables real-time adjustments to production processes, allowing manufacturers to scale operations seamlessly. Whether adjusting to supply chain fluctuations or personalizing products at scale, AI-powered systems ensure optimal performance without compromising efficiency. Additionally, AI-driven analytics provide actionable insights, helping manufacturers anticipate demand shifts and optimize resource allocation.

    Security Considerations in AI-Enabled Manufacturing
    With the rise of AI in manufacturing, cybersecurity has become a crucial focus. AI systems process vast amounts of operational data, making them potential targets for cyber threats. Advanced encryption, multi-layered authentication, and AI-driven anomaly detection secure manufacturing infrastructures. Robust cybersecurity measures ensure uninterrupted operations and safeguard intellectual property.

    The Future of AI and Gen AI in Manufacturing
    As AI and Gen AI evolve, their role in manufacturing will expand. Future developments will include AI-powered autonomous production lines, self-optimizing supply chains, and enhanced human-machine collaboration. The integration of quantum computing with AI is expected to revolutionize complex problem-solving, enabling faster simulations and real-time decision-making in production processes.

    In conclusion, the convergence of AI and Gen AI is transforming manufacturing, bringing unparalleled efficiency, precision, and flexibility to industrial operations. From predictive maintenance to design optimization, these technologies are reshaping smart factories and enhancing scalability. As AI-driven manufacturing evolves, organizations must embrace innovation to remain competitive in a rapidly changing landscape. Amandeep Singh Saini‘s insights highlight the critical role of AI and Gen AI in modernizing industrial production, setting new benchmarks for operational excellence and long-term sustainability.

  • HCLTech launches FlexSpace for AI PCs to transform enterprise efficiency – CRN

    HCLTech launches FlexSpace for AI PCs to transform enterprise efficiency – CRN

    HCLTech announced the launch of HCLTech FlexSpace for AI PCs in collaboration with Intel. This innovative solution enhances AI-powered enterprise computers, offering businesses the computing power and flexibility needed for AI-driven environments.

    By integrating HCLTech FlexSpace, an Experience-as-a-Service digital workplace solution, with Intel Core Ultra processors, enterprises can perform AI tasks locally on devices, ensuring faster and more secure processing. This reduces the need for data transfers to remote servers, minimising data breach risks.

    FlexSpace significantly improves the performance of advanced AI platforms, enabling faster, more responsive interactions and superior data processing for applications like Microsoft Co-Pilot. With HCLTech AI Force and Edge AI, enterprises benefit from rapid data processing and real-time analytics, providing actionable insights. Additionally, AI of Things (AIoT) applications experience reduced latency and improved performance.

    “At Intel, we are committed to delivering transformative solutions that address the evolving needs of modern workplaces. Our collaboration with HCLTech on their FlexSpace solution combines the power of Intel’s AI PCs with HCLTech’s industry-leading IT services. This collaboration not only meets the critical need for advanced workplace solutions but also enhances customer experiences by delivering unmatched performance, scalability, and security. Together, we are shaping the future of workplace transformation,” said Santhosh Vishwanathan, Vice President and Managing Director, India Region, Intel.

    “At HCLTech, we aim to revolutionise enterprise AI interaction with advanced, scalable solutions that enhance efficiency and innovation. Our collaboration with Intel on FlexSpace for AI PCs is a key step in helping clients fully leverage AI while ensuring top-tier security and performance,” said Anand Swamy, Head of Tech and ISV Ecosystems, HCLTech.

    HCLTech continues to deliver intelligent workplace solutions through its HCLTech Fluid Workplace framework, leveraging Intel’s Core Ultra processors to empower enterprises to streamline workflows, make data-driven decisions and accelerate innovation across healthcare, finance and manufacturing.

  • SEBI to remove digital performance tracking from employee appraisals

    SEBI proposes new method to prevent stock manipulation in derivatives market

    SEBI to remove digital performance tracking from employee appraisalsIANS

    The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has decided to remove the linkage of its digital Management Information System from employee appraisals.

    The regulator is now reassessing its performance review methods to bring in a more balanced approach, according to an NDTV Profit report.

    An internal circular has been issued regarding these changes. While the SEBI is working on modifying its review process, it will not completely discard the older methods but rather re-evaluate them for improvement, the report said.

    The concept of Key Responsibility Areas (KRAs) has been a part of the bSEBI’s system for over 20 years. However, like any evolving system, the regulator is now considering changes to make performance assessments more effective.

    Previously, the SEBI employees’ performance appraisals were significantly influenced by the digital Management Information System (MIS).

    The system tracked targets achieved and success rates, which played a crucial role in determining career progression.

    However, this approach led to concerns as some departments felt that their work was not accurately represented through numerical targets, the report added.

    Now, under the leadership of the new SEBI Chairperson, Tuhin Kanta Pandey, there has been a shift in approach.

    SEBI

    SEBI to remove digital performance tracking from employee appraisalsIANS

    According to the report, the focus has moved from quantity to quality, with less emphasis on rigid performance measurements.

    Reports also indicated that Chairperson Pandey has been actively engaging with employees across departments to address their concerns.

    Meanwhile, the market has reduced the timeline for completing rights issues from 126 days to just 23 days. The new rules will come into effect from April 7, allowing companies to raise capital faster.

    In a circular on March 12, the SEBI also introduced more flexibility in allotting shares to specific investors in rights issues.

    Under the revised framework, rights issues must now be completed within 23 working days from the date the company’s Board of Directors approves the issue.

    According to the market regulator, companies must keep the rights issue open for at least seven days and a maximum of 30 days.

    (With inputs from IANS)

  • Sensex, Nifty extend gains for 3rd straight session, midcap stocks outperform

    Sensex, Nifty extend gains for 3rd straight session, midcap stocks outperform

    IANS

    Indian stock markets on Wednesday continued their upward trend for the third consecutive session, with both the Sensex and Nifty closing higher.

    The 30-share Sensex touched an intra-day high of 75,568.38 before settling at 75,449.05, gaining 147.79 points or 0.20 per cent from its previous close.

    Similarly, the Nifty ended the day at 22,907.60, up 73.30 points or 0.32 per cent. The index moved within a range of 22,940.70 to 22,807.95 during the intra-day session.

    “Market sentiment remained upbeat, supported by mixed global cues and renewed optimism surrounding a potential Russia-Ukraine truce,” said Vikram Kasat of PL Capital.

    He added that the key global events are in focus, including the US Federal Reserve’s policy announcement, Putin-Trump talks, and a surge in gold prices.

    Among the Nifty stocks, 33 out of 50 ended in positive territory. The top gainers included Shriram Finance, HDFC Life, Apollo Hospitals, Tata Steel, and Power Grid Corporation, which saw gains of up to 3.91 per cent.

    Sensex, Nifty extend gains for 3rd straight session, midcap stocks outperform

    IANS

    On the other hand, Tech Mahindra, Britannia, TCS, Infosys, and Sun Pharma were among the 17 stocks that declined, with losses of up to 2.32 per cent.

    Broader market indices performed better than the benchmark indices. The Nifty Midcap100 and Nifty Smallcap100 surged over 2 per cent each, showing strong momentum in mid- and small-cap stocks.

    Sectoral indices on the NSE mostly ended in the green, except for Nifty FMCG and IT, which closed lower.

    This followed by a flat opening with a slight positive trend on Wednesday, even as global markets remained weak.

    At the start of trading, the Sensex rose by 80.04 points or 0.11 per cent to reach 75,381.30, while the Nifty edged up by 15.25 points or 0.07 per cent to 22,849.55.

    The Indian rupee strengthened by 12 paise on Wednesday, closing at 86.44 per dollar compared to 86.56 in the previous session.

    (With inputs from IANS)

  • Strong Performance! Nila from Veranda RACE Tops Kerala in MTS SSC Exams

    March 19, 2025; Veranda RACE, a Veranda Learning enterprise, announced that its student Ms. Nila B secured All-Kerala Rank 1 in the Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS) SSC Exam 2024. Over 250 students from Veranda RACE have successfully cleared the SSC exams, reinforcing its strong track record in coaching aspirants for government jobs.

    A native of Trivandrum, Ms. Nila B is an M.Sc. Forestry student who completed her B.Sc. in Forestry and aspired to crack the SSC exams alongside her studies. She comes from a family with a strong commitment to public service—her father, Mr. Biju V.K., is a police officer, instilling in her the values of discipline and perseverance.

    The SSC MTS exam is a highly competitive national-level examination conducted by the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) for recruitment to various Group C posts in government departments and offices. With lakhs of aspirants appearing every year, achieving an All-Kerala Rank 1 highlights Ms. Nila’s dedication and strategic preparation. Expressing her gratitude, Ms. Nila B said: “Veranda RACE’s structured training, expert mentorship, and rigorous test series helped me stay focused and improve my performance. I am incredibly grateful to my mentors and the entire Veranda RACE team for their constant support throughout my journey.”

    Mr. Santhosh Kumar, CEO of Veranda RACE, lauded her achievement, stated, “Nila’s success reflects her hard work and the result-driven training methodology at Veranda RACE. With 9 centres across Kerala and a track record of training over 10,000 students last year in SSC exams, we are committed to providing accessible, high-quality coaching to aspirants. We are incredibly proud of Nila and look forward to seeing her excel in her career.”

    Mr. Bharath Seeman, Founder of RACE and CEO of Veranda IAS, also congratulated Nila, stating, “Success stories like Nila’s inspire countless other aspirants to aim higher and stay focused on their goals. At Veranda RACE, we believe that the right training, coupled with perseverance, can open doors to promising careers in government services. We remain steadfast in our mission to guide and support students on this journey.”

    Veranda RACE continues to be a trusted name in competitive exam training, equipping thousands of students with expert guidance, structured coursework, and personalized mentoring to help them achieve success in government job examinations.

  • Accenture and CrowdStrike team to transform security operations, mitigating cyber threats and reducing costs with AI-native solutions – CRN

    Accenture and CrowdStrike team to transform security operations, mitigating cyber threats and reducing costs with AI-native solutions – CRN

    Accenture and CrowdStrike are collaborating to drive cybersecurity transformation, helping clients confidently navigate the next wave of innovation and growth.

    By combining Accenture’s security services with the CrowdStrike Falcon® cybersecurity platform – including cloud security, identity protection and next-gen security information and event management (SIEM) – the collaboration will bring transformative improvements and cost efficiencies to areas such as security operations (SecOps), continuous threat exposure management and AI workload protection. This will enable real-time threat visibility, prevention and remediation with optimised operational costs.

    “Cybercriminals are infiltrating organisations with alarming sophistication and unprecedented speed,” said Paolo Dal Cin, global lead, Accenture Security. “To combat this, we work closely with organisations to understand their unique cybersecurity needs and tailor solutions to address their specific challenges. By combining our expertise with CrowdStrike’s technology, we can help clients adopt a more proactive and efficient approach to digital defence.”

    As businesses move to cloud-based environments and AI-enabled operations, the massive volume of data generated can overload traditional solutions, making it difficult for security teams to efficiently and effectively detect and respond to threats. This challenge is exacerbated as security teams often struggle to manage a mix of outdated technology and the need to constantly switch between disparate security tools, slowing down solutions designed to protect the business and customers from cyberattacks.

    WHSmith is a global travel retailer, operating over 1,700 stores in more than 30 countries selling key travel essentials including food & drink, health & beauty, tech accessories and books. The retailer has strengthened its security operations by leveraging Accenture’s Managed Extended Detection and Response (MxDR) services and the CrowdStrike Falcon platform. The powerful combination of CrowdStrike and Accenture has enabled WHSmith to gain visibility across their global operations, extending advanced protection, detection and response capabilities from the corporate network to the storefront cash register.

    Jon Begley, Global CISO WHSmith Group, said, “The collaboration between Accenture and CrowdStrike is helping us improve threat visibility across our global business while maintaining a responsive and agile security operation to protect our digital assets. This means we can focus on growing our global travel retail business further and offering a leading experience in our stores for customers on their journeys across the world.”

    “Customer demand for Falcon platform adoption, cybersecurity consolidation, and SOC services expertise is driving our market-moving Accenture partnership,” said George Kurtz, founder and CEO, CrowdStrike. “Accenture’s deep expertise with the Falcon platform and SIEM transformation have directly assisted organisations in upleveling their cybersecurity programs from device to cloud to datacentre. Accenture plays a key role in guiding organisations to embrace the AI-native SOC, leaving legacy SIEMs, point products, and manual SOC operations behind for automated, resilient, and machine speed cybersecurity platform controls.”

    The integrated offering benefits organisations by consolidating point cybersecurity products, reducing costs and simplifying operational functions and enhancing detection and response capabilities through a unified platform. The collaboration between Accenture and CrowdStrike includes:

    • SecOps modernisation – Streamlines security operations workflows into an ecosystem that integrates threat prevention, detection and response with a unified approach based on CrowdStrike’s Next-Gen SIEM technology. This approach can unlock up to 30%1 cost optimisation through streamlined security workflows enabled by AI and technology rationalisation initiatives.
    • Managed detection and response – Delivered by a seamless combination of Accenture and the Falcon platform to detect, investigate and respond to threats faster leveraging Accenture’s global scale. This powerful combination, augmented by integrated AI solutions from Accenture and CrowdStrike, can drive up to 60%1 workflow optimisation for SecOps use cases.
    • Continuous threat exposure management – Helps clients transform their approach to vulnerability management while optimising investments in teams, processes and tools. The combination of the Falcon platform and Accenture’s transformation services enables clients to consolidate exposure visibility across the extended attack surface and streamline prioritisation using attack path analysis. This approach can help organisations simplify processes and consolidate tooling, realising up to 15% cost optimisation.
  • Balancing AI Costs and Performance with Hybrid Infrastructure

    AI's Total Cost of Ownership

    Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a cornerstone of modern business, yet managing its escalating costs remains a persistent challenge. Arthi Rengasamy, an independent researcher, presents an in-depth analysis of how hybrid infrastructure optimizes AI’s Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). Her study highlights the innovations that enable organizations to achieve cost efficiency without compromising performance.

    The Growing Burden of AI Infrastructure Costs
    The rapid adoption of AI technologies has significantly increased computational demands, with AI model training requirements growing by 312% from 2018 to 2024. This surge has stressed traditional infrastructure models, as organizations relying exclusively on cloud resources often face unpredictable costs. On the other hand, those using on-premises solutions experience scalability challenges. Hybrid infrastructure, which combines both cloud and on-premises environments, provides a cost-effective solution. It allows organizations to optimize resources, balance performance and cost, and scale more efficiently, offering the flexibility to meet growing AI demands without overburdening any single infrastructure model.

    Strategic Workload Distribution for Cost Optimization
    A key benefit of hybrid infrastructure is its ability to strategically allocate workloads based on their requirements. For AI training, which demands substantial computational power, deploying on-premises can reduce cloud costs by up to 80%. This helps manage expenses while meeting the heavy processing needs. On the other hand, experimental workloads, which require flexibility and scalability, can be managed using cloud resources, cutting development cycle times by 45%. By combining on-premises and cloud solutions, organizations can optimize resource use, ensuring both cost-efficiency and high performance while maintaining peak operational efficiency

    Enhancing AI Model Inference with Hybrid Strategies
    AI inference workloads, where trained models generate real-time predictions, greatly benefit from hybrid deployment. By processing time-sensitive data on-premises, organizations can ensure quicker decision-making and minimize latency. Less critical tasks can be offloaded to the cloud, lowering operational costs by up to 40%. This strategic division of labor not only reduces costs but also improves latency by 45%, allowing AI-driven applications to remain highly responsive and efficient, ensuring optimal performance while managing resource utilization effectively.

    Optimizing Data Storage for Cost and Compliance
    Data management remains a crucial component of AI infrastructure. Organizations using hybrid storage strategies achieve 47% better cost efficiency while maintaining compliance with data sovereignty regulations. Sensitive data can be stored on-premises, while non-sensitive datasets leverage cost-effective cloud storage, reducing overall storage expenses by 25-35%.

    Hybrid Deployment for High-Risk AI Applications
    Industries handling high-risk workloads, such as finance and healthcare, require stringent security and compliance measures. Hybrid infrastructure provides a tailored solution by keeping mission-critical workloads on-premises while using the cloud for secondary tasks. This approach improves security compliance scores by 51% and reduces regulatory costs by 43%.

    Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery in AI Operations
    AI-driven organizations must ensure uninterrupted service availability. Hybrid infrastructure enhances disaster recovery by offering a balance between cloud-based failover systems and on-premises redundancy. Companies adopting this model report a 45% improvement in recovery time objectives (RTO) and achieve cost savings of up to 42% in disaster recovery expenses.

    Technology Management for Smarter Cost Control
    Sophisticated cost management frameworks are essential for sustainable AI adoption. Organizations implementing real-time monitoring and automated scaling solutions achieve a 50% reduction in unnecessary infrastructure expenses. AI-powered optimization tools further improve resource utilization, leading to an overall infrastructure cost reduction of 35%.

    In conclusion, hybrid infrastructure has emerged as a transformative solution for optimizing AI’s TCO while maintaining operational efficiency. By strategically distributing workloads, optimizing storage, and ensuring business continuity, organizations can navigate AI’s cost challenges without sacrificing performance. Arthi Rengasamy‘s insights reinforce that as AI adoption accelerates, a hybrid model will be essential for sustaining innovation and financial efficiency. The flexibility of this approach ensures that organizations can meet the growing demands of AI technologies while managing costs effectively, driving both performance and financial sustainability.