Acronis has the answers for digital security-conscious Middle East

With the pandemic pretty much contained and as the UAE races ahead – in leaps and bounds – in its quest to be a digital-first society and economy, as well as being net-zero by 2050, the Gulf state is proving to be a magnet for the introduction and rollout of the world’s cutting-edge digital and sustainable technologies.

Bearing this in mind, Gitex Global x Ai Everything – the world’s biggest tech show of the year – taking place live and in-person at Dubai World Trade Centre from October 17-21, 2021, is showcasing the latest digital innovations and initiatives from more than 4,000 reputed companies from around the world.

One such business entity is Schaffhausen, Switzerland-headquartered Acronis, a global leader in cyber protection, which is introducing its all-new Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud solution at the well-attended trade show in Dubai. Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud unites backup and next-generation, AI-based anti-malware, antivirus, and endpoint protection management in one solution.

Already trusted by several of the world’s leading sports brands, ranging from motorsport to soccer, Acronis is also highlighting at the Gitex show its new technical and strategic partnership with Airspeeder – the world’s first racing series for manned VTOL flying electric cars and a fusion of UAM and motorsport. Acronis is the Official Cyber Protection Partner of Airspeeder.

With cyber protection being at the core of Acronis’ business in the Middle East region, MENews247 caught up at Gitex Global x Ai Everything 2021, with Peter French, Acronis General Manager for the Middle East & Africa, for an exclusive interview.

MENews247: What is Acronis showcasing to its partners, distributors and potential new clients at Gitex Global x Ai Everything 2021?

Peter French: We are presenting Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud – our new flagship and unique solution which integrates anti-malware protection and is powered by AI – as well as other cyber protection solutions.

We are also co-hosting, along with Etisalat, the first presentation in the UAE of an Airspeeder MK4 prototype electric flying vehicle. Airspeeder is the first manned flying electric racing car in the world, and is part of a new electric racing series, created by performance electric flying car manufacturer Alauda.

By virtue of being the Official Cyber Protection Partner of the revolutionary Airspeeder racing series, and by harnessing the power of data to drive performance in elite competition, Acronis is protecting and safeguarding the terabytes of telemetry and racing operation data that will be transmitted in real-time to the pit wall and factory when the Airspeeder racing series begins by year-end.

In particular, Acronis’ proprietary cyber protection solutions – including analysis of battery and key systems performance – in addition to some services delivered by Acronis #CyberFit Delivery Partner and global provider of cyber security solutions, Teknov8, will safeguard the data security for the LiDAR and Machine Vision technology that will create virtual force-fields around each racing ‘Speeder’ craft, flying at speeds of up to 130km/h.

Weighing some 400kg, the Airspeeder MK4 vehicle features the latest carbon fibre composite technologies to ensure maximum manoeuvrability, speed and safety in the air.

MENews247: What the key features of the technical and strategic partnership between Acronis and the Airspeeder racing series?

Peter French: We are the Official Cyber Protection Partner of the Airspeeder racing series. You may ask why. In sports, there are massive volumes of data being generated all the time; be it baseball, football, Formula 1, Formula E, as well as Airspeeder.

All this data is the most critical asset for a particular stakeholder, so, data protection, cyber protection, and cyber security measures are essential to protect this real-time data; to make it useable, to innovate, and to break through into new frontiers, like Airspeeder is doing – which is manned flying electric racing.

MENews247: The pandemic has drastically affected the IT-OT industry on a global scale, almost throwing the sector into disarray. What solutions is Acronis offering in this context?

Peter French: Acronis has been very well-positioned during the pandemic period, per se. We have been protecting workers; be they working remote or in centralised offices. As the pandemic progressed we were able to rapidly roll out solutions and support our partners with protection vectors for remote work, for remote conferencing, etc. We were very well-positioned for that scenario and we continue to innovate for the new hybrid world.

MENews247: How have Acronis’ clients’ needs or requirements changed in the recent past?

Peter French: The adaptation really was shifting the perimeter or shifting the edge of the network or being able to cater for the various entry points into a company’s system; various attack vectors and attack surfaces for data. In a controlled network environment you control the perimeter, you control every device, and it is not easy.

The moment you start distributing to home networks, unsecured routers, unsecured devices, or uncontrolled environments, you introduce and unleash a multitude of unknowns. It’s all about protecting the end points. By protecting the cloud we are able to deliver a holistic protection solution and integrated single console, and single set of skills to protect and cover the most critical assets involving digital workloads.

MENews247: How does Acronis view the Middle East region as a revenue stream?

Peter French: Governments in the region, especially in the GCC region, are playing a key role in digitising their economies, resulting in new opportunities for our partners and in turn, for us. Pre-Covid and post-Covid the digital transformation in the whole region has accelerated. In the Middle East, we are seeing significant advancement and development and innovation in this space.

Along with the innovation and along with rapid transition to digital comes the challenges and security risks are also accelerated. This is why the region is such a key and strategic market for us. We need to focus our efforts on the region, focus our resources on the region and continue to bring enhanced cyber protection to the whole Middle East.

MENews247: How does Acronis view Expo 2020 Dubai – the first World Expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region?

Peter French: Expo 2020 Dubai is a true concentration in one place of the global audience that our solutions cater to. You do get a better opportunity to network, to engage, to understand your partners, your customers, your distributors. The Expo is an incredible platform and opportunity for us to interface and engage!

Last Updated on 7 months by Arnold Pinto