Microsoft in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Smart Solution Services Authority (ADSSSA) host Innovation Summit.
An event that brought together innovators, business leader and IT decision makers. Conversations on the day centered on using Artificial Intelligence, hybrid cloud, data management and compliance. To drive digital transformation and promote economic development across the emirate.
Microsoft held break out sessions to expound on solutions such as Office of the Future with Microsoft 365, Transforming Government Services with AI, Data Centre Modernization with Azure and Hybrid Cloud in the Government Sector. There was an exhibition area where Microsoft and Microsoft partners showcased innovations.
Microsoft through its business and market development engine in Africa, 4Afrika is partnering with the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA). The collaboration will see Microsoft co-create technology solutions in agriculture. Supporting AGRA’s digital transformation initiative to improve food security in Africa.
In a report, continued use of outdated technologies and practices is the biggest hurdle to increasing farmer productivity in Africa. Microsoft will therefore work with AGRA to build locally relevant technology solutions. Solutions that are mindful of challenges local farmers face says Microsoft 4Afrika director Amrote Abdella.
The partnership is part of Microsoft’s ongoing investment in agritech across Africa. This year the company introduced a $100 million Africa Development Center investment with sites in Lagos and Nairobi. The center according to Microsoft will help to advance AI innovation in agriculture.
Technology to transform sector
The collaboration will see Microsoft supporting farmers to adopt new technologies through digital training. As well as help them develop digital skills in agriculture through an internship program. Microsoft will also support policy advocacy and government engagement around the design of national agriculture digitization strategies in the region.
Microsoft will begin to expand its FarmBeats initiative across Africa, having piloted it in Kenya.
AGRA’s digital transformation in agriculture wants to improve food security for about 30 million farming households across 11 African countries by 2021. These are Ghana, Nigeria, Mali, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, Malawi and Mozambique.
AGRA president, Dr. Agnes Kalibata says “digital technologies are now firmly with us. It is increasingly important that we keep finding use of such innovations in our farms“.
Microsoft is inviting developers and software architects to a one day training event in Lagos.
Microsoft is hosting a free one day Microsoft Azure Training Day event for developers and software architects. The training will be on migrating applications to the cloud.
The training is scheduled to take place 13th September 2019, 8am at the Microsoft Office in Nigeria. (6th Floor, Civic Towers Ozumba Mbadiwe Street, Victoria Island).
The invitation reads;
Join us at Microsoft Azure Training Day: Migrating Applications to the Cloud. A free, one-day event for developers and architects to learn the steps and decision-making process of a migration. Assume the role of a member of the fictional Tailwind Traders’ cloud-migration team as it transitions a recent acquisition, Northwind, to the Azure cloud platform. Please make sure to bring your laptops to the training
Topics will include migrating web applications and moving your database to Azure, deploying your application faster and safer and more.
Microsoft announces thirty one new Azure edge sites.
Bringing its cloud customers a faster network and their consumers increased satisfaction. The announced sites will include new edge sites in Kenya and Nigeria. With upcoming sites in Egypt, Turkey and Israel later. The sites will be located in Nairobi, Lagos, Cairo and Tel Aviv.
Microsoft CVP Azure networking, Yousef Khalid talks about the latest development. He says the Azure Edge sites will provide application development teams increased visibility and higher availability. To access services that improve how they deliver global applications.
Through deployment and operation of globally and strategically placed edge sites, Microsoft dramatically accelerates the performance and experience when you are accessing apps, content, or services such as Azure and Office 365 on the Microsoft global network. – Yousef Khalid
What does this mean?
Infrastructure and development teams will now have; Improved optimization for application delivery. An enhanced customer experience and Private connectivity and dedicated performance through Azure ExpressRoute.
This will significantly improve user experience. Providing fast and reliable access to cloud services for our customers in the region. Local ISVs and startups can provide services to customers competitively and with confidence. – Wale Olokodana [Intelligent Cloud (Azure) Business Group Lead at Microsoft]
Microsoft announced datacenters in Middle East and Africa this year.
Our co-founder Christopher Bennett was invited to participate in a training program last year at the Microsoft office in Nairobi, Kenya. The training gave more insight of Microsoft’s Software Asset Management program to partners from across Africa.
What is Software Asset Management?
Software Asset Management (SAM) is a set of proven IT practices that unite people, processes, and technology to control and optimize the use of software across an organization. SAM can help you control costs as well as manage business and legal risks, optimize software license investments, and grow IT systems to accommodate your organization’s expanding needs.
Five reasons why you should implement SAM
(1) Improve financial security
(2) Volume discounts for better price points
(3) More liability control
(4) Smoother operations
(5) Increased long-term business value
Some more benefits of SAM
SAM eliminates waste, overlap, and duplicate purchases throughout your organization. By optimizing your software assets and streamlining your internal processes, SAM can help you save time and money, improve workflow, and increase your competitiveness as your company grows in size and maturity.
Reach out to us and let’s help your organization get the most from your software investments. By analyzing your infrastructure and making ensure you are correctly licensed. Teach your IT team how to properly manage your company’s software asset.