Research Feed: Steve McDowell
Research Note: AMD Raises its Game at its Advancing AI 2025 Event
AMD announced a comprehensive portfolio of AI infrastructure solutions at its recent Advancing AI 2025 event, positioning itself as a full-stack competitor to NVIDIA.
The announcements include the immediate availability of MI350 Series GPUs with 4x generational performance improvements, the ROCm 7.0 software platform achieving 3.5x gains in inference, and the AMD Developer Cloud for broader ecosystem access.
AMD also previewed its 2026 “Helios” rack solution, which integrates MI400 GPUs, EPYC “Venice” CPUs, and Pensando “Vulcano” NICs.
Research Note: Cisco Introduces AI Canvas
Earlier this week at Cisco Live San Diego 2025, Cisco unveiled AI Canvas, a groundbreaking Generative UI designed to redefine IT operations. This initiative is
Cisco Live Day 1 Recap
San Diego- the sun’s shining, the breeze is cool, and Cisco Live! 2025 just kicked off, bringing all sorts of cool vibes and as expected, a boatload of announcements. But here’s the real talk: Cisco has come to play with their AI powered networking gear.
Research Note: VDURA Data Platform 11.2
Earlier this month, VDURA announced Version 11.2 of its Data Platform, featuring native Kubernetes CSI support, end-to-end encryption, and the VDURACare Premier support package.
The release also includes a technology preview of V-ScaleFlow, a data movement capability that VDURA claims will reduce flash requirements by over 50% through intelligent tiering between QLC flash and high-capacity HDDs.
The Unsung Hero: How Edge AI and ZTNA are Transforming Industrial IoT Connectivity
As the number of connected devices explodes on sprawling factory floors, in remote oil & gas fields, and across utility grids, the dual challenge of handling massive data volumes and securing vulnerable endpoints becomes paramount.
The solution lies not just in more bandwidth but in the synergy of Edge AI and Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA).
HPE Aruba Networking Levels Up for the AI Age
Big news from Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE)! Its Aruba Networking crew just dropped some major upgrades for both wired and wireless networks. The goal? To tackle the huge demands of AI, IoT, and other super-fast apps, proving HPE’s serious about keeping businesses ahead of the game.
Quick Take: Dell Tech World 2025
Last week I was back in Las Vegas for Dell Technologies World 2025. The company has a broad portfolio but was telling a single-minded story: Dell has a relentless focus on AI, emphasizing the Dell AI Factory and the shift towards on-premises enterprise AI solutions.
DataCore Acquires StarWind, Expands HCI Capabilities from Core to Edge
DataCore Software, a long-time player in software-defined storage (SDS) and data infrastructure, announced the acquisition of StarWind Software, a hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) vendor best known for serving edge and ROBO environments
Arista Eyes VeloCloud: A Strategic Move in the Networking Game?
The SDWAN world is buzzing with reports suggesting that Arista Networks is set to acquire VeloCloud, Broadcom’s software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN) business. While no official announcement confirming the deal has been made, the potential acquisition has sparked considerable discussion about the strategic implications for both companies and the broader networking market.
Research Note: HPE’s New Storage SLAs and Edge-Ready Backup Appliances
HPE recently introduced new service-level guarantees and product innovations focused on cyber resilience, energy efficiency, and zero data loss for its flagship HPE Alletra Storage MP B10000 platform.
It also expanded its StoreOnce data protection portfolio with new appliances tailored to remote offices and SMBs.
Research Note: RUCKUS Networks Introduces AI-Driven Wi-Fi 7 Outdoor Access Point
RUCKUS Networks recently expanded its portfolio by introducing the RUCKUS T670 and T670sn outdoor Wi-Fi 7 access points. This announcement is a significant step in bringing the latest Wi-Fi standards and AI capabilities to challenging outdoor environments, focusing on high-density and performance needs.
NAND Insider Newsletter: Week of May 12, 2025
Each week NAND Research puts out a newsletter for our industry customers taking a look at what’s driving the week, and what happened last week that caught our attention. Below is a excerpt from this week’s, May 10, 2025.