Join us at the 2018 Annual Technical Summit!

The time has come for the Annual Convergent Technologies Group Technical Summit! This year we will be condensing the summit into a single day on September 13^th at our Midlothian office. Every year we work hard to listen to customer feedback and wishes in order to put together an agenda focused on what our clients are looking for in their environments. Along with our own Master ASE certified engineers we will be joined by industry experts that will take a deep dive into the technologies that we are seeing have the great impact in the marketplace. This year, the focus will be on the following:

• IT trending towards Digital Transformation
• Composable infrastructure
• HyperConverged Infrastructure and where it fits
• Network Access Control and its positioning in a multi-vendor environment
• Predictive Analytics and how it eases management in your infrastructure

The concept of the Technical Summit was built around providing the end user with an event that is more than just product pitches and slide shows. The Technical Summit allows for attendees to get hands on with the technologies they are learning about, and to see the workflows in real time, running in our Live Demo Lab. The best part? No sales people are allowed in the room! We are strong believers in letting the technologies speak for themselves, and what better way than to see it live and to have a technical expert there to answer questions and work through potential issues or needs in real time!

This year we will be heading to Ruth’s Chris Steak House after the event for dinner and more conversation. There is still time to secure your spot at the Technical summit. Please reach out to events@ctgva.com or to Dalton Gormus (CTG’s Marketing Director) at dgormus@ctgva.com to RSVP today. Space is limited, and seats are going fast! We look forward to seeing you there!

HPE Discover 2018 Recap

Dalton Gormus

Last month, I attended HPE Discover 2018 in Las Vegas, NV. This was my first time in Sin City and I was transported to a whole other world. When I stepped into the Transformation Zone in the Sands Expo, I felt like I was Alice in Wonderland, completely lost but entirely intrigued. You could find everything from Lego displays to the Hack Shack. HPE Discover was a 3-day event that featured various speakers from all over the world discussing topics ranging from Blockchain to Intelligent System Tuning (IST).

The first large session I attended was, Achieving IT Agility in Mobile, IoT and Cloud with Aruba, presented by Janice Le, Aruba Networks Chief Marketer and Parth Narasimhan, Aruba, CTO. Le began the session with introducing the idea that many industries are heading into an experience economy, we are no longer buying just a good or a service, we are buying an experience. The Intelligent Edge is the experience economy we are seeing in IT, it is where smart meets digital. Aruba Networks has recently partnered with major companies like CBRE and HermanMiller Furniture to create smart and digital workplaces to make you workspace feel like home, and this is only the beginning for Aruba. CBRE is using Aruba to create smart buildings for design and IoT sensors. HermanMiller is taking their office furniture to the next level with connected desks that adjust to your height and chairs that know when you are getting up to use the restroom or if you are leaving for the evening. Narasimhan later stepped out on stage to discuss Aruba Introspect, a sensor that is used in the network to alert engineers if there is any suspicious activity going on whether it is inside or outside the company. Introspect was noted by one of our own engineers as an IT trend to keep an eye on within the next year, it is something that many companies are going to want in their tool box.

GenZ Lego Display

The General Session was the most awaited session of the week presented by Antonio Neri, HPE President and CEO. Neri addressed the digital transformation we are experiencing and the three biggest factors that HPE will be tackling during the transformation. Much like what Le was discussing with an experience economy, HPE will be focusing on transformative technology, people and economics. And to enhance this transformation the products that HPE wants to focus on are, HPE OneView, a software-defined infrastructure that eliminates the complex manual processes and increases the speed and flexibility of storage. And, Infosight, which was discussed by Aruba Networks in the previous session is another product HPE will be focusing on; currently only available for 3PAR and Nimble, but soon it will be available for all HPE products. This transformation will be vital for HPE and how companies operate, Neri said, “our purpose is to advance how we live and work”. The way we can advance and transform all of this, is to live in the intelligent edge, the “future-edge” where we interact with customers. Neri announced that HPE will be investing $4 billion into the Intelligent Edge over the next four years, only to further enhance opportunities for businesses. Following that announcement, Neri brought out Ford Motors CIO, Jeff Lemmer. The two sat on stage and discussed the strong partnership between the companies and how they will continue due to the speed and innovation HPE has shown Ford. The General Session also touched on HPE Greenlake FlexCapacity. Greenlake was featured throughout the week with displays in the Social Media forum and various sessions and booths. It is a pay-for only what you use infrastructure capacity that essentially will never run out. Pat O’Conner from Business Alliances ONX came on stage to discuss the steps to take in order to make Greenlake a part of client’s infrastructure. It is flexible, because you should never run out of the IT resources when using, it is easier for customers to engage with and it will cut down contracts exchanged by a few pages.

HPE Greenlake display

HPE made it a point to mix education and entertainment equally, which made you feel like you were not working all day. The week ended with relaxed networking and a performance by pop-rock band OneRepublic. Discover was incredibly informative, and I am grateful I was able to attend this large HPE event after only being a member of the CTG team for a few months. The biggest piece of information I took from this event was that HPE is moving in a direction that will make things simple and unified to create a better experience for partners and customers. With products like Greenlake, picking and choosing what you want rather than having it all are becoming more popular and are designed to help you save and have stronger structures.

If you are and IT professional and interested in learning more about some of these products and our services, please reach out or register for one of our events to speak with HPE and CTG experts!

Small Business, Big Opportunities!

This week we are celebrating Small Business Week. Convergent Technologies Group is highlighting the ways that IT helps small businesses grow and succeed in a fast past, technology driven world. Our company was founded in 2005 as a small business right here in Richmond, Va. Over the years we have used our technology partners to grow our organization into one that supports some of the largest Enterprise Customers in the state, while maintaining a direct focus on the Small to Mid-Size Market. No two businesses are the same and whether you are a large Enterprise, or a five-person business, IT matters and is equally as important to your success. Convergent works with small businesses to provide big business infrastructures and solutions like data storage, creating a mobile environment and working to give you ease in managing multiple systems.

Storage has become a recurring conversation with Small Businesses. In today’s data driven world, even the smallest companies are creating huge pools of storage that need to reside somewhere. In most cases, this data needs to be accessed quickly and effectively because even the smallest delays to your customers’ needs can result in lost revenue. Whether you require Direct Attach, Network Attached, or SAN attached storage, Convergent has the product portfolio and expertise to evaluate the needs of your business and offer solutions that fit within your requirements and most importantly, your budget.

Today’s workforce is more mobile than ever! Statistics show that the average end user has four to five devices that they use daily. The question that everyone is asking is how to ensure a consistent work experience, no matter the device, while maintaining the highest and most up to date security that is available. If you are like me, no matter where you go for a business meeting, the first thing you do is try to find a guest Wi-Fi to connect to while you are there. This is another point of security that nearly all businesses are having to think about and react to. The balance of providing a reliable network to your employees, clients, partners and guests, while also keeping the network and your Intellectual Property is one that we are uniquely positioned to address for our customers. We have helped customers large and small secure their networks using a variety of products and partnerships. We can sit down with you to discuss your connectivity and security needs to build the right solution for your business.

The third issue that we are consistently addressing with our Small Business Partners is the difficulty in managing multiple systems in the same environment, while finding room for all the equipment to reside. Convergent recognized the trend of the industry to move towards Hyper-Converged and Cloud ready solutions several years ago and has worked to put together solutions that will reduce space, while removing the complexity of managing multi-tenant environments. We partner with vendors that understand that ease of management, along with the ability to work with Cloud solution providers is an important step for any business, specifically small businesses.

Convergent is built around recognizing trends, both in the IT industry and within our customer-base. We work to talking with our customers to get an understanding of the challenges that they are seeing in the marketplace, and how IT will play a role in meeting those challenges head on. We are well-positioned to work with Small Businesses to provide everything from consulting to hardware, all the way down to Managed Services. Let’s sit down and talk about what your business needs out of its IT infrastructure and come up with a solution that fit the need of your specific business!

Support Center Confidential

We join our story, already in progress………

By: Jeff Garell

Yeah kid, another long, slow day in the support center.  Not like the old days.  When you were either an alpha geek or you got lunch eaten by them.  But only if you brought something good though…no one likes a cheese sandwich, ya know.  Here we only have alpha geeks.  But let me continue…. 

I got memories back to working my way up from level 1..ahhh, them was the days where 12 hours was the rule not the exception.  When your adrenaline pumped like a Texas oil well….non stop and messy.   When the phones never stopped ringing and the bosses were never happy.  You could guarantee one of them big wigs would come crashing through the door looking to take out his anger on the nearest poor soul.

Those were the days, kid.  It was like the wild west, Mardi Gras, and Carnival all rolled into one.  Every day.

But not anymore….not since we got Infosight watching our backs.  Who woulda thought that some AI would steal all the fun?  That we'd provide almost 90% of the support our customers need without sweatin' our gimlet and answer calls in less than a minute.

No call tsunamis wiping us off the map like an uninhabited pacific atoll.  No mass emails that have to be run through the approval gauntlet like a guilty soul looking for redemption.   No all hands calls in the middle of the night to figure out what has bedeviled the systems.

I don't know about you kid, but I can't run through millions of data points every second….no mere mortal can.  I tried once and stumbled like a drunk on a sidewalk made of ball bearings.  Yeah kid, it's not like it used to be…..

Now that we got Infosight watching everything, hoovering up all of that performance data from every device around the globe, we just sit back and wait for that AI to tell us what to do or what to go figure out.  Ya see, if it sees a problem that it already knows about, it'll send the emails but only to those admins that might be affected, it'll do the updates, it'll …. It'll take care of it like Tyson took care of Spinks in '88.

And if it don't know what to do it tells us where to start lookin'.  That's why we're here, son.  If one of dem customers call, we look at what our AI friend shows us and can find the answer lickety split, ya know?   Dat's why this here room is mostly empty…we don't need no level 1 or 2 fellas.

And ya know what?  This thing is spreadin'.  It ain't just gonna be our Nimble storage that the AI sees.   Quicker than a wink it'll be watching over 3PAR and I hear RMC too.  Imagine all of those systems - getting that support like ours do.  Those boys in the ivory tower are already countin' their dough with how much more productive people will be.

So that's the story, kid.  As John McClane once said, "Welcome to the party, pal".  I hope you brought a good Phillip Marlow book to keep ya entertained.    Keep yer head down and eyes open and don't bother trying to beat that AI.  Our competitors can't even get close to it, like it's a flamethrower on Guadalcanal, so you got no chance.

See ya tomorrow, kid….and Merry Christmas…

Thankful

While we wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving, CTG employees share what we are thankful for this year.

Grace SunDance, administrative assistant:

I am thankful for the growth and courage Convergent has given me. Being a part of a supportive, successful, and generous company is truly a blessing. I am enormously thankful for my family, my tremendous friends and my amazing fiancé, Aaron.

Elizabeth "Beth" Foster, inside sales representative:

I am thankful and blessed to have a great family. I am thankful that I work with some of the most talented and dedicated folks in our industry. I am thankful more than anything for my Lord, Jesus Christ and what He has done for me and the miracles that happen every day. He gives me strength when mine fails; He gives me insight when my vision is clouded and gives me Joy, Grace and Peace in turbulent times.

Carley Wessler, smb account executive:

I am thankful for my two gorgeous children, they always keep me smiling and make life beautiful and for my amazing husband who keeps me grounded, happy and loves me unconditionally.  I am also thankful to work with the amazing Convergent Technologies Group team who keep work challenging, entertaining and ensure we remain leaders in IT.

Charles Fowler, director of sales:
I’m thankful for France and Scotland.

James Kay, accounting representative:

I am thankful for my family and the health that I have. I am also thankful for my son Andrew who has brightened my life. 

Jeff Joyner, network architect:

I’m thankful for my family.

Brandon Samuel, sales manager:

I am thankful for most things, including my family, friends and wonderful CTG family!

John Monahan, co-founder and president:

I'm thankful for my staff, another successful year for CTG and my family and friends.

Chastity Loving, purchasing manager:

I am thankful for everything amazing in my life. I am so blessed and my heart is always so full!

Rod Knowles, solutions architect:

I am thankful for my two awesome kids and how much happiness they bring me each and every day.  I am also thankful for being able to work with the some of the best people in the world, old and new friends, family, my job and my health.  

Evan Joyner, smb technician:

I am thankful for my son, my family and my friends. 

Alexandra Suder, marketing director:

I am thankful for my incredibly awesome and loving family - far and near - especially my mother, father, sisters and my brother-in-law. I am thankful for my boyfriend who helps me in so many ways. I am thankful for all of the good energy, happiness, and health I am blessed with. I am thankful for ALL of my wonderful friends and their children, and for having a part in their life. I am thankful for my job and my team. I am thankful for my home. And I am forever grateful to God and for being here on this earth.

Jeff Garell, co-founder and vice president:
I'm thankful for my wife and for our two beautiful, smart, talented and caring daughters.

Jeff Garell Selected into HPE’s Worldwide Partner Ambassador Program

The Worldwide Partner Ambassador Program for Solution Architects brings together the top Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) product and solution engineers and executives, with top Solution Architects from our HPE partners. The benefits of the Partner Ambassador program for Solution Architects for both HPE and the Partners is to deepen the relationship to foster better collaboration and communication and to influence future technology direction at HPE.

The Ambassador program allows selected partners:

• Participation, in monthly Partner Ambassador calls hosted by technical experts
• Enhanced access to information
• Participation in a virtual Partner Ambassador Community with HPE business units and HPE Solution Architects to ask questions, provide feedback and share experiences
• Opportunities to meet directly with HPE Business Unit Executives, Lab Engineers, and HPE Ambassadors at the annual Worldwide Partner Ambassador Summit

Congratulations Jeff!

Aruba ClearPass Part 2

Is your business prepared? Today’s organizations face a complex IT infrastructure, more exposed to cyberattacks than ever. The Internet of Things, an always-on mobile workforce and BYOD make visibility into your network more challenging and critical.

Identifying what’s on your network is a never-ending challenge. Not only do you need to prevent malicious users from gaining access, you have to protect against unauthorized devices and applications.

Businesses today embrace the idea of anywhere, anytime connectivity, but often ignore the need for secure network access control. Many employ a “laid back NAC” solution. Others choose the same vendor for security and network infrastructure. Both these approaches give the illusion of security, even compliance, but in reality, leave extensive security gaps.

As an Aruba ClearPass expert and partner, Convergent Technologies Group can help you reduce time spent identifying devices on your network, enforce policies, and protect your network. We will help you address questions, like:

• What’s on my network?

• How do I simplify mobile security?

• Can I limit mobile devices without limiting productivity or increasing security risks?

• How do I unify internal and external security tools?

Get started by taking this brief assessment to help you determine your network’s level of security and see how your business might be at risk. To enforce security standards throughout your enterprise, you need secure enterprise network access control (NAC). 

Aruba ClearPass is changing the NAC space, helping companies understand what’s on your network and keeping your information secure. This is an important first step in building a strategy to take control of what’s connecting to your network to keep your data secure and your business safe.

For more information about what the Aruba ClearPass solution can do to defend your network, contact Convergent Technologies Group at sales@ctgva.com or 804-353-5307.