General News
Oracle Out With Application-Engineered Systems for Data Center Harmony
The price of running modern data centers is quickly rising, said Tom Pegrume, vice president Oracle Hardware Middle East and Africa.
He added that the astonishing amount of data that companies collect today coupled with a mounting need to convert this information into measurable business value quickly and effectively has seen enterprises fill server rooms with rows of expensive storage stacks working furiously to accommodate an army of data-processing applications.
Given that the amount of data collected by businesses is expected to continue growing by 50 to 70 per cent each year, companies that content themselves to add current-day servers to their existing data center technologies will quickly find themselves in a financial struggle to support the upkeep of their IT infrastructure in the face of this growth, and lacking the floor space to even do so.
The key for businesses looking to remain competitive in an increasingly data-heavy world is therefore a more rapid, more powerful, and more space and cost-efficient storage solution. Andreas Olah, research analyst at IDC in EMEA agrees, saying that “Server density is increasing … driven by the need for lower power consumption and less datacenter floor space required while maintaining performance”.
The problem is that in past years storage systems were primarily designed as general-purpose solutions meant to work with as many applications as possible.
While these presented attractive products to sell to customers operating across multiple industries, this “one size fits all” approach has left businesses with expansive IT infrastructures whose performance is encumbered by limited communication between applications and storage within the stack.
Moreover, because these systems are standardized companies have been allocating a considerable portion of their time and budget on managing their integration into their in-house data centre architecture rather than investing into the growth of their practices.
In reality, each application in the stack is different and should therefore be treated as such.Some require high-performance support, others extreme security measures, while some even have varying operational requirements dependent on the time of year – for example, an energy provider’s performance demands are much higher during the work day than during the quiet late evening hours.
To unlock more value from these tools, businesses will have to move past generic storage appliances and adopt engineered systems that marry application-aware storage solutions with storage-aware applications.
These application engineered systems (AES) drive faster, more powerful IT by automating data management to an unprecedented degree while helping businesses reduce operating costs.
A storage device operating within an integrated AES solution is aware of the requirements that each application it supports will have before their request even reaches the storage controller.
This co-engineering between application and storage leads to much faster query times and data processing.
By running more efficient data compression technologies such as Hybrid Columnar Compression that can only be supported by these engineered systems, businesses can reduce the space required to store their data by up to10 times when compared with the compression rates of non-application aware systems.
Businesses require improved operational agility from their IT, and cannot afford to lose time dealing with bottlenecks in their mission-critical databases and applications.
A major benefit of AES storage systems is their ability to automatically adjust to the changing requirements of data centre applications in real time.
For companies, this pre-integrated interaction between applications and storage means that rather than using their employees’ time to manually treat labour-intensive IT issues they can instead focus on driving innovation and business growth.
Pegrume added that while some businesses may prefer to build and manage their own storage systems, the disconnect between applications and the server will inevitably grow wider with every third party technology added to the stack.
“When one considers that two thirds of enterprise storage costs can be attributed to the time and manpower dedicated to managing these systems, this piecemeal approach risks becoming prohibitively expensive, especially when factoring in the cost of frequent system upgrades, maintenance, and troubleshooting. Not only does a fully-integrated AES solution help businesses bypass some of these costs, but because engineered applications automatically tune themselves to the stack and scale their functionality in response to system requirements they also leave room for significant performance enhancements down the road.
“For businesses, investment in innovation drives progress. In today’s fast-moving economy, the seemingly endless trickle of money companies will spend to tune and manage their data centers would serve them better if reinvested towards achieving measurable market growth.
By providing businesses with fully-integrated data storage and analysis capabilities, application-aware systems like AES, such as Oracle’s ZFS Storage ZS3, give them the self-managing IT solution they will need to reduce their long-term IT investment and focus on achieving success in their respective fields,” he said. Furthermore, due to the dynamic relationship between application and software within these stacks, businesses will also benefit from dramatically improved data processing capability and speed.
A new MasterCard report has predicted that Africa’s AI economy will more than triple in five years, reaching $16.5 billion by 2030 from $4.5 billion in 2025.
The whitepaper by the global payments technology company, with a presence in over 50 African countries, identifies responsible adoption, stronger data infrastructure, and aggressive skills development as the three pillars that will determine who benefits.
Mark Elliott, division president for Africa at MasterCard, emphasised that Africa stands at an inflection point, where smart technologies have the potential to make a real difference in people’s lives.
He likened AI’s potential to the continent’s leap into mobile money, which bypassed traditional banking infrastructure and brought millions into the financial system.
“Digital innovation, particularly AI, can drive real change on the ground by empowering communities and building a future where everyone participates in the new economy,” Elliott said.
The in-depth study flags several African frontrunners in AI adoption. South Africa tops the list, blending advanced infrastructure with strong research capabilities. It points out that Kenya is making strides with practical AI solutions, from credit scoring to healthcare services in local languages.
Nigeria’s vibrant start-up scene also gets a strong mention for attracting significant venture capital, while Morocco’s strong push in healthcare, agriculture, and energy, underpinned by bold national digital strategies, is another key driver.
Elliott stressed that success depends on powering electricity access, digitisation, and ensuring AI is fuelled by diverse, high-quality local data.
He added that inclusive transformation needs everyone involved, from small businesses to large corporations, policymakers, and communities. “The only good AI is responsible AI,” said Elliot.
Greg Ulrich, MasterCard’s chief AI and data officer, said Africa’s relationship with technology is one of active innovation, pointing to mobile payments as a homegrown success.
“AI is accelerating this transformation, reshaping how people live, work, and connect,” he said. Ulrich described MasterCard’s fraud detection systems, trained in cities like Lagos, Nairobi, and Johannesburg, as proof that global expertise and local talent can combine to deliver secure, real-time services.
He also cautioned that with scale comes responsibility. “Trust is earned, one transaction at a time,” Ulrich said.
He believes that with one of the world’s youngest populations, Africa’s next challenge is turning strategy into delivery, building infrastructure, nurturing talent, and ensuring AI lifts all communities.
The fellows of MTN Media Innovation Programme (MIP) Cohort 4 recently embarked on an immersive tour of Huawei’s Innovation Center, Cloud Service Centre, and Network Support Centre in Lagos, as part of their ongoing industry exposure sessions.
L-R: Isaac Ogugua-Ezechukwu, Programs Administrator, Professional Education, School of Media and Communications, Pan-Atlantic University; Blessings Mosugu, Vice President, MTN Media Innovation Programme Cohort 4; Gavin Geng Xiaoyan, Director of Solution Sales\Chief Technical Officer, Huawei; Vanessa Ukamaka Richard, Secretary, MTN MIP Cohort 4 and Dr Chike Mgbeadichie, Programs Director, Professional Education, School of Media and Communications, Pan-Atlantic University, during the July session of the MTN Media Innovation Program held at the Huawei office in Victoria Island, recently.
At the Huawei Innovation Center, the fellows were introduced to a wide array of next-generation technologies. Demonstrations covered Huawei’s smart city solutions, advanced power technologies, cloud systems, and upgraded router and antenna designs. These solutions represent the core of Huawei’s contributions as a strategic partner in MTN’s journey from a connectivity provider to a digital enabler.
One of the highlights of the tour was a live demo of an AI-powered video generator, which transformed selfies into high-definition 30-second avatar-based videos. The videos, created and delivered within seconds via Bluetooth, showcased the real-time capabilities of 5G.
Speaking on how 5G is transforming digital lifestyle globally, the Deputy Managing Director, Marketing and Solutions at Huawei Nigeria, Gavin Geng, noted that “Huawei’s goal is to bridge the gap between global innovation and local demand by tailoring technology to meet Nigeria’s specific challenges. From delivering Nigeria’s first digital village alongside our partners, to launching Nigeria’s first local cloud service, we are committed to working with our customers to build infrastructure that serve both urban and underserved communities.”
He emphasised Huawei’s commitment to security and cutting-edge innovation, adding that “as an employee-owned company adhering to strict global security standards, we ensure that customers’ data and connectivity remain secure while they benefit from next-gen solutions such as 5G, AI, smart city technologies.”
The session underscored MTN’s readiness to meet the increasing demands of Nigeria’s data-driven population and support the country’s digital transformation goals.
Afterwards, the fellows received certificates to commemorate the visit and proceeded to the Huawei Service Centre. Spanning 4,000 square metres, the facility supports operations in telecoms, finance, transportation, power, and public service.
With a dedicated DevOps team, the centre customises its monitoring systems for different clients. It is ISO27001 certified, and all employees hold security certifications, reflecting its emphasis on data protection and operational excellence.
To wrap up the day, the MIP cohort was hosted to a dinner attended by MTN’s Chief Services and Sustainability Officer, Tobechukwu Okigbo. He encouraged the delegates to maximise the opportunity the programme offers and shared personal insights during an experience-sharing moment.
The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has given its Diaspora Front-End Partners (FEPs) 48 hours to obtain and activate their National Identification Number (NIN) enrolment licences on its newly upgraded diaspora enrolment platform.
The commission said the deadline followed the successful completion of a major upgrade aimed at improving the security, efficiency and reliability of NIN registration for Nigerians living abroad.
According to NIMC, the upgraded platform will offer a more seamless and robust service to diaspora applicants, ensuring faster processing and better data protection. To prepare for the transition, all FEPs have been onboarded onto the new system and taken through intensive training to equip them with the knowledge needed for effective management of the platform.
Once compliant partners activate their licences, Nigerians abroad will be able to access NIN enrolment services through them without disruption.
“The Commission apologises for any inconvenience the upgrade process might have caused and has set up a dedicated service team to resolve all issues related to diaspora enrolment,” NIMC said in a statement signed by Dr. Kayode Adegoke, its head of corporate communications.
Diaspora applicants experiencing difficulties have been advised to contact the commission for prompt assistance.
While the new system rolls out overseas, NIN enrolment continues across all centres in Nigeria, with applicants able to locate their nearest centres on the NIMC website. Nigerians at home or abroad can also modify their NIN data via the online self-service portal.
NIMC further encouraged NIN holders to download the NIMC NINAuth App on iOS or Google Play to instantly verify their NIN, control who can access their information, and enjoy secure authentication services.
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