Connect with us

News

SCALING UP

Published

on

Updated : May 11, 2014 0:0  ,
By Editor

Late last year, Seagate announced a broadening of its enterprise storage portfolio with the release of the Seagate Business Storage rackmount NAS, delivering centralized backup, data protection and remote access to critical information for small and medium-sized business organizations (SMBs). Ayman Al-Ajouz, Sales Manager MENA, Seagate discusses Seagate’s growing                                                           focus on storage solutions for Business users


Discuss Seagate’s growing focus on NAS storage for business users. What are the strengths you offer as a manufacturer of NAS storage devices?

Seagate is known for storing the world’s content. Households and SMBs continue to generate a significant amount of data, and need fast and reliable storage solutions. Keeping consumers and businesses in mind, we have dedicated NAS storage devices to offer both parties even in a mixed platform environment of Windows and Mac devices.

With the industry’s first hot-swappable 8-bay 1U rackmount NAS and our new 4-bay rackmount NAS, our latest solutions take the lead in this category with top performance and the highest capacity at an approachable price point for our SMB customers. Our business NAS devices also give users the ability to save and share data for multiple computers, whether they are Macs or PCs, allowing them to access that data whether they are sitting in the same room with the network or securely when they are on the go, over the Internet. Through our partnership, organizations can now tap into the benefits and scale of enterprise level IT systems while easily backing up all the computers in their home or office to their Seagate NAS device, and then access that data from each computer.

Today implementation of a Seagate NAS system is also made easier with support software that goes a long way in simplifying installations, customizing error recovery controls, improving power management, and fine-tuning vibration tolerance.

What are the different kinds of NAS storage devices you offer?

Today we offer the industry’s broadest portfolio of hard disk drives, solid-state drives and solid-state hybrid drives, as well as an extensive line of retail storage products for consumers and small businesses along with data-recovery services for any brand of hard drive and digital media type. Seagate Business NAS and Seagate Business Storage Rackmount NAS are a few of the latest solutions we provide to address the changing needs of small office / home office (SOHO), remote mobile office (RMO) and small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

When it comes to Seagate Business NAS, our 2 and 4-bay versions of Seagate Business Storage have capacities ranging from 4 to 16 terabytes, delivering maximum data protection by providing redundant backups of the information stored on the device. Also, the addition of a Universal Storage Module (USM) slot allows for plug-n-play removable external drives to be input and removed from the device for improved workflow and offsite backup capability.

In terms of Seagate Business Storage rackmount NAS, the Seagate Business Storage 1U rackmounts 8-bay and 4-bay 1U rackmount form factors in capacities ranging from 4 to 32 terabytes,  providing the performance needed for businesses to support multiple simultaneous connections and enable everyone within an organization to easily backup and share files

With different configurations are being made available, and what are the faster moving ones in sell out?

We are experiencing good sales on mostly all different models that we are currently offering. It all depends on the customers’ needs. Nevertheless, I’d say that the 4-Bay Business Storage model is in particularly high demand in the region.

What is the distribution strategy for these products? Who are your distributors in the region?

We engage with nearly all major retailers through campaigns and through marketing. We also have rebate programs for certain retailers to further enhance our sales with them, and to give partners an incentive for doing business with Seagate. We used to have a distribution team that does everything, but now we have a team focused on the retail side of Seagate’s business. What we’re looking at is targeting the high-end product, which is an added value to the customers

On the distribution side we currently have two regional distributors, FDC and Asbis, and ECS servicing the local market in Egypt.

What are the top 3 customer verticals you are focusing on? Are there any significant activities Seagate did for raising awareness of these products in the regional channel/industry?

At our annual Middle East Partner Conference which was held in February, we outlined a new class of video surveillance, SSHD, NAS, enterprise and cloud technologies. This has included Seagate’s latest network-attached storage HDD lineup and two new enterprise HDD offerings. We are also planning on the Middle East launch of the Backup Plus FAST & the Backup Plus Slim personal devices, which were unveiled to much acclaim at CES 2014.

What strengths do these products offer for customers looking to leverage cloud based storage more?

There are numerous cloud service providers in the region today who offer storage-as-a-service. One of the key advantages of cloud storage is that it provides notably easy access to your data from any place where there is an Internet connection. In view of this, an increasing number of SMEs are adopting a mixed approach to their storage needs. While leveraging on the benefits of what the cloud has to offer, they also integrate a NAS solution into their cloud environment.

Hundreds of small and medium-sized businesses in the Middle East today already depend on NAS solutions. For many of them, meeting storage requirements can be even more challenging than for large enterprises as they desire high capacity, efficient storage while dealing with limited budget and dedicated IT resources.

Besides NAS, discuss other business-user focused products from Seagate?

Over the past decade, the explosive growth of large-scale, data-driven applications has begun to shift the nature of enterprise storage infrastructure fundamentally. The traditional paradigm of hardware-centric, file-based systems is moving aside to make way for new software-defined, object-based approaches.  In order for the industry to achieve the growth demanded to support these storage demands, we must strip out layers of inefficiency from legacy architectures and introduce a new approach optimized for scale-out application and data center needs.

With many businesses in the region transitioning to cloud-based storage platforms, we recently unveiled the Seagate Kinetic Open Storage platform that promises to simplify enterprise data management and lower total cost of ownership of the average cloud infrastructure by up to 50%.  It implements and enables the most efficient stack (devices, protocol, interface, software, systems) to optimize for current and future application demands, uniquely enables object-oriented applications to take direct advantage of storage, and fuels scale-out data center innovation. In doing so, it enables significant gains in performance, manageability and total cost of ownership (TCO).

Continue Reading

Financial

Dhruva to Rebrand as Ryan Across the Middle East, Signaling Unified Global Brand

Published

on

Dhruva will adopt the Ryan brand across the UAE and Saudi Arabia by the end of 2026, uniting the practice with Ryan’s global identity and international platform.

Dhruva, a leading tax consultancy firm in the Middle East, and Ryan, a leading global tax services and software provider, today announced that Dhruva will transition to the Ryan brand across the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The rebranding will be completed by the end of 2026, bringing the practice under Ryan’s global identity and reinforcing its position as part of the world’s leading global-scale specialist in business tax.

The transition marks the next phase of the strategic joint venture announced in 2025 and reflects the continued integration of Dhruva’s regional capabilities with Ryan’s global platform, technology, and international resources. Clients across the Middle East will continue to benefit from the same trusted advisory teams, enhanced by access to Ryan’s worldwide expertise and service capabilities.


“The Middle East has been a strategic growth market for us for many years, and we have built a strong advisory practice founded on deep client relationships, technical excellence, and local market understanding,” said Dinesh Kanabar, Founder, Chairman, and CEO, Dhruva Advisors and Vice Chairman, Ryan.

“The transition to the Ryan brand marks a significant milestone in our journey and reflects the strength of our partnership. By combining our regional expertise with Ryan’s global scale, technology, and international capabilities, we are creating an even stronger platform to support clients across the region as they navigate an increasingly dynamic and evolving tax landscape.”


“The Middle East is one of the most important growth markets for tax advisory services globally, and we are investing in the region with a long-term view,” said Tom Shave, President of Ryan’s European and Asia-Pacific Operations. “Uniting under the Ryan brand strengthens how we serve clients across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Europe—bringing seamless access to our global expertise, technology, and international resources through one trusted platform. This transition marks an important milestone in our integration and reinforces our commitment to the region’s future.”


Ryan will continue to invest in its Middle East operations, expanding its team, capabilities, and regional presence across key markets, including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Riyadh. The practice provides comprehensive tax advisory services spanning corporate tax, value-added tax (VAT) and indirect tax, transfer pricing, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) tax structuring, research and development (R&D), and cross-border compliance.


“The response from our clients over the past year has been the clearest validation of this partnership,” said Nimish Goel, Leader, Middle East, Dhruva, a Ryan Affiliate. “From the outset, our teams have been integrating Ryan’s global capabilities in technology, specialized expertise, and best practices into the work we already lead in the region. Adopting the Ryan brand is the natural next step. It is the same people and the same trusted relationships, now carrying the name of the largest Firm in the world dedicated exclusively to business taxes.”


The rebranding will be implemented in phases during the second half of 2026, with signage, visual identity, and digital properties transitioning to the Ryan brand across the region.

Continue Reading

News

GFH Partners Manrre REIT (CEIC) PLC and Palmon Group unveil new temperature-controlled chemical warehouse in JAFZA

Published

on

GFH Partners Manrre REIT (CEIC) PLC (“Manrre” or “the Fund”), managed by GFH Partners Ltd. (“GFH Partners”),  together with its development manager Palmon Group FZCO (“Palmon Group”), today announced the opening of a specialised temperature-controlled chemical warehouse in Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza), further expanding the Fund’s Grade A logistics portfolio.

The inauguration ceremony was held in the presence of Mr Abdulla Bin Damithan, CEO and Managing Director, DP World GC, alongside senior officials and dignitaries from Jebel Ali Free Zone, GFH Partners, and Palmon Group.

Purpose-built and developed by Palmon Group to meet stringent international safety and compliance standards, the new facility reflects the rising regional demand for certified chemical storage infrastructure that supports manufacturing, energy, industrial services, and third-party logistics. The warehouse is situated on a 180,000sq ft plot with a built-up area of 112,000 sq ft, divided into three temperature-controlled chambers that reach a maximum height of 13 metres. The warehouse has been designed with advanced Early Suppression Fast Response (ESFR), and in-rack sprinkler systems to ensure safety and resilience across all operations.

The facility’s layout allows storage of a diverse range of hazard-classified chemicals. One chamber is configured for UN Class 3 and 4 chemicals, a second accommodates UN Class 5 chemicals, while the third has been developed for UN Class 6, 8, 9 and non-regulated materials. The warehouse offers capacity for 17,400 pallets and includes nine loading docks and three loading bays. The office space has been intentionally limited to three percent of the total built-up area, maximising operational efficiency and warehouse utility.

Speaking on the launch, Kunal Lahori, CEO of Palmon Group and Board Member of Manrre, said: “This new facility brings together precision engineering, regulatory compliance, and long-term value creation. Specialised chemical storage requires a high degree of control and risk management, and we have developed this warehouse to meet those expectations while offering flexibility and scalability for tenants. As one of the earliest developers in Jafza, Palmon Group remains committed to supporting the UAE’s logistics and industrial growth.”

Mohamed Ali, Head of GCC at GFH Partners, said: “The opening of this warehouse marks another important milestone in the expansion of the GFH Partners Manrre REIT portfolio, particularly in mission-critical industrial and logistics assets that serve high-growth sectors. The UAE continues to see strong demand for specialised storage solutions, and this facility reinforces our strategy to develop resilient, future-ready assets that deliver long-term value for our investors.”

The logistics hub is now fully operational and is leased to Safe Logistics. The new facility is expected to play a significant role in strengthening regulated supply chains and supporting Dubai’s position as one of the region’s foremost logistics and industrial hubs.

Continue Reading

News

Big Ticket joins DP World ILT20 Season 4 as Official Partner

Published

on

A professional cricket player for the Desert Vipers in mid-swing during a match. The batsman is wearing a dark green and black patterned jersey with red accents, a red helmet, and black protective leg pads. He is holding a wooden cricket bat high in a follow-through motion after playing a shot. The background shows a crowded stadium with purple and blue seating and a "DP World" branded wicket.

Big Ticket, the largest and longest-running guaranteed raffle draw in the Middle East (known for cash prizes, dream luxury cars, gold bars and coins) has joined the DP World International League T20 Season 4 as an Official Partner.

In recent years, Big Ticket has become more than just a raffle, it has gained the reputation of being a brand built around rewarding dreams and celebrating ambition, growing into one of the region’s largest and one of the most anticipated monthly draws in the UAE.

DP World ILT20 – the 34-match cricketing extravaganza – the biggest T20 tournament in the region featuring some of the most renowned global cricket stars is currently being played at the Dubai International Stadium, Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

A cricket player from the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders standing at the crease, ready to receive a ball. The player is dressed in a purple and gold uniform with matching gold-colored leg pads and a gold helmet. He holds the bat upward in a standard batting stance. The stadium background features blue seats, a "UAE Cricket" sign, and another player in an orange uniform in the distance.

DP World ILT20 Head of Partnerships Ishan Chopra: “We are delighted to welcome a UAE born raffle giant like Big Ticket as an Official Partner of the DP World ILT20. Their legacy of helping dreams come true aligns perfectly with our vision of delivering unforgettable, fan-first experiences across the league. This partnership strengthens our commitment to creating moments of excitement both on and off the field, and we look forward to elevating Season 4 together. With a household name like Big Ticket on board, we are confident of unlocking even more opportunities for fans to engage, celebrate and go All In for Cricket.”

Meanwhile, DP World ILT20 match tickets across all categories are available for the remaining tournament matches. Various spectator stand tickets start at AED 20 and hospitality packages start from AED 325. Fans can also book the new Sixes Lounge experience for AED 395, which includes unlimited food and beverages. Tickets can be purchased by visiting tickets.ilt20.ae or Virgin Megastores.

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2023 | The Integrator