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New IBM LinuxONE 4 Express Provides Client Value through Cyber Resilient Hybrid Cloud & AI Platform
IBM unveiled IBM LinuxONE 4 Express, extending the latest performance, security and AI capabilities of LinuxONE to small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) and within new data center environments.
The pre-configured rack mount system is designed to offer cost savings and to remove client guesswork when spinning up workloads quickly and getting started with the platform to address new and traditional use cases such as digital assets, medical imaging with AI, and workload consolidation.
Building an integrated hybrid cloud strategy for today and years to come
As businesses move their products and services online quickly, oftentimes, they are left with a hybrid cloud environment created by default, with siloed stacks that are not conducive to alignment across businesses or the introduction of AI.
In a recent IBM IBV survey, 84% of executives asked acknowledged their enterprise struggles in eliminating silo-to-silo handoffs. And 78% of responding executives said that an inadequate operating model impedes successful adoption of their multicloud platform.
With the pressure to accelerate and scale the impact of data and AI across the enterprise – and improve business outcomes – another approach that organizations can take is to more carefully identify which workloads should be on-premises vs in the cloud.
“Startups, entrepreneurs and SMEs are important drivers of economic growth and contribute significantly in driving innovation. The African Union SME Strategy has identified SMEs as a key pillar in private sector-led growth for inclusive and sustainable economic development.
“Technology has the power to unlock great potential, and provide SMEs on the continent with the ability to compete with their global counterparts,” said Julia Carvalho, General Manager for IBM Africa Growth Markets.
“With significant cost savings for startups and SME’s The IBM LinuxONE 4 Express stands ready to scale alongside their growth, accommodating evolving workload demands and performance requirements.
“Moreover, by offering AI inferencing capabilities co-located with critical data, LinuxONE 4 Express enables SMEs to explore and capitalize on emerging AI-driven opportunities empowering them to reach new markets and meet clients where they are.”
Delivering high scalability, availability and security for a range of data center environments and use cases
IBM LinuxONE Rockhopper 4, launched in April 2023 and based on the IBM Telum processor, features capabilities designed to reduce both energy consumption and data center floor space while delivering the scale, performance and security that clients need.
Also built on the Telum processor and delivered in a rack mount format, IBM LinuxONE 4 Express offers high availability for clients who have strict resiliency requirements due to internal or external regulations.
In fact, IBM LinuxONE 4 Express systems, with GDPS, IBM DS8000 series storage with HyperSwap and running a Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform environment, are designed to deliver 99.999999% (eight 9s) availability.
The system addresses a whole new set of use cases that startups and small businesses are facing, including:
- Digital assets: IBM LinuxONE 4 Express provides a secured platform with confidential computing capabilities specifically designed to protect sensitive data, like digital assets. IBM Secure Execution for Linux is a hardware-based security technology that is now built into IBM LinuxONE 4 Express. Scalable isolation for individual workloads can help protect not only from external attacks, but also insider threats. This includes data in use, a particularly critical stage of security for digital assets use cases.
- Medical imaging with AI: With IBM Telum processor on-chip AI inferencing, clients can co-locate AI with mission-critical data on a LinuxONE system, allowing data analysis where the data is located. For example, health insurance companies could analyze large volumes of medical records in near real time to validate process claims, increasing the speed of business decision making.
- Workload consolidation: IBM LinuxONE 4 Express is designed to help clients simplify their IT environments and cut costs by consolidating databases onto a LinuxONE system. Designed to bring significant cost savings for clients over time, clients that move Linux workloads from compared x86 server to an IBM LinuxONE 4 Express can save over 52% on their total cost of ownership over 5 years.
Activating the IBM Ecosystem for client success
With the IBM LinuxONE Ecosystem, including AquaSecurity, Clari5, Exponential AI, Opollo Technologies, Pennant and Spiking, IBM is working to provide solutions for today’s sustainability and cybersecurity challenges. For clients that run data serving, core banking and digital assets workloads, an optimized sustainability and security posture is key to protecting both sensitive private data and sustainable organizational goals. IBM Business Partners can learn more about the skills required to install, deploy, service and resell IBM LinuxONE 4 Express here.
To learn more, join IBM clients and partners on February 20, 2024 at 11 am ET for a deep dive, live webinar on industry trends, such as AI, sustainability and cybersecurity, as well as receive behind-the-scenes access to the new IBM LinuxONE 4 Express system.
Nigeria is strengthening its position as a leading digital economy in Africa as it prepares to host the second edition of GITEX Nigeria, against projections that the continent’s artificial intelligence (AI) economy could generate up to $1 trillion in economic value by 2035.
GITEX Nigeria
GITEX Nigeria, described as West Africa’s largest technology, AI and startup event, is scheduled to hold in Abuja and Lagos from Aug. 31 to Sept. 3, under the patronage of President Bola Tinubu.
The event is supported by the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy in collaboration with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), endorsed by the Lagos State Government and organised by KAOUN International.
With the theme, “Beyond Connectivity: The Bridge to Sovereign Innovation,” the 2026 edition is expected to bring together global technology companies, investors, policymakers, regulators, startups and other stakeholders to advance Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda.
According to the organisers, the event will focus on strengthening digital resilience, scaling AI infrastructure, attracting strategic investments and building partnerships to support digital sovereignty across Nigeria and West Africa.
Nigeria’s progress in digital skills development is expected to feature prominently at the event, with the Federal Government’s 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme highlighted as a major intervention.
The programme has recorded 1.87 million registrations across all 774 local government areas, while more than 135,000 Nigerians have been trained through three cohorts.
The programme has also extended learning opportunities to more than 300,000 people through community resources and created 15,000 job and opportunity pathways, according to figures released by the organisers.
Another key initiative, Project BRIDGE, is aimed at expanding Nigeria’s national ICT backbone and improving connectivity in underserved communities.
The project is expected to create up to 20,000 direct jobs and more than 150,000 indirect jobs, train 5,000 Nigerian youths, raise internet penetration above 70 per cent and extend high-speed connectivity to millions of households, businesses, schools and hospitality establishments.
Dr Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, said Nigeria’s objective was to build the foundations for digital sovereignty and a globally competitive AI-powered economy.
“Building on the momentum forged through the implementation of Project BRIDGE, our national blueprint for expanding digital infrastructure and connecting communities across Nigeria, our aspiration ahead of this year’s edition is clear: to solidify the foundations Africa needs for digital sovereignty, technological self-determination, and a globally competitive AI-powered economy,” Tijani said.
He said Nigeria was seeking to promote equitable access, accelerate cross-continental progress and position the country as a producer and exporter of digital technologies and AI solutions.
The GITEX Nigeria Government Leadership and AI Summit will open in Abuja on Aug. 31, bringing together ministers, governors and regulators to discuss digital public infrastructure and other issues shaping West Africa’s digital economy.
The GITEX Nigeria Tech Expo and Future Economy Conference, as well as the Startup Festival, will also return for the second consecutive year.
A new component, FDX Nigeria by GITEX, will focus on finance and digital asset exchange, with the organisers describing it as a platform designed to promote financial inclusion and connect emerging technology with global capital.
Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State said the state remained central to Africa’s digital transformation, noting its role in attracting talent, capital and innovation.
He said hosting GITEX Nigeria would further support Lagos’ ambition of becoming a smarter, more connected and globally competitive economy.
Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, Director-General of NITDA, said Nigeria’s digital future would depend not only on technology adoption but also on resilience, trust and effective governance frameworks.
“GITEX NIGERIA seamlessly complements this mandate, creating a unique environment for the dialogue needed to accelerate responsible AI adoption, develop a secure digital economy, and unlock new opportunities for innovation and economic growth,” Abdullahi said.
He said the expertise, investment and partnerships generated through the event would contribute to building an AI ecosystem that was secure, inclusive and capable of supporting Nigeria and West Africa’s long-term competitiveness.
The organisers said Nigeria’s National AI Strategy, 3MTT programme and Project BRIDGE were among initiatives strengthening the country’s capacity in talent development, digital infrastructure, investment attraction and responsible AI adoption.
They said GITEX Nigeria would provide an avenue for global stakeholders to establish partnerships and develop solutions capable of accelerating the region’s digital transformation.
Trixie LohMirmand, CEO of GITEX, said the event was intended to demonstrate that West Africa was ready to convert technological ambition into economic growth, resilience and global competitiveness.
She said GITEX Nigeria would facilitate strategic conversations and partnerships aimed at strengthening regional competitiveness and unlocking scalable growth across Nigeria and West Africa.
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Enugu State Government have signed an agreement for the operational lease of the NCC Digital Industrial Park and NCC Learning Centre in Enugu.
The agreement was witnessed by Dr Aminu Maida, Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NCC, alongside members of the Commission’s Board and Management.
The development is expected to strengthen digital innovation, skills development and technology-driven opportunities in the state.
As part of the engagement, the NCC delegation also visited the Enugu Smart School Initiative, where technology is being integrated into teaching and learning.
The initiative is aimed at equipping young Nigerians with relevant digital skills and preparing them for future opportunities in an increasingly technology-driven economy.
The NCC said it remained committed to supporting initiatives that expand digital inclusion, strengthen innovation and develop the talent required to drive Nigeria’s digital transformation.
The Commission said partnerships with state governments and other stakeholders were critical to creating an enabling environment for digital skills development and technology adoption across the country.
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has directed telecommunications operators to make dedicated budgetary provisions for cybersecurity as part of efforts to strengthen the resilience of Nigeria’s communications infrastructure against the growing wave of cyber threats.
The directive forms part of the Commission’s Cyber Resilience Framework for the Nigerian Communications Sector (CRF-NCS), which introduces new governance, risk management and operational requirements aimed at safeguarding the country’s critical telecommunications infrastructure from increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks.
Under the framework, all licensed telecom operators are expected to establish formal cybersecurity governance structures, dedicate adequate financial resources to cyber resilience programmes, and integrate cybersecurity into their enterprise-wide risk management processes.
The Commission said operators must ensure cybersecurity investments are no longer treated as optional operational expenses but as strategic business priorities necessary to protect network infrastructure, customer information and the country’s digital economy.
According to the NCC, licensees are expected to allocate sufficient budgets to support cyber risk assessments, security technologies, staff training, incident response capabilities, continuous monitoring and compliance with regulatory requirements.
The framework also requires operators to designate senior executives responsible for cybersecurity oversight.
At the same time, boards of directors are expected to provide strategic direction and ensure adequate funding for cyber resilience initiatives.
Speaking on the need for a stronger cybersecurity regime during the unveiling of the framework, Abraham Oshadami, executive commissioner, Technical Services, NCC, said, “Given the increasing digitalisation of services, the rapid growth of data exchange, and the sophisticated nature of modern cyber threats, the need for a robust, adaptive and inclusive cybersecurity framework has become more urgent.”
He added, “Both state and non-state actors are targeting essential sectors—including ours—through coordinated cyber and physical attacks. These attacks frequently target control systems and data integrity, underscoring the critical risks posed to operational technology (OT), especially in our sector.”
“As cyber threats evolve, they endanger not only system performance but also human safety, amplifying the severity and consequences of disruptions to vital communications infrastructure. Cybersecurity now encompasses human safety and must address the real risk to people’s lives when a system is attacked or compromised.”
The Commission further stated that operators are required to develop comprehensive cybersecurity implementation plans, conduct periodic risk assessments, establish business continuity and disaster recovery procedures, and regularly test their cyber defence capabilities.
In addition, the framework makes cyber incident reporting compulsory. Licensees must inform the NCC’s CSIRT of any major cybersecurity breach within four hours of discovery, and provide a thorough post-incident analysis after mitigation is complete.
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