Expedient: The Podcast

Ever wonder what powers your cloud workloads, protects legacy infrastructure, and keeps mission-critical systems running 24/7? Join AJ Kuftic (Field CTO) and Ed Dzurko (SVP of Data Center Engineering) for a behind-the-scenes tour of our PIT2, one of our 15 state-of-the-art data centers in the United States. This is the first time we’re pulling back the curtain on the systems and strategies behind Expedient’s rock-solid colocation infrastructure.What You’ll learn:Secure from the ground up: Biometric access, visitor logging & compliance-ready protocols75,000+ monitoring points, redundant cooling, and environmental sensors in actionInside our dual-path power, UPS systems, and generator-backed gridHow colocation fits into a hybrid model (63% of clients use both colo and cloud)

How AI is Evolving & What It Means for Your BusinessArtificial Intelligence is evolving rapidly, and the emergence of reasoning models is changing how businesses interact with AI. Join us for an exclusive webinar where we break down the latest advancements, including DeepSeek, and explore how Expedient's AI platform enables seamless adoption, compliance, and flexibility as new models emerge.If you're a CIO, IT manager, or cloud decision-makers, tune in to hear from AJ Kuftic, Field CTO at Expedient. Since the close of the acquisition, AJ has had hundreds of conversations with companies large and small looking to make the right choice for the next decade and beyond.What You’ll Learn:AI Evolution & Reasoning Models: How do reasoning models differ from traditional chat AI, and why does it matter?Expedient`s AI Platform: Learn how we simplify AI implementation, ensure compliance, and provide flexibility as the AI landscape evolvesIndustry Thought Leadership: Gain insights from top AI experts on where the industry is headed and how your business can stay ahead

Founded in 1921, Utz Brands produces over 3.3 million pounds of snacks weekly, with revenue doubling in the past five years. With 13 manufacturing facilities across the U.S., Utz’s success relies heavily on a strong technology team and a resilient disaster recovery plan to maintain business continuity.Join Tim Swingler, VP of Infrastructure & Security at Utz Brands, and AJ Kuftic, Field CTO at Expedient, for an insightful session on how Utz is transforming its disaster recovery strategy.Discover:Key business, infrastructure, and staffing factors to consider when modernizing data centersCost-benefit analysis: building vs. outsourcing disaster recovery servicesCritical vendor selection criteria for DRaaS solutionsHow to foster strong partnerships and trust with vendorsGain valuable strategies to make informed disaster recovery decisions and ensure your organization remains resilient in the face of disruption.

Are you feeling uncertain about the future of your VMware infrastructure? Should you stay with VMware? What about Nutanix, KVM, OpenStack?Wondering about making the right call for your organization? You’re not alone. With changes in Broadcom’s VMware licensing and direction shaking up the industry, businesses must navigate these choices strategically to stay competitive.If you're a CIO, IT manager, or cloud decision-makers, tune in to hear from AJ Kuftic, Field CTO at Expedient. Since the close of the acquisition, AJ has had hundreds of conversations with companies large and small looking to make the right choice for the next decade and beyond.What You’ll Learn:Understand where Broadcom and VMware are heading – What’s changed, changing and why it matters to your organization?Evaluate optionality through platforms like VMware, Nutanix, and others – from edge, to private, to hyperscale – How should you align your workloads to the platform that fits your goals?Leverage Expedient’s assessments for smooth transitions – Explore our proven tools and processes to simplify your decision-makingOptimize costs for the future – Review strategies to reduce complexity and spend while ensuring high performance and flexibility

Take your hybrid cloud strategy to the next level with Expedient’s Hyperscale CTRL. This newly launched suite of managed public cloud services is designed to seamlessly integrate AWS, Azure, GCP, VMware, Nutanix, and more—helping you optimize workloads, reduce complexity, and control costs within one cohesive environment.Join us for a deep dive into how Hyperscale CTRL streamlines your hybrid cloud operations with:Cloud Discovery & Migration – Place the right workloads on the right platforms through a holistic assessmentUnified Management & Security – Leverage a common set of tools and policies for visibility, threat intelligence, and compliance across cloudsCost & Performance Optimization – Maximize ROI by strategically allocating resources and utilizing analytics-driven insights Hear firsthand from AJ Kuftic, Field CTO at Expedient, as we discuss best practices, technical architecture, and real-world success stories around Hyperscale CTRL.

Are you confident in your organization's ability to respond to a cybersecurity incident?This session will guide IT decision makers through the critical components of building a resilient strategy, from choosing the right technologies to seamless implementation and rigorous testing protocols. Discover cost-effective approaches to ensure your plan is sustainable and scalable, and learn how to integrate these practices into your broader resilience efforts. Whether you're starting from scratch or refining an existing approach, this webinar will equip you with practical insights and actionable steps to transform your disaster recovery planning into a strategic advantage.Listen now to:Uncover best practices and innovative DR strategies with VMware, NutanixLearn how to enhance your company`s resilience against evolving threatsGain valuable insights and practical approaches to fortify your disaster recovery strategy

In Providing Resilience: How PacketWatch and Expedient Transform Incident Response, AJ Kuftic from Expedient hosts cybersecurity veteran Jeff Lennon of PacketWatch to tackle the complexities of modern incident response. With over 25 years in tech and deep experience in cybersecurity, Jeff brings valuable insights into how PacketWatch, an MDR provider partnered with CrowdStrike, elevates threat detection and response through advanced tools like full packet capture (FPC) and constant threat hunting.They delve into the essential steps of incident response, beginning with rapid identification, classification, and containment of threats. Jeff explains common cyberattack types, including ransomware, business email compromise (BEC), and zero-day vulnerabilities, each demanding unique approaches. The duo emphasizes the necessity of proactive preparation, such as tabletop drills, to ensure companies can respond quickly and effectively when a breach happens. Jeff further illustrates the vital integration of disaster recovery with incident response, noting that simply restoring from backups can reintroduce threats if attack origins aren’t thoroughly isolated.A key takeaway from the conversation is the need for resilient systems that enable businesses to "respond, recover, and rebuild." This episode is packed with insights for IT leaders seeking to enhance their incident response and disaster recovery strategies, empowering them to not just react but build resilience against evolving cyber threats.

In this episode, AJ Kuftic, Field CTO at Expedient, and Doug Theis, Sales Director of National Strategy, break down the key takeaways from VMware Explore 2023. As Broadcom’s acquisition of VMware reshapes the virtualization landscape, many organizations are reevaluating their cloud strategies and infrastructure choices.Join us as we dive into exclusive data from the event, where 45% of respondents are considering alternative hypervisors, while 41% plan to stay with VMware. AJ and Doug discuss the growing frustration over VMware’s new licensing model, the emergence of alternatives like Nutanix, and the future of VMware’s Cloud Foundation platform.Whether you're a VMware user looking to optimize your current environment or exploring new solutions, this episode offers expert analysis, real-world customer stories, and practical advice on navigating these pivotal industry shifts.Key Takeaways:Understanding VMware’s new direction and the impact of Broadcom’s acquisition.Insights from VMware Explore attendees on workload migration and cloud strategies.Expert analysis on the future of VMware, alternate hypervisors, and the risks of transition.How Expedient is helping organizations optimize workloads and make informed decisions about their cloud futures.

Nutanix solutions play a pivotal role in addressing modern enterprise challenges.Join us for a live comprehensive discussion featuring two distinguished experts in IT transformation: Harsha Kotikela, Director of Product and Solutions Marketing at Nutanix, and AJ Kuftic, Field CTO at Expedient. This session will delve into the innovative approaches Nutanix and Expedient employ to solve customer challenges, including seamless migrations from VMware to Nutanix platforms.Topics will include:Increasing operational efficiencySimplified disaster recoveryAlignment with business goalsInnovation and agilityAttendees will gain valuable insights through real-world success stories, highlighting the strategies and outcomes achieved through these migrations. Whether you are considering a migration or looking to optimize your current infrastructure, this webinar offers expert guidance to drive your IT initiatives forward.

As IT landscapes evolve, the need for flexibility and a diverse set of infrastructure options becomes paramount. If you're an IT leader aiming to increase the adaptability and resilience of your IT infrastructure, this webinar will help you understand why Nutanix is a crucial component of the modern technology stack that allows for increased performance, scalability, and diversity. Join Anthony Jackman, SVP of Strategy & Innovation, and AJ Kuftic, Principal Product Strategist, for a discussion about how Nutanix solutions provide unmatched flexibility, allowing you to meet your unique infrastructure needs with confidence and ease. Learn how we ensure your workloads are secure, efficient, and readily adaptable to evolving business requirements.

The Sensible Entry Point for Your AI ImplementationResearch shows the biggest corporate concerns when it comes to implementing AI are exactly what you expect them to be: security, reliability, and ease of use. With the launch of AI CTRL, we’re addressing each of those head on with a suite of offerings that protect your proprietary data, give you diverse public and private model access (including ChatGPT, Dall-E, Claude, and others), and a simple, private interface and API hooks to inject AI capabilities into new and existing applications. And standing behind it is Expedient, an award winning full stack cloud service provider with over two decades of guiding organizations of all sizes and industries through digital transformations and navigating dynamic technological shifts that offers so many opportunities for growth. Join Bryan Smith, CEO, and Brad Reynolds, SVP of AI, as they discuss how AI CTRL is built to help enterprises enjoy the benefits of AI while deploying it responsibly at scale. They’ll discuss not only the technology itself but also the thoughtful approach you can take to earn quick wins and prove ROI. A 30 minute live Q+A will follow.

In this episode of the Expedient podcast, AJ Kuftic and CEO Bryan Smith discuss the significant changes in VMware licensing due to Broadcom's new policies and their impact on edge computing. Smith explains the reduction from over 4000 VMware SKUs to fewer bundles, highlighting the shift towards subscription models and its implications for edge locations, which require minimized resources. They explore alternatives to VMware, considering other hypervisors that could integrate without increasing costs. The conversation also covers Expedient's strategic response as a pinnacle service provider, ensuring clients can manage and scale their resources effectively amidst these transitions. This episode is a critical listen for IT leaders facing the challenges of adapting edge computing strategies in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.

In this pivotal episode of "Expedient: The Podcast," we delve into the monumental changes rippling through the tech landscape following Broadcom's acquisition of VMware. Bringing together industry leaders and experts at the heart of this transformation, we offer a comprehensive analysis of how this shift will redefine cloud computing, data center dynamics, and cybersecurity. This episode serves as an essential guide for IT professionals and tech enthusiasts aiming to navigate the evolving digital ecosystem, providing deep insights into the strategic implications of the acquisition and its impact on the future of digital infrastructure. Join us for an enlightening exploration of the latest advancements and challenges in the tech world, all presented with the insightful, forward-thinking perspective Expedient is celebrated for. This isn't just another podcast episode; it's an in-depth look into the technologies and strategic shifts propelling us into a new era of digital innovation.

In this episode of "Expedient: The Podcast," we embark on a timely exploration into the strategic integration of AI into enterprise planning for the year 2024. Joined by Brad Reynolds, the SVP of AI at Expedient, and CEO Bryan Smith, we delve into a comprehensive roadmap designed to navigate the complexities of AI strategy development. This discussion focuses on five crucial areas every CEO and board member must consider to harness AI's transformative power effectively. From organizational readiness and policy formation to operational integration, our experts unravel the essentials of preparing for an AI-driven future. Furthermore, the episode features a dedicated Q&A session, inviting live queries from listeners seeking to refine their 2024 AI strategies. This conversation is not just about Expedient's journey but a universal guide for any business leader looking to chart a course through the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence. Join us for this insightful episode, offering practical advice and strategic direction to empower your enterprise's AI ambitions in 2024.

In this compelling episode of "Expedient: The Podcast," join us as we engage in a profound discussion with Brad Stokes from Race Winning Brands, navigated by digital strategist Jim Gehring. This insightful CIO cloud chat unfolds amidst the innovative backdrop of Race Winning Brands, where technology meets precision in the aftermarket automotive sector. Delving into the heart of IT infrastructure and the pivotal role of edge systems, Brad shares his journey of navigating technical debt and the strategic pivot towards cloud solutions, highlighting the transformative partnership with Expedient. This conversation reveals the intricate challenges of managing IT infrastructure across dispersed manufacturing sites and the seamless solutions provided by Expedient's edge systems. Through Brad's experience, we explore the importance of reliability, agility, and the significant cost savings in optimizing IT operations, ensuring the uninterrupted flow of manufacturing processes. This episode is an exploration of the convergence of technology and manufacturing excellence, offering valuable insights into the future of IT strategy and infrastructure optimization, all delivered with the authentic and insightful perspective that "Expedient: The Podcast" is renowned for.

In the pilot episode of "Expedient: The Podcast," Jim Gehring hosts an insightful conversation with cloud authority David Linthicum and Expedient's VP of Innovation, Anthony Jackman. They delve into the complexities, challenges, and often underestimated costs associated with cloud adoption. Highlighting the tangible impacts of strategic cloud decisions on businesses, the discussion also explores the evolving landscape of IT infrastructure and the crucial role of automation and strategic planning in navigating cloud transformation effectively. This episode sheds light on the need for a holistic approach to cloud adoption, emphasizing cost management, the importance of choosing the right technology for specific applications, and the strategic integration of legacy systems for optimized operational performance. Tune in to uncover expert perspectives on making cloud adoption a true catalyst for innovation and business growth, rather than a cost burden.