NetApp's annual technology conference takes place in Las Vegas next week and Cisco is excited to be a premier sponsor for the event. At the event, Cisco and NetApp will highlight FlexPod, our partnership, and the need for simplicity and automation.

The digital business phenomenon seems to be happening at a faster pace than anyone expected and IT will be at the heart of this emerging digital enterprise. IT infrastructure will need the fastest technologies to handle the deluge of applications and data that the digital world is producing. The deployment of IT Infrastructure and applications will also need to be automated to meet new and emerging operational models that demand simplicity and speed. With that in mind, Cisco and NetApp have updated FlexPod with the latest Cisco UCS servers, Nexus 9000 switches, and NetApp All Flash FAS storage to offer more processing power, more bandwidth capability that we now feel can be exploited by all flash technology. We have also introduced capabilities to make it easier than ever to order, deploy, and manage a FlexPod solution with FSA One Frameworks, automation with UCS Director, and lifecycle management.

Thehighlight of our presence at the NetApp Insight 2016 will be the Cisco keynote featuring Satinder Sethi, Vice President of Data Center and Cloud Solutions, on Monday, September 26th. There will also be additional opportunities for customers and partners to engage with the Cisco team throughout the week, including boot camps, breakout sessions, Ask the Experts sessions, and booth demos. The comprehensive list of Cisco speaking sessions can be viewed here.

And of course, there will be swag. Each day of NetApp Insight, one lucky social media maven will win a sleek Amazon Echo in our#FlexPodNow scavenger hunt. It's easy to play. To get started, stop by booth 412 to pick up a postcard with the rules.

I look forward to seeing you in Las Vegas!