Alaa Sweidan, General Manager, Taqniyat Saudi Arabia and Sherif Azzam, Business Unit Manager, Comstor Saudi Arabia, highlighted the importance of Cisco‘s Data Centre solutions for the KSA in this exclusive interview.
How does Cisco’s Data Centre and Compute portfolio support Saudi Arabia’s digital transformation goals?
Sherif: Saudi Arabia’s digital transformation is accelerating rapidly, and modern data centres are a foundational enabler. Cisco’s Data Centre and Cisco Compute portfolio, including Cisco Unified Computing Systems (UCS), provide organisations with a highly scalable, secure, and performance-driven infrastructure. Combined with Cisco Intersight, customers gain intelligent, cloud-based management that simplifies operations and enables faster innovation—key priorities aligned with Vision 2030.
Alaa: From our perspective, customers in KSA are looking for compute platforms that can support cloud-native applications, AI workloads, and mission-critical systems. Cisco UCS delivers consistent performance and flexibility, while Intersight allows customers to manage their environments efficiently across on-premises, hybrid, and cloud deployments.
What trends are you seeing in data centre adoption across KSA?
Sherif: We’re seeing a clear shift toward software-defined, cloud-managed compute. Customers want agility without compromising control or security. Cisco UCS, combined with Intersight’s AIOps-driven insights, enables organisations to modernise their compute environments while reducing operational complexity.
Alaa: Automation and lifecycle management are major drivers. With Cisco Intersight, customers can proactively manage performance, capacity, and updates, which is especially important as environments scale. There’s also growing interest in converged and hyperconverged solutions built on Cisco UCS.
How do Comstor and TAQNIYAT work together to deliver Cisco Compute and Data Centre solutions in KSA?
Sherif: At Comstor, our focus is enabling partners like Taqniyat to deliver end-to-end Cisco solutions. This includes deep enablement around Cisco UCS, and Intersight, as well as go-to-market support and access to Cisco’s latest innovations. Together, we help customers adopt modern architectures with confidence.
Alaa: Comstor’s enablement and technical depth allow us to focus on solution design and customer outcomes. Whether it’s a UCS-based private cloud or an Intersight-managed hybrid environment, the collaboration ensures faster deployment, reduced risk, and long-term value for customers.
How does Cisco address operational complexity and security in modern data centres?
Sherif: Cisco addresses complexity by integrating compute, networking, and management into a unified architecture. Cisco Intersight plays a critical role by providing centralised visibility, policy-based management, and proactive insights, all while maintaining Cisco’s strong security-first approach.
Alaa: From a customer standpoint, having compute and operations tightly integrated simplifies compliance and security management. Cisco UCS and Intersight allow us to design secure environments that are easier to operate and audit—particularly important for regulated sectors in KSA.
Why is cloud-based management like Cisco Intersight important for KSA organisations today?
Sherif: Cloud-based management is essential for scale and agility. Cisco Intersight enables customers to manage their compute infrastructure from anywhere while benefiting from continuous innovation, analytics, and automation. This is especially relevant as organisations adopt hybrid and multi-cloud strategies.
Alaa: Intersight changes how customers think about infrastructure management. It reduces manual tasks, improves visibility, and supports proactive operations, allowing IT teams to focus on strategic initiatives rather than day-to-day maintenance.
What advice would you give organisations modernising their data centre environments?
Sherif: Think beyond hardware refresh. Adopt platforms like Cisco UCS and Cisco Compute that are designed for modern workloads and pair them with intelligent management through Intersight. Choosing the right partners is equally important to ensure successful implementation and long-term value.
Alaa: Plan for automation, scalability, and skills development. Modern data centres are software-driven, and organisations that leverage tools like Intersight early will see better performance, faster deployments, and improved resilience.
What’s next for Cisco Data Centre solutions in KSA?
Sherif: We expect strong growth driven by AI, cloud, and digital services. Cisco will continue to innovate across its Data centre solution, and Comstor remains committed to enabling partners and customers across KSA.
Alaa: We’re excited to help customers adopt next-generation compute architectures that are simpler, smarter, and more secure. With Cisco’s evolving Data Centre portfolio, the opportunity in KSA is significant.
Image Credit: Comstor & Taqniyat
