Dubai, July 29, 2008 - The latest installment of IDC's world-renowned IT Security, Storage, & Business Continuity Roadshow is set to continue its tour across the Middle East and Africa (MEA) next month, when it rolls into Cairo on August 25th. Running under the theme of 'Securing Your Business: Technology Meets People', the roadshow has already taken Casablanca, Lagos Nairobi, and Johannesburg by storm and is due to stop in Kuwait, Dubai, Riyadh, and Doha later in the year.

The uptake of IT security storage and business continuity solutions in the Middle East and Africa mirrors the region's rapidly growing markets. Businesses and government agencies are investing heavily in everything from basic hardware and networks to managed services and mobility solutions. As a result, spending on IT security and business continuity solutions will more than double by 2010, as organizations seek full solutions that address all aspects of the IT environment, from hardware to the people that use it.

"Companies in the Middle East and Africa are starting to realize that if they are not able to manage threats effectively, they will be putting their entire businesses at risk," says Ranjit Rajan, Senior Research Manager, Software, IDC MEA. "Increased investments into enterprise applications have led to a data boom in the region that emphasizes the need for more efficient data management and data protection. Enterprises are also investing in disaster recovery solutions to enable business continuity and protection against both planned and unplanned downtimes."

IDC's IT Security, Storage, & Business Continuity Roadshow will drive discussions around the future direction, changing priorities, new capabilities and upcoming possibilities that are going to shape IT Security in the coming years. It will feature addresses from the region's most respected IT security professionals and IDC analysts, covering a range of topics such as identifying business-critical processes, mitigating the effect of downtime, business continuity and data recovery, and storage network management.

IDC has partnered with a host of leading regional and global vendors to ensure that the very latest technology developments will be covered by the roadshow. The Diamond Partner is I(TS)2, while EMC and Integralis are Platinum Partners. Oracle, Kaspersky, McAfee, Secure Computing, Fortinet, and Trendmicro make up the roadshow's Gold Partners, and the Silver Partners are Ironport and Phion.

The full schedule for IDC MEA's IT Security, Storage, & Business Continuity Roadshow 2008 is:

  • June 24 - Casablanca (Hyatt Regency)

  • July 16 - Lagos (Protea Hotel)

  • July 23 - Nairobi (Grand Regency Hotel)

  • July 24 - Johannesburg (Hyatt Regency Hotel)

  • August 25 - Cairo (Nile Hilton)

  • October 26 - Kuwait (Radisson SAS Hotel)

  • November 5 - Dubai (Jumeirah Beach Hotel)

  • November 9 - Riyadh (Four Seasons)

  • December 3 - Doha (Intercontinental)

For more information about IDC events, please contact Ronita Bhattacharjee, Conference Director for IDC MEA, at rbhattacharjee@idc.com or at +971 4 391 2747.

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About IDC
IDC is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets. IDC helps IT professionals, business executives, and the investment community make fact-based decisions on technology purchases and business strategy. More than 1,000 IDC analysts in over 110 countries provide global, regional, and local expertise on technology and industry opportunities and trends. For more than 44 years, IDC has provided strategic insights to help our clients achieve their key business objectives.

IDC in MEA
For the Middle East and Africa region, IDC retains a coordinated network of offices in Casablanca, Nairobi, Lagos, Johannesburg and Istanbul, with a regional center in Dubai. Further expansion plans in 2008 include additional offices in Riyadh and Cairo. Our coverage couples local insight with an international perspective to provide a comprehensive understanding of markets in these dynamic regions. Our market intelligence services are unparalleled in depth, consistency, scope, and accuracy. IDC currently fields over 80 analysts, consultants, and conference associates across the region.


© Press Release 2008