Upcoming AWS Summit assesses a post-pandemic, cloud-based future

Cloud computing only seems to get more popular, as the global market is already on track to reach $250 billion for 2021 and is projected to top $791 billion by 2028. And as this market matures in affordability and security, the public sector is better able to take advantage of it. 

The digital transformation is happening above our heads as more companies ditch bloated server centers in favor of cloud and hybrid cloud solutions, drawn in by scalable pricing models, minimal hardware requirements and virtualized management capabilities. Although several industry giants have tried to corner the cloud business over the years, Amazon Web Services Inc. claims the lion’s share of the market, controlling 33% of the entire cloud infrastructure services market, with Microsoft Azure and Google trailing in second and third, respectively.

Starting in the early 2000s as a means of supporting Amazon.com Inc.’s IT and engineering infrastructure, AWS is now reporting a 32% yearly growth, taking on ambitious clients, including the U.S. Navy and Netflix Inc., and it’s being used by Dish Network Corp. to develop and launch its 5G network. AWS also supports a considerable share of public sector workloads, contributing emerging technologies such as Amazon Lex, an artificial intelligence designed to train chatbots. Lex has benefited public organizations such as MetroPlusHealth, which used the AI to develop an SMS chatbot capable of efficient and agile communication with patients.

On Sept. 28–29, AWS will be hosting its AWS Summit Washington, DC, aiming to equip attendees with more cloud knowledge and the know-how to deploy cloud solutions for both private and public sector use. TheCUBE, SiliconANGLE Media’s livestreaming studio, will cover the event live, speaking with market executives and thought leaders, including Sandy Carter, AWS’ vice president of worldwide public sector partners and programs; Maj. Gen. Clint Crosier, director of aerospace and satellite solutions at AWS; Max Peterson, AWS’ vice president of worldwide public sector; Matt Mandrgoc, head of U.S. public sector at Zoom Video Communications Inc.; Adriana Gascoigne, founder and chief executive of Girls in Tech; and Lynn Martin, vice president of government, education and healthcare at VMware Inc.

Sharing the wisdom

Keynote speaker Peterson will lead off the event with an address focusing primarily on how the public sector and status quo are changing as the world battles and recovers from a pandemic. Peterson will share key insights on how enterprises can push the cloud to its full limit, sharing future projections on how the cloud and public sector markets will evolve in a post-pandemic world. 

Peterson will also be joined on stage by guest speakers sharing use cases about their use of the cloud to further their missions. Other guests include Lauren Knausenberger, chief information officer for the Department of the Air Force, and artist Suchi Reddy, founder of Reddymade Architecture and Design.

Peterson will close the summit with an intimate fireside chat with Dr. Shafiq Rab, executive vice president, chief data officer and chief information officer of Wellforce Inc., a healthcare system based in Massachusetts focused on encouraging collaboration between physicians and hospitals. Wellforce recently migrated its entire infrastructure to the AWS cloud, including 300+ different apps. Wellforce aims to fully launch in spring 2022 and is expected to be the largest organization to run entirely on the cloud, according to AWS. The company also hopes its move to the cloud will greatly improve customer experience, taking advantage of AWS’ security and data accessibility for a personalized experience. According to Amazon, Wellforce is estimated to save up to 20% annually, or $3 million, through cloud migration and modernization.

Cloudy skies in the forecast

AWS saw a large growth in 2021, growing 37% in the second quarter compared to the preceding quarter and generating $45 billion in 2020, up from $35 billion in 2019. The pandemic slowed face-to-face interactions and highlighted the importance of adapting to a digital landscape and investing in the remote capabilities of the cloud, even as the world starts to heal.

Gartner Inc. forecasts a worldwide public cloud end-user spending increase in 2021 of 23%. And Sid Nag, vice president in the Technology and Service Provider group at Gartner, cites emerging technologies, including containerization and edge computing, as driving forces behind the projected increase.

The company’s continuous support of public sector infrastructure and initiatives deserves recognition as well, even offering an AWS Public Sector Partner Program delivering cloud-based solutions across government, space, education, and nonprofits globally. This program offers benefits such as additional funding, market support, and public-sector-exclusive programs not available to the public. 

One of Amazon’s ambitious public sector projects, Smart Cities, aims to bring the cloud to every possible facet of public service, from transportation to safety to healthcare. Bug Labs’ freeboard platform allows public sector organizations to design and monitor interactive dashboards displaying real-time city data, such as air quality, traffic, and weather, using AWS data sources. Even the power of the edge is being leveraged to service the public, with initiatives such as the AWS Disaster Response utilizing the cloud to develop ad-hoc networks at places otherwise without any internet or cellular connections.  

Livestream of AWS Summit Washington, DC

AWS Summit Washington, DC is a livestreamed event, with additional interviews to be broadcasted on theCUBE. You can register for the event here. Plus, you can watch theCUBE’s event coverage here on demand after the live event.

How to watch theCUBE interviews

We offer you various ways to watch the live coverage of AWS Summit Washington, DC, including theCUBE’s dedicated website and YouTube channel. You can also get all the coverage from this year’s events on SiliconANGLE.

TheCUBE Insights podcast

SiliconANGLE also has podcasts available of archived interview sessions, available on iTunes, Stitcher, and Spotify, which you can enjoy while on the go.

Guests

Guests who will be interviewed on theCUBE during AWS Summit Washington, DC include AWS’ Sandy Carter, VP of worldwide public sector partners and programs; Maj. Gen. Clint Crosier, director of aerospace and satellite solutions; Keith Brooks, director of business development and GTM; and Max Peterson, VP of worldwide public sector.

TheCUBE will also speak with Lynn Martin, VP of government, education and healthcare at VMware; Jennifer Blumenthal, co-founder and CEO of OneRecord; Mark Francis, chief digital health integration officer at Electronic Caregiver; Adriana Gascoigne, founder and CEO of Girls in Tech; Howard Levenson, GM and area VP of Databricks Federal at Databricks; and Matt Mandrgoc, head of U.S. public sector at Zoom.

Stay tuned for a complete list of speakers.

(* Disclosure: TheCUBE is a paid media partner for AWS Summit Washington, DC. Neither AWS, the sponsor for theCUBE’s event coverage, nor other sponsors have editorial control over content on theCUBE or SiliconANGLE.)

Image: SiliconANGLE