Held at the Venetian Resort, Las Vegas from June 11 – 14, 2024, Splunk .conf24 was well received by attendees and also garnered both analyst and media attention as well. The event observed great interest from the observability and security ecosystem with over 5,000+ estimated attendees, 40+ sponsors, and 1,000+ partners, all gathered to explore the latest in AI, security, and observability. With the event happening right after Cisco Live 2024, it helped convey the incredible synergy between Cisco and Splunk.
What Made This .conf Stand Out: The Big Splunk Acquisition
Why was this year’s conference different? Well for starters Cisco made a decision on acquiring Splunk last year so several partners, customers and analysts are curious to see how this collaboration will unfold. People had several questions about the future of FSO, Security and the role of Splunk. “Will Splunk’s uniqueness be lost?” “What will happen next?”
But at Splunk .conf24 all that vanished away with the wind. Taking to the stage together were Chuck Robbins CEO of Cisco and Gary Steele CEO of Splunk who reassured those in attendance that their offerings will be enhanced with the synergies that can be leveraged between Splunk platform and Cisco portfolio across Security and Observability domains. They made it very clear that Splunks core values and mission would not be affected by this merger. The conference clearly demonstrated that Cisco wants to continue with the Splunk brand and make best use of the platform and ecosystem it developed over the years. Cisco will then make the integration between its products and Splunk seamless through single sign-on and consistent user experience.
Some of Splunk’s Customer Stories!
One way to see the value of Splunk is by hearing how people have used it. At Splunk .conf24, many well-known companies that have used Splunk gave a talk about their success stories. These clearly demonstrated the adoption of Splunk among different sectors for security and Observability use cases.
- HSBC: Transforming Financial Operations with Splunk
For example, HSBC, one of the world’s largest banks, uses Splunk in processing more than 60 billion events per day from over 150 different data sources. This demonstrated the capabilities of Splunk to ingest data at scale from a wide variety of sources. With this, HSBC was able to leverage the Splunk analytics capabilities to accelerate the response times for incidents there by reducing the impact of issues drastically. Consequently, this has assisted HSBC in detecting problems faster while concentrating on proactive measures needed to prevent future occurrences as far as possible. By bringing more systems under the Observability of splunk, HSBC is able to maintain stability and security within its banking system ensuring efficient operations and better service to customers.
- Intel: Enhancing Visibility and Response with Splunk:
The global leader in the semiconductor manufacturing industry, Intel replaced its legacy Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) system with Splunk to achieve better visibility and a unified work surface within their Security Operations Center (SOC). This transition has enabled Intel to respond to incidents in minutes, a significant improvement from the previous hours-long response times. Additionally, the integration of Splunk has improved collaboration between analysts and data scientists as they share advanced threat hunting and optimization data. Intel’s enhanced security posture and operational efficiency underscore how transformative Splunk can be in a high-stakes technology environment.
- BMW: Driving Manufacturing Excellence with Splunk
BMW, a renowned automobile manufacturer, adopted Splunk to address intricate production and quality issues. The improved visibility and advanced data analytics provided by Splunk has helped BMW to improve the dependability of their manufacturing lines and ensure that the outputs are of high quality. Through Splunk’s analytical platform, BMW is now able to scrutinize all aspects of the production process including IOT data from machine performance as well as product quality KPIs that might create problems if unchecked. The proactive approach has resulted in enhanced operational reliability, decreased downtime and continuous improvement in their manufacturing operations. The way BMW leverages Splunk demonstrates how sophisticated data analysis can bring excellence in manufacturing and production settings.
Keynote Highlights
The keynote sessions at Splunk .conf24 were filled with exciting announcements and strategic insights, reflecting Splunk’s commitment to innovation and resilience in the AI era.
Here’s a brief overview of what was shared:
- Day 1: The Splunk You Love, Now Even Better
Tom Casey, Splunk’s Senior Vice President and General Manager of Products and Technology, kicked off the first day’s keynote by highlighting the importance of resilience and efficiency in today’s AI-driven world. He emphasised how Splunk’s enhanced data analytics and monitoring capabilities are designed to meet these needs, showcasing real-world examples of how companies like HSBC, Intel, and BMW are leveraging Splunk to drive their operations forward. - Day 2: Innovating for the Future
The second day’s keynote, delivered by CEO Gary Steele and Executive Vice President Jeetu Patel from Cisco, focused on the future of Splunk post-acquisition by Cisco. They reassured attendees that Splunk’s core mission and values would remain intact while integrating Cisco’s extensive threat intelligence to bolster Splunk’s security offerings. This collaboration promises to deliver unparalleled data visibility and threat detection capabilities, setting the stage for future innovations.
Major Announcements
The keynotes at Splunk .conf24 weren’t just about strategic vision; they also featured several significant product announcements that underline Splunk’s commitment to driving innovation and operational excellence:
- Enterprise Security 8.0: A major update that integrates sophisticated AI to streamline threat detection and response processes, offering a unified threat investigation workflow.
- Data Management and Federated Analytics: New data management capabilities, leveraging Ingest and Edge Processor that enhance the way organisations have flexibility in handling data and used for analysis. This approach provides more control and efficiency in data processing.
- AI Assistant: Introduced for both security and observability, the AI Assistant leverages generative AI to provide natural language insights, making it easier for users to interact with and derive value from their data. This is seamlessly integrated with the normal usage of the products.
- AppDynamics Integration: The integration with Cisco’s AppDynamics ensures seamless observability across traditional and modern application architectures, improving visibility and performance monitoring.
- Asset and Risk Intelligence: an innovative product that automatically detects and updates asset records, assisting organizations enhance their security protection against risks.
- Expanded AI and Machine Learning Capabilities: An ongoing investment towards AI and ML to provide deeper insights and proactive recommendations, helping organizations stay ahead of potential issues.
CloudFabrix @Conf.24
Our presence at Splunk .conf24 has been a valuable opportunity to engage with industry professionals and showcase how our solutions bring value to Splunk users. Visitors to our booth #C3 in the Partner Zone had the chance to explore CloudFabrix apps on the Splunk Platforms through detailed demos and discussions. Our official reception at Flight Club in The Venetian Resort Las Vegas, co-hosted with Evolutio, provided a space for networking and conversation.
CloudFabrix was demonstrating two applications which it had ported to leverage the Splunk Data Platform: Asset Intelligence Analytics (AIA) and Unified Network Observability and Automation (UNOA). Both applications demonstrated the value of CloudFabrix’s Robotic Data Automation Platform (RDAF) in bringing data and insights to Splunk. RDAF showcased its ability to ingest, visualize, and analyze infrastructure and networking data from Cisco and other vendors. This enriched data can be seamlessly integrated within the familiar Splunk experience through a Splunk App.
Asset Intelligence Analytics is meant for an IT Planning persona whereas Unified Network Observability and Automation is meant to address NOC and networking admins. CloudFabrix AIA demonstrated how applications simplify complex business risk assessments and enhance asset management strategies using the Splunk Platform. CloudFabrix Asset Intelligence & Analytics application and telemetry pipelines for a wide variety of infrastructure/network domains were key highlights, offering practical insights to attendees.
As a sponsor of Splunk .conf24, CloudFabrix appreciated the opportunity to connect with partners, customers, and new acquaintances. The event allowed us to share our expertise and gather feedback.
Fun and Festivities at Splunk .conf24
Splunk .conf24 wasn’t just about cutting-edge innovations and groundbreaking announcements—it was also a fantastic social experience! The event was packed with a variety of fun activities and social gatherings that made the conference even more memorable. Here’s a glimpse of the lively social scene at .conf24:
- Welcome Reception
The festivities kicked off with a vibrant Welcome Reception, where attendees had the opportunity to network, relax, and enjoy delicious food and drinks. This initial gathering set the tone for the event, providing a perfect icebreaker and a chance to meet fellow attendees from around the world. - Happy Hours
Each day of the conference featured lively Happy Hours, giving everyone a chance to unwind after a day of sessions and workshops. These informal gatherings were a great way to connect with peers, discuss the day’s insights, and make new friends in a relaxed atmosphere. The happy hours also gave an opportunity to interact with peers and influencers in more of an informal setting while having fun. - TLC at the Search Party!
The highlight of the social events was undoubtedly the Search Party on Thursday, June 13, held at Caesars Forum from 7-10 pm. This intergalactic extravaganza was an unforgettable experience, where attendees danced the night away to the electrifying sounds of TLC. The legendary group delivered an outstanding performance, bringing everyone to their feet and filling the night with energy and excitement. It was a perfect way to cap off .conf24, leaving everyone with great memories and new connections.
Splunk .conf24 proved that a conference could be both intellectually stimulating and incredibly fun. The blend of professional development and social activities created a well-rounded experience, making it a conference to remember.
Conclusion At Splunk .conf24, Cisco clarified Splunk’s role going forward in security and observability. They outlined the full stack observability solution and how Splunk plays a key role in that. The conference provided a blend of strategic enhancements and new features aimed at bolstering Cisco market position in key areas of Security and Observability. Whilst certain releases represented essential updates rather than major breakthroughs, together they make for a stronger, more cohesive platform. The inclusion of Cisco Talos, progress in AI for security purposes and the presentation of Splunk Enterprise Security 8.0 exemplify Splunk’s determination to meet customer requirements as well as enhance its security services. These developments indicate Splunk’s future direction in the sector and attendees were excited by the innovations and eager to see their impact in the coming years.
