(upbeat music) (upbeat music) >> Hello, and welcome back to theCUBE's coverage of Red Hat Summit 2021 virtual. I'm John furrier, host of theCUBE We've got a great segment with a customer Roberto Calandrini, Head of Architecture, Digital and AI services for Snam customer need to leak oil and gas and AI services for Snam customer need to leak oil and gas great industrial IOT and digital transformation. Roberto, thank you for coming on the cube and spending the time. >> Hi, John. Good to see you. Thank you for inviting me. >> That's awesome. Before we get started, I love the story and again I think security edge and in, in in disease industry for disruptions is huge story here. But before we get started, talk about Snam. Give me a quick overview of Snam, who you guys are. What's your focus customers you have and your role there. >> Of course. So it was not is one of the major global energy infrastructure company and is managing a international and a national asset specifically and a national asset specifically in the natural gas utility segment. There's what the story Kelly Snam did. And it recently positioned itself as a leader of the energy transition, investing a lot in startups of the energy transition, investing a lot in startups mostly focused on, for example, H2 so hydrogen, these the very recent topic, bio Nathan with numb for environment sustainable mobility, energy efficiency, and reforestation. So we kind of So we kind of expanded our core businesses in terms of positioning ourselves much more within the energy transition segments and still developing a lot, what we used to do in the natural gas, in the natural gas industry. And my role there is, as you said, Head of Architecture And my role there is, as you said, Head of Architecture Digital and AI Services. So I'm basically responsible for managing the entire technology stack of Snam and focusing a lot on developing artificial intelligence services for our business lines. >> That's awesome. Well, thanks for sharing that. Let's talk about the digital transmission you've been rearchitecting. You guys redesign your applications map impacting your architecture from the data center to the edge recently, even the center of that your responsibility for the business. What were the business drivers and objectives for you to reach that transformation goal and target? >> Yeah, thanks for, for the question. So they basically, we were mainly interested in exploiting three main three main objectives with our transformation. The first was very much related to our business strategy. So having a more agile So having a more agile and flexible digital architecture that will still on one one end provide us with the reliability that we need in order to sustain our business critical application. And on the other end, provide the agility And on the other end, provide the agility and flexibility the speed in some sense that our new business line will lead in order to succeed. So let's say speed and agility. The second one was a focus on platformization and servitization of our industry specific application. So what we used to develop, as So what we used to develop, as let's say, very focused full stack application now, thanks to the modern architectures can be developed on top of platforms or using microservices. on top of platforms or using microservices. And that will apart from providing us agility And that will apart from providing us agility and flexibility will give us more alignment will give us more alignment between what we invest. So the cost of our software development efforts So the cost of our software development efforts and the business value we derive and the business value we derive from the software we produce basically. >> John: Can I... >> So I focus on value. >> Can I ask you real quick on the business drivers? Can you talk about the impact of domain expertise? One of the trends we're seeing is you want to scale of cloud and having an architecture that's going to enable value creation and customer value for your customers but in these vertical disruptions these new opportunities in these industries like you're a very specialized industry get natural gas and you still need that domain expertise if you want to tap in and advantage of the AI. >> Absolutely. >> Can you share your vision on how you're doing that and how that relates to the business driver? >> Yeah. So let's say that this is very, very aligned with >> Yeah. So let's say that this is very, very aligned with with our strategy that focuses with our strategy that focuses on platformization servitization. So if you think So if you think about how we can explore the best, the value of our people so our industry specific expertise, there are two main ways. The first is to build from scratch as we used to do The first is to build from scratch as we used to do in the past full stack applications that are really focused on a specific, this specific need of a business line. And so focused on the business side of the industry or we can leverage modern architecture and develop services that serve that specific need. and develop services that serve that specific need. So this will let us basically being able to So this will let us basically being able to So this will let us basically being able to satisfy our internal customer. So our internal clients and the business need and at the same time, being able to use that software so that service for an external customer or potential potentially for, for our peers. So in order to provide value exploiting our business expertise, in order to, for example you cited AI using what we developed as an AI system, for example, for two in order to solve demand for customer problems and provide that same business value for, for for other companies that are are they share our same business need. >> Yeah. It's a data workload. I mean, it's at the end of the day you need the data >> Exactly. >> and that's going to come back. I want to unpack the data workload when we talk about the edge, but real quick, I want to talk about the role red hat played in your journey to execute your architecture and transformation. Can you share how Red Hat helped you in this? >> Sure. So let's say that, you know, >> Sure. So let's say that, you know, it all began in two, 2018. it all began in two, 2018. When we started to set up our cloud readiness map When we started to set up our cloud readiness map in order to assess what we will, we'll be able to transform. in order to assess what we will, we'll be able to transform. So scale lift and shift or refactor of of our application map into a modern architecture application. into a modern architecture application. So this cloud readiness journey started So this cloud readiness journey started with assessing the level of modularity with assessing the level of modularity with assessing the level of modularity in some way of some of our main applications. And what we started to do is to develop the first blueprints in order to start to develop new system in order to start to develop new system and new application on a cloud native framework and new application on a cloud native framework and Red Hat really Apple with this but providing a container orchestration platform OpenShift on which we started to build up our new, our new application, that up our new, our new application, that so the cloud native application by application map so the cloud native application by application map then in 2019, we started to accelerate this then in 2019, we started to accelerate this let's say moving to a CNA environment journey. let's say moving to a CNA environment journey. let's say moving to a CNA environment journey. And we started to move the first 10 to 20% And we started to move the first 10 to 20% of our workload on the platform as a service environment. of our workload on the platform as a service environment. So an OpenShift and this is something that we are still doing while at the same time, developing different project at the same time, developing different project that tries to turn what we used to have developed that tries to turn what we used to have developed as custom application toward platforms. as custom application toward platforms. So we are basically transforming our application map leveraging the power for what regards to the customer application of modern architectures. So microservices bays So microservices bays and the container orchestration platform provided by Red Hat OpenShift. And at the same time the other main technological driver is platform migration. the other main technological driver is platform migration. So with basically trying to leverage, especially for the processes that are already very standardized. for the processes that are already very standardized. So usually corporate processes. So staff SEF function processes what we're doing there is to build on top of very what we're doing there is to build on top of very let's say industry standard platform. I don't want to, to provide you with names but you can imagine most but you can imagine most of them are software as a service platforms. And this is really happiness because we are as a target. And this is really happiness because we are as a target. We are, we have as, as a target for 2022 to basically have the number for 2022 to basically have the number of application with respect to the number of application our application map of 2018. our application map of 2018. >> So big, big step increase in applications. >> Yeah, yeah, yeah >> That's great. That's cool. And then the ecosystem of energy efficiency and aiming for lower carbon emissions that's a goal you guys are helping with. How is Red Hat helping in the ecosystem in your ecosystem? Do you see them going above and beyond? >> You know, the, for what regards to new business lines? I think that the container orchestration platform I think that the container orchestration platform so OpenShift would provide us with the right level so OpenShift would provide us with the right level of flexibility and agility to move of flexibility and agility to move at the speed of those businesses. That is quite different with respect to our classical ones and frequently needs a much higher speed of development. and frequently needs a much higher speed of development. >> Yeah. Awesome. Well, that's great. Great to see that success with Red Hat let's let's shift gears to the topic of the edge. >> Yeah We've been reporting on Silicon angle industrial edge for many years now. And we were calling out the security potential there as risky, obviously it's, it's it's industrial there's you also got generic edge which is consumer edge and everything in between the edge is just part of the network. And you think about this, this is important for you are what are you doing for you are what are you doing with the edge and IOT from a use case standpoint? What have you already done? And what are you planning to deploy soon? Take us through your, your edge IOT use case how it is today and how you see it tomorrow. >> So let's say that Snam has long OT history that basically started that Snam has long OT history that basically started at the very beginning of our SCADA system. So what we have right now is quite complex Brown So what we have right fields situation for what regards edges and gateways fields situation for what regards edges and gateways fields situation for what regards edges and gateways and technical component that resides on, on the field. and technical component that resides on, on the field. So you can, you, you, you must consider that the Italian network is for the modern that the Italian network is for the modern modern 34,000 kilometers and modern 34,000 kilometers and as many different plants, small, medium, and as many different plants, small, medium, and and large plants spread across the country. and large plants spread across the country. And what we are trying to do leveraging also Red Hat technologies among with Red Hat technologies among with with others is trying to get the benefit with others is trying to get the benefit of containers and microservice development. So the benefit coming from cloud native application and getting those to the edge. from cloud native application and getting those to the edge. So the usual problem So the usual problem with OT as historically been a standardization with OT as historically been a standardization so a very heterogeneous number of components Virginia's protocols of components Virginia's protocols in order for them to communicate with the charters and relatively low level of security. with the charters and relatively low level of security. This is, this was mainly due to the segregation principle This is, this was mainly due to the segregation principle physical segregation principle that used to physical segregation principle that used to dominate the OT field with IOT. Of course, as you were saying we are terrifically expanding the attack surface we are terrifically expanding the attack surface from the cybersecurity standpoint, but at the same time that is mainly why we are approaching that is mainly why we are approaching in a very structural way. Our technology stack implementation including security by design in all our architectural blueprints and implementation. And we strongly believe that pushing the capability And we strongly believe that pushing the capability of container orchestration and containerization to the edge and being able to orchestrate that from the cloud or from our data centers will provide us with a very high level of high-quality and flexibility and the capability to exploited best the geographical distribution of the data. to exploited best the geographical distribution of the data. You know, you were saying a center point will be You know, you were saying a center point will be was soaked around data, and it is correct, but it in our specific case, our data basically came from points in our specific case, our data basically came from points in our specific case, our data basically came from points as I was saying, spread it all across the country. So having different data, gravity points enabled So having different data, gravity points enabled by container rise and centrally orchestrated by container rise and centrally orchestrated by container rise and centrally orchestrated environments will enable us to get the best also environments will enable us to get the best also in terms of, from the cybersecurity perspective because what will be acquired on the centralized environment is only exclusively on the centralized environment is only exclusively what is needed at the centralized environment. what is needed at the centralized environment. All the rest on our target architecture will be entirely elaborated on the field, very close to where the data physically on the field, very close to where the data physically and this will be excludable exclusively enabled by by a containerized approach. >> That's awesome. Great, great. A use case there, Roberto, what's next A use case there, Roberto, what's next for your future plans and your technology journey? Obviously AI is going to be very important and data and leveraging that you've got the core cloud data center edge perspective. >> Yeah, of course. Yeah. What, what, what's next? >> What's your future? Let's say, let's say that what we currently implemented is Let's say, let's say that what we currently implemented is and in average cloud environment so we basically have two data center and one cloud tenant, our infrastructure due to, again and one cloud tenant, our infrastructure due to, again and one cloud tenant, our infrastructure due to, again the use of OpenShifts will be easily extensible the use of OpenShifts will be easily extensible the use of OpenShifts will be easily extensible to other potentially to other cloud providers. So we will move, we're evaluating the move to a multicloud So we will move, we're evaluating the move to a multicloud a hybrid multicloud environment. At the same time our main focus right now is to close our IOT foundation. our main focus right now is to close our IOT foundation. And within the IOT foundation I think the main focus right now is on gateways and edges. I think the main focus right now is on gateways and edges. As you were saying, these are quite complex components As you were saying, these are quite complex components and must be greatly evaluated, especially from the cybersecurity standpoint and last from the cybersecurity standpoint and last but not least the data we need to. but not least the data we need to we started our data platform journey and we currently are acquiring data from legacy systems and we currently are acquiring data from legacy systems different kinds of legacy system and SCADA system. What we would like to reach is a complete IOT What we would like to reach is a complete IOT What we would like to reach is a complete IOT acquisition system that will be directly connected to our components, acquiring data on the field. Right now we are in, let's say Right now we are in, let's say in the middle of this digital transformation and we are hemming to close our and we are hemming to close our our journey in the next couple of years. >> That's great, Roberto, great story. Love the conversation. First of all, I love your title Head of Architecture, Digital AI Services. I mean, that speaks to this modern error of, of, of cloud distributed computing. You hit all the hit, all the key things, right? It's an architectural system distributed system. It's a digital business. Now, even though there's physical assets offline, online coming together in a modern way and AI really speaks to the underlying data which is combination of many, many things, you know you're you get all the action there. >> Roberto: Yeah! >> How do you feel? What's your advice to other people in the same boat you're in? >> No, I, I think that, that the interesting part of what we do that the interesting part of what we do at least in, in my specific area, and this is what digital at least in, in my specific area, and this is what digital or sustained for is digital service design. This is something new that is quite uncommon within the utility sector. And it is basically a group of people that apart And it is basically a group of people that apart from being technologists focus a lot on the interaction from being technologists focus a lot on the interaction design of what we are or what we are trying to build design of what we are or what we are trying to build in terms of the technology stack. So these are people that basically try to make the very So these are people that basically try to make the very complex technology stack we talk about in our interview much more simple the, to the final user and think about the level of interaction, complexity about the level of interaction, complexity that all our user will have with our technology stack. Especially when we talk about IOT now, and you start to interact, not just with digital systems, but also with digital or physical systems. with digital or physical systems. So yes, we, we, we have a lot on our plate >> It reminds me of the late eighties, early nineties when open standards really hit the scene and then incubated and then accelerated was seeing that same dynamic happening now with cloud. And you're a pioneer and really appreciate you taking the time to come on The Cube and speak with me about this and share your story. And more importantly than Red Hat success there. 'cause it's Red Hat summit, a story here, Roberto. Thank you very much for sharing your insights and experiences. >> Thank you for your time, John. This has been a pleasure. >> Really appreciate it. Okay. That's Red Hat CUBE coverage here with theCUBE. I'm John furrier. Thanks for watching. (upbeat music)