Enterprise
Salesforce, SAP, Oracle, ServiceNow, cloud
Google Data Cloud adds new AI and analytics tools
Google just launched several new features for its Data Cloud. BigQuery now supports stateful processing in streaming queries, letting you do things like rolling averages in real time (currently in preview). There’s also a ready-to-use synthetic data generator for Managed Kafka, now generally available. And Lakehouse managed tables for Apache Iceberg are in preview, promising easier data management and cross-tool compatibility. Updates to Dataflow pipelines are also rolling out.
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PostgreSQL patches 12-year-old code execution vulnerability
PostgreSQL has released security updates to fix a vulnerability present since 2014 that lets users with the REPLICATION attribute execute arbitrary code as the system user running the database. The flaw, CVE-2026-6471, affects multiple versions prior to the latest releases. The update introduces a whitelist restricting which logical decoding output plugins can be loaded, strengthening security for affected systems.
Salesforce details Engineering360 operational data platform
Salesforce has unveiled Engineering360, its new operational intelligence platform designed to integrate data from various sources within the company’s engineering operations. The system brings together records from code repositories, incident logs, and performance metrics, consolidating ninety billion records in real time. Salesforce says Engineering360 provides a unified, actionable view of enterprise data, seeking to enable faster decision-making for its engineering teams across its product portfolio.
Salesforce launches new Agentforce bundles with built-in AI
Salesforce just unveiled three bundled versions—Core, Advanced, and Max—of its Agentforce tools for sales, service, and industry customers. These bundles now include built-in AI, Slack, upgraded analytics, enterprise-level security, and customer support, all for a single price. The Max edition, according to Salesforce, offers 60% more value than the previous Agentforce 1, with existing customers able to upgrade at no extra charge.
Southern Company launches real-time storm operations app
Southern Company has introduced SCOUT, a real-time storm operations application built on Databricks' cloud platform. SCOUT provides live data on outages, customer impact, and restoration progress during severe weather. The system centralizes information for dispatchers, field teams, and customer service, replacing older tools and manual processes. In February, SCOUT received an industry award for improving access to outage information across Southern Company's operations.
Databricks Shares Guide for High-Quality Data Products
Databricks has published recommendations on building high-quality, trustworthy data products, emphasizing the importance of data quality and usability for organizations making data-driven decisions. The company encourages assigning dedicated data product owners and applying "product thinking" to manage and monitor data assets, whether or not enterprises use a data mesh structure. The advice is aimed at helping users deliver the right data in the right format, reliably.
Red Hat Satellite 6.20 early access opens this September
Red Hat will start early access sign-ups for Satellite 6.20 on September 2, 2026, with a limited availability release scheduled for November. This version moves to container-based deployment on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 and adds support for post-quantum cryptography—making it easier to manage Linux systems and prep for future security requirements. You’ll need a fresh install; no upgrade path yet.
Server hardware shortages delay projects and raise costs
Companies are facing delays and higher prices in buying server hardware, with lead times for memory and flash parts now stretching past 40 weeks. Commercial server prices rose 15–20% in early 2026, and analysts say supply constraints will continue. Red Hat highlights that these shortages are causing project slowdowns and budget overruns, pushing more teams to rely on cloud services as a stopgap.
Google Cloud adds auto-generated ID columns to BigQuery
Google Cloud just rolled out identity columns for BigQuery. Now you can set up columns that automatically count up—a unique number appears each time you add a new row, no app fiddling needed. That means one less step when managing big tables, especially if you've been handwriting IDs or using outside scripts to keep track. The feature works directly in SQL and fits into usual data loading workflows.
Google Cloud adds policy intelligence features to VPC Service Controls
Google Cloud has introduced new policy intelligence features for its VPC Service Controls, including a violation analyzer and dashboard. BlackLine, which provides financial operations software, is using these tools to improve its security perimeters and incident response. The new features aim to simplify policy management and quickly identify and resolve access violations across cloud environments.
Smarsh AI Support Agent Resolves 72% of Cases Without Humans
Smarsh says its AI support agent, Archie, now handles 72% of customer inquiries without human help, based on 405 sessions in Q2 2026. Archie scored 2.6 out of 3 for reliability, clearing the company’s quality bar. Smarsh is expanding the approach to internal workflows with Emmy, an AI tool already adopted by 65% of support reps, who now save over 7 hours per case.
ING builds flexible tech with open standards, AI, and cloud mix
ING is shaking up how big banks manage technology. They're moving legacy systems to a global platform using open-source software, Kubernetes (Google's system for managing lots of computers), and standard APIs—so they're not stuck with one vendor. Sensitive data stays in their private cloud, but they use outside providers for less critical work. Engineers get in-house automation tools that keep everything secure and speed up their work.
Red Hat offers free OpenShift Virtualization year for migrations
Red Hat is waiving the first year of subscription fees for OpenShift Virtualization if you sign a three-year deal. The move aims to help companies switch from their old virtualization providers without paying for two platforms at once. Hardware, migration, and training costs are still on you, but this takes out a big up-front bill. For many teams, that’s what’s been holding off a migration.
BYU migrated 1,500 VMs to Red Hat OpenShift in 6 weeks
Brigham Young University moved all 1,500 of its virtual machines to Red Hat OpenShift in just six weeks, speakers said at Red Hat Summit 2026. The migration lets BYU run virtual machines and containers together and simplifies its infrastructure. The university reports that automated node recovery features now cut VM outage recovery from hours to minutes, protecting key data from corruption in case of failures.
Databricks explains importance of data transformation
Databricks published an overview of data transformation—the process of turning raw, messy data into standardized, usable datasets. They emphasize its key role in making sure organizations get accurate, complete, and reliable information by removing duplicates, cleaning up missing values, and making data compatible with analytical tools. Data transformation, they say, is the backbone of data pipelines and analytics.
Databricks launches broader data governance framework for AI
Databricks introduced a new framework for data governance that goes beyond just security controls. Their Data Empowerment Program focuses on knowledge, context, and clear definitions—arguing these are as crucial as access restrictions. They outline five pillars: data governance, AI/model governance, data literacy, data management, and shared ontology. The goal: make sure AI is built on high-trust data, not just locked-down data.
GitLab reveals its approach to building AI-fluent teams
GitLab shared how it trains its teams to work effectively with AI tools. Instead of just giving everyone access and hoping for the best, they combined central oversight with department-specific leaders and in-house 'AI champions.' The central team sets security rules and picks key vendors. Embedded leaders and power users adapt those guidelines for different departments. GitLab says this ensured quality without slowing teams down.
AI skill gaps holding back companywide gains
Harvard Business School found workers using generative AI finished tasks 25% faster and produced results judged 40% higher quality. But The New Stack notes this advantage disappears—and can even backfire—when teams don't know when or how to use these tools. Access alone isn't enough: companies actually need to build AI fluency. Without it, parts of the business move ahead and others fall behind.
Traces offer insight, but new methods fight data overload
Traces let you see exactly where a request fails as it moves through your software, but saving every trace can slow you down and eat up expensive storage. Instead of keeping everything, engineers are using smarter sampling—only saving the most useful pieces, or skipping traces that repeat. According to Sarah Hudspeth of Chronosphere, it keeps monitoring useful but manageable.
Genpact unveils AI pricing tied to outcomes, not usage
Genpact is testing a new way to charge businesses for its AI tools: clients pay based on the results they get, rather than paying per user or per transaction. Genpact says it will take on the pricing risk itself, aiming to offer predictable costs to customers wary of surprise bills. This kind of outcome-based pricing has rarely reached broad use in enterprise software.
Most service firms still rely on spreadsheets for projects
A new report from Certinia found 62% of professional service firms still use spreadsheets for project management, edging out even specialized software. The study, based on 1,000 manager and executive surveys, points to these workarounds and untrusted data as major barriers to getting real benefits from AI. Firms are changing how they work and make money, but shaky data is a sticking point.
MET Group pushes for standardized data amid rapid growth
MET Group's Chief Digital Transformation Officer, Thomas Bode, has kicked off a major effort to overhaul how the energy firm manages technology and data. After years of fast expansion and several acquisitions, the company found its old tech and scattered processes were holding it back. Now, Bode’s focus is on unifying data standards across business units, aiming for more reliable information and better risk management, without stifling local innovation.
Italy's GARR launches its own data storage for researchers
GARR, Italy’s academic research network, has built its own data storage system. Rather than using US-based cloud services, GARR keeps scientific data entirely in Italy. This move aims to protect research data from possible foreign government interference or deletion—after recent reports of such threats under renewed Trump administration policies. More than 1,000 Italian organizations are covered, from universities to research centers.
Virgin Atlantic overhauls customer service with Genesys tech
Virgin Atlantic replaced its decades-old phone-based help system after COVID left it overwhelmed with calls and unresolved requests. The airline shifted routine documentation tasks to WhatsApp, kept sensitive issues for live agents, and merged all support channels onto Genesys software. In 2024, it added an AI tool that helps agents answer customer queries faster. Virgin Atlantic says web chat volume jumped 220%, with faster handling times and improved customer satisfaction.