So much of collaboration/CX tech professionals’ jobs these days involves understanding and connecting with peers from other parts of the IT organization as well as the business. Whether the issue is security, customer service, employees’ work experience at the office, or the business case for AI, you can’t make the right technology, vendor, and strategy choices without a strong web of collaboration among those who either help enable or benefit from the services you deploy.
This has been a major theme the last several years at Enterprise Connect, and it’s only getting more important. This year, we’re breaking even more ground in this area, with a session that looks at the interaction between your collaboration/CX estate and your enterprise’s datacenter strategy.
Datacenters are clearly the hottest topic in IT these days, with investments powering the boom that we all hope won’t turn into a bubble. The hyperscalers have driven much of this growth, their capex nearly tripling over the past 3 years as of 3Q2025, according to Synergy Research Group. While the hyperscalers’ continued hyper-growth has reduced the percentage of datacenters operated directly by the enterprise, according to Synergy, the repatriation and edge-datacenter trends, driven by cost and governance issues, mean you’ll be dealing with both cloud- and premises-based datacenter strategies for the foreseeable future.
That’s why we’re adding a new perspective to Enterprise Connect 2026, in the form of a session entitled, How Your Enterprise’s Datacenter Strategy Affects Collaboration & CX, led by Ryan Gruver, president of the Arizona chapter of AFCOM, the data center industry’s leading and longest-standing professional association. The session abstract notes that, “Cost, application performance, AI decisions, data residency, and a host of other issues hinge on the choices your enterprise makes about what to deploy on premises, in enterprise datacenters, or in single- and multi-tenant clouds,” and those decisions in turn impact all of the teams responsible for the different elements.
When I chatted with Ryan about doing the session, he was passionate about the need for stakeholders from IT (including collab/CX folks) to work more closely with those from the facilities and datacenter teams. I’m looking forward to the insights Ryan will share.
Sessions like this reflect the wide variety of topics and approaches that Enterprise Connect 2026 will cover as we deliver insights for collaboration/CX professionals wherever you are in your journey – whether your focus is on your installed base and its future; the need to succeed with AI; or your strategic plans for the next 3 – 5 years and beyond. We’ve extended our Super Early Bird rate to register for the Conference, so you can still get in on the best prices for the industry’s largest independent event. See you March 10 – 12 in Las Vegas!
Reimagine Collaboration and Communications with Enterprise Connect
All In on What’s Next
For over 35 years, Enterprise Connect has been the premier event where IT leaders, solution providers, and industry analysts come together to define the future of enterprise communications. As the most trusted conference in the industry, we deliver cutting-edge insights, world-class networking opportunities, and hands-on solutions that drive real business success.
Enterprise Connect is more than an event—it’s an experience that empowers enterprise communications leaders to reimagine the future of work. With elevated content, curated networking, and an engaging atmosphere, it remains the must-attend conference for professionals shaping the industry’s evolution.
Our mission is to equip you with the tools, strategies, and actionable insights needed to address your organization’s unique challenges. With industry transformation in mind, this year’s program introduces fresh new conference tracks, including:
- Legacy Unleashed: Optimizing Your Communications Backbone
- Workplace Reimagined: Engineering Tomorrow's Collaboration
- Tech Disruption Zone: Implementing Without Imploding
- Achieving Transformation: Architecting Your 3-5 Year Roadmap
- Future Shock: Communications Tech Beyond the Horizon
Featuring the most comprehensive program of objective content and an expansive vendor-neutral expo hall, Enterprise Connect is your ultimate resource for advancing collaboration, CX, and AV strategies. Join us to stay ahead, connect with industry trailblazers, and lead the transformation of enterprise communications.