Join us to learn about Apache Ignite

A technical session to look at Apache Ignite and hear from BlackRock how they believe it will solve their application performance & scalability challenges:

• BlackRock intro and Apache Ignite intro

• BlackRock present for 30-45

• Break: Pizza/drinks networking interlude

• Apache Ignite present for 30-45

• Final networking & close

BlackRock talk

Colin Cassidy and Kaushik Chaubal will talk about how Apache Ignite may soon contribute towards the awesome power of Aladdin - BlackRock’s market-leading investment platform. They will discuss how Apache Ignite’s core features could help ramp up the performance, reliability, scale and flexible delivery of BlackRock’s portfolio management tools. The session will include examples and live demos of Ignite’s capabilities.

Colin Cassidy is responsible for the design and development of specialist portfolio management tools within the Aladdin Product Group – with a focus on automated investment processes. Colin's time with the firm dates back to 2008, including his years with Barclays Global Investors. Colin earned a degree in Computer Science from Manchester University.

Kaushik Chaubal is a software developer in BlackRock’s Core Software Infrastructure team within the Aladdin Product Group. The team is responsible for enhancing and supporting developer productivity and Aladdin’s platform stability within BlackRock. He has been with BlackRock since early 2012 and has a master’s degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh.

Apache Ignite talk

Christos Erotocritou will provide a deep dive into Apache Ignite, the in-memory data fabric that combines in-memory cluster & computing, in-memory data grid and in-memory streaming under one umbrella of a fabric. Ignite slides between applications and various data sources and provides applications with the ultimate performance and scalability.

In this session we will cover all the features and capabilities of Apache Ignite as well as discuss some challenges and opportunities in the space.

Christos Erotocritou comes from a software engineering background, currently working as solutions architect at GridGain Systems with a passion and dedication for solving complex problems and finding new ways to use technology. He has worked for a number of software companies specialising in high-performance in-memory computing and has hands-on experience with a broad spectrum of technologies.

His key areas of expertise include In-memory computing, data grids, distributed systems, NoSQL, cloud applications & orchestration, DevOps, IoT, Raspberry Pi, Arduino and other micro-controllers. He has a master's degree in Intelligent Systems (AI) from university of Sussex and a bachelors in Software Engineering.